Why I love the English Premier League

 There are many exciting football leagues in Europe. And there is an ongoing argument about which one is the best.

Some would swear by the Spanish La Liga but others feel it’s a two-horse race between Real Madrid and Barcelona – in spite of the fact that Atletico Madrid won the league in the 2013-2014 season.

In neighbouring Portugal we only hear about leading clubs Porto and Benfica when it’s time for the UEFA Champions League.

Bayern Munich has been running away with the German Bundesliga title for years. Whenever Borussia Dortmund puts up a serious challenge, Bayern would decimate Dortmund by buying their best players, bringing them back to earth with a resounding thump.

In Italy football is in a mess. AC Milan and Inter, once among the continent’s elite, have lost their mojo, leaving only Juventus to ride on unchallenged.

How about France where no one can withstand the imperious Paris Saint Germain? Or Holland, the home of total football, where the game seems to be dying?

But in the English Premier League football is growing bigger everyday. Money is pouring in so even the relegation-threatened teams can attract not just top players but also big-name managers.

Dick Advocaat, former coach of Holland, South Korea, Belgium and Russia, moved to Sunderland – then jumped ship after saving them from relegation. Champions League winner Rafa Benitez joined Newcastle from Real Madrid and now Walter Mazzarri, who has coached Inter Milan and Napoli, has been made Watford manager.

There is genuine competition and a team facing relegation can, on a good day, thrash the team on top of the league table. The football between the lower sides may not be pretty but it is played with total commitment and passion.

But the greatest reason I love the Premier League is the way the people treat their players – both current and retired.

Manchester United legend Eric Cantona, who played 45 times for France, said he would be cheering England and not his native France at Euro 2016.

“I don’t care at all about France,” he told The Guardian. “In terms of football, I am an Englishman. I have in my veins the English blue blood.”

In Arsenal, the likes of Dennis Bergkamp, Thierry Henry and Robert Pires are revered even more than they are in their home countries. Arsenal still remembers and celebrates Nwankwo Kano’s birthday even though he left 11 years ago. He is hardly remembered at Ajax of Amsterdam where he – along with Finidi George – won the Champions League.

Papilo – as Kanu is fondly called – is a former captain of the Super Eagles, but does the Nigerian Football Federation remember his birthday? I doubt it.

Jay-Jay Okocha remains a household name in England even though he went there in the twilight of his career. He played for lowly Bolton Wanderers but his silky skills held the entire country spellbound. In Bolton Okocha was described as being “so good that they named him twice.” 

In his heyday he played for Germany’s Eintracht Frankfurt, PSG in France and Fenerbahce of Turkey but you would be forgiven if you forget that he ever displayed his talents in these countries. Nobody remembers him there. But in England he is a legend.

In terms of skill, no player in England comes close to Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi yet when any player does well the fans treat him like royalty. Yakubu Aiyegbeni and Daniel Amokachi left Nigeria without nicknames but in England they became “The Yak” and “The Bull” respectively. Obafemi Martins was tagged “Obagoal” – king of goals.

Jose Mourinho won the Champions League with Porto in his native Portugal but it was in England that he became “the Special One.” And did you see the monumental fawning over Jurgen Klupp when he became Liverpool manager? You would think God had just stepped into Anfield!

Unlike many other European leagues, there is zero tolerance for racism and any other form of hooliganism in England. Any player or fan that runs foul of the rule is made to face the full brunt of the law. No pussyfooting. No kid gloves.

Players of African descent have suffered a lot of racist abuse in countries like Italy and Spain without the authorities doing much about it. The English would have none of that. Try it and you pay a heavy price. Just ask Luis Suarez or John Terry.

The English are great lovers of history. TV commentators always remind you of incidents that happened decades ago. When Crystal Palace’s Alan Pardew faced Bolton boss Terry McDermott, it was revealed that Pardew was the one who had employed McDermott several years ago. Now they are on opposing benches, trying to outdo each other. How about disclosing that Arsenal starlet Gideon Zelalem was not even born when Arsene Wenger took over as manager of the Gunners?

They never cease to remind people that Arsenal’s teenage prodigy Alex Iwobi is Okocha’s nephew. When the teenage sensation scored his first premier league against Everton, the Daily Mail correspondent quipped, “His uncle would be proud.” The history and anecdotes add in no small measure to make the game a lot more exciting.

And now some of the world’s best managers are going to be clashing every week in England. Imagine Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte joining Mauricio Pochettino, Jurgen Klopp and wily old Arsene Wenger to try and wrest the league title from hitherto unfancied Claudio Ranieri. No football league has ever paraded this many world-class managers at the same time.

Come August, it’s game on!

Photo credit: Daily Mail