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The Premier League, Major League Baseball, The Human League, The National Football League, The League of Gentlemen, the Indian Premier League or your pick of Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea. Everyone has their own favourite league, despite what various excitable pundits and commentators would have you believe, but the thorny issue of deciding which is the best is entirely a matter of opinion and personal taste. While the National League South – comprising half the sixth tier of English football’s pyramid – is unlikely to feature on too many shortlists, few can be more competitive. Going into the 46th and final round of games this season, no fewer than a quarter of its 24 teams can still be crowned champions on Saturday afternoon.
It seems to me there have been more articles/podcasts/opinion pieces (I’m looking at you) on how well/badly/why are they even bothering to come up on Leeds and Burnley in the past 24 hours than there have been on the late pope. Yes, of course next season will be a struggle but, as a Leeds fan, I’m looking forward to it. We get to hang out with the cool kids. We get to see our team on Match of the Day at a reasonable hour and not ITV4 at various different times depending on how long the snooker has over ran before it. And last, but by no means least, at least for one glorious season, we don’t have to listen to Don Goodman on co-comms on Sky Sports. So please, a 24-hour moratorium on Leeds and Burnley’s outlook would be gratefully accepted” – John Scannell.
Re: ‘In da club’ (yesterday’s Football Daily, full email edition). As an ex-pat, spare a thought for my local club, SM Caen, who were bought by Kylian Mbappé in July 2024 and a swift return to the top tier was highly anticipated. Alas, it was not to be. After sitting adrift at the bottom of Ligue 2 for most of the season, we have now been relegated to Ligue 3 for the first time since 1984. So to all my fellow fans of smaller clubs, I say this: beware mega-rich footballers approaching your boardroom” – Neil Carter.
OK, I get it now. Ruben Amorim is obviously sandbagging. Usually I take any and every chance to have a dig at Manchester United, but it’s all become so clear. He’s a genius. He’s seen the opportunity of finishing 17th without the possibility of relegation and he’s going for it. Think about it: the only way to flip the narrative is to fully bottom out. To be absolutely dire. To make 11th place seem like a distant dream. This is by design. He knows the only way forward is to burn the house down, but he can’t say that. It’s footballing slash and burn. He will leave the centre-backs isolated. He will pick a flimsy, child-based midfield. He will select his most egotistical and selfish wingers. He will give Rasmus Højlund all the time he needs to overcome his shy, awkward phase in a safe space just outside the 18-yard box where nobody will bother him. Then, next season, the tide will turn. Progress will come to Old Trafford. The curse will be lifted and with hard work, seven or eight top, top signings and a lucrative pre-season tour of the USA USA USA under their belt, they will master the high-pressing 3-4-2-1 formation and go on to finish a strong 16th with a healthy positive goal difference. Bravo” – Jimmy O’Brien.
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