Cultured Football #252
Export Economy. Turnstiles. Worst Premier League. WBA Suck. Norwegian Hope.
Belgium’s Controlled Export Economy
By Boardroom Ball & James Callan for Inside the Boardroom
In Belgium clubs work in the knowledge that there is a value beyond the final result in every appearance. Players are brought through and given chances with the exit already in mind. Yet, despite the transactional nature of it all, this is a competition that seems to have made peace with its place.
Ellison’s turnstiles: The unsung Salford invention hidden in plain sight across Britain
By Edward Hayton for Salford Now
At grounds across Britain, the match still begins with a narrow passage and a mechanical rhythm first cast in Salford. The turnstile was designed to count bodies and control the crowd. Somewhere along the line, it became the most personal part of the experience.
The Worst Premier League Season Ever
By Steve AQ for CannonIQ
That this is the worst Premier League season ever has been a familiar refrain these past few months. Which, I guess, means that people have forgotten how last season was labelled as the weakest Premier League season ever. Still, beyond the usual exaggerations, there might be something to the complaints.
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The Hawthorns: Where love goes to die
By Josh Bland for Against the Run of Play
This, if you haven’t been watching, is turning out to be a bad season for West Bromwich Albion. And it threatens to get even worse. In the meantime, a club long sustained by effort, characters and shared defiance now watches a team that seems to return nothing of the feeling invested in it.
A Glimt in the eye: if the plucky Norwegians can do it, why can’t we?
By Max Rushden for the Guardian
In the Champions League, Bodø/Glimt have briefly made the hierarchy feel negotiable. A small-town side, run with rare competence, are beating opponents who normally turn nights like this into formality. For a moment, the dream feels so real that others are sharing it.
Bonus Read: Why Fulham’s Premier League success may have hit a glass ceiling
[Stefan Bienkowski x Bienkowski's Bletherings]
A counter-point to Bodo-Glimt’s success are the new rules in the Premier League that seemingly limit a club like Fulham from progressing.
Each week on Cultured Football we pick the five great football stories from the previous seven days.
In Case You Missed It Here’s Last Week’s Most Read: Soccer managers’ latest source of inspiration? The rugby pitch.
By Tom Hamilton for ESPN
Purists might not like it but football has a lot to learn from rugby. That some leading managers are already borrowing ideas off it is proof enough of that.
Thanks for the feature, Paul!