Football (Soccer) Thread

[The Larch]

That reform of the Champions League is apparently what triggered this latest iteration of the European Super League, but seeing many of the intended changes that the ESL wants to implement I'd say that's an excuse to simply change the competition model.

[Duque de Bragança]

So club owners complain about having too many games to play, yet want to play more. 

The umpteenth reform of the Champions' League was bad enough as in appeasing top clubs, yet the ESL came.

[The Larch]

So club owners complain about having too many games to play, yet want to play more. 

The umpteenth reform of the Champions' League was bad enough as in appeasing top clubs, yet the ESL came.

Too many games against the "wrong" kind of teams. Not too many games in general.

[FunkMonk]

Tottenham have sacked Mourinho after he's secured them a permanent place in the Super League. Shameful stuff, game's gone.



Seriously though,   

[Sheilbh]

Deffinitely a good day to bury bad news

[Josquius]

I've heard with spurs the reason Jose was sacked was opposition to the super league stuff and refusal to take the team out for training due to it?

Which doesn't sound like Mourinio but hope it's true.

That reform of the Champions League is apparently what triggered this latest iteration of the European Super League, but seeing many of the intended changes that the ESL wants to implement I'd say that's an excuse to simply change the competition model.

Isn't it the other way?
The champions league reform was to meet the concerns of the clubs who did this, but since they were arguing in bad faith they've gone ahead and done it anyway (kind of like Camerons pre brexit negotiations with the EU)

[The Larch]

That reform of the Champions League is apparently what triggered this latest iteration of the European Super League, but seeing many of the intended changes that the ESL wants to implement I'd say that's an excuse to simply change the competition model.

Isn't it the other way?
The champions league reform was to meet the concerns of the clubs who did this, but since they were arguing in bad faith they've gone ahead and done it anyway (kind of like Camerons pre brexit negotiations with the EU)

I guess it's some kind of chicken & egg situation, but they're definitely linked.

[Sheilbh]

I've heard with spurs the reason Jose was sacked was opposition to the super league stuff and refusal to take the team out for training due to it?

Which doesn't sound like Mourinio but hope it's true.

I think the source of that was Chico Azul who is an Everton shitposter who, every transfer window, starts the most absurd rumours that then end up getting picked up (especially about Newcastle for some reason

I think this is just mid season fun for him.

Isn't it the other way?
The champions league reform was to meet the concerns of the clubs who did this, but since they were arguing in bad faith they've gone ahead and done it anyway (kind of like Camerons pre brexit negotiations with the EU)

Also - and I have as many issues with UEFA as the next man - but UEFA and the Champions League are at least in theory open to all of Europe. I hate the "big six" in this country and I hate the "big five" leagues dominating and getting their way. It may be the misty-eyed romantic in me, but I want a European competition with Ajax and Benfica and Dynamo Kyiv etc - and despite the controversies and how much English clubs hate playing them also for champions like Slavia Prague to be playing. If it's a European league it should be European - not the five richest/most dominant leagues and invited guests

[Josquius]

Mostly agreed. Though I do have sympathy when it comes to playing Eastern European teams with horrid nazi fan bases.
A true champions league would be excellent, even if it did work much like the Scottish league and came down to which of the few teams with a chance of winning clipped the most hurdles along the way.

Speaking of which I recall reading a few weeks ago somebody prominent was talking of an auld alliance league to save Scottish football.

[Sheilbh]

Mostly agreed. Though I do have sympathy when it comes to playing Eastern European teams with horrid nazi fan bases.
A true champions league would be excellent, even if it did work much like the Scottish league and came down to which of the few teams with a chance of winning clipped the most hurdles along the way.

Return to a true Champions League and a Cup Winners' Cup as God intended.

I agree on teams with Nazi fan bases (and while Eastern Europe is generally the worst, we've seen racial abuse from teams across Europe), this is one of the circumstances where I think if UEFA had balls on punishing it could help change things. At the minute it feels like everything is left to the players which is not the way it should be.

[Josephus]

Mostly agreed. Though I do have sympathy when it comes to playing Eastern European teams with horrid nazi fan bases.
A true champions league would be excellent, even if it did work much like the Scottish league and came down to which of the few teams with a chance of winning clipped the most hurdles along the way.

Return to a true Champions League and a Cup Winners' Cup as God intended.

This. I do think the Champions League is the best, and most exciting tournament, but it has gotten watered down over the years with too many teams. Just have the league winners and a cup winners tournament. And then have a Euro League for the "rest of the has-beens."

You should also have a preliminary round, so that the, say, Latvian champions aren't playing Real Madrid in the first round. Weed out the minnows to 3-4 teams.

[Josquius]

The problem there is it misses the potential fun of Helsinki FC walloping Man Utds under 21s and knocking them out.

[Tamas]

Mostly agreed. Though I do have sympathy when it comes to playing Eastern European teams with horrid nazi fan bases.
A true champions league would be excellent, even if it did work much like the Scottish league and came down to which of the few teams with a chance of winning clipped the most hurdles along the way.

Return to a true Champions League and a Cup Winners' Cup as God intended.

This. I do think the Champions League is the best, and most exciting tournament, but it has gotten watered down over the years with too many teams. Just have the league winners and a cup winners tournament. And then have a Euro League for the "rest of the has-beens."

You should also have a preliminary round, so that the, say, Latvian champions aren't playing Real Madrid in the first round. Weed out the minnows to 3-4 teams.

They already have several qualification rounds.

[The Larch]

You should also have a preliminary round, so that the, say, Latvian champions aren't playing Real Madrid in the first round. Weed out the minnows to 3-4 teams.

There are already several preliminary rounds in the Champions League. There are 3 or 4 qualification rounds before the group stage.

[Grey Fox]

I wonder if this will help the development of better National teams. Especially for England.