So you agree with the ESL then. Good to know where you stand.
Gary Neville - Pundit
- Thread starter Jamie Shawcross
- Start date
I wish Neville and others would stop pretending that their voice speaks for all the fans. It is really grating.
I think many of us want to see how this all shakes down, because we take a tin of paint to our bed sheets and metaphorically throw our season tickets on the pitch.
Where was he when Sky were trying to charge extra to watch games just a year ago?
He massively criticised it.
Gary Neville is wrong on this one.
The Premier League chose to sell its soul to the Devil 25 years ago. They have allowed TV broadcasters to dictate. They have allowed the likes of Abu Dhabi, the Glazers, Stan Kroenke, FSG and Roman Abrahamovic into the game. They have refused time and time again to reform the game by introducing fan ownership, salary caps, transfer caps, limits to the number of players clubs can own etc...
I get that people don’t like the idea of a ESL, but lets not pretend its some heinous act committed against football. It’s a natural evolution of the direction the game has been going for a long, long time.
All of Gary’s arguments are emotive. “I don’t like it, therefore it’s bad”. Not good enough I am afraid.
I have to say WE’RE all culpable as well, although I like to think Utd fans did more than most to prevent this by campaigning against the BSkyB takeover in the 90s.
It’s all fun and games isn’t it as fans when parasitic owners buy up rival teams and drive them into the ground. The tribalism in football means that opposition fans have revelled as clubs like Arsenal, United and Liverpool have been bought up by American uber-capitalits. Likewise, City and Chelsea fans have been crowing about their success under their corrupt ownership. Well, look where all that has gotten us now. When you break it down, fans are as bad as the players, the clubs and the broadcasters. It’s win at all costs and sod the consequences. If fans were TRULY bothered about the monetisation of football they should have joined the hardcore in the streets protesting against the likes of the Glazers and FSG...but they didn’t. I distinctly remember being at OT the week the Glazer buyout happened and Chelsea fans had a brilliant day under their new ownership chanting “USA USA USA” at us. We reap what we sow.
The Premier League chose to sell its soul to the Devil 25 years ago. They have allowed TV broadcasters to dictate. They have allowed the likes of Abu Dhabi, the Glazers, Stan Kroenke, FSG and Roman Abrahamovic into the game. They have refused time and time again to reform the game by introducing fan ownership, salary caps, transfer caps, limits to the number of players clubs can own etc...
I get that people don’t like the idea of a ESL, but lets not pretend its some heinous act committed against football. It’s a natural evolution of the direction the game has been going for a long, long time.
All of Gary’s arguments are emotive. “I don’t like it, therefore it’s bad”. Not good enough I am afraid.
I have to say WE’RE all culpable as well, although I like to think Utd fans did more than most to prevent this by campaigning against the BSkyB takeover in the 90s.
It’s all fun and games isn’t it as fans when parasitic owners buy up rival teams and drive them into the ground. The tribalism in football means that opposition fans have revelled as clubs like Arsenal, United and Liverpool have been bought up by American uber-capitalits. Likewise, City and Chelsea fans have been crowing about their success under their corrupt ownership. Well, look where all that has gotten us now. When you break it down, fans are as bad as the players, the clubs and the broadcasters. It’s win at all costs and sod the consequences. If fans were TRULY bothered about the monetisation of football they should have joined the hardcore in the streets protesting against the likes of the Glazers and FSG...but they didn’t. I distinctly remember being at OT the week the Glazer buyout happened and Chelsea fans had a brilliant day under their new ownership chanting “USA USA USA” at us. We reap what we sow.
A real commoner, Gary Neville
Quite good post, but in the other end championsleague have been boring for years
Gary “Absolute” Neville.
With regards to the bullshit ESL he was quick to put his feelings out there ...fair play to him.
I bet ole feels the same but won't speak up as he wouldn't want it costing him the best job he will ever get in football and you can't blame him either.
Just bring loyal to his employer. If he gets hired by Amazon....
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He and Cara now taking some moral high ground while they forget how they were payed millions for being only solid football players. That was the time when things started going to this today. Clubs were paying huge money for players and salaries, players (not blaming them of course) demanded more and more and now clubs spend 80-90% of income on players. Today average full back or 10 goals per season striker will cost club 50 mil including salary.
So of course that clubs try to find more income. To be clear; not defending clubs now because they are guilty for fees and wages but Gary, Cara, Rio and all pundits who are now "shocked" were part of it. It was just chain reaction.
So of course that clubs try to find more income. To be clear; not defending clubs now because they are guilty for fees and wages but Gary, Cara, Rio and all pundits who are now "shocked" were part of it. It was just chain reaction.
Why do people keep talking about this as an inevitable part of football clubs being more expensive to run? It isn’t. Football clubs have been getting more expensive to run for decades and they found a way to make it work without using these sort of disgusting exclusionary tactics before.
Great post. I am baffled how most people miss the point.
Did they say it was an inside job?I read somewhere where someone wrote that it was the 9/11 of football!!!
I may be in minority here but I do not believe a word he said. Both Neville brothers are mediocre at best and big opportunists. Through their connections they have stayed relevant and got lucrative contracts in management and broadcasting. This guy will shamelessly replace Ole tomorrow if Ed calls him. I would believe Ed before I would believe a person like Gary, at least Ed will be honest about his perspective.
Football is business. Like it or not. Only we (fans) are in it because of emotions. Owners want to earn money. And they reached limit. Tv rights are at maximum, UEFA raised funds but not enough so they went for Super league.
Me (as a fan) don't like it but i understand why it happens. And as i said; players from late 90s till today should be quiet on this topic.
Because they are part of it in some way....
Very good post. I fail to see how clubs are so much worse and more money driven than likes of national associations hosting cup finals in Saudi Arabia and China or giving full power to shady capital or FIFA blatantly selling the World Cup. It’s difficult not to be cynical about it after so many years of embarrassment in global football management with Qatar WC being a pinnacle of it - I’m repeating myself but if you want to boycott football now but you were not bothered when World Cup was given to a dictatorship with no football history but a very well proven track record of disregarding human rights (thousands of people literally died to build their shiny stadiums) you probably should get of your high horse.
Good little puppet for Sky on this one. Him and Rio and Roy Keane all saying the exact same thing, as if reading from a script...hmmm.
The point is that there’s no promotion or relegation, the Premier League never took that away, clubs like Swindon and Barnsley have been in the PL
Why do Sky care about this? They just need “product”. Which this will provide.
It’s not a natural evolution. Doing away with the need to qualify for the European cup is radical and unprecedented. And the vast majority of United fans resented the Glazer takeover. Any more straw men?
@Infra-red nailed it. What this does is takes away any pressure for United, Arsenal, Liverpool etc to invest in their squad or risk a massive reduction in income. They have guaranteed income for the foreseeable future, with no risk. They can let the clubs tick over, creaming off profits, without any pressure on them to invest that money back in the club. It’s mind-blowing to me that fans could see this as anything other than a disaster.
This is what I thought.
I don't think sky will lose that much if the broadcast rights stay the same. Its BT who have more to fear as the CL could become a B-tec competition.
Sky have the lion's share of Premier League games and lost the CL rights years ago.
There’s loads of twists and turns to come in terms of broadcasting rights I’m sure. Whatever happens, the idea that Neville is being a mouthpiece for Sky is ridiculous when they don’t have any dog in this fight.
Because they'll have to bid for the ESL and pay out more money when they've currently got a deal for the PL & CL covering up to 2024/2025
edit: doofus here forgot that BT have the CL rights these days.
At this moment Sky has rights to the joint most prestigious football competition in the world, as I think it’s fair to say CL, PL and La Liga were as big as it gets in terms of competitions we have around.
Super League is supposed to be a level above CL and Sky is naturally afraid their product, that they have invested so much in, becomes a second-grade one. They’re also aware their competitors (ie. those that will broadcast Super League) are bigger and wealthier and will only grow more powerful, naturally threatening Sky’s position
when you flip the table, those currently in the best seat are always afraid to lose their privilege
Whats weirder is that they’re saying everything that most fans are saying. It’s almost as if it’s authentic thought.
The most important thing is probably that they are dead right.
Are you so jaded that you can’t comprehend someone standing up for something they believe in? I feel sorry for you.
The lengths people like yourself will go to just to go against the narrative and find some weird conspiracy theory...
I mean Roy Keane speaking out about a performance at United was used as a catalyst for kicking him out of the club. Roy Keane spoke out about the shite conditions for Ireland at the world cup. Do you really think he wouldn't speak his mind? Christ almighty. Sky employ him for the very reason that he speaks his mind because it generates headlines and clicks for them.
I think the fact SKY have used their platform to allow their employees to trash this garbage means they've already lost the bidding to Amazon or Disney.
You can be a hypocrite and still be right. I hate all this whataboutery.
I use a plastic toothbrush, but i still hate plastic pollution, I am an energy manager but i still turn the heating on.
I use a plastic toothbrush, but i still hate plastic pollution, I am an energy manager but i still turn the heating on.
I think you're missing my point. I am not talking about whether the ESL is a 'good' or a 'bad' thing for football.
I am pointing out, first and foremost, the hypocrisy of Sky and the Premier League in ramming this 'oh but won't SOMEBODY think of the fans!?' narrative down our throats after years of ripping us off.
Secondly, I am highlighting that the time to fight this is long, long since over. We've all been complicit in our silence over the years as one by one the roots of the game were ripped out.
Well the oil rich clubs are taking away all the CL spots and nothing has been done to prevent it. If the Newcastle United deal goes through then in a few years time 18 clubs will have to fight for 2 CL places.
Clubs like our’s can’t operate in that environment where they aren’t able to monetise their global appeal every year. Like it or not, football was going in this direction when PL allowed the financial doping by Chelsea and Man City. They have left the old firm clubs no choice but to consolidate their position when their popularity is still high else the next generation will grow up supporting City, Newcastle United, and other rich clubs who can guarantee CL participation by spending more.
I don't think that has been finalised. There will be clubs that will be invited based on some domestic league coefficient and whether some gets dropped out is yet to be confirmed.
I don't get the argument that just because Neville has profited hugely from football's commercialisation, that he's a hypocrite for speaking. Just because the direction of travel has been pretty anti-competitive for a while, everyone is entitled to have their own red lines.
This move is worse than anything that's happened since I have been a football fan. There have been plenty of other developments I haven't liked it too, but why criticise someone just for voicing an opinion that for them, this is a step too far. They should be encouraged. Late is still better than never.
This move is worse than anything that's happened since I have been a football fan. There have been plenty of other developments I haven't liked it too, but why criticise someone just for voicing an opinion that for them, this is a step too far. They should be encouraged. Late is still better than never.
Its up there with playing scholes on the left wing for england for me.
Not a conspiracy theory. Just a bunch of people with vested interests reacting to an event without looking at the official information.