2013

[5DOM]

Not denying that the prices in England are inflated, but you also have to remember that Championship is bigger than 2. Bundesliga. Championship by total attendance is 4th biggest in the world granted they do play more games. They spend the money because 1) they can and/or 2) they want to hit the jackpot by reaching the PL. Other countries don't have a second division that's as big as Championship.

And the money spent on Championship players is usually highly dependent on the quality of top players from the previous PL season's relegated teams. McCarthy, Kone and Samba made up nearly half the transfer revenue of Championship, and it's hard to even consider them Championship players because they were playing in PL just last season. Samba btw was bought by Anzhi.

[5DOM]

Not denying that the prices in England are inflated, but you also have to remember that Championship is bigger than 2. Bundesliga. Championship by total attendance is 4th biggest in the world granted they do play more games. They spend the money because 1) they can and/or 2) they want to hit the jackpot by reaching the PL. Similarly, they won't want to sell cheap to other Championship or PL teams. Other countries don't have a second division that's as big as Championship.

And the money spent on Championship players is usually highly dependent on the quality of top players from the previous PL season's relegated teams. McCarthy, Kone and Samba made up nearly half the transfer revenue of Championship, and it's hard to even consider them Championship players because they were playing in PL just last season. Samba btw was bought by Anzhi.

If Goretzka really is a lock to become a full-time German international, I'd say that says more about Bochum's inability to sell at the right price than anything. Surely you should get more than 3M out of future German international.

[Maex]

I do think that 2. Bundesliga and Championship are comparable. The difference in attendance is mainly caused by the number of teams (18 vs 24). In average they are very similar.

Basically it is a difference in football culture, which is causing that gap, or the "inflation". Besides the top teams, most German teams are working with a limited budget and are "doomed" to have a good youth system. To keep that talent within the club, even so only for a short time, German clubs are using compromises such as short contracts and release clauses.

Goretzka had a release clause, as well as Götzke, Reus (in Gladbach and in Dortmund '15), all of the players who left Freiburg had one (Max Kruse, Jan Rosenthal, Johannes Flum, Daniel Caligiuri, Cedrick Makiadi), Draxler has one, Özil had one before going to Real, Schürrle had one for 2014 that's why Real could acquire him relatively cheap, Szalai had one, Nicolai Müller has one, Schwegler has one... Those are all players who would cost crazy money in the Premier League.

Another factor is also, that German clubs (besides Bayern) just don't pay much over market value. And while German players mostly like to stay in Germany, you'll see a lot of reasonable transfer prices.

Take both factors and you'll understand how German teams can operate with very low costs and why we have that much talent at the moment. And they don't use unreasonable release clauses like spanish clubs.

Normally the clubs a profiting from this system, e.g. at the time when Mainz did the contract with Adam Szalai, no club would have payed €8m. Now they had an extended contract and at least €6m more money.

On the other hand, the prices for German players are increasing. There is a statement from Schalke's manager, that he never thought that any club is stupid enough to pay €45m for a 19 year old. Now he had two overs for Draxler this summer, which he gladly refused.

[5DOM]

I do think that 2. Bundesliga and Championship are comparable. The difference in attendance is mainly caused by the number of teams (18 vs 24). In average they are very similar.

Perhaps, but usually the more games, the less average attendance (especially in less important matches), but even there Championship leads. I believe the average ticket price is a lot higher in Championship as well. I would be surprised if there's more money in 2. Bundesliga than in Championship, but do correct me if I am wrong.

Basically it is a difference in football culture, which is causing that gap, or the "inflation". Besides the top teams, most German teams are working with a limited budget and are "doomed" to have a good youth system. To keep that talent within the club, even so only for a short time, German clubs are using compromises such as short contracts and release clauses.

Goretzka had a release clause, as well as Götzke, Reus (in Gladbach and in Dortmund '15), all of the players who left Freiburg had one (Max Kruse, Jan Rosenthal, Johannes Flum, Daniel Caligiuri, Cedrick Makiadi), Draxler has one, Özil had one before going to Real, Schürrle had one for 2014 that's why Real could acquire him relatively cheap, Szalai had one, Nicolai Müller has one, Schwegler has one... Those are all players who would cost crazy money in the Premier League.

Very true. It's rare for players in England to have release clauses attached. Fellaini and Ba are the only ones I can remember having one.

Another factor is also, that German clubs (besides Bayern) just don't pay much over market value. And while German players mostly like to stay in Germany, you'll see a lot of reasonable transfer prices.

I think this is just a result from the above factor rather than being a completely different one.

Take both factors and you'll understand how German teams can operate with very low costs and why we have that much talent at the moment. And they don't use unreasonable release clauses like spanish clubs.

Normally the clubs a profiting from this system, e.g. at the time when Mainz did the contract with Adam Szalai, no club would have payed €8m. Now they had an extended contract and at least €6m more money.

On the other hand, the prices for German players are increasing. There is a statement from Schalke's manager, that he never thought that any club is stupid enough to pay €45m for a 19 year old. Now he had two overs for Draxler this summer, which he gladly refused.

I think the release clauses and shorter contracts do a good job of keeping the market prices down, but at the same time, I wonder if it's such a good thing if the clubs who developed the players can't get the most value out of them. It doesn't sound that great for smaller German teams who do much better of developing players than the English ones do. So there are pro's as well as con's. I guess at the end of the day, the onus is on each club to do what they feel is best. I do think German clubs are doing better jobs of operating at the moment though.

[Schad]

btw West Ham is a pretty big club. Ranked near 30th in Football Money League before they got relegated and I wouldn't be surprised if they cracked 20's after the new TV deal. They also landed a new 60,000 seater for close to nothing.

Heh, it's still a WTF move, though not for the transfer fee: they also spent so much in wages on Carroll and Downing that they ran out of space under the kinda sorta fair play wage cap.

[5DOM]

btw West Ham is a pretty big club. Ranked near 30th in Football Money League before they got relegated and I wouldn't be surprised if they cracked 20's after the new TV deal. They also landed a new 60,000 seater for close to nothing.

Heh, it's still a WTF move, though not for the transfer fee: they also spent so much in wages on Carroll and Downing that they ran out of space under the kinda sorta fair play wage cap.

Yeah, if I had 23M to spend, I wouldn't have spent on those two myself.

[Maex]

Perhaps, but usually the more games, the less average attendance (especially in less important matches), but even there Championship leads. I believe the average ticket price is a lot higher in Championship as well. I would be surprised if there's more money in 2. Bundesliga than in Championship, but do correct me if I am wrong.

No, totally agree with you. There is more money around in the Championship. Wouldn't wonder if the tickets would cos more than some from the 1. Bundesliga. Just don't think that the quality is also wide spread.

I think the release clauses and shorter contracts do a good job of keeping the market prices down, but at the same time, I wonder if it's such a good thing if the clubs who developed the players can't get the most value out of them. It doesn't sound that great for smaller German teams who do much better of developing players than the English ones do. So there are pro's as well as con's. I guess at the end of the day, the onus is on each club to do what they feel is best. I do think German clubs are doing better jobs of operating at the moment though.

There are of course a lot of pros and cons. You'll see it a lot of times, that a club just under valued the future price of a player. But at the same time, it would be very unlikely that quality talents would play for low or mid table clubs without a release clause.

For example, the above mentioned Szalai example. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't have extended his contract with Mainz. Instead of he would have changed to a marginal better club for free or, with one year left on the contract, for a low seven digit amount. Thanks to a release clause, Mainz was able to get some more years an a lot of more money from the player. Even so his value might be likely be over the amount, they profited strongly from that move.

[Foye]

Speaking of Adam Szalai. He is a better striker than Andy Carroll, no doubt.

For whatever reason...one cost under 10 mil. € on 3 transfers and the other one
cost almost 60 mil. € on 2 transfers.

[Baphomet]

Speaking of Adam Szalai. He is a better striker than Andy Carroll, no doubt.

For whatever reason...one cost under 10 mil. € on 3 transfers and the other one
cost almost 60 mil. € on 2 transfers.

Carroll and Fat Sam are a match made in heaven at West Ham. Tall, mediocre English striker meets 'hoof the ball up the pitch' tactical mastery.

[and1GS]

So no real EPL news lately, except...http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24015364

Kyle Walker doing whippits, classy!

[bryant08]

Rooney starting, Fellaini on the bench. Kagawa out with the flu and of course Ashley Young starts

[5DOM]

Would be surprised if United don't score at least 3 times based on first 12 minutes

[5DOM]

Ashley Young can't even dive anymore lol. Most players at least try to make it look like they got tripped, he just blatantly kicks the guy lol

[Next Coming]

Ashley Young what a tit.

[Next Coming]

Typical.

[5DOM]

I think the red card was a little harsh, but that was the right call if the foul did happen in the penalty box.

[Slava]

Ozil looks really weird in arsenal kit

[bryant08]

Looked outside the box to me, but that was a foul. Hopefully we'll see Zaha at some point this half.

[Next Coming]

I think the red card was a little harsh, but that was the right call if the foul did happen in the penalty box.

Looks like it was just outside. Official must've heard Fergie's in the stands.

[J-Mezzy]

Ashley Young is garbage. Looks like Moyes likes Chiraro even less than Fergie did. Poor guy never sees the pitch. This Man U match is boring. I am looking forward to the Arsenal and Chelsea games.