European Super League - plans announced

Corholio

Considering the standard of some of the 'big 6' matches this season the quality of football that will be 'missed' is vastly overstated. Some fans will lap this stuff up though with bias not even considering whether it's good or bad, just 'Dis iz modern football'. 'my team good' etc stuff.

Drumpot

My initial reaction is one of utter cynicism. This is nothing , absolutely nothing to do with fans. Even though United will be in this league it’s disgusting, this f**king sport never ceases to disgust me and leave me even less connected with it.

If I wanted to watch a sport with a closed shop I would follow American football.

Obviously it’s not clear how this might play out but I hope the authorities f**k United and Every other clubs out of their leagues.

howiya

Jimbob1977 wrote: »

The joy of the Champions League was a big European night and the stadium hopping.

If you are playing these European clubs non-stop, the novelty wears thin

A United or Liverpool fan would be paying to fly to Rome and Istanbul every fortnight.

They would rather you didn't spend money on the airfare, hotel etc and instead pay to watch it on TV so the clubs benefit. Think of all that money going out of the game

Guy:Incognito

Morrison J wrote: »

or a draft system like they have in the US to maintain some sort of competitive balance. .

There's no chance of that imo. Thats a fundamental change to the whole way football operates.

Its not like there's a schools system the players come through. They come through the clubs

Harry Palmr

In a "post" Covid world (actually a Covid world) the business of travel could be fraught anyway. Unless a proper vaccine passport is up and running the idea of a 24-48 hours jaunt to another country could be very difficult or impossible without having to get tests and even isolate. Hell outbreaks could mean travel to a particular country or region is banned.

Richard Hillman

All of the football pundits over the next few days will be giving it the large one about how bad this is. But you can bet your bottom that they'll be back in August to cover Real Madrid v Arsenal in the season opener.

Morrison J

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

There's no chance of that imo. Thats a fundamental change to the whole way football operates.

Its not like there's a schools system the players come through. They come through the clubs

Yeah exactly it isn't feasible which is why the product is going to be absolutely terrible once the novelty wears off. Full of teams with nothing to play for. Being an Arsenal fan would be similar to being a Carlow GAA fan. Play two games and your season is over.

Agent Coulson

Probably no away fans at games for the foreseeable future anyway until the budget airlines get back on there own feet after the pandemic.

Morrison J

Any club that leaves and wishes to come back when they realise that the grass isn’t greener should be made start at bottom of the pyramid too. No exceptions.

Charlie19

I don't like the sounds of it and it just stinks of greed.

Agent Coulson

Celtic and Rangers might finally get an invite into the Premier League now to make up some British big club numbers :pac::p

El Gato De Negocios

If United became part of this money making exercise then that's where I check out as a fan. Nothing but utter greed from individuals intent on sucking money out of the club.

Jimbob1977

It smacks of American sports.

No promotion if you have a great season

No relegation if you have a bad season.

Your only chance of joining the big boys is being an "expansion team"

Just a cartel.

Zeek12

At least some clubs are keeping a sense of humour about all this!!

https://twitter.com/BrayWanderers/status/1383813643649699847

Jelle1880

I feel dirty for siding with UEFA here but I hope they push through their threat that any club and players of said clubs doesn't get to play in any tournament. No Champions League/Europa League, no World Cup, no Euros.

Morrison J

Jimbob1977 wrote: »

It smacks of American sports.

No promotion if you have a great season

No relegation if you have a bad season.

Your only chance of joining the big boys is being an "expansion team"

Just a cartel.

Bet you anything there'd be some sort of MLS team joining within 5-10 years too.

Agent Coulson

This is FIFA backed so players will still get to go to World Cups for their countries and the non European players will still play in their Continental Tournaments so losing out on the Euro's wouldn't be a huge deal breaker I'd imagine for many of the players.

Ryu Hayabusa

Hopefully this will encourage the saudis to take over Newcastle United, and join as an expansion team.

Dont be at yourself

I think it’s a great idea. Champions League knock-outs are the best thing about football. The level of skill in Bayern - PSG was fantastic, and I’d relish seeing that more frequently.

No interest in watching the drudgery of domestic league super clubs winning 20 or 30 games a season against lower quality opposition without breaking a sweat.

The big clubs hold the cards here — they have the fans, the infrastructure and the players that brings in the TV deals, the sponsors etc. The domestic leagues, UEFA and FIFA can’t call their bluff, because they’re not bringing enough to the table — the only real bargaining chip is banning players from the World Cup, and even then I’d think we see how much money talks.

Harry Palmr

It's not as if the new CL format is anything to write home about.

Jimbob1977

I might have to ditch my mistress of 43 years and find another love.

I love you University College Dublin Athletic Football Club.

Up the Students.

Take a hike United

Oat23

Ryu Hayabusa wrote: »

Hopefully this will encourage the saudis to take over Newcastle United, and join as an expansion team.

You've managed to sum up in one post everything wrong with a super league. Relegation fodder in the PL suddenly catapulted into an elite group when backed by blood money.

Football as it's meant to be.

sabat

Jimbob1977 wrote: »

It smacks of American sports.

No promotion if you have a great season

No relegation if you have a bad season.

Your only chance of joining the big boys is being an "expansion team"

Just a cartel.

And it will have all the absolute free market dogmatism of those leagues too. What happens if say Man City, one team in a relatively small city, start having low attendance figures and the stadium needs replacing? The local council or a wealthy consortium from somewhere like Berlin or Moscow with no team will put together a package and invite them over, with literally the only consideration of the owners being their bottom line. Even large cities like London which could manage two teams will naturally trend to a Lakers/Clippers type of scenario with one glamour outfit and one lot of also-rans.

Ryu Hayabusa

Oat23 wrote: »

You've managed to sum up in one post everything wrong with a super league. Relegation fodder in the PL suddenly catapulted into an elite group when backed by blood money.

Football as it's meant to be.

Sure if you can’t beat them, join them

Morrison J

Dont be at yourself wrote: »

No interest in watching the drudgery of domestic league super clubs winning 20 or 30 games a season against lower quality opposition without breaking a sweat.

Like Arsenal drawing with Fulham earlier and Man Utd currently drawing with Burnley?

rob316

This is instead of the champions League though? It's an increasingly stale competition and the new format isn't much better. Should go back to knock out only format, the group stages are full of dross that add no value.

Pauliedragon

My podcasts tomorrow will be fun.

Weepsie

Dont be at yourself wrote: »

I think it’s a great idea. Champions League knock-outs are the best thing about football. The level of skill in Bayern - PSG was fantastic, and I’d relish seeing that more frequently.

No interest in watching the drudgery of domestic league super clubs winning 20 or 30 games a season against lower quality opposition without breaking a sweat.

The big clubs hold the cards here — they have the fans, the infrastructure and the players that brings in the TV deals, the sponsors etc. The domestic leagues, UEFA and FIFA can’t call their bluff, because they’re not bringing enough to the table — the only real bargaining chip is banning players from the World Cup, and even then I’d think we see how much money talks.

There's a vast difference between knock out and league football though.

And to be honest, a few games excepted each year, many of the champions league knock out matches, particularly between big teams in the last number if seasons have been a complete bore fest.

One of the most memorable ties was spurs v city and that was simply because it was a 2 legged knockout game.

Just putting all the teams in a league isn't going to guarantee week in week out great games and anyone who thinks so is deluded.

Jimbob1977

rob316 wrote: »

This is instead of the champions League though? It's an increasingly stale competition and the new format isn't much better. Should go back to knock out only format, the group stages are full of dross that add no value.

The amended Champions League was a last ditch attempt to appease clubs, so they wouldn't join this European Super League. It isn't enough.

Funnily enough, UEFA do listen. Remember the second group stage between 1999 and 2001? It was lambasted and UEFA axed it.

Underground

I've been drifting more and more towards League of Ireland the last few years anyway. If this super league went ahead it'd likely be the nail in the coffin in terms of my interest in English teams.

I think a lot of people feel the same. In fact, on a purely selfish level, this could be exactly what the League of Ireland needs.

Shameless from the clubs involved but when you get in to bed with billionaires, it's going to go this way. Of course Stan Kroenke et Al want to make football as commercialised and shallow as the NFL. This is a massive middle finger to long standing supporters and especially season ticket holders of all the clubs. "Thanks for the decades of support but we're gonna cater to the Chinese market, cheers lads".

Morrison J

rob316 wrote: »

This is instead of the champions League though? It's an increasingly stale competition and the new format isn't much better. Should go back to knock out only format, the group stages are full of dross that add no value.

Yes but it's going to lead to those teams being kicked from their domestic leagues and creating their own super league.

Apart from that, I don't see how making the champions league a closed shop improves the staleness of the competition.

Benimar

rob316 wrote: »

This is instead of the champions League though? It's an increasingly stale competition and the new format isn't much better. Should go back to knock out only format, the group stages are full of dross that add no value.

Agreed. As soon as the draw is made it’s pretty easy to predict at least 14 of the 16 teams that will qualify.

It should be straight knockout, but it unfortunately will never go back to that. Even an open draw for the groups would help. Man City, PSG, Bayern and Madrid in the same group with only 2 to qualify would increase the interest

Jimbob1977

I just had a thought.

Imagine Arsenal were dreadful and the organisers wanted to replace them.

If they were turfed out of the European Super League, is there a risk their domestic Football Association would not re-admit them?

They might become defunct

Agent Coulson

Who wins at football is predictable over the last decade is that fun to watch now.

Germany has had the same league winner now for 9 seasons.

Italy will have it's first new league winner in 9 seasons.

France PSG have won 7 out of the last eight seasons.

England City & Chelsea have won it 6 out of the last eight seasons.

Spain Barca & Madrid have won it 6 out of the last seven seasons.

Fr Tod Umptious

Jimbob1977 wrote: »

I just had a thought.

Imagine Arsenal were dreadful and the organisers wanted to replace them.

If they were turfed out of the European Super League, is there a risk their domestic Football Association would not re-admit them?

They might become defunct

But they won't be dreadful.
They may have a bad season here and there but they will never be consistently struggling.
None of the founder clubs will be.
They will always have the financial advantage of being a founder member to be able to avoid being dreadful.

Big Ears

Agent Coulson wrote: »

Who wins at football is predictable over the last decade is that fun to watch now.

Germany has had the same league winner now for 9 seasons.

Italy will have it's first new league winner in 9 seasons.

France PSG have won 7 out of the last eight seasons.

England City & Chelsea have won it 6 out of the last eight seasons.

Spain Barca & Madrid have won it 6 out of the last seven seasons.

Well considering that there's 6 teams from England, 3 from Italy and 3 from Spain, it probably doesn't bode well for the competitiveness of this league, if those league's have been 1 sided in the last 5-10 years.

A 12 team Super-League with 2-4 teams in the running, leaves a lot of dead rubbers for the "pinnacle"of club football.
No European places or relegation in place to keep it interesting for the lesser teams either.


I wonder how much Juve's poor season has to do with this. Their chairman apparently was the one pushing the Swiss League system for the Champions League.
However they're in a very risky position where they may not even be in that Champions League next season as things stand, perhaps that's accelerated this development.

Captain Havoc

I have no sympathy for UEFA, they have tried to look after their own interests and marginalize smaller nations. The Champions League is a competition "founded on the self-interest of a few" as they continuously make it harder for other nations to qualify yet make sure the bigger leagues are catered for with 4 qualification places.

MEGA BRO WOLF 5000

This is only to keep barcelona and real madrid happy because of decades of mismanaged accounts they're in reall trouble. Have to keep the big boys happy. Absolute disgrace this is happening.

Fr Tod Umptious

Underground wrote: »

I've been drifting more and more towards League of Ireland the last few years anyway. If this super league went ahead it'd likely be the nail in the coffin in terms of my interest in English teams.

I think a lot of people feel the same. In fact, on a purely selfish level, this could be exactly what the League of Ireland needs.

Shameless from the clubs involved but when you get in to bed with billionaires, it's going to go this way. Of course Stan Kroenke et Al want to make football as commercialised and shallow as the NFL. This is a massive middle finger to long standing supporters and especially season ticket holders of all the clubs. "Thanks for the decades of support but we're gonna cater to the Chinese market, cheers lads".

Why is the NFL shallow ?

As a league it's far superior to any soccer league in Europe.

Big Ears

Captain Havoc wrote: »

I have no sympathy for UEFA, they have tried to look after their own interests and marginalize smaller nations. The Champions League is a competition "founded on the self-interest of a few" as they continuously make it harder for other nations to qualify yet make sure the bigger leagues are catered for with 4 qualification places.

In defence of UEFA [shudders/], they pandered to the big clubs and nations a lot in order to try and prevent this event occuring.

In reality it only delayed things at best.

dreamers75

Dont be at yourself wrote: »

I think it’s a great idea. Champions League knock-outs are the best thing about football. The level of skill in Bayern - PSG was fantastic, and I’d relish seeing that more frequently.

You only seee that when there is something to play for, 24 glorified freindlies a year wont have that.

For Forks Sake

Jimbob1977 wrote: »

I just had a thought.

Imagine Arsenal were dreadful and the organisers wanted to replace them.

If they were turfed out of the European Super League, is there a risk their domestic Football Association would not re-admit them?

They might become defunct

Doesn't take much imagining to be fair.

Also, Spurs, a club that haven't won a domestic league since before JFK was president think they deserve a seat at any top table? Joke.

Guy:Incognito

Benimar wrote: »

Agreed. As soon as the draw is made it’s pretty easy to predict at least 14 of the 16 teams that will qualify.

It should be straight knockout, but it unfortunately will never go back to that. Even an open draw for the groups would help. Man City, PSG, Bayern and Madrid in the same group with only 2 to qualify would increase the interest

A couple of years of a big club humping a relative minnow that made it that far because of the luck of the draw 6 or 7 - 1 on aggregate in the semis then crap finals and wait for the calls for a return to the current format.

thebaz

I support Everton, with the Big 6 gone we should go back to challenging for the league, but would be hollow victory without the Big 6 teams, thats why Premier league threat is hollow too. I certainly dont enjoy watching Burnley and other mid-table stuff. If we are honest, it has been slowly drifting this way for years - not sure what the answer is ?

y0ssar1an22

gary neville letting them have at

Beechwoodspark

For Forks Sake wrote: »

Doesn't take much imagining to be fair.

Also, Spurs, a club that haven't won a domestic league since before JFK was president think they deserve a seat at any top table? Joke.

Spurs have had notions for a very long time at this stage

martyos121

Not often I find myself agreeing with Gary Neville, but everything he’s just said on Sky Sports is spot on, and I’m delighted to hear established names involved with the clubs signed up to this coming out and condemning it.

“A criminal act against the fans”.

100% accurate. Hopefully he’s the first of many to speak so openly about it.

Of course once Sky Sports get into the bidding war for TV rights to the new super league, you won’t hear another word against it.

Jimbob1977

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

Why is the NFL shallow ?

As a league it's far superior to any soccer league in Europe.

You can't get relegated or promoted, like MLB, the NBA and the NHL. It's virtually 100% safe. No outsiders without a special invitation. Almost like freemasonry.

I will accept that there can be multiple Superbowl winners in a decade, so there can be surprises.

The only risk is falling attendances and getting transferred to Albuquerque.

Tom Mann Centuria

Grubby money grabbing cùnts.

Drumpot

y0ssar1an22 wrote: »

gary neville letting them have at

Delighted to see him and Keane lambasting clubs.

It’s disgusting. Hope this blows up in their faces