World Football: 6 Steps to Improve the English Premier League

The English Premier League is arguably the best in the world, but like any such endeavor, improvements could be made.

So how do you improve on a league that is arguably the best in the world?

There are certainly a few things that could happen. Some may be easier said than done, but it's not really my job to do them now is it?

The EPL boasts some of the top talents—both on the pitch and in the various manager's seats—and is always exciting to watch.

Here are some steps that could improve the English Premier League.

Implement a Christmas Break

It's tradition and kind of fun to go to a game on Boxing Day, but I'm sure the players would like a Christmas Break.

All the other big leagues do it for some amount of time and it doesn't seem to affect them. It probably will never happen, but it could be a big help for the league.

The fixture list is really congested and playing at Christmas is almost a necessity, but one thing that could help that is on the next slide.

Remove the Carling Cup

The Carling Cup is an unnecessary competition because even if a team like Birmingham may win it once in a while, it is usually won by the Chelseas and Liverpools and so forth.

I mean, I guess it's nice that relegated teams like Birmingham City get a chance to play in Europe.

England already has six definite spots for entry into European competitions, so they certainly don't need a seventh.

Removing the Carling Cup would help with the implementation of a Christmas Break and it would again help both players and managers in the long run.

Better Scheduling

Better scheduling is a bit vague, but hopefully Sir Alex Ferguson's statements in a BBC interview can expand on that.

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In an exclusive interview with BBC North West Tonight, Ferguson said TV controls aspects of the game because of the vast amount of money it provides.

He claimed clubs did not have enough say when it came to fixtures and, as a result, those sides competing in Europe were worse off.

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Ferguson continues later on:

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When you see the fixture lists come out now, they [the television companies] can pick and choose whenever they want the top teams on television.

You get some ridiculous situations when you're playing on Wednesday night in Europe and then at lunchtime the following Saturday. You ask any manager if they would pick that themselves...there'd be no chance.

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We know Ferguson is saying these things mainly because of his position with Manchester United, but I think there's some truth to it all. He is not alone either as Arsene Wenger has made similar remarks.

There is not enough rest for the players, and scheduling plays a part in this. Players having to participate in virtually three games every seven days reduces the quality of what they produce and fans see.

Club Partnerships to Produce Better English Talent

Let's say Arsenal teams up with a team in the lower divisions like Bournemouth AFC (it can't be a storied club like Nottingham Forest due to their history and the higher probability of them getting back into the championship—no offense to Bournemouth there).

Arsenal then says they will inject some cash to upgrade facilities and technology, etc. They would share training knowledge and coaches could go either way to learn and impart knowledge.

Through all that, Arsenal would have first dibs on the hottest talents the club produces. Talents that would be English of course.

These much smaller clubs would have access to more resources and Arsenal in turn would have access to more players. If things work out really well, then a number of successful players could come from this partnership.

This is not to say that Arsenal would get to snatch every and any player that comes from the club, but they would certainly have first choice.

The players would benefit, the clubs would benefit and essentially the league would benefit.

Bring in Goal-Line Technology

Word is that the English FA is considering using goal-line technology next season. This would certainly decrease the number of manager complaints across the league. Or would it?

The positive effects of goal-line technology are obvious and managers surely wouldn't have any objection. It would help referees make difficult decisions in a league where every one counts.

Implement a League-Wide Salary Cap

Equity. That's what this amounts to.

The Financial Fair Play will help curb spending even more for cash-rich clubs vying for European positions, but this is just for the EPL.

It has already been, or is in the process of being, discussed. The BBC presented some of Deloitte's findings on finances in football from the 2009-10 season. Talksport.com expanded on that.

So what would the cap be?

Since Everton finished just outside European positions and had a bill of basically £55 million, we'll slap £5 million more unto that and call it a day. 

So, it is £60 Million.

There you have it. Everyone has that much to spend on wages. In turn, the talent gets spread out across the league—hopefully.

The best teams should still be able to have better players thanks to their reputation and the fact that they have more money. However, other teams should now be able to get solid players as well.