2026-04-12 09:30:40
Uwe Rosler is saddened by the “commercialisation” of English football.
The German coach played in the Premier League for Manchester City during the 1990s and laments that the top-flight is now unrecognisable from his playing days.
In an interview with World Soccer magazine, Rosler said: “I think the Premier League now is not the league I knew as a player. Back then, everyone more or less could afford to buy a ticket, normal families, kids, working people.
“The people from the local communities who grew up supporting their local team could just go down to their home grounds and follow the games regularly. In these times, due to the cost of tickets, it is not possible anymore and that does make me a bit sad.”
Rosler has managerial experience in both the English and German game and feels that the atmosphere is considerably better in the latter.
The coach, who is currently in charge of German second-division side VfL Bochum, said: “I am very much driven as a coach by my interactions with the fans, also by the atmosphere in the stadium.
“These days in England it can often be very flat; that’s the price paid for a more corporate atmosphere, more VIP places and business suites and directors’ boxes and so on.
“When you compare the atmosphere to German stadiums, there is a really big difference.”
Rosler added: “German stadiums are supporter-powered; the chants, the choreographies, the sheer power of the experience, it’s absolutely overwhelming, and we largely have the 50+1 (rule) to thank for that.
“However, the income achieved in the Premier League makes it difficult.”
Rosler also feels that Bayern Munich’s dominance of the Bundesliga is damaging for football in Germany.
He said: “Looking back on the last 10 years, and how many times Bayern won the title, and this season again they are making winning the title look like a walk in the park, yes.
“I think that German football needs to get back to a situation like in the past decades, where the title fight was between three or four teams. I think we have to get back to that.”
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