G14

[AJ]

Europe's football associations have stepped up their opposition to the G14 organisation, vowing to defend the sport's interests in the face of recent challenges from "a self-appointed group of clubs."

At a meeting of the UEFA Congress in Budapest on Thursday, the associations unanimously approved a resolution aimed at fighting what it called "closed shop" football.

"Football is about fairness, opportunity, excitement and variety," insisted the resolution, which was brought to congress by UEFA's Executive Committee.

"It is not a closed shop, where only the richest and most powerful are invited to the table."

G14 was formed in 2000 by 14 of Europe's top clubs, and was joined by four more two years later. Members include Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United, and the group aims to ensure its clubs get automatic qualification for the UEFA Champions League every year.

The group, who is pitted against Uefa, Fifa and the national associations, wants the regulations surrounding the compulsory release of players for international matches changed, and the clubs compensated if players are injured turning out for their countries. G14 recently asked Fifa for €860 million to cover the cost of players called away on international duty.

The group also wants executive representation with Uefa and more cash from the game's governing bodies, including from the European Championship and World Cup.

While not naming G14 explicitly, the Uefa resolution said that the "self-appointed group of clubs are not interested in protecting competition, but only interested in protecting themselves and their economic interests and in dictating their conditions on others."

French legend Michel Platini also recently attacked the G14 for using sport as a means of making a profit.

"It has all become a money matter. The big clubs always want more, but they are not alone in the world," he said.

"G14 goes where the money is. For them sport is a way to make money, and that won't help football regain its prestige."

In a speech to the Congress ahead of Thursday's vote, Uefa president Lennart Johansson argued that G14 was looking to "flout the fundamental principles of democracy by pompously proclaiming themselves to be 'the voice of the clubs'."

The passing of the resolution aims to defend the rights of smaller clubs to participate in European competitions, maintain current rules on the international release of players and defend the marketing structure of the lucrative Champions League competition.

The G14 group denies it wants to set up a breakaway elite league in Europe.

Am I the only one who hadn't heard of this til now?

I just looked it up since driving home I heard on the Radio1 that Arsenal, ManU and Liverpool have been threatened that they'll be kicked out the Premiership over it or something. :blink:

[ONO]

I highly doubt they'll kick any of those teams out of the Premiership. Those teams make a lot of money for the FA, Uefa and Fifa. It's only fair that they get compensated if one of their players is injured in international duty. I don't agree with the "We should qualify every year regardless of our position", I don't find that fair at all.

[The LBTN Express]

They threaten to pull out of the leagues every year it seems. I think once they all demanded that they be given automatic places in the Champions League whether they qualified or not.

It's all just hollow threats in the end as they'll never pull away and form their own league becuase let's face it, none of them will want to be bottom of league.

[AJ]

It's all just hollow threats in the end as they'll never pull away and form their own league becuase let's face it, none of them will want to be bottom of league.

You misread what I posted, the clubs were threatened by the FA/UEFA/whoever... the clubs didn't threaten to leave the Premiership.

[ONO]

Not even that, the amount of money both parties generate will blow it all over. They were talking about how much Man Utd lost after they failed to qualify, how much was it again? I believe it was over the £10m mark anyway. Plus, Uefa holds the TV rights, advertising among other things.

[The LBTN Express]

It's all just hollow threats in the end as they'll never pull away and form their own league becuase let's face it, none of them will want to be bottom of league.

You misread what I posted, the clubs were threatened by the FA/UEFA/whoever... the clubs didn't threaten to leave the Premiership.