THE ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE AND THE QUESTION OF THE BEST LEAGUE IN THE WORLD.

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The English Premier league is one of the best leagues in the World, if not the best.  Of course I’m a keen follower of the EPL and that perhaps might have an influence on my discussion of this subject, that’s why you are welcome to disagree with me, but I can safely assume that most of you won’t, because all what I say is what is supposed to be said "the truth".

The answer to which Football league is the “best” league in the World depends on your definition best, is it skill, domination of Champions league, entertainment, tactics, depth, competitiveness, or media coverage? Whatever the answer is the response will always certainly  be a divided opinion, at the end of the day everyone is entitle to their opinion.

But one thing that is certain is that the EPL is the most competitive of all the big leagues in the World. The debate about the most competitive league in the World is a two horse race between La Liga and the EPL. But seriously La Liga is a joke in it’s competiveness as the gap between Barcelona and Real Madrid and the rest is absurd, not even Valencia, Seville, or Athletico Madrid stand a chance, I love the unpredictable nature of the EPL where every game is sensational, like Tottenham loosing to QPR one week, beating Arsenal the next and Newcastle and Stoke City shattering havoc to all the big clubs.

Obviously there aren’t many leagues in the World were you don’t have a superior team and a second and third class teams. May be the MLS can claim parity, but that’s why it is not the most watched league in the World. But the current state of the two team domination in Spain is just brutal, Example the point difference between the Second position Barcelona and Third Position Valencia is a staggering 29, not to mention the ridiculous 71 goal difference, that’s no competition for me. You see La Liga is like a depiction of the Scottish Premier League where Celtic and Rangers put teams together to vanquish minnows.

Of course it’s true that only three teams have won the premier league with the exception of Blackburn Rovers (94/95 season) and the top four teams have almost been the same during this period until 09/10 when Spurs and Manchester City start challenging for a top four finish, but Everton, Newcastle, and Leeds United have all break into the top four prior to 2009. The Spanish League has been pretty much the same during same period. From 1992 to 2004 Valencia, Deportivo and Athletico Madrid have all been Champions in Spain; however from 2005 to date the two team domination has been the same. At least in England we could say it’s not been a two horse race and the Runner-up's haven’t been the same over the period, which we cannot say of La Liga since 2005.

The EPL just have a lot of depth and talent from almost every notable country in the World, spread throughout the league. While the German league can argue fun of parity, most of the German national squad players could be found at Bayern Munich. And Perhaps Spain won the last World Cup in style, but indeed almost all of their first team players play for one of the two teams at the top of the table every year in La Liga. In my opinion England’s Squad has the most number of varied players from bottom, middle to the top of the table.

Most people tend to use domination of the UEFA Champions league as a determinant for the best league in the World, but just as mentioned earlier “best” is too general a word and for me it depends on one’s own perception, but even if we use the champions league as a justification for competitiveness of a league, then the competitiveness of the EPL has shine over the last five years, because the EPL teams have been dominant in the Champions league in the Past eight years excluding the current season.

What amuses me about La Liga is the substitute bench of Barcelona and Real Madrid, it makes me sick looking at the bench of those two teams- players who would (and should) be starting in any team in the World. Individual teams may do very well in the champions League just depending on how deep and talented they are, but the competitiveness of La Liga (Currently) as a league is very low. It might be fun in one way Watching Barcelona hammer Real Vallecano 7-0, but it’s more of a display than a football match and as good as it might be that is not a substitute for competition.

I believe that most true football fans will rather have a league that didn’t have all the big players in a couple of teams who go round humiliating everyone else, for some marketing men they might rather prefer that, or should I just say it’s much more profitable for them, but for a legitimate football fan it is very dull to watch one team outclass everyone else, again what is the point of watching a game anyway if you're almost certain of who will win even before kick-off?

Predictions of TV pundits about who will win the League as early as August has been accurate and consistent for so long a time, it’s time fans buy their season tickets going into a new season knowing that their teams have a chance. In England in the last two years we witness the start of an Era where the so called traditional big four are being challenged to the limit, whether this will continue is another question, but I think it is too early to make a firm conclusion about the trend.

So, those that make the English premier league the best league in the World? Who cares? It makes it the more competitive and enjoyable league to watch, after all it is my favourite league and that is good enough for me.

Peace.