work permit which would allow them to
work (or play for that matter) in the UK as
employees of a football club. money moves – Real Madrid in Spain,
PSG in France and Juventus in France are
but some watching from the fringes.
A study done by BBC in 2016 estimated
that over 300 players in the English
Premier League, Championship and
Scottish Premiership would not satisfy
the criteria set out for working in the
UK. The other side of this would be the
status of British players plying or hoping
to move to major leagues in Europe. The
increased administration in applying for
work permits would make it less lucrative
for most players. The saving grace now is the current impasse
of Brexit where the British government
sought a delay to Q3, 2019 and the remote
possibility of Brexit not happening at all
should a second referendum point towards
staying in the EU. The EPL bosses would
be rubbing their hands for the latter.
Similarly, foreign coaches would suddenly
face the same scrutiny and criteria to work
in the UK. As of 2018-19 season 14 out of
the 20 clubs in the EPL had a non-British
coach at helm. After Brexit, the challenge
of retaining or attracting these non-Briton
coaches would be real.
The image of the EPL will endure a
moderately stifled atmosphere - based on
restricted movement and reducing financial
power. While the current situation slightly
proves the critics wrong, the move will
have an effect in the next 2-3 seasons with
their continental contemporaries making
The Football Association which runs the
English national team while enjoying the
glory of the men’s national team success,
is still cognisant of the impact the game
needs to make for continued success.
Funding of grassroot football through the
sale of Wembley stadium among other
moves is a commendable effort.
What remains to be seen is if this will
be sustained in upcoming European
engagements and replicated in the Middle
East in 2022. The success of the junior
teams will point towards achieving this
success but with aplomb.
Globalization is quickly changing the face
of sport and indeed the biggest impact is
on the football game. The biggest teams in
Europe have become major brands across
the world. This will continue in expanding
the clubs and corporate sponsorships
therein. The rapid change in technology
and how we consume media will enable
the teams reach audiences far and wide,
hitherto difficult to reach.
The English Premier League has been the
most consistent of the European leagues
in looking to deliver a holistic approach
for clubs, owners, brand and game
experiences. They continue to explore
pockets of opportunity to grow the game
as the fan demographics and consumption
behavior and expectations change.
For now, though, let’s enjoy the glory days
of the Three Lions and the conquering
teams of the English Premier League in
Europe.
Richard Wanjohi is a marketing
enthusiast with interest in research
and sports. You can commune with
him on this or related matters via
mail at: RWanjohi@gmail.com or
check his tweets @rwanjohi.
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