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European Super League
- Thread starter kernow19
- Start date
A lot of 'we want competition' blah blah from some of the big 6 now the concept of a super league has been binned, but it's all nonsense isn't it? Man City, Chelsea and Man Utd to some extent have been 'buying' trophies for years. Where's the competition when a small group of elite clubs can buy up the best players in the world? Football needs a root and branch reform to its financial and ownership structures.
So many contradictions and deceptions in what the Six are saying, even in their apologies. The two that really get me are the following...
1) the idea that young people arenāt interested in football anymore. That has everything to do with being priced out of both going to games physically, and being priced out of watching games on TV due to the greed of both football clubs and broadcasters.
2) the idea that something needed to be done to ensure financial stability. There has NEVER been more money flooding into the game, and NEVER a higher percentage of it going to the clubs at the top. If Barcelona want to pay Ā£120m for Coutinho, or Spurs want to build a Ā£1bn stadium, or Man United pay a goalkeeper Ā£350k a week... those are decisions they have taken, no-one has forced them to do so. If you canāt achieve financial stability despite swimming in cash, then youāve mismanaged your club.
Pretty much every single change in football over the last 30 years has benefitted the richest clubs, and enough is enough. They cannot plead poverty or injustice any longer, and hopefully no-one will trust a word they say again.
1) the idea that young people arenāt interested in football anymore. That has everything to do with being priced out of both going to games physically, and being priced out of watching games on TV due to the greed of both football clubs and broadcasters.
2) the idea that something needed to be done to ensure financial stability. There has NEVER been more money flooding into the game, and NEVER a higher percentage of it going to the clubs at the top. If Barcelona want to pay Ā£120m for Coutinho, or Spurs want to build a Ā£1bn stadium, or Man United pay a goalkeeper Ā£350k a week... those are decisions they have taken, no-one has forced them to do so. If you canāt achieve financial stability despite swimming in cash, then youāve mismanaged your club.
Pretty much every single change in football over the last 30 years has benefitted the richest clubs, and enough is enough. They cannot plead poverty or injustice any longer, and hopefully no-one will trust a word they say again.
:wave: The Plastic Six :wave:
Bit of a chicken/egg or Catch 22 conundrum here for me.
How can anyone so rich be so stupid?
How can anyone so stupid get so rich? :think:
Bit of a chicken/egg or Catch 22 conundrum here for me.
How can anyone so rich be so stupid?
How can anyone so stupid get so rich? :think:
djg145":vfb4pk13 said:
It is a big pity that such well paid CEO's [Woodward on Ā£1.5m p.a.] could not exercise better judgement in pursuing and running with this crazy plan in the first place. I cannot believe that the major shareholders of each of the owner companies dreamed up the idea off their own backs as they are out of touch with the English football supporter on his backside in stadiums. If the CEO's decisions are the best they can come up with, then I am up for a CEO job on only Ā£1m p.a. anytime one comes available. Good judgement, a piece of cake!.
No proof just my thoughts but consider the initial instigator of it is Real Madrid. Lots of debt, havent pulled out and very defensive of it.
signalspast":3qgmc5l0 said:
Madrid have been up to their eyes in debt for years, even before the nauseating Galactico era. There were some dodgy dealings 15/20 years ago when the local council bought their training ground for mega bucks, built some tower blocks on it and not only gifted one of the towers to Real Madrid but also built them a new training ground!
This is a club whose fans are so entitled that they waved white hankies at legends of the game like Cristiano Ronaldo, Brazilian Ronaldo and Gareth Bale (I appreciate he perhaps isn't a legend, but he still helped them win four Champions Leagues).
They're a disgrace of a football club and the fact they still haven't formally withdrawn from the Super League should be no surprise to anyone.
Florentino Perez's comments in an interview last night were absolutely astonishing, almost a nervous breakdown.
Insisting that the protesting Chelsea fans were actors :crazy:
Saying it's crazy that the top six PL clubs in England should play to the same financial rules as the other 14 :crazy:
Pleading poverty when his club have just signed David Alaba on Ā£300k per week :crazy:
A mad Bond villain.
Insisting that the protesting Chelsea fans were actors :crazy:
Saying it's crazy that the top six PL clubs in England should play to the same financial rules as the other 14 :crazy:
Pleading poverty when his club have just signed David Alaba on Ā£300k per week :crazy:
A mad Bond villain.
Aplogies if this has been quoted previously in this thread.
By
Reuters
Published 04/03/2021 at 16:39 GMT+1
Barcelona, Real Madrid and two other Spanish clubs will have to pay millions of euros in back taxes, Europe's top court said on Thursday, in a win for EU competition enforcers in their fight against tax avoidance.
May help to explain the Real Madrid motives, during the Franco years 1939-1975 they received privileges and positive interference, benefiting from being Franco's Team and thus the Flagship Club of Spain. They are certainly not used to being treated equally.
By
Reuters
Published 04/03/2021 at 16:39 GMT+1
Barcelona, Real Madrid and two other Spanish clubs will have to pay millions of euros in back taxes, Europe's top court said on Thursday, in a win for EU competition enforcers in their fight against tax avoidance.
May help to explain the Real Madrid motives, during the Franco years 1939-1975 they received privileges and positive interference, benefiting from being Franco's Team and thus the Flagship Club of Spain. They are certainly not used to being treated equally.
Good. He was literally complaining that if the Super League doesn't happen, then his team wouldn't be able to sign Haaland or Mbappe.
Astonishing levels of delusion and entitlement.
Going back to Argyle/England relevance, the fascinating thing now is what the repercussions will be and if this government fan-led review of the game will have any teeth.
Astonishing levels of delusion and entitlement.
Going back to Argyle/England relevance, the fascinating thing now is what the repercussions will be and if this government fan-led review of the game will have any teeth.
So for the second time in two years the wantaway clubs have pulled back from the brink.
The first time was with the involvement of the FA, the second time seemingly behind their backs.
On both occasions the attempt, if that is what it was, crumbled before it had even started, which seems a little weak, given the strong signals being sent to all and sundry that this time it was a done deal and details such as length of involvement were leaked.
Coincidentally, or not, after the first attempt UEFA launch a review of the CL format. The second breakaway announcement was coincidentally, or not, timed just before the reveal of that plan.
There is no doubt that money has and will continue to change our game. In the earliest days football was an amateur sport and was dragged into professionalism by the northern clubs who sought to circumvent its amateur status by employing players in notional jobs so they could play for their team....
That there are backers for a franchise based scheme is undoubted. There are media companies hungry for content that will tie customers to them for long periods. Sport is expensive but not as expensive as making movies and TV series which do not constantly renew themselves.
Just because the attempt fizzled out this time does not mean they will be gone for long. And even a failed attempt can change a sport forever. Kerry Packers Cricket circus did not succeed in itself, but the game was not the same and continues to be evolve.
Tradition and history count for little either. After all, if you go back far enough you can make better cases for Huddersfield , Villa and Newcastle over the recent successes of Manchester City, and indeed the absence of recent success for Spurs with a trophy count less impressive than Portsmouth and Wigan unless there is a trophy for avoiding administration.
The majority of the audience in this country has only known the EPL, and that percentage grows by attrition each year. Financially the clubs are seeking a model whereby they can survive on the remote fan income, so for every torn up season ticket there will be hundreds if not thousands of subscribers from China, Japan, the USA Mexico and the Far East to replace and supplement them.
These things also evolve. There was no great love for European competition from the Uk authorities at the outset...and we have moved from one up to three tournaments and back down to two, with lucky loser entry into the secondary tournament and lucky winner qualification from the secondary to the primary. Things change, and when did they ever ask the fans if they were happy for it to do so. So why start now?
Even in the UK we have B teams playing in cup contests...albeit the Johnsons Checkatrade Waste of time cup....and despite the boycotts they still compete..... In Spain their are B teams in the league and Manchester City own clubs worldwide, whilst other owners harvest clubs and move players between them. The fans are secondary...Winter World Cup anyone?
So defeat, strategic retreat or mission accomplished? Time will tell, but expect a response from the current turf holders to retain the errant clubs, at least for the time being.....I predict the words seeding, achievement coefficient, and heritage being bandied around before a group of clubs similar to the ones named and shamed are granted some privileges that buys off the rebellion.....for now.
If not they will be back, with a better framed offer that delivers grass roots money beyond the crumbs that fall from the table currently, potentially bringing in other countries as well to make it more global. Dual player registrations.....or perhaps Chelsea, United, City et al run a dual club with a European squad and a League squad....rather than loan players round the world....and with them pre qualified the rest can compete for place in the Super League safe that they don't have to beat the big six....just their reserves....and even if they don't they can still qualify the the invitation places on offer....
Because if UEFA don't adapt then someone will try again, and eventually they will succeed....and if you do get a breakaway with money and reputation forget salary caps and restrictions on youth recruitment....players and agents will follow the money. Imagine a club with a super agent backing them....oh you don't have to...we have them already....Wolves Portuguese....
And how much would it cost to buy off the pyramid...Swindon would jump for a bag full of tenners tomorrow. Anyone who think Boris and co are remotely interested in football, rather than appearing bessie mates to their new red wall supporters is missing the point. How much time can and should they be spending on a sport that to use a Boris phrase, spaffs money up the wall, in the middle of a pandemic with a NHS health backlog that needs a fortune spending on it and an ecomomy to rebuild and recover from Brexit. How much would it take for someone like Amazon to say to Rishi lets bung you a few billion to fund grass roots sport and improve health outcomes by increasing activity and exercise levels. All we want is a few clubs to be able to play their games anywhere in the world and kick off when the Chinese are awake...not too much to ask is it?
Anyway, thats my view. The battle is ended but this is a temporary ceasefire. They owners are retreated Putin like along the UEFA border waiting for a response....
Watch this space, on SKY/Amazon/Netflix/Google. Straight after the mid table clash between Inter Miami and Manchester City Red Bulls.
The first time was with the involvement of the FA, the second time seemingly behind their backs.
On both occasions the attempt, if that is what it was, crumbled before it had even started, which seems a little weak, given the strong signals being sent to all and sundry that this time it was a done deal and details such as length of involvement were leaked.
Coincidentally, or not, after the first attempt UEFA launch a review of the CL format. The second breakaway announcement was coincidentally, or not, timed just before the reveal of that plan.
There is no doubt that money has and will continue to change our game. In the earliest days football was an amateur sport and was dragged into professionalism by the northern clubs who sought to circumvent its amateur status by employing players in notional jobs so they could play for their team....
That there are backers for a franchise based scheme is undoubted. There are media companies hungry for content that will tie customers to them for long periods. Sport is expensive but not as expensive as making movies and TV series which do not constantly renew themselves.
Just because the attempt fizzled out this time does not mean they will be gone for long. And even a failed attempt can change a sport forever. Kerry Packers Cricket circus did not succeed in itself, but the game was not the same and continues to be evolve.
Tradition and history count for little either. After all, if you go back far enough you can make better cases for Huddersfield , Villa and Newcastle over the recent successes of Manchester City, and indeed the absence of recent success for Spurs with a trophy count less impressive than Portsmouth and Wigan unless there is a trophy for avoiding administration.
The majority of the audience in this country has only known the EPL, and that percentage grows by attrition each year. Financially the clubs are seeking a model whereby they can survive on the remote fan income, so for every torn up season ticket there will be hundreds if not thousands of subscribers from China, Japan, the USA Mexico and the Far East to replace and supplement them.
These things also evolve. There was no great love for European competition from the Uk authorities at the outset...and we have moved from one up to three tournaments and back down to two, with lucky loser entry into the secondary tournament and lucky winner qualification from the secondary to the primary. Things change, and when did they ever ask the fans if they were happy for it to do so. So why start now?
Even in the UK we have B teams playing in cup contests...albeit the Johnsons Checkatrade Waste of time cup....and despite the boycotts they still compete..... In Spain their are B teams in the league and Manchester City own clubs worldwide, whilst other owners harvest clubs and move players between them. The fans are secondary...Winter World Cup anyone?
So defeat, strategic retreat or mission accomplished? Time will tell, but expect a response from the current turf holders to retain the errant clubs, at least for the time being.....I predict the words seeding, achievement coefficient, and heritage being bandied around before a group of clubs similar to the ones named and shamed are granted some privileges that buys off the rebellion.....for now.
If not they will be back, with a better framed offer that delivers grass roots money beyond the crumbs that fall from the table currently, potentially bringing in other countries as well to make it more global. Dual player registrations.....or perhaps Chelsea, United, City et al run a dual club with a European squad and a League squad....rather than loan players round the world....and with them pre qualified the rest can compete for place in the Super League safe that they don't have to beat the big six....just their reserves....and even if they don't they can still qualify the the invitation places on offer....
Because if UEFA don't adapt then someone will try again, and eventually they will succeed....and if you do get a breakaway with money and reputation forget salary caps and restrictions on youth recruitment....players and agents will follow the money. Imagine a club with a super agent backing them....oh you don't have to...we have them already....Wolves Portuguese....
And how much would it cost to buy off the pyramid...Swindon would jump for a bag full of tenners tomorrow. Anyone who think Boris and co are remotely interested in football, rather than appearing bessie mates to their new red wall supporters is missing the point. How much time can and should they be spending on a sport that to use a Boris phrase, spaffs money up the wall, in the middle of a pandemic with a NHS health backlog that needs a fortune spending on it and an ecomomy to rebuild and recover from Brexit. How much would it take for someone like Amazon to say to Rishi lets bung you a few billion to fund grass roots sport and improve health outcomes by increasing activity and exercise levels. All we want is a few clubs to be able to play their games anywhere in the world and kick off when the Chinese are awake...not too much to ask is it?
Anyway, thats my view. The battle is ended but this is a temporary ceasefire. They owners are retreated Putin like along the UEFA border waiting for a response....
Watch this space, on SKY/Amazon/Netflix/Google. Straight after the mid table clash between Inter Miami and Manchester City Red Bulls.
Does anyone see what is happening outside of English football.
I think these European teams, especially in Spain, have financially over stretched themselves and are in big financial trouble. I guess we wonāt know for a while.
Why does that affect us? The English game? Because these teams wonāt stop until they get they money they require in order to survive and be at the top of the footballing game. They arenāt going to accept years in the wilderness.
Again how does that affect us? They will cause massive unrest in European football until they get near enough what they want. This then causes headaches for the so called ābig sixā who will still want their slice of the action and money.
This isnāt over by a long shot. The English clubs might of pulled out of the ESL but the revamped Champions league is something nobody likes. There is definitely a power struggle ahead.
I think these European teams, especially in Spain, have financially over stretched themselves and are in big financial trouble. I guess we wonāt know for a while.
Why does that affect us? The English game? Because these teams wonāt stop until they get they money they require in order to survive and be at the top of the footballing game. They arenāt going to accept years in the wilderness.
Again how does that affect us? They will cause massive unrest in European football until they get near enough what they want. This then causes headaches for the so called ābig sixā who will still want their slice of the action and money.
This isnāt over by a long shot. The English clubs might of pulled out of the ESL but the revamped Champions league is something nobody likes. There is definitely a power struggle ahead.
So there we are then. Lots of views and analysis. So why weren't Leicester City part of the top 6 ESL? After all, they're 3rd in The Premiership at the moment and looking good for a Champions League spot next season. And they were playing Argyle 11/12 years ago in the 3rd tier. And the West Ham v Chelsea fixture later today looks inviting. My point is that the current and traditional league structure based on promotion and relegation gives clubs like ours HOPE! We continue to keep believing, as Michael Foot did. My take on our current chairman is that he would like us to be an established Championship club and then, well, who knows. :scarf:
Iām sure the owners of the other two pro Devon clubs would also love to get to the second tier with relatively modest outlay and then invent how not have to spend any more money. They just need for now the right podcast lingo like sustainability, data analysis advantages and long-term thinking to really bring the dream to life.
The ESL going ahead and plunging the elite clubs into Armageddon might have given the also-rans like Everton and West Ham hope. Any club not presently in the EPL arenāt even in the same race are they. Hoping the also-rans might generously share the money round one future rainy day is entirely as fanciful. The golden rule of capitalism in sport someone temporarily forgot was that you never actually let the poorer guy know they aināt going to ever be allowed to get anywhere near as rich, got to keep them hoping. Seems to work most of the time.
The ESL going ahead and plunging the elite clubs into Armageddon might have given the also-rans like Everton and West Ham hope. Any club not presently in the EPL arenāt even in the same race are they. Hoping the also-rans might generously share the money round one future rainy day is entirely as fanciful. The golden rule of capitalism in sport someone temporarily forgot was that you never actually let the poorer guy know they aināt going to ever be allowed to get anywhere near as rich, got to keep them hoping. Seems to work most of the time.
