Football (Soccer) Thread

[Sheilbh]

It's absolutely crazy. I get that they know this would leak but to not even roll the pitch with governments for this announcement is the height of arrogance.

It's clearly a bunch of very rich men who've never been told "no" when dealing with football authorities, so assume they will never be told "no".

And in fairness they've been right so far.

[Jacob]

But I mean... the UK government have said they'll do what they can to stop it. Given fan reactions, it's probably a pretty good vote getter for them I'd imagine.

On a different tack, it sounds like JP Morgan are the initial sponsors.

[The Larch]

It's pretty clear that this is something that has been brewed in boardrooms with no communication whatsoever with any other department of each club.

And Florentino has been proposing something similar to this for more thna a decade to anyone who would listen, so it's only natural that he has no problem at all defending it publicly.

From what I've read the conversations have been around - I don't think the concept was a big surprise to UEFA and others. The surprise was that they decided to go ahead with it, without giving much warning and right as the CL agreement (which they were at the table for) was being announced.

This kind of idea has been floating around football's high spheres for years already, it used to resurface each 3-4 years or so, the only difference is that this time they seem to have pulled the trigger on it rather than just keep floating the idea.

[Sheilbh]

But I mean... the UK government have said they'll do what they can to stop it. Given fan reactions, it's probably a pretty good vote getter for them I'd imagine.

Yeah - sorry I just mean so far. I mean even now this is in the context of UEFA adjusting these teams demands for more games between big clubs (and I'm not keen on those changes either). In England they didn't get "Project Big Picture" (transfer all voting rights to the "big 6" plus Everton and West Ham - and six clubs need to agree anything to pass it), but they did get the Premier League and FA considering lots of changes to make it easier for them to play more European games, and to look at playing a game overseas etc.

People have talked about it a lot as more or less inevitable, they've just actually done it. What I find astonishing is that they didn't try and engage other key stakeholders - like government - or even get the full 15 founder members agreed before announcing it. I feel like it's either incredible arrogance or the story was about to break and they just decided to get it out.

But yeah I think they may have accidentally prompted a serious overhaul of the way football is governed in this country - it's very early days but DCMS seem quite taken by the idea of imposing the German model, at least on decision making, which is probably a nightmare for these clubs. Today was one of those days in the Commons when everyone on all sides was more or less united in anger - basically the Lib Dems and Labour were throwing out ideas of other measures the government can take and the government thanked them for their suggestions

Florentino is getting interviewed in the most god-awful sports show in our media in order to defend the ESL, and every single soundbite makes me want ot puke.

I see he's suggested that there could be a second division to the European Super League. It's like he's invented the Champions League and the Europa League

[The Larch]

People have talked about it a lot as more or less inevitable, they've just actually done it. What I find astonishing is that they didn't try and engage other key stakeholders - like government - or even get the full 15 founder members agreed before announcing it. I feel like it's either incredible arrogance or the story was about to break and they just decided to get it out.

I'd put my money on the news having leaked and having to rush it all. On sunday it was known already pretty early that an announcement would take place, and UEFA even put out a press release in coordination with the top leagues ahead of the official announcement, which had to be done ignominiously in the middle of the night. As a friend of mine who happens to be a sports journo just said on Twitter, if you want to pull this off you'd do a mega announcement with all 12 teams' presidents doing it in person in a lavish event (probably once the season is finished, as well), not publishing it past midnight on a sunday and having to explain yourself next day in a late night show.

[Jacob]

But yeah I think they may have accidentally prompted a serious overhaul of the way football is governed in this country - it's very early days but DCMS seem quite taken by the idea of imposing the German model, at least on decision making, which is probably a nightmare for these clubs.

I think that sounds delicious, but I don't actually know what the German model is.

Today was one of those days in the Commons when everyone on all sides was more or less united in anger - basically the Lib Dems and Labour were throwing out ideas of other measures the government can take and the government thanked them for their suggestions :lol

Yeah how could they not have lined up a few Tory mover and shakers behind this? Did they try and were they rejected? Or did they just figure they didn't need to?

[The Larch]

Get a load of this guy's hubris:

"It doesn't make sense that in La Liga most modest teams can turn a profit yet Barcelona ends up loosing lots of money"

[Jacob]

I'd put my money on the news having leaked and having to rush it all. On sunday it was known already pretty early that an announcement would take place, and UEFA even put out a press release in coordination with the top leagues ahead of the official announcement, which had to be done ignominiously in the middle of the night. As a friend of mine who happens to be a sports journo just said on Twitter, if you want to pull this off you'd do a mega announcement with all 12 teams' presidents doing it in person in a lavish event (probably once the season is finished, as well), not publishing it past midnight on a sunday and having to explain yourself next day in a late night show.

Yeah, that makes sense. I hope we one day get to find out what prompted the announcement now, rather than at a more opportune time.

[Jacob]

Get a load of this guy's hubris:

"It doesn't make sense that in La Liga most modest teams can turn a profit yet Barcelona ends up loosing lots of money"

... maybe you should manage your club better?

[Sheilbh]

Get a load of this guy's hubris:

"It doesn't make sense that in La Liga most modest teams can turn a profit yet Barcelona ends up loosing lots of money"

Okay - this is the thing that fucks me off the most. Almost all of these clubs have been hurt by covid - so has everyone else. But they're clubs with enormous riches which generally they have all mismanaged (Barca's the biggest example probably - but I think the decision making at United, Arsenal, Juve, Real and others has been pretty questionable for the best part of a decade).  And I just don't know if there's any reason to think that they'll manage more immense riches any better

I'd put my money on the news having leaked and having to rush it all. On sunday it was known already pretty early that an announcement would take place, and UEFA even put out a press release in coordination with the top leagues ahead of the official announcement, which had to be done ignominiously in the middle of the night. As a friend of mine who happens to be a sports journo just said on Twitter, if you want to pull this off you'd do a mega announcement with all 12 teams' presidents doing it in person in a lavish event (probably once the season is finished, as well), not publishing it past midnight on a sunday and having to explain yourself next day in a late night show.

That makes sense - and you probably announce it with 15 team presidents not 12 and [3 clubs tbc]

[FunkMonk]

As a garbage American Arsenal fan who is responsible for what is transpiring, someone tell me what club I should support now that my horribly-run, has-been club has finally jumped the shark.

[Sheilbh]

I think that sounds delicious, but I don't actually know what the German model is.

I think German clubs are owned by (with a couple of exceptions like Leverkeusen which are company clubs) by the fans and their stake cannot go below 50%+1. In the UK I don't think it would go that way in terms of ownership of shares, but I think they might look at basically a fans having 50%+1 voting rights on big decisions like this.

Yeah how could they not have lined up a few Tory mover and shakers behind this? Did they try and were they rejected? Or did they just figure they didn't need to?

Yeah. I can't think who they could get behind it but the fact it (from what I've read) didn't leak in the UK I don't think they even tried. I think it broke in the NYT which, to me, suggests the bank or one of the American ownership groups.

I think Larch's point is probably right. The details were breaking so they wanted to get ahead of it.

[Sheilbh]

As a garbage American Arsenal fan who is responsible for what is transpiring, someone tell me what club I should support now that my horribly-run, has-been club has finally jumped the shark.

I'd recommend Villa. Playing nice football at the minute, bit of classy heritage, similar-ish colours on their strip.

[FunkMonk]

As a garbage American Arsenal fan who is responsible for what is transpiring, someone tell me what club I should support now that my horribly-run, has-been club has finally jumped the shark.

I'd recommend Villa. Playing nice football at the minute, bit of classy heritage, similar-ish colours on their strip.

Hmm good idea. And Emi Martinez was an Arsenal man for many years. Some fans thought the club should have kept him and let Leno go. 

[Sheilbh]

Hmm good idea. And Emi Martinez was an Arsenal man for many years. Some fans thought the club should have kept him and let Leno go. 

Yeah -strong shout for signing of the season. And I am really pleased for him just because of how emotional he was at the FA Cup last year and then I felt got kind of done dirty by Arsenal (like Gunnersaurus).