POLL - Who would you like to see win the Championship Play offs?

[Costello]

When was the last time we had a goal fest in the Championship play-off final? They almost always seem cagey, low-scoring affairs these days.

 

[DarkSithLord]

When was the last time we had a goal fest in the Championship play-off final? They almost always seem cagey, low-scoring affairs these days.

2010 Blackpool 3-2 Cardiff City

 

[Costello]

2010 Blackpool 3-2 Cardiff City

That one did spring to mind. The final the following summer between Swansea and Reading had a few goals as well. A lot of dull games since, though.

 

[Bilo]

When was the last time we had a goal fest in the Championship play-off final? They almost always seem cagey, low-scoring affairs these days.

£200m riding on it you don't want to fuck up do you?

 

[Costello]

£200m riding on it you don't want to fuck up do you?

Ironically I think it's partly Sky's fault for putting such an emphasis on the money at stake (rather than just the glory of playing at the highest level) - if as you say it's causing teams/players to take a more cautious approach then it's hardly helping the broadcasters from an entertainment point of view!

 

[Bilo]

Ironically I think it's partly Sky's fault for putting such an emphasis on the money at stake (rather than just the glory of playing at the highest level) - if as you say it's causing teams/players to take a more cautious approach then it's hardly helping the broadcasters from an entertainment point of view!

Well luckily I don't watch Sky mate so I get away from their one line truths. I just think it's a very, very pressurized context that they're playing football in. £200m is significantly more than Huddersfield Football Club was worth a year ago. Will this make the players more cautious? Of course it will, they've got huge bonuses of their own riding on the match (most a 25% wage rise, at least) and footballers aren't exactly known for not caring about money.

This pattern can be seen across top level football as well, finals aren't good for entertainment simply because when it all comes down to one game, there's so much riding on it nowadays (lightyears beyond glory) that you will almost always get cagey affairs. The Champions league final, the world cup final, the Euros, all these finals are getting cagier for every year. And it's not going to get better, who's genuinely expecting entertainment on Saturday?

In my opinion finals are looking less and less attractive due to this. I think the CL would be a hell of a lot more interesting if it was played in a league format with more accurate forms of seeding to avoid too many matches. Because in a league, to win you have to win. But in a knockout, as Huddersfield have proven, you just have to not lose. It's a no brainer which brings the more entertaining football.