Top flight football is something that can bring the world together, globalised events that can be found on television anywhere in the world. Although, from a British perspective, it is hard to gauge what really is ‘top flight’. With Sky campaigns that dramatise the Barclays Premier League and foreign transfers often using the convenient, easy on the ear notion they have come to such-and-such a club because they want to play in the best league in the world. Often with the highest paid players in the world.
So if not the Premier League, what are the alternatives for the best league in the world? If we define the best league by the league with the greatest players, surely Spain would be a viable alternative? With the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid and the mouth-watering arrays of talent they both have, as well as an eye-catching philosophy of attractive, one touch football, that is only truly embraced by a handful of English (or Welsh in the case of Swansea City) should make it the obvious contender for ‘league number one’.
However, the dominance of the two powerhouses, Real and Barca make uneasy viewing for the other teams, even 3rd place finishers last season Valencia, who boast a strong team with a successful youth system were left eating the dust of the aforementioned clubs, who finished 20+ points ahead last season. Also, the financial crisis in Spain has deeply affected football there, with big stars like Santi Cazorla leaving for a third of what their actual value is, who has quickly become a star in the Premier League, the main threat to Spain’s claim to have the ultimate top flight football.
So what constitutes the ultimate league? Do we define it by players, quality of football or money? What of Serie A, the Italian top flight, which once boasted some of the best players in world football gracing the peninsula, now coverage abroad has declined and scepticism has kicked how honest the game is, numerous betting scandals, match fixing, particularly at Juventus, who have title winning coach Antonio Conte banned from football for ten months after his involvement in match fixing while at Siena. Not what the Bianconeri need, after they were stripped of the title in the Calciopoli scandal of 2006. Also, Serie A itself still struggles to shake off the pre-conceived ideas of Italian football as overly defensive, perhaps even negative, from their European counterparts.
So if the criteria we base the best league on is based on such things mentioned, it is perhaps a shame the Bundesliga is looked down on as a sort of ‘second rate’ top division, with the likes of the Eredivisie. German football attracts the largest crowds in all of Europe, not only for its state of the art stadia, built for the 2006 World Cup, with safety standing areas and beer permitted in the grounds, but also, the game is played at a quick, attacking tempo. On the stars front, more players are coming to the affluent German clubs, with Bayern Munich, as ever, boasting a superstar team, with Dortmund being a skilled team with a good mentality.
Many look to the Premier League as the best league in the world. This is a justified claim, with the open, competitive nature of the league, especially since the potential new era of Manchester City dominance, paid for by Sheikh Mansour’s billions. Former giants like Liverpool now struggle for any form of European competition. The game is still played at a fast, attacking tempo which has always be synonymous with the English game. Although I do feel that, with the almost brain-washing sky campaigns which make football out to be a life-or death scenario, stronger leagues are overlooked sometimes.
Runners up last season Manchester United were a whisker away from the title, before the pulsating finish at the Etihad, yet their current squad, one could argue, is not a patch on Sir Alex’ world beaters of old. Footballing gods like Lionel Messi are relegated to an hourly weeknight show, whereas the pick of the week on Sky, if the opposition are big and mainstream enough ‘Super Sunday’ could involve the spotlight on a ground such as Loftus Road.
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