Sacré bleu! Is Ligue 1 the most underrated league in world football?

“A part of the reason we watch the Premier League in Australia is because they speak English.“ That’s not necessarily true. Asia accounts for the EPL’s biggest overseas market – far superior to any other European League. It is the most watched League in Asia with approximately 650 million viewers at any given time. Can any Ligue 1 – other than PSG – match the global profiles of the EPL’s big 6? Highly unlikely. I’m not trying to diminish the standards of Ligue 1, but it’s simply a matter of fact that it’s global reach is limited. The same EPL popularity applies to the America’s, with overwhelming support for Liverpool, Man U and City. One must only look at EPL shirt sales to distinguish its global superiority. I do not believe the French League can replicate this same support globally, nor can it surpass EPL predominance abroad. I understand Australia is an entirely different market to Asia and America, but I’m sure you can see a pattern here. The EPL has more to offer than Ligue 1 and that enables a global audience – native English or not. But don’t worry Mike, I’ll be sure to ask Son Heung-min for his autograph because I’m from Australia and speak English.

But to be fair its not the only reason, the EPL has become the best league. The 3 other big leagues consistenly do better in Europe then the French teams. Very rare to see a French team in the late stages of the UCL.

The PSG dominance is a highly relevant argument, explaining why there is a lack of interest of Ligue 1 in Australia. However, Ligue 1 lacks the working-class, grundy and suburban utopia of the EPL - Australians reconcile with working-class symbolism expressed in sports. I do not wish to digress in comparisons, but can Ligue 1 appeal to the same extent as “a cold rainy night in Stoke?” Or enthral the masses with the likes of Newcastle and Brighton challenging a formidable ‘big 6’? I doubt it. There is little room for Ligue 1 discourse when AFL, League, Cricket, EPL and Union dominant the sporting dialogue. Unless there is transfer news coming out of PSG, or an Mbappé stunner, expect little conformity to Ligue 1.

know how you feel, not sure why but from the new ownership the stuff I send in only has at best a 50 / 50 chance of getting put up and often as you said when put up is out of sight....

I think you make this stuff up to big note yourself.

City were good last season, but they mostly beat the bottom teams who would dutifully bend over for them like Roar. The season before they just won the league despite not beating any other top four team. The other thing about City is they get players to give 100% , Aiden ONeil he was a decent player at other clubs but lacked effort and fitness, he goes to the City and then he is all over the field. UGarkovic was a great player early years at Newcastle, then it went down hill, he became a lay about at every club you dont know what your getting. If they get Ugarkovic to do a Aiden ONeill then they will be good. Mariners they have lost a lot of players, Sydney dominated, the Sydney youth is the biggest threat to City if they get on the field, Brattan is the biggest weakness left.

I’m hoping with you.

Surely in the UK its the pay tv money that has brought in the rich excesses of the EPL? Only a handful of clubs receive the champions league squillions!

better? you mean like, to beat Mariners?

Macnicoll’s been at Roar academy a couple of years now and stood out. When Charlie Austin saw him, playing striker at age 13, he took him aside and spent a while with him. Give him time, no rush, but he looks quite mature for his age. Berenguer was pursued by a few clubs, including City, but Roar appealed to him, off the park, family stuff. No doubt all clubs have their kids coming through but Waddingham has been a standout for a while now. As I commented to Waz yesterday, new executives at Roar look promising. Here’s hoping they turn all the off-field issues around.

politics. i dont think he faces the same sort of challenges i do with my postings (the site regularily gets complaints from clubs and players about certain things i write) even when i dont submit controversial stuff, my posts tend to not be on the main page - you have to scroll down half a page (like the Montenegrin 1, which is the only one ive submitted since ive been in europe)

Roar if their new recruit is an aging Berengeur cant seem them doing too much. City this club recruits quality so fast, they look better than last year already.

What’s that 15 year old Brisbane boy look like? A star of the future?

Mike, I hear you but 8 out of the last 10 years says that it is dominated by one team. The fact that it was close was more due to the internal wrangling and strife at PSG and their inability to manage all those “stars”. There again, I judge how good they are by their champions league performances and then they begin to look not quite so good on the bigger stage. Before the acquisition, as you stated, PSG were just another average club sometimes competing, sometimes not. I’d say the same thing about Manchester City, Chelsea, Newcastle, Melbourne City, probably Wrexham, Guangzhou, Shanghai and now a few of the Saudi clubs who are paying in to the retirement funds of quite a few ageing stars. There’s good football to be found away from these areas where players are developed, given an opportunity and generally all clubs are on an even footing. I can’t imagine what the noise would be like on here if the A League contained some of the huge clubs/enormous budgets up against AU, CCM and co, its hard enough listening to the East coast bias and budgets of the Sydney and Melbourne clubs.

What's with the mods and your articles? Especially some of the tripe they publish from non football people.