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is it really that great? let me clarify:

is the league so great that quality players who are established overseas should want to move to a PL club regardless of stature?

look at Wijnaldum. PSV was a great team and yes they lost Depay but PSV are in the Champions League and have some talent. they're currently in 3rd place only 4 points behind leaders Ajax. instead, Wijnaldum moved to shite Newcastle. yes, last season they weren't as bad as they are now but surely his agent knows about Ashley. of course there's the opportunity for higher wages but still. look at Lens and M'Villa moving to Sunderland. how could they not know about Sunderland's recent past? Shaqiri to Stoke. these moves are baffling. surely they know they're never going to win the league or make the Champions League with those clubs barring a club purchase and massive injection of cash.

so why make the move to a sub-par club in the Premier League? are they all just mercenaries moving for money?


(i know most of you despise me and/or my posts but i'd appreciate a genuine discussion about this. but asking for it probably just ensures there won't be one)

Exposure, many come to mid table PL clubs looking at it as a stepping stone to a bigger move.

Money does talk when all is said and done. The wages on offer at a Sunderland or a Villa or a Stoke will dwarf those on offer at a club third or fourth in the Dutch, French, Belgium, Portuguese and even Italian leagues.

The Premier League is probably the strongest in terms of strength in depth. Even the sides at the bottom can win and take points off the teams at the top. Just cast your mind back to Burnley last season. This rarely happens in Spain or Germany. It is also a big component in why English clubs aren't doing as well in European competition. We will face 30/32 tough games with the rest being relatively easy. Barca and Madrid will face 15 or so tough games with a further 12/15 that are relatively easy with the rest being effectively training matches.

Also, as FIBD mentions, it is also bigger and better exposure with the hope of bigger and better things. The Premier League is broadcast to a much wider audience than all other European leagues. In time players will get to really attach themselves to a club, Kompany, Zabba, Silva or example. Or Henry, Cantona, Zola, diCanio to name others. They didn't come initially for the love of the club, they came for the aforementioned reasons. But over time they will have embraced the culture and fabric of the club and their fans and become fans themselves. This is unique to the Premier league I think

the exposure aspect makes sense, but to have to suffer through 4-5 years (im guessing thats the avg length of the contract that a new player will sign nowadays) at, say, Sunderland all the while hoping that you perform well individually sure is a gamble. plus, at somewhere like Sunderland the talent in the squad is not that great and that hinders an individual's ability to impress. can't impress by scoring goals or assisting if your teammates aren't great. can't impress as a keeper if your back line is awful. et cetera.

plus, the players can't just say "I've been here 2 yrs out of my 4 yr contract i want to move. sell me." the club is under no obligation to do so. surely Payet and Wijnaldum are too big for their current clubs and could easily play for Spurs or Liverpool. i would expect them to move on. but why would WHU want to sell Payet if, for example, Spurs comes calling? the club is moving to the Olympic stadium and they're benefitting from a transfer policy overhaul. and, Payet's stance with the French National team hasn't improved since moving to the Premier League despite being one of the league's best players this season and being the Kevin De Bruyne of Ligue 1 last season.

phips wrote:the exposure aspect makes sense, but to have to suffer through 4-5 years (im guessing thats the avg length of the contract that a new player will sign nowadays) at, say, Sunderland all the while hoping that you perform well individually sure is a gamble. plus, at somewhere like Sunderland the talent in the squad is not that great and that hinders an individual's ability to impress. can't impress by scoring goals or assisting if your teammates aren't great. can't impress as a keeper if your back line is awful. et cetera.

plus, the players can't just say "I've been here 2 yrs out of my 4 yr contract i want to move. sell me." the club is under no obligation to do so. surely Payet and Wijnaldum are too big for their current clubs and could easily play for Spurs or Liverpool. i would expect them to move on. but why would WHU want to sell Payet if, for example, Spurs comes calling? the club is moving to the Olympic stadium and they're benefitting from a transfer policy overhaul. and, Payet's stance with the French National team hasn't improved since moving to the Premier League despite being one of the league's best players this season and being the Kevin De Bruyne of Ligue 1 last season.

I could live anywhere in the world for £70k+ a week wages for four or five years

I think the above covers the main points:
1. A chance to earn more money
2. The possibility of moving to a better PL club
3. International TV exposure maybe leading to a move to a better foreign club or international recognition
4. What's so great about finishing third in the Belgian league etc - if you can't win it you might as well get paid more for not winning the PL
5. The chance to experience life in another country
6. The chance to play for world famous managers like Big Sam and Tony Pulis

Only one of the above points is sarcastic.

PhIps, the contract length wouldn't be seen as a deterrent as if they perform well enough the big boys will splash the cash.

Look at the likes of benteke, Suarez or berbatov off top of my head. All came to the prem, did well and got moves to bigger clubs on big fees. Most mid to lower table clubs hope to unearth a gem and triple their outlay after milking a good season or two from their star, not keep them until contract is up and watch then walk on a free.

Play at PSV on £10k a week or play at Sunderland on £70k. No idea why players choose the premier league

Blue Since 76 wrote:Play at PSV on £10k a week or play at Sunderland on £70k. No idea why players choose the premier league

wonderful contribution.

here i was thinking that some people played football because they wanted to win.

phips wrote:the exposure aspect makes sense, but to have to suffer through 4-5 years (im guessing thats the avg length of the contract that a new player will sign nowadays) at, say, Sunderland all the while hoping that you perform well individually sure is a gamble. plus, at somewhere like Sunderland the talent in the squad is not that great and that hinders an individual's ability to impress. can't impress by scoring goals or assisting if your teammates aren't great. can't impress as a keeper if your back line is awful. et cetera.

plus, the players can't just say "I've been here 2 yrs out of my 4 yr contract i want to move. sell me." the club is under no obligation to do so. surely Payet and Wijnaldum are too big for their current clubs and could easily play for Spurs or Liverpool. i would expect them to move on. but why would WHU want to sell Payet if, for example, Spurs comes calling? the club is moving to the Olympic stadium and they're benefitting from a transfer policy overhaul. and, Payet's stance with the French National team hasn't improved since moving to the Premier League despite being one of the league's best players this season and being the Kevin De Bruyne of Ligue 1 last season.

Have you looked at the league table. Why would they want to play for a mid table club with an average squad, when they're in a top 4 team with a tight knit squad? Ok, they may not stay up there but they have a reasonable chance of finishing close to the Spuds and Dippers this season.

phips wrote:here i was thinking that some people played football because they wanted to win.

Bayern Munich forward Thomas Muller has admitted that a move to the Premier League is "very tempting" due to the wages on offer.

Muller, 26, was heavily linked with a switch to Manchester United in the summer and the Old Trafford club had a "very high" offer rejected by Bayern for the Germany international.

Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said earlier this week that the attacker is not for sale at any price, but Muller himself has revealed that joining a Premier League club is an attractive proposition.

"In the end, we should not forget that playing football is our job," he is quoted as telling Die Welt by the Evening Standard. "So people should accept that wages will always play a role in a player's decision-making.

"In the end, we should not forget that playing football is our job," he is quoted as telling Die Welt by the Evening Standard. "So people should accept that wages will always play a role in a player's decision-making.

"Of course, the wages that are being paid in the Premier League are very tempting. It would be hypocrisy to deny that.

"You have to look at the complete package to determine whether something is right for you. What's good for you one day will not necessarily still be good for you the day after.

"I know that a lot of German clubs are unhappy with the Premier League clubs' spending, but I think it is something good for all clubs in the end. It can only be a good thing for football when clubs invest so much money."

Phips, why do you think squads from smaller leagues, e.g. PSV, are more tightly knit than Pl squads? You have the same player rolation there.

Yeah I want to echo Nool there. Rooting for a player in the Swedish top tier for example really isn't for sentimental people as you're lucky if there's anyone in the starting eleven today left in two or three years time. In many ways, top tier leagues like the English, Spanish and German are more stable. In Sweden or Denmark, if a player has a good season, he's gone. Definitely. Doesn't even have to be one season. And it goes without saying that players who don't perform are dropped or sold. Thus, you're left rooting for the average players. Not good enough to earn a move to the fantastic Danish or Dutch leagus, but not bad enough to be dropped or sold.

Don't get me wrong, you support the badge and not the players, but I'd say the rotation is heavier in lower tier leagues than in higher tier leagues.

Hutch's Shoulder wrote:I think the above covers the main points:
1. A chance to earn more money
2. The possibility of moving to a better PL club
3. International TV exposure maybe leading to a move to a better foreign club or international recognition
4. What's so great about finishing third in the Belgian league etc - if you can't win it you might as well get paid more for not winning the PL
5. The chance to experience life in another country
6. The chance to play for world famous managers like Big Sam and Tony Pulis

Only one of the above points is sarcastic.

Good points all, especially 6. :-)

I'd add:

5a. The chance for you and your kids to learn English.

this is my first post so first thing hi all
the pl is the richest but not the best league,and its the place every player wants to be .but if you look back in time it was italy in the 90s and it priced itself out with the fans and in the end the tv companys did,nt want to know ,hope it doesnt happen but clubs cannot take fans for granted.

Tokyo Blue wrote:

Hutch's Shoulder wrote:I think the above covers the main points:
1. A chance to earn more money
2. The possibility of moving to a better PL club
3. International TV exposure maybe leading to a move to a better foreign club or international recognition
4. What's so great about finishing third in the Belgian league etc - if you can't win it you might as well get paid more for not winning the PL
5. The chance to experience life in another country
6. The chance to play for world famous managers like Big Sam and Tony Pulis

Only one of the above points is sarcastic.

Good points all, especially 6. :-)

I'd add:

5a. The chance for you and your kids to learn English.

Oooh ! TB. Re 5a: You're going way out on a limb there !

It's almost an interesting topic.

But you're too much of an absolute cunt.

The Maine Man wrote:Have you looked at the league table. Why would they want to play for a mid table club with an average squad, when they're in a top 4 team with a tight knit squad? Ok, they may not stay up there but they have a reasonable chance of finishing close to the Spuds and Dippers this season.

im assuming you're referring to WHU? i was thinking about their place in the table when i wrote that. for starters, i don't expect them to stay there. second, no way anyone would've thought they'd be as good as they are now after previous seasons. so any move to WHU last summer would've been done for wages, London, and the idea of moving into the Olympic stadium...and maybe buying into the project. Payet and WHU is an interesting one tbf. i

was really thinking more like Wijnaldum and Lens and their moves. Giving up clubs in the CL and clubs that had a real chance to fight for the domestic title in their respective leagues for perennial mid to lower level clubs here in the Premier league.

JamieMCFC wrote:

phips wrote:here i was thinking that some people played football because they wanted to win.

Bayern Munich forward Thomas Muller has admitted that a move to the Premier League is "very tempting" due to the wages on offer.

i wasn't aware we were including prestigious, perennial top 6 clubs in this conversation.

All professional athletes are "mercenaries" like you and I are when we change jobs for higher wages and better career development/opportunities.

Sport has more aspects of "loyalty" from fans, and some players, but I think folks ask too much of professional athletes almost as if they owe and belong to the fans or clubs they play for.

If I was a player I'd do the same thing, unless there were other reasons I happen to value that led me to want to stay with a club, but when the money is so high the trade offs become harder to accept, especially when you are a professional athlete. Their careers are quite short compared to other professions, and the risk of injury is very high and aging affects you quickly that your window to play at top levels is short so your career can end or change drastically with ease.

The Prem offers exposure and money which are not exactly the things that those with high ambition would tend to avoid, especially when ambition is something being a top pro-athlete requires and fans, managers, and owners demand of them.

PrezIke wrote:All professional athletes are "mercenaries" like you and I are when we change jobs for higher wages and better career development/opportunities.

Sport has more aspects of "loyalty" from fans, and some players, but I think folks ask too much of professional athletes almost as if they owe and belong to the fans or clubs they play for.

If I was a player I'd do the same thing, unless there were other reasons I happen to value that led me to want to stay with a club, but when the money is so high the trade offs become harder to accept, especially when you are a professional athlete. Their careers are quite short compared to other professions, and the risk of injury is very high and aging affects you quickly that your window to play at top levels is short so your career can end or change drastically with ease.

The Prem offers exposure and money which are not exactly the things that those with high ambition would tend to avoid, especially when ambition is something being a top pro-athlete requires and fans, managers, and owners demand of them.

Very good points. Plus, in the case of Lens, personally I would thousand times rather have my kids and my wife living safely in Wearside than in a Kiev ravaged by civil war and rebellion.