The world seems obsessed with which middle eastern religious fanatics you sympathise with, or which useless geriatric you want to be the leader of the free world. At these times we need sport to soothe the soul.
So, on Sunday I sat down to watch the Play-off final from Wembley. I love this match, the jeopardy is at the max. The winner takes it all.
They call it the richest game in world football because of what a victory means to the club that wins it.
On Sunday my heart was with Leeds. They are one of the biggest clubs in England and have super fans. I'm old enough to remember the great Leeds team of the 70s with Bremner and Lorimer, and the one from the noughties with Viduka and Kewel, and I would love to see them at the top again. But they lost on Sunday and that could mean an exodus of their top players. At this point, promotion to the prem looks a long way off.
The point of the play-off final for the authorities is that they get a top game at Wembley, a big TV audience and a talking point for the press, but it doesn't seem like the best way to do this, in my humble opinion. Having a one-off final at Wembley may be good for the authorities and TV companies but sometimes the occasion can get to the players. The semis are over 2 legs home and away. It would be fairer to have the final in the same format. And it doesn't sit well that a team that could finish 6th may win promotion and lift a trophy at Wembley.
Also, it may be better to have one of the worst EPL teams invovlved, either 3rd or 4th from bottom, thus involving a team that none of the Championship sides have played all season. Personally, I think the Germans have it just about right. The 3rd from bottom plays the 3rd from top in the 2nd division. The game is over 2 legs home and away.
This season the team from the 2nd division, Fortuna Dusseldorf, beat Bochum 0-3 in Bochum on the first leg and now face a home leg with a comfortable lead. This method may not give the "Wembley Final" that so many love but it is a fairer way.
So, in the end Leicester, Ipswich and Southampton will play in the EPL next season. From my perspective I hope that they do better than last season's promoted sides who all went straight back down again. Sheff U and Luton were no surprise but Burnley will be extremely disappointed, given the way they won promotion. Forest, Brentford, Fulham and maybe even Everton will be keen to get off to a good start as the relegation battle next season will surely be tighter than this one.
So, on Sunday I sat down to watch the Play-off final from Wembley. I love this match, the jeopardy is at the max. The winner takes it all.
They call it the richest game in world football because of what a victory means to the club that wins it.
On Sunday my heart was with Leeds. They are one of the biggest clubs in England and have super fans. I'm old enough to remember the great Leeds team of the 70s with Bremner and Lorimer, and the one from the noughties with Viduka and Kewel, and I would love to see them at the top again. But they lost on Sunday and that could mean an exodus of their top players. At this point, promotion to the prem looks a long way off.
The point of the play-off final for the authorities is that they get a top game at Wembley, a big TV audience and a talking point for the press, but it doesn't seem like the best way to do this, in my humble opinion. Having a one-off final at Wembley may be good for the authorities and TV companies but sometimes the occasion can get to the players. The semis are over 2 legs home and away. It would be fairer to have the final in the same format. And it doesn't sit well that a team that could finish 6th may win promotion and lift a trophy at Wembley.
Also, it may be better to have one of the worst EPL teams invovlved, either 3rd or 4th from bottom, thus involving a team that none of the Championship sides have played all season. Personally, I think the Germans have it just about right. The 3rd from bottom plays the 3rd from top in the 2nd division. The game is over 2 legs home and away.
This season the team from the 2nd division, Fortuna Dusseldorf, beat Bochum 0-3 in Bochum on the first leg and now face a home leg with a comfortable lead. This method may not give the "Wembley Final" that so many love but it is a fairer way.
So, in the end Leicester, Ipswich and Southampton will play in the EPL next season. From my perspective I hope that they do better than last season's promoted sides who all went straight back down again. Sheff U and Luton were no surprise but Burnley will be extremely disappointed, given the way they won promotion. Forest, Brentford, Fulham and maybe even Everton will be keen to get off to a good start as the relegation battle next season will surely be tighter than this one.
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| Peter Anderson is a Unionist with a keen interest in sports |
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