European Super League announced; collapses

[JasonM]

I think it might be feasible, but I expect it leads to more stratification in football between haves and have-nots. To not even speak of how you're going to be filling that top league.

I also don't think there's that much interest in it from football fans in general. European cup ties are the cherry on top, rather than the entire cake. Taking away domestic football for some or most clubs in favour of a regionalised division system will take away a lot of the magic involved in football.

Also, it seems like a system that will significantly advantage bigger/better clubs than it does smaller less established clubs. Sure, Ajax will make good bank in such a system. But what about the mid-table, lower table, and the second division? Are they expected to putter around europe too, or will they end up in a fangless league because the big clubs are all off on their candyland adventure?

I think, despite being flawed, that the three-tiered european cup system is one of the ways to go. I don't like the new setup for the Champions League because it's confusing at best (how will they give everyone 10 games when there's 35 opponents?). But the knockout and group stages creates a sense of randomness where you will have unexpected teams getting into the latter stages through a mixture of luck and hard work.

A 'top league' would take away that randomness, and I feel is inherently worse for football since it'll further give advantages to powerful clubs. And it's already pretty unfair by giving guaranteed group stages to multiple clubs per league (rather than just the champion)

[Colly]

7 hours ago, metalman said:

But apparently Inter are thinking of junking it. Might the "Super League" just be the Spanish clubs plus Juventus? If so, lol.

The Spanglo-Italian Cup.

[Matt]

I'm not going to congratulate any team for backing out, that's like congratulating an adult for not drinking bleach. These corporations tried to kill football and just because they put the money back after they were caught with their hands in the till doesn't mean we can forgive or forget what they wanted to do. 

 

The lot of them are the absolute scum of football.

[The Lusophone]

50+1 is still coming for you John.

[JasonM]

6 minutes ago, Matt said:

I'm not going to congratulate any team for backing out, that's like congratulating an adult for not drinking bleach. These corporations tried to kill football and just because they put the money back after they were caught with their hands in the till doesn't mean we can forgive or forget what they wanted to do. 

 

The lot of them are the absolute scum of football.

Yeah I don't see why anyone would want to congratulate any of the teams that stepped out. They were fully committed to this until the ground under them started shaking and they felt their bottom line being affected.

They'll try again, it's inevitable I feel. And I think they're just going to hope that people grow weary enough of being outraged that one day they might slip the idea through the cracks in the armor.

I'm glad they came to their senses all the same, but the owners sure as hell didn't do it out of a love for the game or an understanding what they did wrong.

[Jimmy]

9 minutes ago, Matt said:

I'm not going to congratulate any team for backing out, that's like congratulating an adult for not drinking bleach. These corporations tried to kill football and just because they put the money back after they were caught with their hands in the till doesn't mean we can forgive or forget what they wanted to do. 

 

The lot of them are the absolute scum of football.

Happy to congratulate some of the players that lead the way though. And the fans who voiced their hate. It's a shame the "team" has never been more clearly split between the board and the people who actually make a club. 

Our statement is awful. So so bad. 

[Baddar]

Just saw a clip of the protests at Stamford Bridge and one sign read;

WE WANT OUR COLD NIGHTS IN STOKE

[JasonM]

1 minute ago, Jimmy said:

Happy to congratulate some of the players that lead the way though. 

Our statement is awful. So so bad. 

I think everyone can agree that James Milner saved football and nobody else.

[Matt]

6 minutes ago, Baddar said:

Just saw a clip of the protests at Stamford Bridge and one sign read;

WE WANT OUR COLD NIGHTS IN STOKE

I think relegating the scum 6 to the championship sounds fair

[Chris2K]

17 minutes ago, Jimmy said:

Happy to congratulate some of the players that lead the way though. And the fans who voiced their hate. It's a shame the "team" has never been more clearly split between the board and the people who actually make a club. 

Our statement is awful. So so bad. 

Ours is the epitomy of "we're sorry you got offended by our selfish and heartless decision".

[DavidMarrio]

20 minutes ago, Matt said:

I think relegating the scum 6 to the championship sounds fair

My only point against this is so the fans, players and staff who had nothing to do with it are the ones who are gonna get punished probably more so than the actual owners. We're at our highest value ever and could just get sold and then it's like the owners are gone yet the people who had nothing to do with it are punished. 

It's something I have thought about a lot of punishments like that, being banned from Europe etc but in terms of just relegating a division it's a non punishment. You'd expect on paper 3 of the 6 to get promoted in a season and then it's just like oh. Pretty much like Juve when they got relegated to Serie B and basically pissed the division with most of the same players. 

You need to hit the owners somewhere where it actually bothers them and that's their pocket. Fine the fuck out the teams. Record fines, distribute the money from the fines to all the teams in the Prem and football league. 

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

[Plubby]

Leeds: Earn it

Everyone: *cheers*

  

28 minutes ago, Matt said:

I think relegating the scum 6 to the championship sounds fair

 

well okay do we stand on the side of earning it or do we not?

[Colly]

6 minutes ago, Plubby said:

Leeds: Earn it

Everyone: *cheers*

  

 

well okay do we stand on the side of earning it or do we not?

They'd have to earn promotion.

Honestly I don't see a contradiction in Matt's post. Just because you have to earn Champions League doesn't mean you can't be punished for this nonsense, and he of all people knows all about points deductions for reasons beyond the control of playing staff.

[Plubby]

I just think that there's such a marked difference between anything that anyone's been docked points for before and this,  in terms of the spirit of earning things through play - especially as far as the domestic leagues are concerned.

I'd be more for a ban from European competition for some number of years than domestic relegation.

[The Kraig]

31 minutes ago, JasonM said:

I think it might be feasible, but I expect it leads to more stratification in football between haves and have-nots. To not even speak of how you're going to be filling that top league.

I also don't think there's that much interest in it from football fans in general. European cup ties are the cherry on top, rather than the entire cake. Taking away domestic football for some or most clubs in favour of a regionalised division system will take away a lot of the magic involved in football.

Also, it seems like a system that will significantly advantage bigger/better clubs than it does smaller less established clubs. Sure, Ajax will make good bank in such a system. But what about the mid-table, lower table, and the second division? Are they expected to putter around europe too, or will they end up in a fangless league because the big clubs are all off on their candyland adventure?

I think, despite being flawed, that the three-tiered european cup system is one of the ways to go. I don't like the new setup for the Champions League because it's confusing at best (how will they give everyone 10 games when there's 35 opponents?). But the knockout and group stages creates a sense of randomness where you will have unexpected teams getting into the latter stages through a mixture of luck and hard work.

A 'top league' would take away that randomness, and I feel is inherently worse for football since it'll further give advantages to powerful clubs. And it's already pretty unfair by giving guaranteed group stages to multiple clubs per league (rather than just the champion)

I agree, I also feel a tournament is more exciting than a league and is good contrast. Even group stages of competitions don't feel as exciting to me at the final 16, no matter who is playing. I can still see them trying to explore options like this, but losing tickets from the domestic season would really hurt financially.

 

13 minutes ago, MadJack said:

50+1 is still coming for you John.

He actually says 'sorry' which is more than I expected. That being said, I cringed when he said LFC. Do people actually call Liverpool "eleffsee" like this? Ugh. Stop that.

[Matt]

Guys, I was joking. Stoke are in the championship, you see.

[Lineker]

Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli: European Super League can no longer progress.

Quote

The European Super League founder and Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli has said that the breakaway can no longer go ahead after six English clubs withdrew.

Asked whether the project could still happen after the exits, Agnelli told Reuters: “To be frank and honest no, evidently that is not the case.”

 

[Hobo]

43 minutes ago, The Kraig said:

He actually says 'sorry' which is more than I expected. That being said, I cringed when he said LFC. Do people actually call Liverpool "eleffsee" like this? Ugh. Stop that.

Ive seen it used in certain circumstances but i feel like mostly by the club

it is used as written shorthand by journalists and stuff but rarely spoken afaik

[The Kraig]

2 minutes ago, Hobo said:

Ive seen it used in certain circumstances but i feel like mostly by the club

it is used as written shorthand by journalists and stuff but rarely spoken afaik

Leamington FC:

I guess it's a corporate brand thing. Hate it.