By J Hutcherson - WASHINGTON, DC (Dec 29, 2011) US Soccer Players -- European soccer has spent another year living through interesting times. On the field, Barcelona continued their run as the dominant club against whom all others are judged. Off the field, Financial Fair Play looms on the horizon. Midway through the 2011-12 seasons in Europe, we've already seen indicators of trends that could become issues next year. Historically, inertia has done as much as planning in Europe, but that was before UEFA attempted to rewrite the financial rules. With that in mind, here's swhat I would like to see happen over the second half of the 2011-12 season.
Financial Fair Play Looms Even Larger
We're still 18 months or so away from the full impact of UEFA's Financial Fair Play system, but representatives of big clubs are already wondering what it might mean in practice. And rightly so. The limits on benefactor money would impact multiple clubs, all currently relying on the largesse of ownership with money to spend. The closer we get to that becoming a quick way to get banned from European competition, the more pressure we're likely to see from those clubs to augment the rules. They have a point. Historically, owners spending their own cash in pursuit of sporting glory was part of the game. Changing that to a revenue turnover model is a major transition. Though the clubs that don't have a free spending owner might be pleased, there are very few clubs that wouldn't trade places with those benefactor supported teams. It should be very difficult to transition those clubs, especially since they're currently playing within the rules.
Anybody But Manchester In England
Oh the message either of the Manchester clubs would send should one of them end up champions in 2011-12. If it's United, it's business as usual. If it's City, it shows the value of that benefactor model that won't be allowed into Europe in 2013-14. Considering neither of these teams made it out of the Champions League group stages, there's also a clear message about quality in the Premier League. The soon-to-be crowned EPL champion is supposed to be playing Champions League soccer in 2012, it's as simple as that. Take that piece away, and the quality of the 2011-12 season is called into question. This doesn't have to be taken as a slight to supporters of either club. The Premier League becomes a different competition if its possible to miss out on the knockout stage of the Champions League - and the payday that goes with it - and still win the title. Right now, that's the case with the top three in the Premier League table.
Serie A Avoids Another Wide-Ranging Scandal
For those of us of a certain age, we remember when Serie A was the only answer for best league in Europe. They were also the league putting multiple candidates into the running for best club in Europe. They had the style, and it's no understatement to say that they provided the hope for the future of European soccer. Serie A's status was already in doubt when Milan and Juventus faced off in the 2002-03 Champions League final, still a contender for most boring since that tournament was revamped. Three years later, Juventus would be relegated in the aftermath of the Calciopoli scandal. That tore apart the results from two seasons, with several clubs accused of influencing referees. Though originally Milan, Lazio, and Fiortentina were also supposed to spend time a league down, Juventus ended up the only team sent to the lower division. That should've sent a strong message, considering they were champions at the time and had to rebuild their all-star squad after a season in Serie B. Since then, Juventus are once again a power in Serie A, but it's been Milan and Inter Milan winning Champions League trophies. Now, Italian soccer faces another scandal this time involving gambling. Though not involving the top tier teams, multiple players have been taken into police custody and at least two Serie A clubs are implicated. Justice needs to be done and cheating cannot be tolerated, but the hope is that we've already seen the worst of it. It's not as if Serie A can't shoulder another scandal, it's that another scandal has almost become the expectation. That only changes with time, and further proof of fixed games and the resulting public perception could undo what Serie A has accomplished since the '06 scandal.
Rangers Win In Scotland
Why pick a side in one of the most hotly contested derbies in world soccer? Simple enough. After seasons spent maneuvering around financial issues and still winning titles, Rangers spent on two American players to bolster their squad as the 2011-12 season kicked off. Carlos Bocanegra has become a regular and Alejandro Bedoya has seen time as well. They join regular starter Maurice Edu, continuing an Americans at Rangers trend that has included Claudio Reyna and DaMarcus Beasley. This is good for American soccer players, just like it was when Bayer Leverkusen was signing Americans and just like it's been at clubs like Fulham, Aston Villa, and Everton. Yet it still needs to work in the standings, and that's why once again this needs to be Rangers' year.
Comments, questions, solutions to problems that have yet to present themselves. Please, tell me all about it.
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