Posts Tagged ‘Premier League Football’
Premier League shows England’s class through its fine stadia
When the bid team for the 2018 World Cup visited England recently, the single thing that they could not have failed to spot was the sheer brilliance, as well as considerable character, of the magnificent stadia the country has to offer.
As someone who has had the joy of visiting grounds as far south as Portsmouth and as far north as Newcastle, and many others in-between, it never fails to amaze me just how incredible the infrastructure that supports Premier League football really is. And just like we have world-class teams like Chelsea – who are Premier League favourite odds to win – we also have world-class stadia like Stamford Bridge.
With older grounds such as Old Trafford, a stadium oozing history and tradition, providing a magnificent sight for those who approach them (albeit with a terrible view and location for away fans) and newer grounds such as the Emirates providing a luxurious if subdued environment within which to watch Premier League football, there can be few countries in the world that can compare their stadiums to those of our own Premier League.
Newcastle’s return to the Premiership has added yet another fantastic arena and fans up and down the country will be aware that England’s grounds are amongst the best in the world and currently play a significant part in making football so successful here.
With this in mind, the one question that must be asked is if the Premier League sides can produce world class stadia, why on earth is the centrepiece of the 2018 bid a stadium (coincidentally the only one that has been paid for by taxpayers across the UK) which cannot provide the standard that fans expect? Surely this decision is something which confounds the football betting odds, despite how impressive the new Wembley may look.
Tags: Arsenal, Centrepiece, Chelsea, Countries In The World, England 2018, Far South, Football Betting Odds, Magnificent Sight, Manchester United, New Wembley, Newcastle, Old Trafford, One Question, Portsmouth, Premier League Football, Premiership, Sheer Brilliance, Single Thing, Stadia, Stadiums, Stamford Bridge, Taxpayers, Wembley, World Cup
Zola’s battlers should secure safety
I’m sure many people feel a tinge of sympathy for Gianfranco Zola at the moment. The likeable Italian has endured a horror season with West Ham which has seen the club hovering perilously close to the drop zone for much of the season.
Behind the scenes a few years of financial madness a couple of seasons ago, which saw the mass recruitment of highly paid players on long-term contracts, means Zola had to operate with one hand behind his back in the transfer market, while the pressure to stay in the money-rich Premier League became even greater.
Things haven’t been helped by the transfer policy of former director of football Gianluca Nani. It left the squad looking lopsided, with an array of underperforming attacking players and a distinct lack of solid defenders.
The outbursts of new co-owner David Sullivan haven’t helped matters either. He repeatedly reminded anyone who would listen of the club’s perilous financial state and also wrote an open letter to the fans, criticising the players for their performances during a recent six-game losing streak. Zola responded by banning Sullivan from a recent team meeting as he sought to galvanise the team for the final run-in. And so he should, surely Sullivan deals with matters in the boardroom not the dressing room? However, when 18th placed Hull’s win over Fulham last week brought them level on points with the Hammers, things looked even more desperate.
Cue a brave and battling performance at Everton last Sunday, where the club came from behind twice to grab a vital point. With Hull returning to type and crashing away at Stoke, the result and performance should signal the start of a successful safety bid. This is something that’s reflected in the Premier League football betting.
It may not be enough to save his job - it is becoming increasingly apparent the new owners don’t see Zola as their long-term choice. However their performance at Goodison suggests they can secure enough points to stay up, meaning he will be able to leave the job with his head held high.
Meanwhile, the likes of Matthew Upson will have to up their game if they are to help England to justify their World Cup 2010 online odds in South Africa this summer.
Tags: Boardroom, Co Owner, Cue, David Sullivan, Director Of Football, Distinct Lack, Dressing Room, Drop Zone, Fulham, Game Losing Streak, Gianfranco Zola, Gianluca, Last Sunday, Likeable, Madness, Premier League Football, Recruitment, Term Contracts, Tinge, West Ham