The Times They Are A-Changing
By: Rob | August 29th, 2008
When I first started blogging at the Offside, it was over at the Champions League Offside, where I still post. I started back in Februrary this year and one of my first big posts was about how the EPL still seemed Ghettoised by big players no matter how much everyone in this country talks about it being the best league in the world.
Well today a transfer will go through that represents a sea-change. Pablo Zabaleta, fresh from his gold medal is going to choose playing in the “paradise” of the EPL over playing for a club with a massive history and a place in the Champions League, Juventus.
That’s right, he’s choosing barely into the UEFA cup Manchester City over in the Champions League and playing Real Madrid Juventus.
Obviously my first instinct is that he’s absolutely crazy. I’m not a big fan of Juve, but I am a fan of Serie A, and alright so its having some problems at the moment but it was the biggest league in the world when I was discovering football, and Zabaleta is my age (well he’s a year older, at 23)
But I suppose it does represent a sea-change. The younger generation don’t remember English sides ban from European football, the years of hooliganism, the pre-Sky wilderness years. While I don’t entirely buy into this “best league in the world” bollocks (by what measure exactly?) I do think it shows that now finally English football might be breaking free of the predjudices of the past.
Of course this is bright news for Italy in a weird way as well, because they are going through alot of problems themselves – the scandals have undoubtedly influenced alot of thought about Serie A, and there is begining to be a worrying a trend of fan-nastyness of there as well. But the point is, that if the Prem can overcome all these problems, give it a generation and Italian football will be on top of the world again.
Its also worth noting the terms of the transfer from Espanyol as well – Man City are buying out his contract. That could well be the future. Its also worth noting that Manchester is not paradise as such. I live there. Ask Nemandja Vidic if he thinks it is.
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Tags: Champions League, EPl, Juventus, Manchester City, Olympics, Serie A, Transfers and Speculation, UEFA CupSubscribe
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Comments
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An interesting point, and I’m disappointed he chose not to join us. Our young players are getting plenty of playing time and we’ve got a project that will take us to greatness for years. Let him rot at Man City, a team I think is going absolutely nowhere with their ownership.
The contrary of course would be Ronaldinho, who in nearly the same situation (Catalunya->Manchester/northernItaly) rejected a fortune from Man City to move to Milan.
I’m not worried. Foreigners can continue to dominate the Premier League, just shitty for the national supporters. We can create our own superstars.
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well said, ale’.
the prejudice the EPL really needs to break out of is theirs being the league of foreign players and foreign coaches. and then the english have the audacity to claim English footballing superiority. Riiiight. I think the national team’s woes sums up their plight quite aptly.
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I do take the point about The Dhino, Alessio, but I guess I would say Ronaldinho is from the generation before, when Serie A was the league to be in.
I also take the point about the England team – Even when Serie A was in its pomp it was helped by a great Italian team. I fell in love with A, because I watched the Italian team of 94. That’s not the case with England just yet dissapointingly.
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