In Germany now it's all about tactics.

The small teams have been regularly surprising the big teams for a number of seasons (with the exception of Bayern and Dortmund). Historically big teams like Hamburg, Stuttgart, Werder Bremen and K?ln have struggled and promoted teams have thrived. Augsburg, who've never played in the Bundesliga until 2011/2, got to the Europa league last year and only just got knocked out by Liverpool and had to play a weakened team due to injuries. Ingolstadt, Darmstadt and others are doing ok. Mainz have been comfortably mid table for a few seasons now. They reckon it's all about skilful management and tactics.

You could say the same for Watford, Bournemouth, Leicester and even us until December. Over previous years look at Wigan, Fulham, Bolton... all of them punched above their weight for some time. It's the Champions' League stranglehold which has to be broken and maybe that's why there's talk about a European league - they can see it coming or at least the risk of it.

Posted By: APB, Mar 14, 10:11:14