Are English Teams Really The Best In Europe?

On the surface of it, with Liverpool, Arsenal, Man U, and Chelsea all in the the last 8 of the Champions League it would seem so. I beg to differ however. These teams may have purchased overseas commodities to a more successful extent than any other but they are far from greatness. And as we approach the end of the of this decade it is worth noting that English teams have failed to dominate Europe over the last 20 years in the way that they did in decades past. Only Liverpool and Man U have waved the Big Cup aloft and bukkakaeed themselves in winners' champagne of late.

Point Two: These teams are not English. Or put another way, they are not owned by the English. The players are mostly not English. In fact, a more accurate question would be "Are English based teams the best in Europe?" Really the premiership top 4 are like those car firms, still operating on English soil, that everyone still pretends, and imagines, are English.

I don't want to start the jingoistic breast, brow, and drum beating all over again now though. After all- it is the capital I have problems with and not immigration, foreignness, or any other kind of otherness.

Meanwhile it is worth mentioning however that if Cardiff City win the FA Cup they will not be eligible to compete in Europe next year- as they are a Welsh team competing in an English competition. Perhaps Cardiff should temporarily relocate to the other side of the Bristol Channel in order to get round this. A Russian owned team competing from West London are currently among the favourites to lift the trophy though. Funny Old Game.

ha-

http://football.guardian.co.uk/Columnists/Column/0,,2210635,00.html

The curse of Ridsdale stikes again.

"A High Court hearing scheduled for next week that could determine the future of Cardiff City has been postponed until next month. The Swiss investment bank Langston is seeking £24m it claims it is owed by the club as part of a deal struck when Peter Ridsdale took over from Sam Hammam. Although Hammam has regularly acted as Langston's "intermediary", he refuses to confirm whether he has a formal connection. Langston has applied for a summary judgment which, if successful, would tip the club into administration, but Ridsdale is privately confident the club will succeed when the case is heard in early December."

The guy's record is a nightmare. Leeds Meltdown. Barnsley Meltdown. Cardiff Meltdown. His record for financial incompetence is as certain as Ken Bates' for financial impropierty. What I love is the statement "Ridsdale is privately confident" , I am sure he was privately supremely confident that Leeds' debt would not spiral to £103 million too.