Players & managers react to the Super League

Sarni

nice guy, unassuming, objective United fan.
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Tom Cato

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As any good union official or lawyer will tell you; it entirely depends on their employment contracts and jurisdiction of that contract.

Simply put: If literally all the players refuse to play in the ESL but continue their commitment to play in the officially licensed competitions, I would, as a complete layman, contend they would have a massive collective bargaining case against the ESL clubs.


The ESL would withold wages but this would literally be challenged under Employment Law UK and EU wide.

Have the players signed up as employees or private contractors?
What is the contract between them and their clubs in terms of the expected service the players provide?
Can the ESL clubs withold full salary or terminate contracts for not participating in an unsanctioned league if the players continue to abide by the contract of playing in licensed competitions?

Better yet, if ever there was a time to form a players and managers pan-global workers union it should and would be now.
If there is a will then there is a way. Would be immense.

No-one has mentioned the players; No players = no ESL.
The players can go on a strike. There will be litigation and most likely it will fall flat.

I've seen a standard Premier League player contract and it stipulates that a player has a obligation to partake in any competition the club takes part in if ordered by a club official.

The contracts stipulates several points that are listed as breach of rules with list of penalties, up to and including termination of contact.

If a contract is terminated by rulebreach, the club can, and as we know with these owners, will go after the players for not the wages, but their transfer value. The players values are listed as club assets.

Chelsea did this in 2004 v Adrian Mutu after his cocaine verdict.

Players banding together vocally in an illegal protest after litigation would mean that they technically can run the risk of being in breach of contract by "putting the club in ill repute"

Now, there is literally years of litigation, arbitration and public opinion between a first complaint and a conclusion to a lawsuit, but that is the worst possible outcome.

The best outcome is that the PFA is successful in protecting the players right to not take part in a competition that will damage their domestic league, and sport in general. I'm sure that is an argument that they will make.

There have been player strikes before, and could be again. But we really need someone to be brave here.
 

UnrelatedPsuedo

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FFS can we just ban all false equivalences from all threads regarding the ESL. Half the people on this site seem to be too dumb to have a sensible discussion.

This power grab by the overseas owners of Six BUSINESSES based in England is without parallel or point of comparison.

There are no ‘gotcha’ points of validity here. None. This situation is without precedent. You’re a cretin for finding a point of comparison. It’s not a hot take. It’s more arseholery.

To draw a line under it, We should welcome the thoughts of Pep. They would be valid. Yes, The financial tactical tourist who spends Oil-State money to furnish his squad. That guys voice is valid. He’s a football guy. So anyone south of the guy sucking on the Abu Dhabi tit is free to speak too.

So maybe jump off into a seperate thread with your stupid and banal and lazy and oxygen stealing comments of “But but this guy once did this thing so he should shut up”

It’s not valid. You’re wrong.
 

Superden

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This thing would be finished today if the key footballers from the 12 clubs stated that they werent happy to play in a closed shop league. Not threaten to strike, just make clear they werent best pleased with it. it would ruin the optics and glamour of it all. thats assuming the likes or rashford, pogba, et all dont like it. if i was in their position, as much the 'sporting' principles would be an issue, the chance of adding a several million more a year to my salary would be very tempting indeed.
 

Cloud7

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It's funny how everyone wants the players or managers to speak out but when they do, their pasts are bought into it.

I could imagine Rashford saying he's against it and some poster here quoting and saying "yeah but he's been taking money from the Glazers with no complaint all this time".

It's baffling :houllier:
A lot of posters on here have shown themselves to be complete idiots during this
 

MO_Football92

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You honestly think Arsenal, a team that is around 10th in the league should be in the elite competition in place of Leicester who can finish top 4?

That's the thinking you are condoning if you agree with this.
Arsenal are the third biggest club in England, have a massive fanbase and huge pedigree in world football.

Liverpool, Arsenal and United have always been the big three. So disagree with that argument.
 
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Tincanalley

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Eric Cantona speaks out (By the way go and vote no in the support Manchester United thread; make our voices heard).

"I would like to say something about the European Super League. (For) one year we have seen games on TV with the best clubs in the world and the best players in the world. And it was so boring. And it is still so boring. Because the fans are not there. The fans singing, jumping, supporting their teams. So the fans are the most important thing in football. So They have to be respected. Did these big clubs ask their fans what they thought about this idea? No, unfortunately. And that is a shame".

 

Cloud7

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Arsenal are the third biggest club in London, have a massive fanbase and huge pedigree in world football.

Liverpool, Arsenal and United have always been the big three. So disagree with that argument.
Football pedigree doesn’t count for anything. It’s stupid. All those years United failed to qualify for the CL we didn’t deserve to be in the top tier of European competition because we didn’t earn it. You don’t earn that just because you were good once upon a time.
 

MO_Football92

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Football pedigree doesn’t count for anything. It’s stupid. All those years United failed to qualify for the CL we didn’t deserve to be in the top tier of European competition because we didn’t earn it. You don’t earn that just because you were good once upon a time.
That's subjective. Regardless if you failed to reach CL places you were still one of the three giant clubs in England. I agree though you've got to earn success to progressively compete in sport.
 

klsv

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Might as well close the thread until Jesus comes back again as apparently everyone else is a hypocrite in one way or another and have no right to criticize the Super League.
 

BrilliantOrange

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Can people for the f*cking love of god stop acting like you can only speak about revulsion about this SuperLeague when you are a 100% morally clean. For feck sake...

Can you only condemn violence if you have never punched someone yourself?
Can you only comdemn kapitalism if you have have never accepted another job because of better pay/circumstances?
Can you only speak in favor of a greener society if you dont own a car or never touch a piece of meat in your life?

The world isnt that black and white. Gary Neville not being able to condemn this League because he works for Sky? Herrera not being able to condemn this leave because he left for PSG.. WTF??
 

Tincanalley

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Can people for the f*cking love of god stop acting like you can only speak about revulsion about this SuperLeague when you are a 100% morally clean. For feck sake...

Can you only condemn violence if you have never punched someone yourself?
Can you only comdemn kapitalism if you have have never accepted another job because of better pay/circumstances?
Can you only speak in favor of a greener society if you dont own a car or never touch a piece of meat in your life?

The world isnt that black and white. Gary Neville not being able to condemn this League because he works for Sky? Herrera not being able to condemn this leave because he left for PSG.. WTF??
Agreed.
 

BrilliantOrange

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Beautiful.

A lot of the 'hypocrite' bunch need to read that last paragraph to understand why people are so fundamentally against this.
The fact that the introduction of the Super League is a logical consequence of a longer (societal ánd football) trend surely doesnt mean that you cannot appeal against it and critize it?
 

Pogue Mahone

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The fact that the introduction of the Super League is a logical consequence of a longer (societal ánd football) trend surely doesnt mean that you cannot appeal against it and critize it?
Of course not. Which is why all the posts about “this was inevitable” and “football sold its soul years ago” are so annoying and irrelevant.
 

esmufc07

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Can people for the f*cking love of god stop acting like you can only speak about revulsion about this SuperLeague when you are a 100% morally clean. For feck sake...

Can you only condemn violence if you have never punched someone yourself?
Can you only comdemn kapitalism if you have have never accepted another job because of better pay/circumstances?
Can you only speak in favor of a greener society if you dont own a car or never touch a piece of meat in your life?

The world isnt that black and white. Gary Neville not being able to condemn this League because he works for Sky? Herrera not being able to condemn this leave because he left for PSG.. WTF??
Hear hear
 

Hansi Fick

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The fact that the introduction of the Super League is a logical consequence of a longer (societal ánd football) trend surely doesnt mean that you cannot appeal against it and critize it?
Of course not. Which is why all the posts about “this was inevitable” and “football sold its soul years ago” are so annoying and irrelevant.
I couldn't agree more with you.
 

Giggsyking

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.... Can see why we're struggling to follow!
It is easy to take it out of context. In the first sentence I was talking about all those outside the big six who still earns millions but are afraid to lose the status and the money if they dont get to play in this super league. You can easily understand that from my post giving praise to Bruno (from inside the top six teams who dared to talk). If you have difficulty understanding that from the complete discussion feel free to let me know.
 

Jezpeza

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Arsenal are the third biggest club in London, have a massive fanbase and huge pedigree in world football.

Liverpool, Arsenal and United have always been the big three. So disagree with that argument.
so do leeds forest and villa. The actual playing of a match of Football and yearly competition winners and league placings is never based on history.

Its a stupid argument to say Arsenal and spurs can create a super league two tiers above the europa league which they arent good enough to get into. Its just entitled owners who dont want to invest the money to make the top 4 but want to get the top 4 finances every season. Birmingham City and Hull have more recent major honours than spurs. They couldnt win a tombola.

arsenal and spurs are big brands. And its becoming about the brand being more important than the sport. And if thats the case then we may as well feck it all off and run 90 minute fifa simulations on ppv, as long as man utd play barcelona.

its a plastic idea for plastic neutral fans and these people you see on the other side of the globe who wear a juventus shirt on monday, man utd shirt on tuesday, barcelona shirt on wednesday.
 

pascell

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Eric Cantona speaks out (By the way go and vote no in the support Manchester United thread; make our voices heard).

"I would like to say something about the European Super League. (For) one year we have seen games on TV with the best clubs in the world and the best players in the world. And it was so boring. And it is still so boring. Because the fans are not there. The fans singing, jumping, supporting their teams. So the fans are the most important thing in football. So They have to be respected. Did these big clubs ask their fans what they thought about this idea? No, unfortunately. And that is a shame".

Gotta love him and he's a big, big voice to go against the ESL.

Looking trim too!
 

CassiusClaymore

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The fact that the introduction of the Super League is a logical consequence of a longer (societal ánd football) trend surely doesnt mean that you cannot appeal against it and critize it?
If anything it might make some people a little more introspective about their own actions and role in arriving to where we currently are. Seemed like Gary Neville for one was prepared to hold his hands up to that.

Regardless, putting all the money/hypocrite stance aside, football is about competition. You can say that the big clubs have a huge advantage over the smaller ones and they do but this is taking it one step further and pulling up the ladder behind you.

Ultimately I think this will probably fall through and we'll get a revamped CL which ironically will be just as shit. Might want to rename it as well because it hasn't been a 'Champions' League for a long time.
 

Iker Quesadillas

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Arsenal are the third biggest club in London, have a massive fanbase and huge pedigree in world football. Liverpool, Arsenal and United have always been the big three. So disagree with that argument.
The argument for 'fairness of competition' would be more convincing if people could find better examples than Leicester, a club which probably won't finish in the top 4 this season and has achieved that exactly once in the last decade. But there aren't better examples. And the reason there aren't better examples is because football is already ruled by money.

Even Arsenal are basically just an example of how a big club can be muscled out of the top by clubs with a huge influx of money.
 

Schmeichel's Cartwheel

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Arsenal are the third biggest club in London, have a massive fanbase and huge pedigree in world football.

Liverpool, Arsenal and United have always been the big three. So disagree with that argument.
Freudian slip? :lol:

I agree anyway, Chelsea & Spurs are bigger ;)

Seriously though any Arsenal or Spurs fan that wants this is bonkers. If anything it’ll encourage your owners to spend even less money since you won’t need to worry about getting top 4, and your clubs are going to be whipping boys.
 

MO_Football92

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so do leeds forest and villa. The actual playing of a match of Football and yearly competition winners and league placings is never based on history.

Its a stupid argument to say Arsenal and spurs can create a super league two tiers above the europa league which they arent good enough to get into. Its just entitled owners who dont want to invest the money to make the top 4 but want to get the top 4 finances every season. Birmingham City and Hull have more recent major honours than spurs. They couldnt win a tombola.

arsenal and spurs are big brands. And its becoming about the brand being more important than the sport. And if thats the case then we may as well feck it all off and run 90 minute fifa simulations on ppv, as long as man utd play barcelona.

its a plastic idea for plastic neutral fans and these people you see on the other side of the globe who wear a juventus shirt on monday, man utd shirt on tuesday, barcelona shirt on wednesday.
Villa, Leeds, Chelsea, Spurs, City, Forest, Everton; they're all big clubs but none are giants. Arsenal are and despite their shaky league form these past 18 months, we still regularly win cups and reach finals. These are the facts.

The whole thing is a bad stupid idea based on greed and it has to be stopped. But those clubs have been recognized as top six due to their consistency even in recent years combined with overall football heritage and pedigree.
 

Jezpeza

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Villa, Leeds, Chelsea, Spurs, City, Forest, Everton; they're all big clubs but none are giants. Arsenal are and despite their shaky league form these past 18 months, we still regularly win cups and reach finals. These are the facts.

The whole thing is a bad stupid idea based on greed and it has to be stopped. But those clubs have been recognized as top six due to their consistency even in recent years combined with overall football heritage and pedigree.
have you watched football recently? Arsenal have been shite for going on two decades mate
 

Solius

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Villa, Leeds, Chelsea, Spurs, City, Forest, Everton; they're all big clubs but none are giants. Arsenal are and despite their shaky league form these past 18 months, we still regularly win cups and reach finals. These are the facts.

The whole thing is a bad stupid idea based on greed and it has to be stopped. But those clubs have been recognized as top six due to their consistency even in recent years combined with overall football heritage and pedigree.
Nobody else sees you as a big club anymore. Sorry to break it to you, and 4 trophies since 2005 is not regular.
 

esmufc07

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Villa, Leeds, Chelsea, Spurs, City, Forest, Everton; they're all big clubs but none are giants. Arsenal are and despite their shaky league form these past 18 months, we still regularly win cups and reach finals. These are the facts.

The whole thing is a bad stupid idea based on greed and it has to be stopped. But those clubs have been recognized as top six due to their consistency even in recent years combined with overall football heritage and pedigree.
Arsenal are viewed as a running joke and have been for a long time.
 

Jezpeza

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Arsenal are viewed as a running joke and have been for a long time.
to think, david luizs display in the 2014 world cup in the 7 goal thriller against germany, and 7 years later he is somehow arsenals first choice centre back
 

MinGin

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Fair play to Milner. Even though he played for our rivals you can't help to like him.
I do think we are at this moment without any rivals but Super League. There is a monster who need all of fans stick together and fight for.
The rival relationship between Liverpool and us was based on the history of cities and the competitive in the domestic league and European league and all of that become smoke soon.
 

groovyalbert

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Fair play to Milner. Even though he played for our rivals you can't help to like him.
Definitely glad to hear, but sadly it's one thing coming from a player who has a couple years left at the top at best rather than someone who represents the future of football.

The main attractions need to speak out against this for players' opinion to hold any sway.
 

Bilbo

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The argument for 'fairness of competition' would be more convincing if people could find better examples than Leicester, a club which probably won't finish in the top 4 this season and has achieved that exactly once in the last decade. But there aren't better examples. And the reason there aren't better examples is because football is already ruled by money.

Even Arsenal are basically just an example of how a big club can be muscled out of the top by clubs with a huge influx of money.
Your average Leicester fan will be/should be devastated by this. Recently won the league, and seem to be building something sustainable. They have a strong side, a good domestic coach and they are well placed to qualify for the CL, which if they play it right (and they probably will) could lead to making them an even better team. An established member of the PL elite.

What's the point now? How do you sell the idea of hope to a Leicester fan this morning? Sorry boys, nothing personal but you're not invited.