Will there ever be another Leicester

16/06/2017

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Leicester lifting the Premier League

Chelsea's inexorable march to victory this season has been impressive, principally because of their collapse last time out. Antonio Conte has resurrected the Blues and given them teeth again. However, it is also a case of the big money teams winning out once again. Chelsea's huge budget and limitless wages give them a natural advantage over most of the league—and while those funds remain available, they will always be contenders. Will there ever be a case again where one of the less wealthy teams can win the league?

Finances

Let's start with the most obvious impediment to a smaller team winning the league—money. It dominates every conversation when it comes to the Premier League. Top players go where their wage demands can be met or even grossly exceeded. Paying ridiculous transfer fees for superstars is only a part of it—wages now account for much more of a club's financial outlay. A new Leicester might be able to make a big money signing (thanks to the new television deal) but the wages of such a player would bankrupt the club. Chelsea, Manchester City, and Manchester United are able to buy anyone and pay them anything they want. It's no coincidence that it's been twelve years since one of these clubs did not win the title, Leicester aside.

Gaming the system

It's clear then that the major difficulty is bridging this fiscal chasm. Manchester City managed to make the leap through the limitless funds of the Abu Dhabi United Group, and their spending is envied by every other club in the league. When Farhad Moshiri bought Everton it was taken as a sign they were about to make the same jump. Being a 'billionaire's plaything' is subject to mockery and derision from fans of other clubs, but it translates into victories and it's hard to argue with that. Despite their riches, Liverpool and Arsenal have failed to make the jump—being a wealthy, well-run club isn't enough any more. That's one of the reasons Arsenal fans applauded Alisher Usmanov's attempt to buy the club, recognising his desire to copy Chelsea's model of financial domination. Ian Wright was particularly effusive on the subject, claiming Arsenal "need a winner like Abramovich".

Fighting for position

The one example of a club doing well without breaking the bank currently is Tottenham Hotspur. With Mauricio Pochettino at the helm, Spurs have tried to foster a sense of camaraderie and spirit among young and talented players to build a winning team. Smaller outlay on players means they can pay them a little more than usual, and save for what they hope will be a game-changing new stadium. However, the North Londoners are hardly minnows. Of the top six, Tottenham are probably the least able to pay the huge wages needed to secure big name players, that's true—but they're still wealthier than most of the other clubs in the league combined.

Leicester's title win was down to a unique combination of the right players, under the right manager at exactly the right time. It feels like a glorious fluke of a season, but the message is clear. There's no sense trying to fight Chelsea's billions by trying to imitate them. If a club other than the big 3 wants to win, they're going to have to take an imaginative risk.

Photo by Peter Woodentop



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