Doesn’t your club pay agents huge fees to hoover up top young talent to sell at massive fees years later? Everyone is on the football gravy train.
Was it the UK that saved European football?
- Thread starter RedPed
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran hold a long overdue conversation about United's awful league form with 1 win in 7. They discuss a disappointing draw at Bournemouth, a not so disappointing draw against Liverpool and a crushing defeat at Chelsea - Is time nearly over for Erik Ten Hag?
Then in a special second half of the pod, Nik welcomes Natalie ( https://twitter.com/natalie_17) to discuss the fortunes of Manchester United Women as they booked a place in the FA Cup Final after a historic first ever win vs. Chelsea.
Only the Caf could try and turn the English clubs pulling away from the SL into "the UK are to blame"
Yep. It does. German football is far from innocent.
You have seen the thread title I assume?
I don't think there are heroes in this story, which is why I cringe at people who actually put the country/system (and by extension the people that support it ) which are most responsible for this unchecked greed down as heroes, because it turned out that the latest escalation wasn't prepared well enough to follow through.
Yeah, where did this Klopp was great come from? I didn’t see anything from him or king fcukin Kenny except fence sitting.
Maybe they do but it still would've gone ahead and potentially damaged or ruined football were it not for the reaction over here. Which forced our owners who aren't us as such are they.Exactly.
France and Germany deserve a lot more credit for standing against it from the start. But can't be prouder of the fans (Chelsea especially) in the UK for what they've done.
And yes we're all complicit.
Yea, those are factors (I mentioned some of them, as you could have read in my post) but to reduce all those different factors up unto the point that you just say "UK saved it" seems a bit, well, I don't know how to put it properly in English, maybe unnecessarily biased towards a national-centristic view. Just to name another important aspect again, it's pretty obvious that Bayern and PSG not participating in the ESL was a huge blow for the project. And as I said before, there are several others, many of which definitely have nothing to do with the UK.
Well what do you suggest? It's easy to mock but we spent years protesting the Glazers with many defecting to FC United of MCR which was a protest against their hostile takeover. They stuck it out and didn't budge despite years of us rallying against them.
Acting like we willingly let it happen is like saying German fans allowed their second best team to basically be an energy drink advert.
The reason why the English clubs broke ranks first is simple. They had more to lose.
Unlike the English league, the Spanish and Italian leagues are dying with most of the clubs about to fall off a cliff. The EPL is still very vibrant and generates a lot of money. The English clubs were not going to compromise that.
Unlike the English league, the Spanish and Italian leagues are dying with most of the clubs about to fall off a cliff. The EPL is still very vibrant and generates a lot of money. The English clubs were not going to compromise that.
Yes Macron's intervention probably stopped PSG and then the Germans were vehemently opposed to it. The UK fans, media and the government and the politicians all were on the same boat.Exactly.
France and Germany deserve a lot more credit for standing against it from the start. But can't be prouder of the fans (Chelsea especially) in the UK for what they've done.
I would raise my hat to Chelsea, and Liverpool fans who protested outside the stadium. And of course all other fans and the rest of the clubs who were so strong in their determination to stop this. And of course Gary Neville for ranting and raving non stop and for even living in the head of Klopp.
It seems that this was a latin affair because they wanted to get some money to save their asses.
I thought I would never support Chelsea but I hope they beat Madrid and I want PSG to win the CL this time.
They probably just underestimated it. The SL creators evidently showed how disconnected from reality they are. This is probably the biggest PR disaster I've ever seen from such big global brands, and to U turn so quickly just highlights how laughably little thought was actually put into it. Did they not expect a backlash? I'm shocked so many signed up in secret as they did, not consulting a single manager, player, supporter. Even if they didn't back out, I'm convinced it would 100% fail. They are so out of touch from reality and IMO its pretty clear that this is all on the owners/chairmen/executives doing this in secret.
People claiming Bayern had no choice but to reject it are right too, because whether they wanted to or not is irrelevant as their fans would never allow it to happen.
At least Arsenal had the decency to say that they made a mistake and apologise.
The 12 clubs might not have expected it, but there was a reason they launched this project without having their approval (or rejection) in the first place. The same goes for PSG, who might have had their own reasons for not approving. Still I think they were expecting these clubs' reluctance, but hoping to force their hands with FOMO. Them not joining sowed doubt, but ultimately they would have pushed on, as long as no one else jumped ship.
Honestly I'm most surprised by the lack of reaction in Spain and Italy, like you said they reacted spinelessly. Maybe the fans of Madrid and Barcelona think of their clubs as god's gift to mankind, but I really didn't expect this complete lack of solidarity towards their own league. I mean both countries are football mad, yet as far as I know there wasn't any wide spread protests at all. Really shines a bad light on their fan culture.
On another note, I seriously hope the rumours of UEFA bribing the PL 6 to rejoin them, are just that; rumours. It would be a huge middle finger to the rest of the league, as well as to the fans who stood up to the owners, if these owners get rewarded for being so greedy and out of touch with their supporters.
the club Bayern consists of its members, as it is not dominated by a single person. If members resist decisions, it is the club itself which does that. The club officials are not the only part of this club.
Probably not. Do you remember when the fuel protests happened because of a big fuel tax increase? People went mental, blocked oil refineries and brought the country to a halt. So they capitulated on the tax increase. Big win huh? Except what then happened was they just introduced a series of small tax increases over time until they ended up higher than the big increase had been anyway. Did the people come out in protest again? No of course not. People only get off their arses for big things, not accumulating small things.
As far as most football fans are now concerned, football has now been saved and they don't have to worry about it anymore.
Well the easiest solution would be to stop spending money, wouldn't it? As another example: when fans in Germany don't like something they leave seats empty, disrupt the games (e.g. by throwing tennis balls on the pitch, or by blowing whistles) or kill the atmosphere by staying silent. Hurting the product to make a point on the financial side.
According to the Telegraph , Agnelli is blaming Boris and Brexit for the downfall of the Super League.
No
When they saw the govt was getting involved they thought they better bail. 50+1 absolutely petrifies them - I bet a lot of lobbying money will be spent to ensure this never happens.
Looks like Ed Woodward's misreading of the UK government response was the nail in the coffin. Perhaps he had assured the Glazers the government would not intervene - with the Johnson administration being so vocally against the idea, the 6 English clubs had to leave and the whole ESL idea wouldn't work without them.
His failure to communicate with the fans and staff were also bad mistakes - not to say they should've tried to court these stakeholders from the start but to keep everyone outside the corner office out of the loop without even an attempt at PR placation seems hubristic in hindsight.
His failure to communicate with the fans and staff were also bad mistakes - not to say they should've tried to court these stakeholders from the start but to keep everyone outside the corner office out of the loop without even an attempt at PR placation seems hubristic in hindsight.
Saved European football?! That horse bolted long ago. All that has been achieved is that UEFA and the likes of Sky will continue to be the ones to rinse football fans rather than the clubs themselves directly.
Im not sure its completely right to say the UK that has saved European football.
Sure it was good that the "big 6" were the clubs starting to pull out first but they were also the clubs that were possibly going to try to change the format of competitive football in a major way by making it non competitive.
I think all parties must take share of responsibility with this.
When we say Manchester Utd are entering into a break away league who do we mean by Manchester Utd? Do we mean the players, the fans, the clubs as in its rich history for many decades or do we mean Manchester United as in who actually owns Man Utd now (the Glaziers) and what their true intentions are for owing the club.
For sure it seems that our owners are greedy and don't have the best interests of Man Utd as a football club.
With the players I'm not sure its as simple. Im sure many of them care deeply about the club, (maybe some dont) but I also think the players are vastly overpaid, which is one factor amongst many, which is changing the motives and direction of football every year. Player agents are becoming more powerful and the relationship between the contracts with Sky sports or other sports channels is also a big factor financially.
Is it the players fault they are paid so much money, maybe not completely but if your running a business and you have to pay each of your 20 staff £100,00 grand a week then that is a lot of money. The owners will therefore have to be looking at ways to increase revenue every year in order to keep up with the ever increasing salaries fo their players
Though the need to pay players such high wages is certainly not the only reason a lot fo the football clubs owners constantly try to increase their revenue. I think there is little doubt that a lot of the owners are very greedy individuals without much empathy towards the fans connected to their clubs. (although that not to say that businesses owners should not receive profits for their business running well.. But how much is enough?
I think if you're a greedy person then enough is never enough.
Many industries are going the same way or went that way many years ago, the music industry is run by business men that have a primary interest in money and secondary interest in music. Its sad to see things going the way they are but I do have faith that the many great things about football, other sports and music etc will survive one way or another because of the people who are passionate about them are genuinely care about them.
Sure it was good that the "big 6" were the clubs starting to pull out first but they were also the clubs that were possibly going to try to change the format of competitive football in a major way by making it non competitive.
I think all parties must take share of responsibility with this.
When we say Manchester Utd are entering into a break away league who do we mean by Manchester Utd? Do we mean the players, the fans, the clubs as in its rich history for many decades or do we mean Manchester United as in who actually owns Man Utd now (the Glaziers) and what their true intentions are for owing the club.
For sure it seems that our owners are greedy and don't have the best interests of Man Utd as a football club.
With the players I'm not sure its as simple. Im sure many of them care deeply about the club, (maybe some dont) but I also think the players are vastly overpaid, which is one factor amongst many, which is changing the motives and direction of football every year. Player agents are becoming more powerful and the relationship between the contracts with Sky sports or other sports channels is also a big factor financially.
Is it the players fault they are paid so much money, maybe not completely but if your running a business and you have to pay each of your 20 staff £100,00 grand a week then that is a lot of money. The owners will therefore have to be looking at ways to increase revenue every year in order to keep up with the ever increasing salaries fo their players
Though the need to pay players such high wages is certainly not the only reason a lot fo the football clubs owners constantly try to increase their revenue. I think there is little doubt that a lot of the owners are very greedy individuals without much empathy towards the fans connected to their clubs. (although that not to say that businesses owners should not receive profits for their business running well.. But how much is enough?
I think if you're a greedy person then enough is never enough.
Many industries are going the same way or went that way many years ago, the music industry is run by business men that have a primary interest in money and secondary interest in music. Its sad to see things going the way they are but I do have faith that the many great things about football, other sports and music etc will survive one way or another because of the people who are passionate about them are genuinely care about them.
Yup exactly. It's irrelevant if there is some certain official who would actually want to do it, as at the end of the day, the members have to agree to it which they would never do.
If it was left to Spain and Italy we would still be in the super league.
I think it's only being reduced to these factors because simply put if it wasn't for them the esl would be going ahead even without psg (temporarily?) And BM.
And ok there might be a bit of national pride here and I'm definitely not one for that kind of thing. But this has evoked a very emotional response in people, thankfully enough of a response in people over hear to tear this down.
Football clubs are like a huge bucket of Sangria. Sure, every club has its own straw. But in the end, we’re all drinking the same shit.
I'm assuming this thread is a pisstake, given that Germany didnt join at all
It certainly wasn't Spain. Even their courts were involved in this conspiracy.
Most Spanish fans support eithef Barca or Real Madrid than their local clubs. Glory hunting is more accepted in Spain than in England.
Did you listen to Sherwood and Bent on sky sports? They were back to talking about how England is the best league in the world and everyone wants a piece of it (except Germany and France apparently) but we should stick to our amazing product.I'm assuming this thread is a pisstake, given that Germany didnt join at all
The level of delusion and narcissism is astonishing, not surprising they can't see the irony that it was this narcisim and delusions of grandeur that lead to these 6 clubs wanting to move away.
Are they lying?
If that were true, the implication would be that Woodward held talks with people in government and was given the green light. Not impossible and governments have never had any problems doing a U-turn when popular opinion goes against them. I can't believe that all of this was done on the QT without anyone in the upper echelons of government knowing about it.
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I’d be inclined to believe this. I had trouble accepting that a few protests made them fold so quickly.
Especially when the whole thing was probably years in the making.
Yea mate. Sure. You're the best league in the world, that's why the fans want you to copy another league that apparently also wants what you want. Atleast decide if everyone wants to copy you or you want to copy someone else.
Which league is better and why? Why was 6 teams asked but only 3 from other top leagues?
Dont be snarky in your reply, thanks.
Because it is the 'richest' league, not the best. The best league wouldn't have a system where owners can feck over their fans like the top 6 did.
I could be wrong, but it feels like the Glazer's have sacrificed Woodward to get their hands on the potential bigger investment. Woodward as usual will take the blame whilst the Glazer's will get their hands on money that is rumoured to be invested by Qatar.
The fans will also be happy due to the narrative being spread that it was them that helped put a stop to it.
I wouldn't believe a word coming out of Spanish media/journalists about any of this. They will desperately be trying to save face.
Are there any credible sources behind this though? This is the most believable for me because I can't believe the owners did not anticipate this backlash and would decide to leave the league based on a few protests.
But then again, if this were true, I would think that a few more credible sources would report this. Maybe we'll see this in a few years following a leak.