@macguffin:
“United owe much of their success due to:
-snip-
[1, 2, 3 and 4]
-snip-“
Indeed. However, the query was: Have United become what we critisized. My answer is, we haven’t. Reason being: Difference in how we’ve gained our success.
What we achieved with those 4 points might be considered unfair by some, but it could also be argued that it was done by running a football club with astute strategic sense and exploiting our options as a football club.
As such, all your points are correct, but don’t contradict what I posit. To that end:
You are advocating protectionism to prevent investment and competition.
I’m not. They’re free to run their club however they see fit – and the league is arguably better for it. But, again, that wasn’t what was originally put forth for discussion and not what I commented on (If I have, I’ve expressed myself clumsily which is entirely possible). We’ve come by our success in different ways and, when considering the clubs individually, I like our way better and have little respect for theirs. That’s all I said.
@hatters:
“but I have to say that in the end we have to say that it pretty much is the only option for any club to bridge the gap between themselves and the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona, or Manchester United“.
Except for what Spurs and Aletico Madrid have done over the last 7 years or so, of course. 🙂
(I know Barca and Real are tough, but AM have finished top 3 and been competing for the title 5 years in a row now, winning it once, not to mention playing 2 Champions League finals in the same period. That has to be considered closing the gap on the so called elite. I mean, where would Atletico Madrid have been had it not been for the freakish goal tally of two specific players. Well, you can always say “what if”, I guess).