European Super League

[Pep's Suit]

They know this collapses without the English clubs. City and Chelsea will drop out I think.

Yeah, City and Chelsea only joined because they didn't want to be left behind and also looks like Atleti don't like this much.

 

[Devil_forever]

I doubt that as it seems Woody and the Glaziers are apparently running the show. United pulls out and it’s all over, so yeah I hope they do.

The Glazers have shown that public opinion isn’t something that will sway them, I can’t imagine any owners dealing with the amount of abuse they got from 2005-2012 and still being here but they are. If anyone blinks first it won’t be them.

 

[Siorac]

I'm no admirer of UEFA and I thought their plans for the CL were stupid and they clearly didn't address what the big clubs/markets needed. They did indeed forget who is paying for the party. That said, this SL concept is far worse.

Thing is, I can't really think of a realistic CL reform that would appease the Greed Gang. As long as the possibility to miss out on the competition exists, these bastards won't be satisfied.

I said it elsewhere but I'd have supported the ECA - the whole ECA, mind you! - coming up with a plan for its own European competition, where the participating clubs get ALL the TV and sponsorship money, with complete transparency and without the middlemen that is UEFA. But obviously that's not acceptable to the Glazers, Perez, and the other leeches because the revenue streams still aren't guaranteed.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

My money is in Liverpool being the first to drop out.

Why? They're as big a driver of this as anyone. They're owned by Fenway Sports Group. This was their goal since buying them.

 

[VP89]

What happened to all the talk of kicking us out? Why offer the clubs a way back? Could it be, that without Real, Barca, United, Liverpool and Juve, your product (let’s be real that’s what the CL and EL are to UEFA) is worthless to TV and sponsors?

This is the same gutless UEFA that’s allowed City and PSG to circumvent FFP with ease and showed the world that in court, they couldn’t even enforce their own rules.

Of course if a U turn was made then we can forget this all happened and move on. It would be daft if the clubs made a U turn and they were still banned from CL/UEFA, that doesn't help the fans or the revenues.

 

[kouroux]

This doesn't make an iota of sense. Everyone will want to win it like the CL.

Not everyone wants to win the CL. Just participating is enough for most

 

[pratyush_utd]

But you said the only problem is the lack of relegation for founder teams, I read that as you saying it's a minor issue. You also said you want to see more exciting matches in European competition, how do you propose that happens?

To start with it should be not a 36 team tournament. Present format is bloated already and the new format makes it even more boring. Maybe have more knockout matches before starting group matches to make the groups more competitive. ESL actually gets one thing correct that most want European football to be more competitive. If they didnt have founding member being permanent feature, this would be much more acceptable to all ( i mean more competitive games). After all, despite all the hue and cry, only Everton (in 2005) and Leicester ( after they won the league) made it to CL apart from the 6 who are part of ESL.

They need to find a balance and provide much shorter version of European cup competition. Also I want strict rule that no club is allowed infusion of capital from its owner if their turnover is beyond certain amount. For smaller clubs certain percentage of turnover can be allowed to be infused from owner but only for a certain period of time. This would have solved most of the problem clubs are facing already as the inflation due to super rich owners have made business unsustainable for clubs which rely only on their revenue.

Hopefully a system which rewards shrewd investment and academy of football club is proposed and accepted. This alongwith competitive European cup games would be my ideal choice.

 

[cyberman]

Hung out to dry how exactly ?!

Its blatant nonsense

 

[Bob Rivers]

The not so king has spoken, although big respect to Milner for having the balls to come out and say it.

Milner's 35 and has one year left on his contract, so he literally has nothing to lose by speaking his mind.

 

[duffer]

Hung out to dry how exactly ?!

The people leading this have gone into hiding, are saying nothing and are letting the players and managers face the media.

 

[LilyWhiteSpur]

Why? They're as big a driver of this as anyone. They're owned by Fenway Sports Group. This was their goal since buying them.

It may well have been, but I think with the way their fans are, the way their manager is and their players already saying "they don't like this" they have a lot to lose, they are seen as the model of club ownership. The Glaziers and Woody are already hated by the majority of United fans.

 

[sewey89]

I think City and Chelsea will go, I think the backlash from clubs going will prevent others from putting their name to it.

I say think, I mean hope.

 

[Murder on Zidanes Floor]

I voted "YES" for the ESL because:

1. I'm sick of VAR, the lack of consistency of English referees. I'm honestly tired of being frustrated with the lack of accountability with refereeing

2. I lost interest in watching Manutd games against the likes of Granada, Burnley, Cyrstal Palace, etc. I find myself always scrolling through Instagram during these small team games. During big games against the likes of City, Liverpool and Chelsea, however, I'm fully emotionally invested. And I like that feeling. So hopefully the ESL can bring back my passion for football

3. I'm sick of paying multiple telecommunications hundreds of dollars per month for sports coverage. The ESL can solve this issue by having its own network or partnering up with leading streaming companies such as Netflix, Hulu, or Disney. I do not mind for paying affordable streaming services. Currently, I'm subscribed to Netflix and Disney.

From a football fan perspective that does not reside in UK, I don't see any downside to the ESL. I notice that is a lot of talk of "English Pyramid", "Coaches jobs", "Stadium infrastructures investment", "UK tv rights", etc. Not to be insensitive, but none of those are a concern to global football fans that just want to watch the best players compete against each other in a convenient platform at bargain prices.

The stuff that excites me most about football:

1. Watching the best team which also means best players and managers competing against each other

2. Transfer market. Imagine trading Bruno Fernandes for Harry Kane. I know it sounds ridiculous, but I think that is what us younger fans want to see. Shocking and exciting transfers. Changing team dynamics, etc

I think the ESL can provide an outstanding product. I will probably receive backlash for this post. But this is my geniune opinion, and I cannot wait for football to be exciting again. I want to be emotionally invested week in and week out, and that can only happen if the best players in terms of skills and branding are pitted against each other.

So you wish to consume Entertainment or Reality TV, not a Sport. Gotcha.

The fact that a fan can opine that the game isn't exciting enough but wants to artificially make the game more exciting by having more transfers is the reason why I stand by my opinion that the worst part of football is the "fans".

This is a never-ending cycle that will end in mid-season transfers being voted for by twitch stream viewers and players moving between teams like a fecking X-Factor phone-in. Us old-fashioned (34) sods must be so out of touch that we find the game exciting enough without the need to turn. I don't think we need to pander to children who have the attention spans of goldfish due to their unrelenting diet of YT, IG, and Twitch where you need to consume more and more, quicker and quicker. It is all very dystopian.

My advice would be, just watch e-sports mate.

 

[Siorac]

The people leading this have gone into hiding, are saying nothing and are letting the players and managers face the media.

Yeah but the tweet says it's execs who feel like they've been hung out to dry.

And to be fair, Florentino Pérez, chairman of the whole shoddy business, did ramble on about saving football.

 

[Cloud7]

The way this appears to be heading I don't think the 14 in the PL (or UEFA) can, no, it's the only leverage they have. The six English clubs involved in this super league probably owe the rest of football hundreds of millions in staged payments on transfer deals relating to appearances in these competitions. If they're kicked out for breaching the rules then suddenly all of the clubs owed money have serious recourse for litigation and claiming these transfer payments under breach of contract at a time when the 6's income will be badly impacted while the ESL is being set up. The UK broadcasters will want to sue somebody...whoever they initially go after, the lawsuits will ultimately end up at the feet of these six PL clubs. Likewise, if you ban players from tournaments that puts them at direct odds with their clubs. Are Nike going to pay Harry Kane all of his sponsorship deal if he's not at the Euros etc? In that scenario you then have Harry Kane and his agent at odds with Tottenham's board and pushing for compensation from them potentially. Suddenly the £300m gift payment isn't so attractive. If the 14 in the PL and UEFA ceed ground at this point and allow them to remain in the competitions then their leverage is severely diminished and the six will find a way to go at their convenience, we've already seen that they have no regard for the other clubs involved. I hope any Utd fan that's against this backs the PL14 in kicking them out and not take it personally.

As a United fan, I am fully on board with the other teams attempting to kick the top six out. The club as an institution should not suffer for the decisions of it’s owners in an ideal world, but if this is the only way for them and Woody to feel the consequences of their actions, then so be it. Let the club burn.

 

[cyberman]

Im all for this but when smaller clubs voted against 5 subs so the players from bigger clubs are putting their health at risk, it shines a different light in self interest

 

[sullydnl]

Of course if a U turn was made then we can forget this all happened and move on. It would be daft if the clubs made a U turn and they were still banned from CL/UEFA, that doesn't help the fans or the revenues.

We can move on but I certainly hope we wouldn't forget what happened. I would want reforms to be put in place. And by "reforms" I don't mean the sort the big six were looking for, I mean the sort that would stop them from pulling a stunt like this again.

And if they wanted to level further punishment at the clubs who created this shit show then that'd be fine by me too.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

The people leading this have gone into hiding, are saying nothing and are letting the players and managers face the media.

That is one of the things I find truly despicable.

 

[Zlatan 7]

On what grounds will the 14 actually kick them out? They dont want to participate in CL and want to play in their own league. Other 14 are free to play in CL organised by UEFA. Nothing is changed in domestic league. If they try to kick out, courts will overrule them and most of the litigation will actually end up on these 14 clubs.

So there’d be six teams hanging around in the league stinking the place out with their extra money and star players, not even having to qualify for anything while the others all battle it out for CL places, relying on these selfish 6 pricks not to field weakened teams against their rivals etc. it will make a mockery of the league and totally against the fair sporting principles of finishing to qualify for international tournaments. I can’t see anyway they could stay in the PL

 

[duffer]

I think City and Chelsea will go, I think the backlash from clubs going will prevent others from putting their name to it.

I say think, I mean hope.

You'd imagine they're the most likely, given the financial circumstances.

The deserve zero credit if they do however. All the teams that signed up for this should be equally ashamed.

 

[groovyalbert]

"Oh feck - who is going to care about our shiny new stadium when our closest rivals are Leeds Utd"

 

[Devil_forever]

Of course if a U turn was made then we can forget this all happened and move on. It would be daft if the clubs made a U turn and they were still banned from CL/UEFA, that doesn't help the fans or the revenues.

Just yesterday he was saying there’s no way back and it’s war. Make UEFA follow through for once or have them admit that they’re absolutely powerless. I lost faith in UEFA completely after the City CAS case.

Same with the clubs in the Premier league threatening the likes of Liverpool and United, without these two teams in the league, the premier league loses TV money overnight.

 

[11101]

The people leading this have gone into hiding, are saying nothing and are letting the players and managers face the media.

Gone into hiding? Have they ever not been in hiding? They all sit silently in their massive mansions counting their billions and pulling the strings of the league. Abramovich is the only one who ever had a public facing persona, and that's only so Putin couldn't off him.

 

[Zlatan 7]

What happened to all the talk of kicking us out? Why offer the clubs a way back? Could it be, that without Real, Barca, United, Liverpool and Juve, your product (let’s be real that’s what the CL and EL are to UEFA) is worthless to TV and sponsors?

This is the same gutless UEFA that’s allowed City and PSG to circumvent FFP with ease and showed the world that in court, they couldn’t even enforce their own rules.

Your point? To let them make their own league?

 

[pratyush_utd]

So there’d be six teams hanging around in the league stinking the place out with their extra money and star players, not even having to qualify for anything while the others all battle it out for CL places, relying on these selfish 6 pricks not to field weakened teams against their rivals etc. it will make a mockery of the league and totally against the fair sporting principles of finishing to qualify for international tournaments. I can’t see anyway they could stay in the PL

Argument was whether it is legal to kick them out which despite my limited understanding, doesn't look likely. Morally and Ethically it is wrong and we can all agree on that but i am hopeful certain compromises which benefits the league as a whole can be reached.

 

[The Purley King]

That is one of the things I find truly despicable.

Woodward is a fecking weasel, there is 0 chance he willingly takes any flak for this.
Next time he meets the players I hope Harry chins him.

 

[spiriticon]

I don't get why it is illegal for the FA and UEFA to ban clubs and players from their own competitions. It's their competition, they make the rules surely? They ban whoever they like.

It's like Perez making the rules of the Super League up as he goes along, starting Madrid on 13 titles and all that crap.

 

[BeforeKeanetherewasRobson]

Good man.

https://fcbayern.com/en/news/2021/04/european-super-league---statement-from-karl-heinz-rummenigge

 

[Cloud7]

So you wish to consume Entertainment or Reality TV, not a Sport. Gotcha.

The fact that a fan can opine that the game isn't exciting enough but wants to artificially make the game more exciting by having more transfers is the reason why I stand by my opinion that the worst part of football is the "fans".

This is a never-ending cycle that will end in mid-season transfers being voted for by twitch stream viewers and players moving between teams like a fecking X-Factor phone-in. Us old-fashioned (34) sods must be so out of touch that we find the game exciting enough without the need to turn. I don't think we need to pander to children who have the attention spans of goldfish due to their unrelenting diet of YT, IG, and Twitch where you need to consume more and more, quicker and quicker. It is all very dystopian.

My advice would be, just watch e-sports mate.

Man I’m 28 and I’m just like....am I really that old? Is this really what the generation below me wants?

It just sounds like these people don’t actually enjoy football, and are trying to turn the beautiful game into some more appealing to themselves. It’s disgusting.

 

[Ayoba]

So will there be CL and EL football next season? Does top 4 matter? Also, what will happen to the big 6, will they be punished by the PL/UEFA/FIFA? So many questions so little answers

 

[Eriku]

I voted "YES" for the ESL because:

1. I'm sick of VAR, the lack of consistency of English referees. I'm honestly tired of being frustrated with the lack of accountability with refereeing

2. I lost interest in watching Manutd games against the likes of Granada, Burnley, Cyrstal Palace, etc. I find myself always scrolling through Instagram during these small team games. During big games against the likes of City, Liverpool and Chelsea, however, I'm fully emotionally invested. And I like that feeling. So hopefully the ESL can bring back my passion for football

3. I'm sick of paying multiple telecommunications hundreds of dollars per month for sports coverage. The ESL can solve this issue by having its own network or partnering up with leading streaming companies such as Netflix, Hulu, or Disney. I do not mind for paying affordable streaming services. Currently, I'm subscribed to Netflix and Disney.

From a football fan perspective that does not reside in UK, I don't see any downside to the ESL. I notice that is a lot of talk of "English Pyramid", "Coaches jobs", "Stadium infrastructures investment", "UK tv rights", etc. Not to be insensitive, but none of those are a concern to global football fans that just want to watch the best players compete against each other in a convenient platform at bargain prices.

The stuff that excites me most about football:

1. Watching the best team which also means best players and managers competing against each other

2. Transfer market. Imagine trading Bruno Fernandes for Harry Kane. I know it sounds ridiculous, but I think that is what us younger fans want to see. Shocking and exciting transfers. Changing team dynamics, etc

I think the ESL can provide an outstanding product. I will probably receive backlash for this post. But this is my geniune opinion, and I cannot wait for football to be exciting again. I want to be emotionally invested week in and week out, and that can only happen if the best players in terms of skills and branding are pitted against each other.

You don’t think the pyramid structure plays a significant part in cultivating the talent that you want to see?

Good lord, how can people be this oblivious? If you love a flower, go right ahead and cut it and bring it home with you. Then act surprised when it wilts quickly.

 

[padzilla]

Woodward is a fecking weasel, there is 0 chance he willingly takes any flak for this.
Next time he meets the players I hope Harry chins him.

The players and their agents will probably embrace him at helping them make more money than ever. That's the sad reality. Players could easily argue the move is a breach of contract as it would change the working conditions as per their contract. Instead of suing for that none of them will say anything and happily count their money. I don't think the players, who see themselves as employees, have the same passion as the fans on nearly any subject never mind one they stand to make even more money from.

 

[Mickeza]

That is one of the things I find truly despicable.

I just find it bizarre there hasn’t been a huge media blitz supporting the merits. Maybe they’re just trying to get through this week - if it hasn’t ended by the weekend I think it goes ahead.

 

[AshRK]

 

[louvega]

I don't get why it is illegal for the FA and UEFA to ban clubs and players from their own competitions. It's their competition, they make the rules surely? They ban whoever they like.

It's like Perez making the rules of the Super League up as he goes along, starting Madrid on 13 titles and all that crap.

with players it's probably worker's rights

 

[SuperiorXI]

Anyone who falls for Perez' shite is an idiot, same for Ceferin (to a lesser extent as at least UEFA want actual competition), they're cut from the same cloth.

 

[redshaw]

What's annoying is in the short term this is a band aid for Madrid and Barca. English clubs are looking at this solving the 6 into 4 rat race but I'd like the English clubs to hold out and see the Spanish duopoly not get bailed again out and suffer the consequences and drop down a peg or two and compete honestly. For the likes of City and PSG, it's also not really in their interest to prop up Madrid and Barca.

If Uefa want to kill this, perhaps one way is to somehow offer 5th and 6th in England a way in

 

[Paxi]

 

[Tom Van Persie]

Hung out to dry how exactly ?!

All guilty as each other. This narrative going around that City and Chelsea are the good guys that never wanted a ESL is horse shit.

 

[Paxi]