Man City will win the Premiership within 5 years...

[TheMaraudingDog]

..Man City will win the Premiership within 5 years...

Didn't the giddy lot say that a year ago after a new owner,a new manager and a Brazilian was bought?

Not sure why Robhino went there TBH. Although I liked Steve Currie's theory that young Brazilians have never heard of Man City and refer to United as "Manchester". Would be an LOL if Robhino turns up expecting to play in red.

[RTFC Drummer]

And why would KFC want to buy a stadium?

To put all their stock in there eg chicken wings.

[Tony Le Mesmer]

Will be interesting to see what happens if one of the current 'big 4' suddenly finds themselves without Champions League Football.

Milan could be a forerunner to what might happen. They finished 5th last year in Serie A and look to be seriously on the back peddle.

Id like Liverpool to miss out, just to shut up ITV if nothing else. "LOLiverpool in Europe"

[Thaumagurist*]

Id like Liverpool to miss out, just to shut up ITV if nothing else. "LOLiverpool in Europe"

I'd prefer Arsenal to miss out, just to shut up the Arse lovers on here.

[sheshnu]

Not sure why Robhino went there TBH. Although I liked Steve Currie's theory that young Brazilians have never heard of Man City and refer to United as "Manchester". Would be an LOL if Robhino turns up expecting to play in red.

It's possible, but if that's the case his agent wants shooting (and will probably get it next time he's in Brazil). Maybe he's friends with this Jo character?

[papereyes]

I understand what you're saying, but I'm afraid I don't agree with it.

My reading of it is that the CL money will be pretty insignificant to the owners - it's the kudos of the CL place that's important, and which means they will pour stupid money into their teams in a race to get that place. And that can only increase the financial gap between even the 5th placed team and the likes of Spurs, Villa and everyone else all the way down the pyramid.

Not sure about obituaries - for 15 out of the 20 PL teams the chances of ever actually winning the thing are now even more dead and buried - their only hope of winning the league they're in is to find their own super-rich Arab or whoever.

I think your point is valid re: Chelsea & Man City, but Liverpool and Arsenal are not operated as 'playthings' at this current time, but as businesses, therefore failure to qualify for the Champions League is a BIG DEAL for them, making them vulnerable to the competition in a market that has 5 players and 4 places.

That's the way I see it.

They might get bought out but I can see Arsenal downsizing a bit.

Maybe English clubs will take the UEFA cup seriously. That'd be nice.

[soggy biscuit]

Not sure why Robhino went there TBH.

After the things he said about Real Madrid he no choice but to leave, it was always then going to be a case of whichever club met the valuation. Sounds like Man City were the only ones to meet it.

[6ft Kerplunk]

Id like Liverpool to miss out, just to shut up ITV if nothing else. "LOLiverpool in Europe"

I'd prefer Arsenal to miss out, because Liverpool are my second team.

[Tony Le Mesmer]

One other thing to consider is that the seeding is being altered in the CL qualifying round, from next year i think. Something Platini introduced. This means teams that finish 3rd & 4th could meet much better teams in order to qualify. City could really rock the boat if they were to finish 2nd in the next few years.

[Silver Fox]

Not sure why Robhino went there TBH. Although I liked Steve Currie's theory that young Brazilians have never heard of Man City and refer to United as "Manchester". Would be an LOL if Robhino turns up expecting to play in red.

It's possible, but if that's the case his agent wants shooting (and will probably get it next time he's in Brazil). Maybe he's friends with this Jo character?

I don't think it is the case, I think TMD might be cluching at those straws again

[Rob-Royal]

I believe this is the end of the EPL as we know it today. 5 into 4 doesn't go. The day Man City joined this elite group is the beginning of what will see a change to the structure of the EPL league. It's been said already, the CL is where it's at. Foreign owners are investing huge sums of money to be a part of it & what will be the next version of the CL. The power that the EPL now has on the global football audience is phenominal and those investors will demand they get what they want or they break away and form their own league. Uefa will be under increased pressure to either up the number of clubs competing in the CL or the clubs will do their own thing and that will open up the likes of Villa, Everton & Spurs into the equation.

Recent foreign ownership isn't about play things for the mega rich. It's about business opportunities to the global market. Americans don't suddenly get a liking to 'soccer' - it's about making money through new media opportunities such as mobile content, hand held devices, streaming media through the internet. Man U recently signed a mobile agreement in Saudi Arabia for matches to be shown on hand helds, I expect more of these types of deals will come.

The asian market with the majority of the worlds population and who are football mad is where the money will come from in it's billions whether that be for EPL initially or more likely ultimately a European Premier League. The only doubt I have of a European Premier League is that we're not seeing any takeovers of clubs in Spain, Italy & Germany - yet....

[papereyes]

Spanish clubs are/can be owned in a different way, iirc.

As are, I think German clubs - who at least have some idea of how to run a competitive league.

[Stranded]

As soon as over half the clubs in the Prem are owned by mega rich owners, expect a breakway of sorts and a closed shop 16 team Premier League.

[Kes]

News is that Robinho was so desperate to get out of Madrid which is why he chose Manchester City. Madrid wouldn't sanction his move to Chelsea for various reasons including Chelsea's conduct in their quest to sign him.

I wouldn't be surprised if Robinho gets his Premiership grounding at City before making a switch to the Bridge in a season or two. It'll be just the like Berbatov scenario.

[Streets]

News is that Robinho was so desperate to get out of Madrid which is why he chose Manchester City. Madrid wouldn't sanction his move to Chelsea for various reasons including Chelsea's conduct in their quest to sign him.

I wouldn't be surprised if Robinho gets his Premiership grounding at City before making a switch to the Bridge in a season or two. It'll be just the like Berbatov scenario.

LOLz at a bigger club than you selling their best player to Premiership runners up and Euro floppers Ch£lsea.

[Kes]

News is that Robinho was so desperate to get out of Madrid which is why he chose Manchester City. Madrid wouldn't sanction his move to Chelsea for various reasons including Chelsea's conduct in their quest to sign him.

I wouldn't be surprised if Robinho gets his Premiership grounding at City before making a switch to the Bridge in a season or two. It'll be just the like Berbatov scenario.

LOLz at a bigger club than you selling their best player to Premiership runners up and Euro floppers Ch£lsea.

Eh?

[Barry the bird boggler]

One day the bottom will drop out of it all and I can't wait for that day to come.

In the meantime, the sooner the big 4/5/6/7, or whatever it'll finally be, bog off to the boredom of a European League the better it will be for the rest of us.

Here's to seeing ManU failing to keep up with ManC and Chavski throwing the towel in...

Finally I hope a mega bucks investor never gets interested in Reading.

[Streets]

I wouldn't be surprised if Robinho gets his Premiership grounding at City before making a switch to the Bridge in a season or two. It'll be just the like Berbatov scenario.

LOLz at a bigger club than you selling their best player to Premiership runners up and Euro floppers Ch£lsea.

Eh?

Work.It.Out

[soggy biscuit]

Man City > Chelsea

Agreed

[Dirk Gently]

As soon as over half the clubs in the Prem are owned by mega rich owners, expect a breakway of sorts and a closed shop 16 team Premier League.

Not quite - a vote to change the articles of association of the Premier League (which includes overall structure etc) needs to be passed by two-thirds of PL shareholders - i.e. 13 clubs.

Even then, the FA has a "golden share" which can prevent this. Whether they'd exercise it is a whole other issue.