Comments on: Exodus to the North: Football League Talent North of the Border

By: Rory Hanna

Rory Hanna — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 16:53:22 +0000

True, but Middlesbrough are more on the radar of Premier League clubs than Celtic and Rangers, it seems.

By: Abbas

Abbas — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 17:51:13 +0000

Surely the answer is to the question is that they will get paid more, for playing against weaker opposition.

Or in other words, an easy life.

There were plenty of clubs sniffing around the likes of Hooper last season, he could’ve gone to a bigger Championship team and proved himself. The same has to be said for Commons and Ledley, however it was Premier League clubs looking at those two.

By: Big Red

Big Red — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 02:38:02 +0000

“Underachieving premiershi*ts”?
Premier League teams are anything but underachieving.

In the past six years Premier League teams have achieved:
- Two champions league victories
- Three further beaten finalists
- Comprised 3 of the 4 semi finalists in 2 of those seasons, and 2 of the last 4 in a further 2 seasons

No other league has anywhere near that

Only two great Barcelona sides prevented English teams winning the Champions League four years in a row.

By: Alan

Alan — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 10:31:44 +0000

Parkhead has always being classed at the name not Celtic Park. Modern day football fans eh…

By: timmolloy

timmolloy — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 21:11:59 +0000

With the exception of big clubs like Leeds Utd? Don’t tell me that Leeds fans are STILL bitter that Celtic beat them in the semi final of the European Champion’ s Cup when we went on to beat Inter Milan and be crowned rightful champions of Europe? ( When it was correctly restricted to champions ONLY not like today when it’s the richest teams that are heavily favoured and given more places and a handy passage….) Show us yer medals….

By: McAllister

McAllister — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 18:46:42 +0000

the SPL. England’s favourite whipping boy as they insecurely survey thier own cash bloated yet under achieving premiershi*ts. Pulling on the Celtic shirt is indeed a huge draw. Hence so many of the greatest players to grace these shores have done just that. And by the way. The standard of spl football is unfairly lambasted by ill informed hobby bloggers like you.

By: Scott

Scott — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 14:43:15 +0000

Josh,
I think you’re right. As a die-hard Celtic fan it’s not an easy thing to admit but there is a worrying trend of thought that suggests these massive clubs seem to be losing out on the real top-notch European talent and as a result are having to settle for players who are proving themselves the hard way through the lower English leagues. I only hope that someone who matters can really take on board the hard truths of your well-researched article (without allowing progress to be stunted by such a typically aggressive and myopic attitude towards anyone who is prepared to speak the truth) and put in the money and effort to get Scottish football back where it belongs, at the top of the European game.

By: Mckenzie

Mckenzie — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 14:40:14 +0000

I can see where you are coming from Josh,

The Premier League is one of, if not the best league in the world, and the incentive of trying to get your team promoted to play in the worlds best league, with some outstanding world class players should (in theory) make the choice hard for these players. And to some, or most, that may be enough to keep them in the Championship, pushing for the Premier League. But maybe the lure of playing with a team that will be in Europe each year may just be too tempting. Although the overall standard of football is almost undeniably better in the championship and Premier League than in the SPL, I think most players see the silverware and flock to it.

I think its an easy option for these minnows who are struggling in the second division to take the scape goat and play in a league where some of the teams would struggle in the Third divsion. So i agree that for them to show there real ambition and football prowes they should stick with the Championship. But if i were in there position and the lure of silverware and europe was calling i would struggle to choose between them.

By: Ross Dunbar

Ross Dunbar — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 13:33:39 +0000

The fact is that the English Championship has far more money than the Scottish Premier League.

But there’s no doubting that Rangers and Celtic are massive clubs. Rangers are winning trophies and playing in the Champions League. It’s a much higher level than the English Championship.

To be honest, I think the standard of the Championship is very over-rated. Just like a lot of what happens down in England.

There’s no doubt, for me, if Scottish Football got it’s house back in order and actually had folk running the game properly, then it would easily excel the 2nd tier in England – like it has done for the decades before.

By: Josh Wright

Josh Wright — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 13:16:50 +0000

Correction to attendance generalisation:
2010-11 Season:

Celtic average attendance: 48425
Rangers average attendance:44429

Source:www.scotprem.com