Agree with all of this. You're bang on regarding the Big Mo

Euphoric at gaining promotion, sides who are written off think: "We'll show you!" So they do - much more often than they used to, you're correct there - but it's impossible to retain the same levels of motivation if the aim is just finishing 17th every year.

Footballers need new targets to aim for; new prizes to try and attain. A whole bunch of them probably realise it can't get any better, and start to tune out when the manager drives them forward in pre-season all in the aim of finishing fourth from bottom.

That's where the demise of Cup competitions has done so much harm. Those used to be a real target for so many clubs; now, hardly.

Posted By: thebigfeller, May 8, 11:54:30