Football (Soccer) Thread

[Sheilbh]

I find it disgusting. When they faced peaceful women they went in guns blazing and knees in spines. Replace women with angry teenage boys and suddenly that thirst for decisive action is gone.

As I said about the vigil - I think the Met's basic approach is if they think they can disperse you without receiving much violence they will, if they don't they won't. Which I'm not sure is a great public order policing strategy.

Well, I mean, what do you expect? Public pressure made them retreat and re-accept UEFA skimming their milk but there was slim chance they'd suddenly buy the sanctimonious "omg sport is ruinered" shrilling, especially it coming from corrupt bastards like UEFA and FIFA.

And their fans, their players and their managers. Given that you'd expect some sort of pro forma "we've listened to what you said and we got this wrong. We'll work to re-engage with our supporters yadda yadda" - the sort of statement they all issued when they were furloughing staff or whatever.

Although as the Guardian pointed out the Spurs line "we should like to thank all those supporters who presented their considered opinions" is great

[FunkMonk]

Arsenal actually apologized which was quite nice of them.

Kroenke still needs to go immediately.

[FunkMonk]

Mint Barney Ronay in the Guardian:

As the sun dipped below the roof-line of Stamford Bridge something strange began to happen. The birds flew backwards through the sky, the cats barked, the trees turned a tangerine hue, and Roman Abramovich became, at a stroke, the protector of the people's game, enemy of the elites, the oligarch of the masses.

What world is this we have now entered? How far have we travelled through the looking glass? What powerful hallucinogenic drugs have been administered to lead us in the space of three days to a place where the hordes of football supporters on the Fulham Road can proclaim English football's original – and most dizzyingly transformative oligarch – as their white knight, tender of the grass roots, pharaoh of pyramid and all the rest of it?

[Sheilbh]

So FA threatened a domestic competition ban and withdraw the "governing body endorsements" granted by the FA which are basically necessary to get a work visa. From what I understand that would mean the "big six" would be in a European Super League and no English competitions but, after Brexit, only able to sign British players

Apparently the FA was emboldened by strong support from government:
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/apr/20/chelsea-and-manchester-city-quit-super-league-after-fa-ban-warning

[Jacob]

So FA threatened a domestic competition ban and withdraw the "governing body endorsements" granted by the FA which are basically necessary to get a work visa. From what I understand that would mean the "big six" would be in a European Super League and no English competitions but, after Brexit, only able to sign British players

Apparently the FA was emboldened by strong support from government:
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/apr/20/chelsea-and-manchester-city-quit-super-league-after-fa-ban-warning

Yeah, it'd probably be hard to sell the TV rights for that for billions of dollars.

[Sheilbh]

I mean I'd have morbid curiousity in watching England's sixth best centre back partnership going up against Juventus and Inter - but probably not every week.

I feel like this could be seismic. For the last 30 years these mega-clubs have held all the cards in negotiations with domestic leagues and with UEFA because they've threatened to leave and form a super league. And they've got loads of changes because of that threat, but I'm not sure that leverage works now they've gone and done it

Edit: Amazing - Agnelli gave an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport which is in Wednesday's edition printed before tonight's decisions. In it he clamed the Super League was "a blood pact" and has a "100% chance of success"

[The Larch]

Inter pulls out, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Barely one hour ago they were saying that all 3 Italian clubs would act together about staying or leaving. 

[Richard Hakluyt]

I find it interesting that the rich men behind this scheme seem to have had no idea how the average football fan would react. These ultra-rich are on a different planet these days. I feel that if inequality continues to increase there may be unpleasant solutions as the ruling class loses touch and does not make the necessary adjustments to maintain civic order.

[garbon]

I find it interesting that the rich men behind this scheme seem to have had no idea how the average football fan would react. These ultra-rich are on a different planet these days. I feel that if inequality continues to increase there may be unpleasant solutions as the ruling class loses touch and does not make the necessary adjustments to maintain civic order.

I mean I agree with your general point but I feel it may be a tad grandiose to link this as an example supporting the demise of civilization.

[Richard Hakluyt]

yes and no 

The working class are already exceedingly pissed-off here in the UK and now there was an attempt to take their game from them; it has turned out to be a damp squib but it is also an entry on a long list.

[Tamas]

Yeah they certainly had that feeling once all the people deeply interested in maintaining the status quo have told them so but was it really in danger? UEFA's Champions League was certainly in mortal danger, but any risk to the domestic competitions came from UEFA and the FA's threats of retribution if UEFA's financial interests are not considered.

I just can't see this as a "seismic moment". I never like when stagnation wins over change, as stagnation inevitably leads to decay. I think the seismic change would have been this Super League and even if it eventually would have flopped it would have triggered positive changes overall.

Couple of user comments in the Guardian which largely match how I am feeling:

At least we can all go back to the warm embrace of football's true custodians, champions of the fans and of the people's game: Sky and UEFA. Can't wait to go back to quietly paying £45 a month for TV and lobbying for a ticket as part of a 10% allocation in a European final held in whichever state handed over the biggest backhander

So where are we now? The ridiculous European Super League has gone, six English clubs have revealed themselves to be selfish, greedy bastards (and who is shocked by that?), our opportunistic Prime Minister seized on an absolute gift and gained some personal pride and credit, and the damn Champions League - already a bloated, often tedious, usually predictable tournament that's very bloody close to a closed shop already - has forced through changes that will make it even worse.

[Josquius]

I do wonder to what extent EUROPE in the name pissed off the fuckwits

[Tamas]

The live-commentary running journos at the Guardian do not bother with an objective stance on this one. e.g.

None of you seem particularly impressed with [Liverpool owner] Henry's effort. His words are particularly jarring when you think about the last few days. He calls it "disruption". It was a betrayal.

Got to hand it to the press, they very quickly turned a betrayal of UEFA execs into a betrayal of all people.

[Josquius]

Oh. And as to where we are now.
We continue living in our neo liberal late stage capitalist hellscape. As who knows. Maybe one day you will be a millionaire!
Rather than the authoritarian dictatorship where you know your place and shut up that the ESL presented.

[garbon]

yes and no 

The working class are already exceedingly pissed-off here in the UK and now there was an attempt to take their game from them; it has turned out to be a damp squib but it is also an entry on a long list.

Part of the game being taken away narrative was because people in positions of power and influence found it in their interests to promote the narrative that the game was being taken from them.