Lionel Messi – The Undisputed Soccer God of the Era

Every era has its’ own soccer gods. This one belongs to Lionel Messi. With 86 goals under his belt he has not left any doubt that he, Lionel Messi is The Soccer God of this era.

The love for soccer had been in his blood. From the age of five Messi started playing soccer. Soon he became the star player of the local team. But, sun does not shine everyday and in Messi’s life the dusk appeared too soon. When he was only eleven year old and was dreaming of becoming the next national soccer hero, he had been diagnosed with hormone growth deficiency. To make the matter worse, his father a worker of steel factory did not have the money to continue treatment for the disease.

However, playing soccer was Messi’s fate and the help came in the form of Carles Rexach, the Director of FC Barcelona. He offered to pay the expenses for the treatment, if Messi agreed to move to Spain. It is said that this contract was written on a paper napkin. Messi started to play for Barcelona’s youth academy. Thus began the legendary career.

Messi spent three years playing for Barcelona Jr. Here, he had played thirty matched and scored thirty seven goals. In 2005, Barcelona updated the terms of Messi’s contract. He became the first team member with a higher pay. In the season of 2005-06, Messi made seventeen league appearances. He scored six goals in these matches. However, the successful season did not continue due to a muscle tear in the right thigh.

Despite the injury, Messi made a comeback and did not disappoint the fans. He not only played regularly, he scored fourteen goals in just twenty six matches. Soon, the overwhelmed fans and supports of the team began to call him The New Maradona. Before, critics could raise their voices and brand this tag as hype, Messi proved that if anyone deserved that tag, it was him. The Spanish media created the title Messidona with awe and respect.

Messi was voted as the best player of the world. Soccer personalities like Francesco Totti called Messi one of the current best among all the soccer players. However, injuries do not leave his soccer talent alone. Once again, he had to stay away from the field due to yet another muscle tear in the left thigh. However, every time injuries put him on the back seat, Messi had made a successful return. This time also, he came back and scored sixteen goals in the season.

It is of little doubt that such a talent will make and break many records. The current ripple in the soccer world is the 86^th goal which Messi scored. This goal breaks the record which Gerd Mueller had held for forty years.

Controversies and challenges soon poured in. Many claimed that the actual record was higher than the current one. Some even presented evidence that there are other soccer players who have scored more than Messi.

Players like Lionel Messi play for the pleasure of playing. What record they hold hardly matter for their fans. Even if he does not break Mueller’s record this year, he will do so in the next year. He is only twenty five and there are many good years are awaiting him. Therefore, let’s not get involved in the controversy, just hope to watch more of Messi The Soccer God of the era. 

Benitez - The Open Letter and More

Being the manager of the Blues is not an easy task. Chelsea FC is among those EPL clubs which evoke both awe and fright. It is of little doubt that the fans of the Blues expect so much from their club.

From the very day of his transfer Rafael Benitez has to go through an enduring time, almost an acid test. Some of Chelsea fans were not happy about this transfer. They made it difficult for the former Liverpool manager to be comfortable in the Blue shirt. However, the Spaniard is a tough man and had been ready for the testing time ahead.

Chelsea FC is attempting to restore the balance after Drogba’s departure. It is a quest of finding new talents along with the hunger for victory. The task presents a huge challenge to the manager. Huge it is, but not impossible.

To reach out to the fans and bear his soul the current Chelsea boss has written an open letter to the fans. His official website has published the letter where the manger has poured out his heart and talked about the hectic schedule. Also, he has promised the fans the same dedication and loyalty he had put for the other clubs. 

The star striker of the Blues Fernando Torres is all praise for the new manager. According to the center forward the game plan and strategy of the team has changed since the arrival of Benitez. He said that the team’s inclination to pass the ball around has reduced drastically and now they prefer playing more attacking shots. Torres admitted that the side is in need of confidence and the strong presence of Benitez will provide the required boosting to the team.

Rafael Benitez has started his career as Real Madrid’s coaching staff at the tender age of 26. He coached the under 19 team. Along with this he worked as the assistance manager of the senior team. However, the recognition came forth when Benitez took charge of Liverpool. Soon, he became famous as an achiever as with hard work and motivation he guided the club to the UEFA Champions League win.

In the six years Benitez has give Liverpool many victories. The club grew and improved under the watchful eyes of the manager. Yet, every journey must come to an end. Benitez resigned from the position of Liverpool manager.

It was 21^st Nov 2012, Benitez took the job of Chelsea manager. Right after the unveiling of his name, the fans showered him with angry retorts at the first match. They refused to accept the former Liverpool manager as the new Blue boss. However, with the 6-1 win against the Danish side.

Prior to accepting the job as Chelsea manager, Benitez got into some nasty verbal confrontation with Mourinho, the former Chelsea boss. He made some controversial comments about the club. These did not go well with Mourinho and the due did not shake hands for a long time.

How Benitez amends the past and wins over the fans’ heart will be an interesting watch. Chelsea FC does not lack talents. The club does not shy away from signing up young players and creating new stars. The fans across the world are waiting in eager intensity to cheer their beloved Blues.  

Chelsea FC – Life after Drogba

Very few will be able to forget the fusion of strength and skill Didier Drogba has displayed in his career at Chelsea FC. He joined the club in 2004. It did not take him long to become a known face of the field. The supporters of Chelsea were delighted to discover a center forward with ball following ability and near perfect finish. Drogba did not disappoint his fans. He did his job fairly well and continued scoring goals. In return the supports voted his as the greatest ever player of Chelsea.

However, like every good thing the career of Drogba at Chelsea has also come to an end. Currently the striker is playing for Shanghai Shenhua. Without the strength of Drogba the attacking line of Chelsea appeared to be weak. Many thought with fright that the loss will never be recovered.

Former coach Mourinho expressed his concern over Drogba transfer and said that the life after the striker’s departure will be tough for the club.

Despite the speculations, the club has shown both strength and determination to stay at the top no matter what. The team has been adorned with fresh talents.  Victor Moses is one of the new faces of the club. This winger has drawn the attention of the crowd with his speed. With this 21 year old in the team, there will be many surprises stored for the oppositions.

Cesar Azpilicueta is another new addition to the club. This right back has suffered a steady stream of injuries at the beginning of his career. Yet, he recovered and proved his worth in the field. And now this 22 year old is a part one of the greatest clubs of EPL.

This young Brazilian is a vital addition to the team. The attacking midfielder is known as Oscar to his fans. He looks a bit like Kaka and plays a lot like him too. The soccer skill of this midfielder has given rise to many comparisons with the fellow teammate. Like a true Brazilian, this youngster has displayed the ability to pass the ball to the teammates along with a perfect vision. His shots are not only powerful, they are accurate too. Oscar is undoubtedly a midfielder to watch out for.

Thorgan Hazard used to play for FC Lens. This 19 year old can both play as a winger and a midfielder. Currently he is on loan and playing for Zulte Waregem. It will be interesting to watch his return to the club.

Eden Hazard is the big brother of Thorgan. Like the younger brother Eden also plays as both winger and attacking midfielder. This young talent is well known for his speed. He also considered to be a creative midfielder. His pace is his greatest asset. But, he can change a game with his ability to dribble a ball. His fierce attacking can be a nightmare for opposition’s defense lineup. The soccer skill of this young Belgian has led to comparisons with the soccer giants like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

The above mentioned names are all new signings of the club. Whether the new talents live up to the expectations of the supporters will be a thing to watch. Players like Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole and John Terry are there and still in good form. Yet, it is important to cultivate new talents and create stars which Chelsea has done too many times in the past. 

Violence in Sports: Reverting Back to Roman Times and the famous Gladiators

We have come into the “me first” era and it doesn’t seem to be a fad that is going away anytime soon. The “me first” attitude had once been reserved to describe a child in his (or hers) terrible two’s.  Unfortunately, this attitude is now also prevalent in middle-aged and older ones. 

If you just take a look at drivers on the freeway, it is no wonder we’re not all dead. You are certainly taking your life into your own hands crawling into your tin can and driving on the pavement.  The car seat belt might just be your best friend, which brings us to the sport of race car driving. 

Would you say that is a violent sport? Perhaps more so dangerous rather than violent.  Although, when a car wreck happens on the track, that seems to gain more attention than the drag racing itself. This goes hand in hand with Dale Earnhardt Jr’s recent comment wondering if fans are really bloodthirsty.

That CNN article quoting Earnhardt alluded to society reverting back to Roman times and the famous Gladiators.  It certainly was a lot of bloodshed back then for the amusement of the surrounding spectators.  It has been noted that the birth of several of today’s popular sports were attributed to their ancestral Gladiator games, namely football, wrestling, and boxing.  

Most die-hard fans are offended by such comments, but even history books in high school classrooms mention this point. There is no denying the many similarities. For several years, we have witnessed many serious injuries occurring, some resulting in death, due to the fierceness of such sports. Football has been amongst the top of that list.

The violence doesn’t have to take place out on the playing ground or field.  We have had our share of news stories involving many people losing their lives being crushed in the grandstands while watching soccer games or other popular field games. It truly makes avid fans wonder if it is really safe to risk their life to go cheer on their favorite team.

On the other hand, you can take a sport such as tennis and make the statement that sports are not violent. Unless you are John McEnroe throwing the occasional tennis racquet, tennis is pretty tame. There was one very unfortunate mishap that occurred to one young golf player. Disappointed about his performance on the greens, he threw his golf club at a bench only to have the golf club bounce back and hit his neck in a spot that instantly killed him.  The probability of that happening was so slim, yet his anger and dismay cost him his life in that disastrous accident.

Did I forget to mention video games? While not exactly a sport, its violence is over the top. There is nothing innocent  about the constant exposure to such games while sitting on the couch using a joystick to bludgeon someone to death on the screen. Even video game enthusiasts have commented, to some degree, a love of video games demands a love of violence. With the popularity of video games, many have let themselves become desensitized to such ferocious acts. It certainly was a sign when video games had to have ratings, some even being x-rated for blood, guts and sex.

So what do we do? Violence has always existed. It is just more intense now. One method to tackle the problem has been implemented. There is a common thread now existing in elementary schools. The theme of being a “peace builder” has been adopted as a shared mantra amongst campuses. These children will be tomorrow’s adults. Train them while they are young. We can only hope that they will be productive citizens in society when they become adults.

Citations:

• Gladiator photo credit

Attached Images:

•  License: Creative Commons image source 

Dee Adams is a freelance writer from San Diego, Cailf. who majored in Public Administration. She enjoys writing about topics including sports, health and good living. 

Manchester United - The Latest Buzz

Who’s staying and who’s not is always a big question in the EPL. With the blink of an eye the stars change their jerseys. Last time Van Persie’s transfer made the headlines. This time it’s the big boss who is making everyone wonder. Yes, the news of Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement has got all the soccer critics and Man Utd fans wonder the same question – who is the rightful successor of the legend.

Sir Alex Ferguson has taken over the job of Man Utd manager in 1986, 6^th November. Twenty six years have passed ever since. Sir Ferguson has not only managed to become the longest serving manager of Man Utd, he has become the greatest manager of all time. With 12 league titles, two European Cups and an array of silver wares under his belt, Sir Ferguson has not left any place to doubt his superiority.

Now, the biggest question is who will take over the job of Sir Ferguson. It is of little doubt that whoever becomes the next manager of the Red Devils is up for a tough challenge. Some shoes are too difficult to fill in and filling Sir Ferguson’s shoes will definitely prove to be a trying task.

Sir Ferguson has always shied away from discussing his retirement with the media. However, according to latest buzz, the discussion of a worthy successor of Sir Ferguson is on the process. So, who will the fortunate soul be?

Numerous names come to mind. It is no doubt that the next manager will have to have experience and proven track record. What will be interesting to watch is whether the club appoints someone young to manage the team or find someone with years of experience to handle the task of managing one of the greatest teams of English Premier League? Maybe it is an old player of the club who had the opportunity of rubbing shoulders with Sir Ferguson.

Replacing Sir Ferguson seems to be an impossible task. Is there really anyone who can match the master? The future will tell the tale. Millions of fans of Man Utd is holding their breath and crossing their fingers. While it is not possible to replace Sir Ferguson and take over the legacy, there is hope of creating new legacy with faces.

However, nothing is confirmed yet. There is still time and Sir Ferguson still has got offer the fans some more time. True, it will not be the same without the chief watching from the sideline. Yet there is always place for changes.

What may bother the fans of Man Utd is the waning number of familiar faces. Paul Scholes has already announced his retirement once. But, he had come out of the retirement to keep Sir Ferguson’s request. Whether he remains after the chief’s retirement is a matter of question. Ryan Giggs is another player who hasn’t been replaced yet.

However, there are talents everywhere and Sir Ferguson is on the role to build yet another team by picking up new talent like Van Persie. How the club copes without the presence of the chief and the old faces is a matter of question. Only time can give an answer to that. 

Clash of Soccer Legends in Kolkata

Kolkata, the soccer mad town of cricket crazy India, is ready to carry another massive soccer event involving the game`s legends Dec eight when yesteryears` greats from Brazil and alternative powerhouses clash at the Salt Lake stadium here, the organizers declared weekday.

The match involving Brazilian Masters and Sports Ministers Legends would see in action soccer celebrities from the resident nation like Carlos Dunga, Robeto Carlos, Bebeto, Cafu, Juninho Paulista, Mario Silva and Zetti.

Among those that have confirmed their participation for the Sports Ministers Legends are the Colbian couple of goalkeeper Rene Higuieta and carlos Valderamma, the promoters Omnibus - a happening management and management consultancy company - said.

Among alternative players who are being tapped for the Sports Ministers Legends are David Beckham, Luis Figo and Zinedine Zidane, though none of them has confirmed up to now.

"We can announce some massive names part by introduce the approaching days," Jimmy Olsson of Omnibus told media persons.

To ensure exposure to young talents, each group can embrace some under-19 players chosen from across the country. "The Sports Ministers Legends may additionally have some players from Bengal," the organizers said.

As per the schedule necessitated, the two sides hold open practice apply sessions Dec 7, besides participating during a charity dinner, and visiting schools and organizations just like the Missionaries of Charity.

However, Olsson admitted they were nevertheless to induce the ultimate nod from the Union Sports Ministry, which is necessary for arranging games involving foreign players.

The promoters said if the venture was victorious, a lot of such matches would be held in future, and even an academy may return up with help from the Brazilian masters.

Dunga, who was present at the media meet, said he was eagerly awaiting the match.

"There are many players who have competed along throughout their taking part in career and will be taking part together another time once an extended time. I'm simply waiting for the eighth of December for the match and so we are going to have an enormous party."

West Bengal Sports Minister Madan Mitra said the authorities would supply all infrastructural support.

The tickets would be priced between Rs.300 and Rs.1500.

The organizers commit to sell broadcast rights of the match across the world, however were circumspect about live coverage, because of bandwidth problem and with the sport incompatible with the India-England test match at the Eden Gardens.

If the match comes through, it'd solely be a continuation of Kolkata`s tryst of hosting soccer legends. Within the past, footballers like Pele, Diego Maradona, Lothar Matthaus, Oliver Kahn, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Ottmar Hitzfeld, Gerd Muller, Romario, Ruud Gullit and Branco have all mesmerized the city with their presence.

Though all of them came to town abundant after their retirement, Uruguayan star Diego Forlan came to town to participate during a soccer talent hunt show simply weeks once turning into the golden ball winner within the 2010 world cup.

Brazilian star Zico had return because the coach of Japan`s national side for a pre-World Cup game, whereas Cameroon`s Roger Milla - adjudged the most effective African player of the last century - compete an exhibition match months after his sparkling performance at the 1990 world cup.

Last September, the city hosted the country`s initial ever FIFA friendly match when soccer sensation Lionell Messi-led Argentina clashed against Venezuela at the Salt Lake stadium. The Argentines won the encounter courtesy a second-half header by Porto centre-half Nicolas Otamendi.

Some Common Types of Weight Bearing Exercises

Regular exercise helps us to keep fit and healthy. Weight bearing exercise is helpful to reduce weight quickly. Light weight exercises can be beneficial for elderly to increase their physical flexibility.

Studies have indicated that weight bearing exercises helps to relieve stress. People suffering from a range of health disorders like osteoporosis, arthritis, high blood pressure and muscle aches can benefit from weight training.

Weight training – Lifting weights in a gym or home is a great way to improve your body strength. When you lift weights, it improves the bone density of the body. The bone cells respond to the stress of weight training thereby making them more resistant and strong.

However, before you start your weight lifting sessions, it is recommended to consult a doctor. If the doctor permits, you can start your weight lifting sessions to strengthen your body.

Other exercise alternatives you can opt for a healthy body and mind are as follows:

Running – Running is one of the effective ways to reduce weight and be in shape. It is a type of cardiovascular exercise that increases the stamina of the body. In case you have no time to go for running in a park or playground, invest a treadmill at home.

The treadmill is an effective option to increase endurance in the body. You can follow the treadmill with some stretching exercises to complete your workout routine.

Aerobics – Aerobics is a form of cardiovascular exercise that improves the flexibility in the body. Aerobics is a good way to get into shape and develop balance in the body. Step exercise is a great type of aerobics exercise where a plastic step is used while doing aerobic exercise.

Step aerobics helps in greater joint movements and bring back elasticity in the body.

Spine exercises – Spine exercises help in relieving back aches and muscle cramps of the spine. Spine exercise is ideal to improve your posture of the body. Yoga exercises are good for the body.

A common spine exercise is you have to lay down  on a yoga mat and place your hands tightly on the ground and then gradually lift the body, but make sure to raise only the upper portion of the body to form a rearward curve of your spine.

For all the exercise equipment like a treadmill, yoga mats, weights, aerobics steps and many more, you can check out any GAA store.

The aforementioned points highlight some form of weight bearing exercises. However, it is always advised to consult with a fitness expert about the form of exercise suitable for your body.

English Premier League : An Overview

The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Football League. The Premier League is a corporation in which the 20 member clubs act as shareholders. Seasons run from August to May, with teams playing 38 matches each, totalling 380 matches in the season. Most games are played in the afternoons of Saturdays and Sundays, the other games during weekday evenings. It is currently sponsored by Barclays Bank and thus officially known as the Barclays Premier League. Outside England it is commonly referred to as the English Premier League (EPL). The Premier League have two teams in the top five UEFA rankings: Chelsea is 5th, and Manchester United is 3rd.

The competition formed as the FA Premier League on 20 February 1992 following the decision of clubs in the Football League First Division to break away from The Football League, which was originally founded in 1888, and take advantage of a lucrative television rights deal. This deal will be worth £3 billion as of 2013–14, with BSkyB and BT Group securing the rights to broadcast 116 and 38 games respectively. The Premier League is the most-watched football league in the world, broadcast in 212 territories to an audience of 643 million viewers. In the 2010–11 season the average Premier League match attendance was 35,363, the second highest of any professional football league other than the German Bundesliga, and stadium occupancy was 92.2% capacity. The Premier League ranked first in the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) coefficients of leagues based on performances in European competitions over the last five years.

Since 1888, a total of 23 clubs have been crowned champions of the English football system. Of the 45 clubs to have competed since the inception of the Premier League in 1992, five have won the title: Manchester United (12 titles), Arsenal (3), Chelsea (3), Blackburn Rovers (1) and Manchester City (1). The current champions are Manchester City, who won the title in the 2011–12 season.

Season	Champions
1992–93	Manchester United
1993–94	Manchester United
1994–95	Blackburn Rovers
1995–96	Manchester United
1996–97	Manchester United
1997–98	Arsenal
1998–99	Manchester United
1999–2000	Manchester United
2000–01	Manchester United
2001–02	Arsenal
2002–03	Manchester United
2003–04	Arsenal
2004–05	Chelsea
2005–06	Chelsea
2006–07	Manchester United
2007–08	Manchester United
2008–09	Manchester United
2009–10	Chelsea
2010–11	Manchester United
2011–12	Manchester City

Origins

Despite significant European success during the 1970s and early 1980s, the late '80s had marked a low point for English football. Stadia were crumbling, supporters endured poor facilities, hooliganism was rife, and English clubs were banned from European competition for five years following the Heysel Stadium disaster in 1985. The Football League First Division, which had been the top level of English football since 1888, was well behind leagues such as Italy's Serie A and Spain's La Liga in attendances and revenues, and several top English players had moved abroad. However, by the turn of the 1990s the downward trend was starting to reverse; England had been successful in the 1990 FIFA World Cup, reaching the semi-finals. UEFA, European football's governing body, lifted the five-year ban on English clubs playing in European competitions in 1990 (resulting in Manchester United lifting the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1991) and the Taylor Report on stadium safety standards, which proposed expensive upgrades to create all-seater stadia in the aftermath of the Hillsborough disaster, was published in January of that year.

Television money had also become much more important; the Football League received £6.3 million for a two-year agreement in 1986, but when that deal was renewed in 1988, the price rose to £44 million over four years. The 1988 negotiations were the first signs of a breakaway league; ten clubs threatened to leave and form a "super league", but were eventually persuaded to stay. As stadia improved and match attendance and revenues rose, the country's top teams again considered leaving the Football League in order to capitalise on the growing influx of money being pumped into the sport.

Foundation

At the close of the 1991 season, a proposal for the establishment of a new league was tabled that would bring more money into the game overall. The Founder Members Agreement, signed on 17 July 1991 by the game's top-flight clubs, established the basic principles for setting up the FA Premier League. The newly formed top division would have commercial independence from The Football Association and the Football League, giving the FA Premier League licence to negotiate its own broadcast and sponsorship agreements. The argument given at the time was that the extra income would allow English clubs to compete with teams across Europe.

In 1992 the First Division clubs resigned from the Football League en masse and on 27 May 1992 the FA Premier League was formed as a limited company working out of an office at the Football Association's then headquarters in Lancaster Gate. This meant a break-up of the 104-year-old Football League that had operated until then with four divisions; the Premier League would operate with a single division and the Football League with three. There was no change in competition format; the same number of teams competed in the top flight, and promotion and relegation between the Premier League and the new First Division remained the same as the old First and Second Divisions with three teams relegated from the league and three promoted.^[11]

The league held its first season in 1992–93 and was originally composed of 22 clubs. The first ever Premier League goal was scored by Brian Deane of Sheffield United in a 2–1 win against Manchester United. The 22 inaugural members of the new Premier League were Arsenal, Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Chelsea, Coventry City, Crystal Palace, Everton, Ipswich Town, Leeds United, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Middlesbrough, Norwich City, Nottingham Forest, Oldham Athletic, Queens Park Rangers, Sheffield United, Sheffield Wednesday, Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, and Wimbledon. Luton Town, Notts County and West Ham United were the three teams relegated from the old first division at the end of the 1991–92 season, and did not take part in the inaugural Premier League season.

Development

Due to insistence by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), the international governing body of football, that domestic leagues reduce the number of games clubs played, the number of clubs was reduced to 20 in 1995 when four teams were relegated from the league and only two teams promoted. On 8 June 2006, FIFA requested that all major European leagues, including Italy's Serie A and Spain's La Liga be reduced to 18 teams by the start of the 2007–08 season. The Premier League responded by announcing their intention to resist such a reduction. Ultimately, the 2007–08 season kicked off again with 20 teams. The league changed its name from the FA Premier League to simply the Premier League in 2007. Welsh club Swansea City were promoted to the Premier League for the 2011–12 season. They were the first non-English team to compete in the Premier League. On 20 August 2011, the first Premier League match to be played outside England was between Swansea City and Wigan Athletic at the Liberty Stadium in Swansea, Wales.

Corporate structure

The Premier League is operated as a corporation and is owned by the 20 member clubs. Each club is a shareholder, with one vote each on issues such as rule changes and contracts. The clubs elect a chairman, chief executive, and board of directors to oversee the daily operations of the league. The current chairman is Sir Dave Richards, who was appointed in April 1999, and the chief executive is Richard Scudamore, appointed in November 1999. The former chairman and chief executive, John Quinton and Peter Leaver, were forced to resign in March 1999 after awarding consultancy contracts to former Sky executives Sam Chisholm and David Chance. The Football Association is not directly involved in the day-to-day operations of the Premier League, but has veto power as a special shareholder during the election of the chairman and chief executive and when new rules are adopted by the league.

The Premier League sends representatives to UEFA's European Club Association, the number of clubs and the clubs themselves chosen according to UEFA coefficients. For the 2010–11 season the Premier League had 10 representatives in the Association: Arsenal, Aston Villa, Chelsea, Everton, Fulham, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur. The European Club Association is responsible for electing three members to UEFA's Club Competitions Committee, which is involved in the operations of UEFA competitions such as the Champions League and UEFA Europa League.

Competition format

Competition

There are 20 clubs in the Premier League. During the course of a season (from August to May) each club plays the others twice (a double round-robin system), once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents, for a total of 38 games. Teams receive three points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points, then goal difference, and then goals scored. At the end of each season, the club with the most points is crowned champion. If points are equal, the goal difference and then goals scored determine the winner. If still equal, teams are deemed to occupy the same position. If there is a tie for the championship, for relegation, or for qualification to other competitions, a play-off match at a neutral venue decides rank. The three lowest placed teams are relegated into the Football League Championship, and the top two teams from the Championship, together with the winner of play-offs involving the third to sixth placed Championship clubs, are promoted in their place.

Qualification for European competitions

Arsenal against Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League in 2011

As of the 2009–10 season qualification for the UEFA Champions League changed, the top four teams in the Premier League qualify for the UEFA Champions League, with the top three teams directly entering the group stage. Previously only the top two teams qualified automatically. The fourth-placed team enters the Champions League at the play-off round for non-champions and must win a two-legged knockout tie in order to enter the group stage. The team placed fifth in the Premier League automatically qualifies for the UEFA Europa League, and the sixth and seventh-placed teams can also qualify, depending on the winners and runners-up of the two domestic cup competitions. Two Europa League places are reserved for the winner of each of the domestic cup competitions; if the winner of the FA Cup qualifies for the Champions League, then that place will go to the runner-up, and if the runner-up is also already qualified, then that place will go to the next-best placed finisher in the Premier League. If the winner of the League Cup has already qualified, that place goes to the next-best placed team in the league. A further place in the UEFA Europa League is also available via the Fair Play initiative. If the Premier League has one of the three highest Fair Play rankings in Europe, the highest ranked team in the Premier League Fair Play standings which has not already qualified for Europe will automatically qualify for the UEFA Europa League first qualifying round.

An exception to the usual European qualification system happened in 2005, after Liverpool won the Champions League the year before, but did not finish in a Champions League qualification place in the Premier League that season. UEFA gave special dispensation for Liverpool to enter the Champions League, giving England five qualifiers. UEFA subsequently ruled that the defending champions qualify for the competition the following year regardless of their domestic league placing. However, for those leagues with four entrants in the Champions League, this meant that if the Champions League winner finished outside the top four in its domestic league, it would qualify at the expense of the fourth-placed team in the league. No association can have more than four entrants in the Champions League. This occurred in 2012, when Chelsea – who had won the Champions League the previous year, but finished sixth in the league – qualified for the Champions League in place of Tottenham Hotspur, who went into the Europa League.

In 2007, the Premier League became the highest ranking European League based on the performances of English teams in European competitions over a five-year period. This broke the eight-year dominance of the Spanish league, La Liga. The top three leagues in Europe are currently allowed to enter four teams into the Champions League. Michel Platini, the UEFA president, had proposed taking one place from the top three leagues and allocating it to that nation's cup winners. This proposal was rejected in a vote at a UEFA Strategy Council meeting. In the same meeting, however, it was agreed that the third-placed team in the top four leagues would receive automatic qualification for the group stage, rather than entry into the third qualifying round, while the fourth-placed team would enter the play-off round for non-champions, guaranteeing an opponent from one of the top 15 leagues in Europe. This was part of Platini's plan to increase the number of teams qualifying directly into the group stage, while simultaneously increasing the number of teams from lower-ranked nations in the group stage.

Trophy

The current Premier League trophy was created by Royal Jewellers Asprey of London. It consists of a trophy with a golden crown and a malachite plinth base. The plinth weighs 33 lbs (15 kg) and the trophy weighs 22 lbs (10 kg). The trophy and plinth are 76 cm (30 in) tall, 43 cm (17 in) wide and 25 cm (9.8 in) deep.

Its main body is solid sterling silver and silver gilt, while its plinth is made of malachite, a semi-precious stone. The plinth has a silver band around its circumference, upon which the names of the title-winning clubs are listed. Malachite's green colour is also representative of the green field of play. The design of the trophy is based on the heraldry of Three Lions that is associated with English football. Two of the lions are found above the handles on either side of the trophy – the third is symbolised by the captain of the title winning team as he raises the trophy, and its gold crown, above his head at the end of the season. In 2004, a special gold version of the trophy was commissioned to commemorate Arsenal winning the title without a single defeat.

Sponsorship

The Premier League has been sponsored since 1993. The sponsor has been able to determine the league's sponsorship name. There have been three sponsors since the league's formation.

• 1993–2001: Carling (FA Carling Premiership)
• 2001–2004: Barclaycard (Barclaycard Premiership)
• 2004–present: Barclays (Barclays Premiership (until 2007) then Barclays Premier League)

As well as sponsorship for the league itself, the Premier League has a number of official partners and suppliers. The official ball supplier for the league is Nike who have had the contract since the 2000–01 season when they took over from Mitre.