Football (Soccer) Thread

[Sheilbh]

But how is that any different from the Champions or Europa League now? For example, this year Aston Villa (infamously) had Maccabi Tel Aviv but also Fenerbahce. As far as I can see timezones are just a fact in a European competition.

As I say this perhaps slightly depends on what issues you're trying to fix. In my view everything UEFA has done has been to minimise the jeopardy to the "big" clubs (often at the expense of historically very big clubs/leagues) and maximise the chance of those clubs winning but also of it being the same few clubs at the final stages every year. And in part that's because they're matching games that are of interest to neutrals and may produce better football but I don't like it

I also think it's a part of the weakening of historically strong leagues/countries (why in an ideal world I'd like an East/West split but sadly Western Europe's just too strong for that to work whereas North/South is more balanced). So my view get rid of the league and split up the "big" teams.

[Zoupa]

NHL hockey games are spread over multiple time zones the size of Europe or less. They play over 80 games a season. You'll be fine.

[crazy canuck]

NHL hockey games are spread over multiple time zones the size of Europe or less. They play over 80 games a season. You'll be fine.

The Brits get nervous going the next town over

[Josquius]

My big idea on European football is to follow the Americans and have conferences (I'd like East/West but I think practically it would be as competitive) on North/South to slightly split up the big teams and increase chance they knock each other out and mean you'd never have a final with two clubs from the same country.

So Spain and Portugal, Balkans (including Greece and Turkey), Italy etc leading to one wing of the final and England, Germany, Benelux, Nordics, Poland etc in the other. Separate tournaments basically leading to the final.

Unsure on where France belongs.

That and bringing back the Cup Winner's Cup!

I'm not sure here.
Theres positives in reducing travel time and emissions, but it boosts the amount of repeat fixtures we get year after year.
If English teams are always playing Dutch teams then every year it's Arsenal vs Ajax. Arsenal vs Fenerbahce or whoever will just never happen.

Incidentally, we really need controls on domestic travel.
Teams taking private planes on 15 minute flights to get to away fixtures. Pff.

[Duque de Bragança]

But how is that any different from the Champions or Europa League now? For example, this year Aston Villa (infamously) had Maccabi Tel Aviv but also Fenerbahce. As far as I can see timezones are just a fact in a European competition.

Europa League, not Champion's League. I actually like those "European"-wide confrontations. Ideally, Israel would play in Asia, however, but it won't happen anytime soon.

As I say this perhaps slightly depends on what issues you're trying to fix. In my view everything UEFA has done has been to minimise the jeopardy to the "big" clubs (often at the expense of historically very big clubs/leagues) and maximise the chance of those clubs winning but also of it being the same few clubs at the final stages every year. And in part that's because they're matching games that are of interest to neutrals and may produce better football but I don't like it

I can agree with that, but not your proposed solutions.

I also think it's a part of the weakening of historically strong leagues/countries (why in an ideal world I'd like an East/West split but sadly Western Europe's just too strong for that to work whereas North/South is more balanced). So my view get rid of the league and split up the "big" teams.

We need to go back to the Bosman ruling and its implementation, and limit to the end of exploitation of players by clubs.

Back to your ideas, real CL starts by the end of the group or whatever new round robin they come up with. Your proposal only worsens a bad situation.
Your South Conference (Anglo NA style yuck!) makes it a – boring – playground for top Spanish clubs.
Might be more of a show with PSG-QSI. Former local such as Olympitre de Marseille, assuming they sort out their mess (big if I know) would play in your South, Gianni-inspired, League.

Even now, Franco FC 1 & 2 plus Barça may have at least a (the?) top German club, or a Qatari Club, some EPL Club before the (conference) final.

[Duque de Bragança]

NHL hockey games are spread over multiple time zones the size of Europe or less. They play over 80 games a season. You'll be fine.

La LNH n'est pas un modèle pour le football (-association) européen, désolé. Sans même parler de ses règles à la con, qui font que je ne regarde plus guère que le hockey olympique ou des championnats du monde.

[Grey Fox]

Why not? I think the NHL model would make EUFA football a lot more successful. The last 25 years have not been great.

[Duque de Bragança]

For the NHL? 

[Grey Fox]

Pretty great. No Middle East ownership, no dilution of the product, no domination by a side of the pyramid.

[Norgy]

Why not? I think the NHL model would make EUFA football a lot more successful. The last 25 years have not been great.

What are you on about?
The Champions League and the rest of the competitions in UEFA ownership have been money machines. This is the real issue at stake, actually. Some equitable solution for the national leagues and for lower leagues, where young talent still come in droves.

The top level is rather set in stone and the clubs to some extent control the means of production in the shape of academies and junior recruitment.

The things I would take from North American leagues are few, but a wage cap, and a more equitable transfer system are among them.

However, the world of futbolsoccerfootball is quintessential late stage capitalism and won't be reformed. This is why certain segments of fans are turning away and towards lower league clubs in some countries. Ironically, the most capitalist major nation in Europe, Germany, has the lowest ticket prices among all the big leagues. Because clubs exist more for fans than to exploit them.

Soon, it will be a new season, and a new shirt to buy for nearly 200 Euros. 

[Jacob]

Pretty great. No Middle East ownership, no dilution of the product, no domination by a side of the pyramid.

On the flip-side, selling and moving franchises are an abomination.

[Sheilbh]

We need to go back to the Bosman ruling and its implementation, and limit to the end of exploitation of players by clubs.

Back to your ideas, real CL starts by the end of the group or whatever new round robin they come up with. Your proposal only worsens a bad situation.
Your South Conference (Anglo NA style yuck!) makes it a – boring – playground for top Spanish clubs.
Might be more of a show with PSG-QSI. Former local such as Olympitre de Marseille, assuming they sort out their mess (big if I know) would play in your South, Gianni-inspired, League.

Even now, Franco FC 1 & 2 plus Barça may have at least a (the?) top German club, or a Qatari Club, some EPL Club before the (conference) final.

So on my idea - and I haven't mapped out the exact maps South would include Spain, Italy, Portugal, Turkey, Greece, the Balkans and maybe France, maybe Switzerland (as I say not actually worked out the numbers) - France is a challenge.

I think there is a bigger chance of a club from Portugal, Turkey etc going on a run to the final in that structure than if they're up against not just Spain, Italy and maybe France but also the English and German teams.

Same for the North with Germany, England (and maybe France) but also the Dutch teams, Poland, the Nordics, Czech teams - in the future Russia. I think there's more chance of a run by a team outside Germany England (and maybe France).

Most ilkely, most years it would be a German or English team v a Spanish or Italian team (plus France wherever they are). But it would never be two teams from the same league taking both final spots (which I think is an abomination) - and as I say I think it would actually open up the chance of a run form one of the other traditionally strong leagues that increasingly no longer get a look in.

[Duque de Bragança]

Soon, it will be a new season, and a new shirt to buy for nearly 200 Euros. 

Not 200 € yet, but then there is the second(away?), third, fourth and soon fifth jersey.  Plus whatever commemorative jerseys.
So your point stills stands.

[Josquius]

I'm 100% down with smashing the capitalist machine in football.
It's simply insane that finishing a spot higher in the Premier league, even an irrelevant shift like 10th to 9th, earns a team more than winning the FA Cup.

Goes back to my wondering about european competitions too. For clubs the incentive is absolutely to qualify for the higher tournaments.
Though for fans surely there's a preference for your team to finish a little lower and get to the winnable Europa or conference leagues.

[Sheilbh]

Pleased to hear that both British broadcsters (BBC and ITV) don't plan to show the half-time show. They're just going to have a slightly extended punditry period. Which makes sense because half-time is the pundits talking about key moments, what needs to change for each team etc and they'd basically be able to do like five minutes of that if they were showing a half-time show.