Liverpool FC Forum

[Thor Viking]

When I was 1st interested in english football it was big clubs like Liverpool, Manchester united, Leeds and Tottenham that dominated. There were some smaller clubs like Stoke up there a while.
What has happened ? Leeds is probably relegated ! LFC is struggling to get 4th ! Man.Utd. is struggling to reach the FA cupfinal only! And Tottenham; soon I don`t remember their name !

Is it because of bad leadership ?
Is it because of all the money ?
Is it because of less committed players ?
Is it because football in England is too conservative ?

What`s your opinion ?

I do believe it`s because of all the money. There is less loyalty, less comittment, because the players think about themselves 1st,2nd and 3rd, and if any left, MAYBE the club !   

[woof woof !]

Thor ask yourself this question. How many continental players where in the teams you've mentioned .
Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking the ability of players from outside of the uk but when the team was composed of say 9 or 10 british players with only 1 or 2 foreign players mixed in we seemed to play with a helluva lot more pride,determination and fight.
I'm not suggesting that foreign players haven't added to the "english game" of course they have but in the process something seems to have gone...........
Or is it just my imagination

[JBG]

In fairness talk of Man UTD struggling is a bit pre-mature.

They absolutely sominated the 1990s and have won 3 out of the first 4 Championships in the 00s, and while they have been poor this season by their own high standards, they are still a bloody good team.

We all know what happened to Leeds and as poor as we are at the moment we haven't fallen to Tottenham's level yet.

The team currently dominating, Arsenal, have always been a major team in English football, so I don't really see your point.

[Thor Viking]

In fairness talk of Man UTD struggling is a bit pre-mature.

They absolutely sominated the 1990s and have won 3 out of the first 4 Championships in the 00s, and while they have been poor this season by their own high standards, they are still a bloody good team.

We all know what happened to Leeds and as poor as we are at the moment we haven't fallen to Tottenham's level yet.

The team currently dominating, Arsenal, have always been a major team in English football, so I don't really see your point.

Arsenal have always been a major team yes ! But why have they managed, and LFC not ?
I know MU isn`t struggling like Leeds, BUT it`s not like they play as they are capable of ! Some papers and commentators state tah they have som defence problems due to the "loss" of Rio- but it`s not 1 mans fault is it ?

[Big Niall]

When I started watching football in the mid 1980s the big five were Liverpool, Everton, Man United, Arsenal and spurs (probably in that order).

Liverpool went downhill under Dalglish after the great 1988 team, the league winners of 1990 were poor. Everton just achieved great success for a shitty little club for a few years, ManU were lucky to get Fegusson (as much as we may dislike him, he's a fantastic manager-hope Manu fire him), Arsenal rule the world(I honestly cannot remember Bruce Rioch as manager) and spurs were living off past glories even then (one double season over 40 years ago-by that logic Preston North End are a big club).

I'd hate to see a chequebook club like Chelsea become a big force, at least Manu and Arsenal built teams.