„Je to těžká výzva. Víme, v čem jsme namočení, a těžko nacházíme záchytné body, na kterých bychom mohli stavět,“ smutnil pro BBC kouč Leicesteru Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Byl to smutný pohled na King Power Stadium. Domácí Leicester prohrával už ve 2. minutě. Po 11. minutách to bylo 0:2, ve 34. minutě se Newcastle trefil potřetí a bylo po zápase. Kamery a objektivy zachytily, jak ještě v první půli z tribun mizí stovky zklamaných fandů Leicesteru.
Foto: Andrew Boyers, Reuters
Jdeme domů. Fanoušci Leicesteru opouštějí stadion za stavu 0:3 pro hosty z Newcastlu.
Duel se dohrával v poloprázdné aréně s ponurou atmosférou.
Nedivte se.
Leicester kromě prohry natáhl nepěknou šňůru. Doma naposledy skóroval 8. prosince. Půst trvá 720 minut a osm duelů, čímž vyrovnal smutnou sérii Manchesteru City z roku 2007.
Paradoxem je, že trápícího nováčka na konci listopadu převzal někdejší špičkový kanonýr van Nistelrooy. Jenže s Nizozemcem na střídačce se Leicester trápí ještě víc.
„Zkoušíme různé věci, různá rozestavení, různé hráče na různých postech, ale výsledky se nedostavují,“ hlesl trenér Leicesteru. „Je to znepokojující, ale vždy je důležité si vše zanalyzovat, vzpamatovat se a vyspat se z toho.“
Hráčům Leicesteru ale nejspíš zbývají poslední dny, kdy se budou probouzet jako členové Premier League. Z předposledního místa ztrácejí na sedmnáctou nesestupovou příčku hrozivých 15 bodů. Do konce soutěže zbývá sedm kol, v nichž lze získat 21 bodů.
Zajímavé je, že ve věhlasné soutěži naleznete ještě jeden zoufalejší tým. V Southamptonu po víkendové prohře 1:3 s Tottenhamem už teď vědí, že je sedm kol před koncem pád z nejvyšší soutěže nemine. Takhle brzy ještě trudnou jistotu žádný anglický tým nikdy v historii neměl…
A mimochodem nahnuté to má i osmnáctý Ipswich. K záchraně mu aktuálně zbývá 12 bodů.
Southampton, Leicester a Ipswich spojuje, že do Premier League vstupovaly jako nováčci. Společně ze soutěže nejspíš i zmizí. Podobně dopadlo minulou sezonu i trio Burnley, Sheffield United a Luton.
Fotbalové Anglii vzniká plíživý problém.
Premier League se často chlubí tím, že dokáže být nevyzpytatelná, dynamická a dramatická. Opakovaný scénář se sestupujícími nováčky jí vizitku kazí.
„Všiml jsem si, že je totální rozdíl ve fyzické kondici mezi námi a ostatními kluby Premier League,“ říkal kouč Southamptonu Ivan Jurič. „Myslím, že totéž postihlo i Leicester a Ipswich, rozdíl je ve fyzické kondici týmů Championship a Premier League.“
Mimochodem Jurič slova pronášel po prohře s Tottenhamem ještě jako hlavní trenér Southamptonu. Chvíli po nich ho klub po osmi měsících vyhodil.
Ani opakovaná výměna trenéra Southamptonu nezafungovala, vždyť se potácí i Leicester s van Nistelrooyem. Podporuje to jen Juričovu myšlenku, že není potíž v mužích na střídačce, ale v těch na hřišti.
Mezi nejvyššími dvěma anglickými soutěžemi se rozprostřela obří výkonnostní propast. Postupující kluby si to uvědomují. Ipswich obměnil před sezonou kádr, což odnesla i česká brankářská jednička Václav Hladký. Stejně to ale na důstojný part v Premier League nestačí, klub se spíš řadí do komparzu.
Někteří experti namítají, že větší naději pro udržení mají kluby s propracovanou filozofií, v nichž frčí moderní trendy a data. Možná. Okolností může být vícero, ale vysvětlení může být i daleko prostší.
Být pravidelnou součástí společenství Premier League znamená astronomické příjmy z televizních práv.
Pět miliard liber vynesl soutěži končící tříletý kontrakt, který ještě o rok natáhla pandemie. Od příští sezony si dvacítka nejlepších klubů bude do roku 2029 pravidelně odkrajovat ještě z vyšší cifry – 6,7 miliardy liber.
Jen pro srovnání v druhé nejvyšší soutěži je celková částka z televizních příjmů zhruba sedminová. A to už je sakra rozdíl.
Southampton a nejspíš i Leicester s Ipswichem se budou muset zase snažit, aby se dostaly k elitě a tučným odměnám. Záchrana se jim nedaří, odvracejí neodvratitelné. Od léta je (nejspíš) nahradí další trio.
Bude to jen důkaz, že se Premier League točí v bludném kruhu.
This news was originally published on this post .
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