Was it the UK that saved European football?

GifLord

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Heard Jonathan Wilson and Sid Lowe on the Second Captains podcast earlier note the UK media's very obvious instinct to sneer at foreigners and blame "foreign invaders" for football's ills, which perhaps primed them for this situation in which an US model was being foisted upon football by outsiders.

Meanwhile (as Lowe noted) a lot of Spain's press fell into line once it was clear their beloved Real Madrid were leading this project.
I was watching Viva La Liga earlier and they haven't even mentioned the ESL :lol:
 

Adnan

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If the report by MD has any substance, it was a financial package exceeding what the English clubs would've got via a Super League that made them abandon the proposed breakaway tournament which excludes Real Madrid and Barcelona. The rumours are that the money is coming from Qatar and Nasser El Khelafi has played a major role in bringing the investment forward from the Middle East. If true, then Khelafi will become the most powerful man in football IMO.

 

Sir Matt

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Bayern and Dortmunt couldn't enter because of their 50/1 ownerships.
German ownership and football culture meant they couldn't join. If they had, there would've been riots and interventions by the supporters. Chelsea supporters blocking the buses is similar to their tactics when they're pissed.

It was an incredible misunderstanding of how German football works by the Dirty Dozen.
 
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ray24

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The Juventus fans online seems upset. They are now complaining about the PL being a Super league.

The real losers are the plastic fans who support a club because they think it has a right to success.
 

Striker10

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We can't get complacent. It was everyone that showed strength. The world has gone crazy in many respects with being 'progressive' but I think it's not over. I think all leagues should have the same model. I think money should flow down the leagues to help the development of clubs and communities. I think there is a balance that we have to attain. It goes beyond football. Because even football can be used to divide people. And it has been used. Because why not? So many people watch it. That's why football is so valuable to money men. But we have to stop putting ourselves or people on pedistools. We have to unite under one umbrella. And be that umbrella. Or do we divide ourselves again over which nations more influencial etc? Let's meet under one umbrella. For once. And stay there...
 

Tacitus56AD

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The outcry we saw over all of this just might be the start of a "reconqusita" of your fan-culture.

50%+1 is the reason german football and FAN culture is alive and kicking and thus never would have excepted one of their clubs to join something like ESL in the first place...now it´s time for english fan culture(the one that startet it all in the first place) 2 find your legs again...the protests we saw today are a good sign, but you should use the momentum to form a body of fan-representatives that is able to express their concerns to your FA. Have fan-clubs elect a spokesperson from all the clubs -> join for talks to focus on your demands for english football going forward -> ( let arsenalTV prodcast it all for transparency:angel::angel::angel: )
 

ray24

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We can't get complacent. It was everyone that showed strength. The world has gone crazy in many respects with being 'progressive' but I think it's not over. I think all leagues should have the same model. I think money should flow down the leagues to help the development of clubs and communities. I think there is a balance that we have to attain. It goes beyond football. Because even football can be used to divide people. And it has been used. Because why not? So many people watch it. That's why football is so valuable to money men. But we have to stop putting ourselves or people on pedistools. We have to unite under one umbrella. And be that umbrella. Or do we divide ourselves again over which nations more influencial etc? Let's meet under one umbrella. For once. And stay there...
Is the UK going to share the revenues of the PL with the Italian and the Spanish clubs now? There's already a divide forming from the fallout of the Super Leagues. Italian and Spanish fans felt that the EPL is morphing into a super league that they can't compete with.
 

amolbhatia50k

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Great, it's that time when we start patting each other on the backs and creating false heroes rather than solve the real problem.
 

amolbhatia50k

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If the report by MD has any substance, it was a financial package exceeding what the English clubs would've got via a Super League that made them abandon the proposed breakaway tournament which excludes Real Madrid and Barcelona. The rumours are that the money is coming from Qatar and Nasser El Khelafi has played a major role in bringing the investment forward from the Middle East. If true, then Khelafi will become the most powerful man in football IMO.

:lol: Imagine this being the case
 

The Boy

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That's an insular, nationalist and English exceptionalist view.

The reason this didn't happen is Bayern and PSG. The commitment they showed undermined the breakaway clubs and gave UEFA a much better position to fight from.

The fan and pundit outrage has been the same everywhere.
Absolutely agree with this and would add the lack of a broadcast partner along with PSG and Bayern undermined this from the beginning. Once you begin to read about it you realise what an amateurish feck up this was. Fair play to Chelsea being the first to pull out, tat was the nail in the coffin.

But don't be conned into thinking outraged fans and pundits changed this, fans [and pundits] are so far down the list of priorities for the biggest clubs that what they think is pretty much irrelevant, though I think most fans (outside Germany) realise this now.
 

hasanejaz88

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Colonialism 101. First feck up a country, then fix it and say you saved it.

It's the UK and the culture of greed that allowed these twits into our football league with open arms and caused this in the first place. Have a look at yourselves now and how you want your football to be run, rather than patting yourselves in the back saying you saved football. I don't have hope about anything being changed though.
 

dumbo

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We can't get complacent. It was everyone that showed strength. The world has gone crazy in many respects with being 'progressive' but I think it's not over. I think all leagues should have the same model. I think money should flow down the leagues to help the development of clubs and communities. I think there is a balance that we have to attain. It goes beyond football. Because even football can be used to divide people. And it has been used. Because why not? So many people watch it. That's why football is so valuable to money men. But we have to stop putting ourselves or people on pedistools. We have to unite under one umbrella. And be that umbrella. Or do we divide ourselves again over which nations more influencial etc? Let's meet under one umbrella. For once. And stay there...
Best Rihanna remix ever.
 

Rektsanwalt

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Who else could have saved european football but the UK? It's obvious the UK did it, so, so simple, very simple, the simplest of analysis. Keep on winning!
 
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Yes. Germany and France get honourable mentions but let’s face it the thing was going ahead without them.
Thing could still go ahead. I don’t think la Liga are opposed to it as much as the FA and premier league were. La Liga always want Barca / Real to be top dogs, remember the outcry when Neymar left, so if they think this will give Real/Barca finances to match English clubs then they’ll say it’s out of their hands.

Super league can be changed to include MLS and South American clubs. I’d imagine Boca vs Real would get more passionate interest in South America than say United vs Real.

People need to realise while for the top 6 English club it’s been about greed. For the Spanish two it’s about regaining their financial might and muscle power. So I think it might still go ahead but in a different format without the English teams.
 

pratyush_utd

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If the report by MD has any substance, it was a financial package exceeding what the English clubs would've got via a Super League that made them abandon the proposed breakaway tournament which excludes Real Madrid and Barcelona. The rumours are that the money is coming from Qatar and Nasser El Khelafi has played a major role in bringing the investment forward from the Middle East. If true, then Khelafi will become the most powerful man in football IMO.

Only Spanish media is reporting this. Can't find any other outlet even hinting at this.
 

Rektsanwalt

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On a serious note:
There were several reasons why this did not happen. Fan protests, a super league having not the legitimation to call itself "super league" without players like Lewandowski, Neymar, Mbappe, Neuer and the likes, the UK, the threats of UEFA and FIFA, the UK, outspoken people like Klopp and many other things.
Why are we looking for monocausality where there obviously is none? Is it just to polarise? It's much more complicated than "UK did it".
 

Jazz

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Colonialism 101. First feck up a country, then fix it and say you saved it.

It's the UK and the culture of greed that allowed these twits into our football league with open arms and caused this in the first place. Have a look at yourselves now and how you want your football to be run, rather than patting yourselves in the back saying you saved football. I don't have hope about anything being changed though.
Well said.
 

do.ob

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Yeah. It was the great UK whose clubs sold out to Americans in the first place and made up literally half the founding members of ESL that saved football. Thank you for being so awesome UK football.

Colonialism 101. First feck up a country, then fix it and say you saved it.

It's the UK and the culture of greed that allowed these twits into our football league with open arms and caused this in the first place. Have a look at yourselves now and how you want your football to be run, rather than patting yourselves in the back saying you saved football. I don't have hope about anything being changed though.
Well put.
 
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NinjaZombie

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If the report by MD has any substance, it was a financial package exceeding what the English clubs would've got via a Super League that made them abandon the proposed breakaway tournament which excludes Real Madrid and Barcelona. The rumours are that the money is coming from Qatar and Nasser El Khelafi has played a major role in bringing the investment forward from the Middle East. If true, then Khelafi will become the most powerful man in football IMO.

Damn, exceeding what they would've gotten in the Super League sounds huge. So in the end, the 6 did get richer than the rest. I don't know how the rest of the PL clubs feel about this but I doubt they'd ever forget this.

So can the Glazers now take their money and leave?
 

Josep Dowling

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If the report by MD has any substance, it was a financial package exceeding what the English clubs would've got via a Super League that made them abandon the proposed breakaway tournament which excludes Real Madrid and Barcelona. The rumours are that the money is coming from Qatar and Nasser El Khelafi has played a major role in bringing the investment forward from the Middle East. If true, then Khelafi will become the most powerful man in football IMO.

So basically it hasn’t saved anything, just moving the power to a silent buyer. Fantastic.
 

Ixion

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I'd say given half the clubs involved were from the UK it was only this country that could prevent it. And given nearly a third of the PL was signed up for this we probably had the most to lose as well.

I give more credit to Bayern and PSG (even if their motives were probably dodgy) for setting an example to the fans that it didnt' have to happen.
 

GhastlyHun

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Yeah... Where did the large scale monetarization of football broadcasting rights and the subsequent hyperinflation of club finances, transfer and agent fees and player salaries, prompting the influx of purely profit-oriented investors, originate again?
Saved european football, indeed :lol:
 

r3idy

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That's an insular, nationalist and English exceptionalist view.

The reason this didn't happen is Bayern and PSG. The commitment they showed undermined the breakaway clubs and gave UEFA a much better position to fight from.

The fan and pundit outrage has been the same everywhere.
Germany yes but I am giving zero credit to PSG.

There would have been a seismic conflict of interest for PSG. Their owner Nasser Al-Khelaifi is also Chairman of BeIN sports which coincidentally broadcasts domestic and champions league football worldwide. Hardly a beacon of all that is good with football.
 

Classical Mechanic

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On a serious note:
There were several reasons why this did not happen. Fan protests, a super league having not the legitimation to call itself "super league" without players like Lewandowski, Neymar, Mbappe, Neuer and the likes, the UK, the threats of UEFA and FIFA, the UK, outspoken people like Klopp and many other things.
Why are we looking for monocausality where there obviously is none? Is it just to polarise? It's much more complicated than "UK did it".
Well said.
 

ivaldo

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That's an insular, nationalist and English exceptionalist view.

The reason this didn't happen is Bayern and PSG. The commitment they showed undermined the breakaway clubs and gave UEFA a much better position to fight from.

The fan and pundit outrage has been the same everywhere.
On the contrary. The league would be going ahead without the inclusion of Bayern and PSG. Hardly catalysts. I know it's a faux pas to give any credibility here to those dastard Brits, but the passionate outcries from the public and media played a huge part in crushing this thing. And no, that sentiment wasn't shared everywhere.
 

Lyricist

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I'm sorry but what? :lol:

Yes, the footballing public in the UK did beat up the "big six" enough so that they had to leave the ESL. Hats of to the general fan culture in the UK, as well as the pundits and the media in this case.

But it is the Premier League's structure of allowing billionaire owners to completely reshape the football landscape that even started this overly commercial and capitalist progress a long time ago now. 50% of the founding clubs of the Super League would've been Premier League clubs. It was an absolute shambles and a disgrace and I'm glad the English top clubs showed enough sense to correct this. But they created this problem themselves. Hard to call them saviours.
 

Grande

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Once again GREAT Britain saves the day

Well, all the German clubs was against it from the start (as was the French), whereas about one third of the PL was for it, then changed their mind when the world followed the lead of the German and French. So which was the savior, Jesus or Peter?

Anyway, I’m not going to put in a picture to answer yours ;)
 

Rektsanwalt

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So greed then.
I don't think it's fair to say it's just greed, it's more complex again. As always! While it might also be greed, it could also be the sheer will to survive longterm. And stay on top of the game. That isn't greedy, imo. Greedy is what happened before, losing and wasting all that money in the first place.
 

Tom8700

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Yes,

the fans who did and do nothing against their clubs being owned by dictators, murderers and criminals.
The fans who are willing to pay the highest amounts of TV money to fund these 500000 pounds a week salaries.
The fans who accept weird match shedules to please China.

Yes, you have saved football!
 

Gavinb33

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Ze Germans and Le Frogs snickering somewhere.

The outrage has been universal, but it was the non-inclusion of Bayern and PSG that put a wrench on this heist from the start. This isn’t really the time to be tooting your John Bull’s horn.
Exactly this you couldn't have a ESL with teams from only 3 countries making up the league.

I was saying to my work colleague yesterday I could see so many things wrong with this league it's surprising that so many businessmen couldn't either see the issues it would create or just to ignore them.
 

giggs-beckham

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On a serious note:
There were several reasons why this did not happen. Fan protests, a super league having not the legitimation to call itself "super league" without players like Lewandowski, Neymar, Mbappe, Neuer and the likes, the UK, the threats of UEFA and FIFA, the UK, outspoken people like Klopp and many other things.
Why are we looking for monocausality where there obviously is none? Is it just to polarise? It's much more complicated than "UK did it".
It was Pep that was outspoken. Klopp was firmly on the fence. The uk did it in the sense of the unified outcry and condemnation from the fans over here, the government (for whatever perceived motives), the media you name it we over here showed en masse that it wouldn't be stood for. So yea the uk saved it. But not the clubs that backed out as such they saw they had no choice because of the reaction here and the whole thing fell apart as a result. Nothing to do with colonialism.
 

giggs-beckham

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Yeah. It was the great UK whose clubs sold out to Americans in the first place and made up literally half the founding members of ESL that saved football. Thank you for being so awesome UK football.



Well put.
That's your definition of people saying the 'uk saved it' as in the big six saved it after trying to initially ruin it for greed. But that's a definition you've created.
When I think of saved it I think of those Chelsea fans sitting down and protesting and the unified people in this country saying they wont stand for it and the government (im a leftie so no fan of them) trying to stop it from happening. Rio, Neville, Pep and Shaw and the growing murmur of unhappiness from people in football that really matter to us legacy fans.
I'm sure you can find hypocrisy in most things but without the above mentioned happening in this country over the last few days make no mistake this thing would've carried on and who knows what it would've done to football and how long that impact would've lasted. So yea you're welcome.