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The soccer season has officially started, with EPL games to begin in less than a week. Does anyone follow the EPL/other tiers, or even soccer in other countries? If you do, who do you support?
Sadly I follow Swansea City, who were relegated from the Premier League last season after 7 seasons in the top tier. It's amazing how much the media exposure dries up when your team isn't one of the 20 EPL teams, despite there being 92 teams in the EPL-League Two.
It can be absolutely brutal for clubs that are down in the depths of lower tiers, with very little finance to help get them promoted, and things can change very quickly. 2 years ago a team Sunderland was an EPL team, and now they are League One (tier 3).
~ Sometimes people change, but sometimes you just open your eyes & realise who they truly are ~
I'm an Arsenal fan, I used to live near Woolwich in South East London when I lived in the UK and Woolwich is where the club started before moving to Highbury. Woolwich if you didn't know is where the army barracks in London is situated hence the football clubs name Arsenal.
Not so much of a follower these days, I used to like the days when the club had players like Bergkamp, Viera, Petit, Seaman, Overmars, Wright, Rocastle, Henry, and Adams. The club has lost its way recently, I wonder what the new manager can do?
I agree Arsenal are a bit lost, but I see then surprising people this season and finishing 4th. Chelsea are just as lost, and Man United will implode soon enough. Arsenal's record at home is very very good, so if they can sort out their deplorable away form, they'll be a threat.
I can see why you've lost interest in following the league. Basically the Premier League consists of 6 teams, and 14 others who just make up the numbers for those 6 to beat. It can get boring. I follow England's next tier down especially since Swansea are part of it now, and it's actually more enjoyable to follow since promotion is anyone's game.
~ Sometimes people change, but sometimes you just open your eyes & realise who they truly are ~
You've hit the nail on the head Matt, it has got boring, unless you're a Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal, Totenham, Chelsea, or Liverpool fan your team is just making up the numbers and you have no real expectation of winning the league. Leicester had a fairy tale season a couple of years ago but proved to be a one season wonder and have drifted into oblivion.
The other thing that puts me off following the game is that the top teams are just full of foriegners who come for big pay checks and it's not giving home grown talent a chance to flourish. I liked the old days of the 70's and 80's where English teams could only have two foriegn players in the team.
Yeah, not having a salary cap either makes it totally unfair. Man City just signed a Leicester player for $105 million! And I agree about the foreign players thing; it's uncommon to find British players in EPL teams these days.
As a Swansea fan it's been frustrating in my first 2 years following them. The first they were inconsistent and fell to last place before a revival got them miracle survival in the premier league. Then last season they again fell to 20th, before another revival, but this time they fell flat and finished 18th. It was always demoralising looking to see opponents like the big 6 and know that a win was extremely unlikely. It was literally scrapping every point they could get. The sad thing is that for 12 teams (Everton & Leicester have built foundations in the EPL now) it's just scrapping for points and clinging for survival, every single season.
Now that Swansea play in the EFL Championship though, they're one of the contenders for promotion and I'll actually be able to see plenty of wins and draws, not 25+ losses. It's so strange, cause I want them to get back to the premier league, but as soon as they do it'll be back to survival mode.
~ Sometimes people change, but sometimes you just open your eyes & realise who they truly are ~
How'd you end up following Swansea Matt? They're not the most glamourous club, most people would look to support one of the big six as mentioned in my previous post, not a small club from Wales.
I took a look at the list of EPL teams and Swansea's rather ordinary logo stood out to me, and I decided. That's how I decided to support Miami in the NFL too! Although it could've been worse; Sunderland interested me slightly and now they're in League One.
I am glad I chose Swansea though and not one of the big 6. If I did (Tottenham are my favourite out of the lot) a win wouldn't mean much and success would be expected. There would be no unpredictability, if that makes sense. With a team outside the big 6, there's the potential to finish anywhere from 7th and a Europa League spot to 18th-20th and relegation. The thrill that Leicester fans must've got after one season they pull off a miracle relegation escape and the following season they win the EPL comfortably must've been amazing. The same last season with Burnley, who went from relegation fancies to 7th and in the Europa League, despite having one of the cheapest squads. Fans of the big 6 will never get that feeling.
What I suggest is try supporting another team in tiers further down than the EPL, alongside Arsenal. You'll quickly realise just what some fans have to go through. I picked Lincoln City as my 2nd team after they made the FA Cup Quarter Finals when they were a Conference Premier team (tier 5). Now they're one tier higher and got eliminated in promotion playoffs. I'd love to one day see them rise to the Premier League.
And random question, but do you ever remember Man City being in the EPL when you were following it? I looked back and I'm pretty sure prior to 2010 they weren't in the EPL at all, but now they're rich as. I just don't get how.
« Last edited by Matt77 on Aug 10th 2018 »
~ Sometimes people change, but sometimes you just open your eyes & realise who they truly are ~
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