How WWE Can Maximize Sheamus with New League of Nations Stable

WWE continues to press forward with Sheamus as the top titleholder despite the objections of many fans. The creative team is apparently set on building him up, and the latest way to do that involves his new stable, The League of Nations.

This may be the best way to get him over, and now fans will have to wait and see just how WWE plans on maximizing him.

No one can say that the company is not making the effort here. Sheamus could have continued on his own, facing one babyface after the next and making little to no headway in the process. He likely still would have been floundering and his title run would have grown weaker by the day.

Eventually, the whole thing would have fallen apart and critics would have been there to watch the destruction.

The League of Nations provides a twist that may have been unexpected but is completely logical at the same time.

It's the old bait-and-switch routine, WWE's way to shine up a Superstar by surrounding him with hands that can make him look good. It's the same tactic employed when Paul Heyman was paired with Brock Lesnar and when Sensational Sherri was used with Shawn Michaels.

In both cases, the mouthpiece did their job and gave the rub to get each guy over. That's what fans are seeing with Sheamus and friends.

Separately, each one of those friends has been thought of as a talent that can help carry the main event load. King Barrett and Rusev have the ability to do big things in WWE, while Alberto Del Rio already has a proven track record.

As WWE's roster thinned out due to injuries, fans began to debate which guys could rise up, and these three were surely among the names discussed.

Now they will act as the supporting cast for the WWE world heavyweight champion. 

Credit: WWE.com

The fact that none of the three were really doing very much means they can only benefit from a new alliance, while Sheamus himself will also improve. But WWE must get it right, and one way to do that is to show absolute unity between the four men.

The League of Nations must appear together as often as possible. It's not enough to introduce it as a new faction only to then present it as part-time. When one of the members works, at least one other must accompany him to ringside.

When Sheamus cuts a promo, they should all be there.  Like The Four Horsemen, each man must make his presence known to support their leader. When a babyface steps up to one of them, he should know that he is really facing all four of them.

Fans must see The League of Nations so often that the contempt for its existence is evident by a massive heel pop.

Sheamus must get over, and that means the group must get over first. If this does not happen, Sheamus will be the one to take the blame and will be right back where he started.

Sheamus must also get credit for the faction's creation. Though its formation is surely due to the champ wanting to protect his championship, its every move must be deliberate and precise. Sheamus must be seen as the mastermind behind it all, and that means he gets the spotlight every time the group destroys an opponent like Roman Reigns.

The Celtic Warrior did not get that nickname due to goofy jokes and immature crowd taunting. He began as the battle-tested fighter who was ruthless and merciless. He should revert to that now with his new army at the ready whenever he needs it.

But the point of all this is to showcase Sheamus as something more than he is now.

Fans look at him and see a guy who was given the strap because WWE had no one else to carry it. However, they must begin to see him as a guy who deserves the spot he inhabits and the championship he wears.

He must own it, excel with it and leave little doubt that he is the man to beat in the company. Sheamus needs heat as the new top heel, and that heat must not come from fans who just don't care about him. It must come because fans despise what he stands for and want to see him lose in the middle of the ring.

The League of Nations can help transform that notion into a reality. This is Sheamus's prime opportunity to grow, to rise above the criticism and embrace who and what he is.

Sheamus may not have been the fans' choice, but he is WWE's choice. With any luck, The League of Nations will allow him to be the only choice that fans even care about.

Tom's work can regularly be found on Bleacher Report and his podcast, Tom Clark's Main Event, is available on iTunes, Google Play, Windows Phone, Amazon Android and online here.