This is the email Liverpool's CEO sent to all staff.
Dear Colleagues,
You will be aware of the announcement published late last night regarding Europe’s leading football Clubs coming together to establish a new mid-week competition, the European Super League, governed by its Founding Clubs.
It’s important as a member of our team that I share with you some of the context.
For quite some time now, Clubs, including our own, have held numerous longstanding concerns about not only the future of European football but also the way football is run by UEFA. The global pandemic has also accelerated the instability in the existing European football economic model.
We have therefore joined AC Milan, Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, Chelsea, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Juventus, Manchester City, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur as Founding Clubs of the Super League. It is anticipated that a further three Clubs will join ahead of the inaugural season, which is intended to commence as soon as practicable.
The Super League will be the future of European football and if we want to continue our journey of being a sustainable Club with ambition to grow and continue winning trophies then we should absolutely be part of that process and have a seat at the table rather than outside that group.
The new annual tournament will provide significantly greater economic growth and support for European football via a long-term commitment to uncapped solidarity payments which will grow in line with league revenues. These solidarity payments are expected to be roughly three times what is currently achieved from UEFA competitions. One of the core commitments of the European Super League is to vastly increase financial support for the football pyramid.
After the start of the men’s competition, a corresponding women’s league will also be launched, helping to advance and develop the women’s game.
We know that this announcement has provoked strong feelings within the game and elsewhere but we believe this decision is in the best long-term interests of Liverpool Football Club.
Importantly, this is the beginning of the journey and we can now start an engagement process with you, supporters and key stakeholders to help shape this process in the right way.
There is still much more information to come in due course.
I will keep you updated as we progress on this journey and discuss further on our Town Hall tomorrow.
Thank you for your continued support.
That last sentence must be one of the most out of touch sentences ever made by a football club, and there have been many
It's a circular to staff. Of course they'll support it or whatever will happen will happen. Not out of touch in this case.
I’m laying low for a while now lockdown is being eased.
Some seriously wound up people out there. I expect a significant increase in pub fights, road rage, domestic violence etc over the next few months.
Was just confronted in my car by a nutter. It’s shaken me up a bit.
anyone on the receiving end of politics, MP staffers, councillors etc will tell you that lockdown was a long conversation with the most angry, impatient and just rude individuals of any area.
Perhaps a mistake of the ESL was to make it too elitist....I wonder if they had proposed a two division system, with an element of promotion / relegation?
Pure greed. If they had just allowed one relegation a season, including the - boak - Founding Fathers, then much of the wild anger would have been defused. It would still be horribly unpopular, but not the Work of Satan.
This, this is the Work of Satan. No relegation at all. The big 12 clubs are the big 12 clubs for the rest of time, and no one else will ever break in.
It is despicable. The ruination of the world's favourite sport. It cannot stand
Any 'league' where there is no relegation cannot and shouldn't be taken seriously.
Promotion, relegation and the chance to progress to a higher level are fundamental to what football is all about.
Goodness me that is not a healthy man whatsoever, he needs to hit the gym
He's still got the charm tho. Look at the adoring faces of the public
You're right however he's not setting a good example to people, he said just a few months ago how important losing weight was, he's evidently not stuck to that.
It isn't easy, especially over winter under lockdown or if you're stressed.
I think it's a typo, in the video he is in the street outside the pub. He may have entered the pub with his team briefly to get away from the man shouting at him.
Perhaps a mistake of the ESL was to make it too elitist....I wonder if they had proposed a two division system, with an element of promotion / relegation?
Pure greed. If they had just allowed one relegation a season, including the - boak - Founding Fathers, then much of the wild anger would have been defused. It would still be horribly unpopular, but not the Work of Satan.
This, this is the Work of Satan. No relegation at all. The big 12 clubs are the big 12 clubs for the rest of time, and no one else will ever break in.
It is despicable. The ruination of the world's favourite sport. It cannot stand
Any 'league' where there is no relegation cannot and shouldn't be taken seriously.
Promotion, relegation and the chance to progress to a higher level are fundamental to what football is all about.
Got my hair cut this morning and got another outing booked for tomorrow evening to the pub.
I haven't yet failed to get a reservation anywhere - and that's in London.
I honestly think the so-called "boom" has been somewhat over-egged
Yet around here the best pubs are now fully booked until mid May.
It must be entirely area-dependant then. My point is that it's not consistently busy, across London. Which doesn't seem to suggest the boom is everywhere.
Perhaps a mistake of the ESL was to make it too elitist....I wonder if they had proposed a two division system, with an element of promotion / relegation?
Pure greed. If they had just allowed one relegation a season, including the - boak - Founding Fathers, then much of the wild anger would have been defused. It would still be horribly unpopular, but not the Work of Satan.
This, this is the Work of Satan. No relegation at all. The big 12 clubs are the big 12 clubs for the rest of time, and no one else will ever break in.
It is despicable. The ruination of the world's favourite sport. It cannot stand
That's a fair point, and probably will be a concession to Uefa – one relegation/promotion per season (although I suspect the promotion will be based on a historical coefficient that combines recent success with midterm success).
Ultimately there will end up being a package agreed – as nobody benefits from a breakaway/wildcat league. That simply won't happen.
Lol, what a joke. It's literally lie after lie after lie. Madrid and Barca have been going bankrupt for a decade, COVID had nothing to do with Barca spending €500m keeping Messi in employment and another €500m on players that barely get any game time.
How are Liverpool fans taking this? Spurs fans are basically all anti, even though it guarantees Spurs an elite place every season, almost all are against it.
Judging by the forums/groups I belong to I'd say it is about 99% opposed to it.
I'll be honest, I suspect about 85% of them will suck it up, because there's FOMO, and the fact it is the club we've supported our entire lives.
They are ripping into for the fact that four of the twelve super clubs have never won the Champions League/European Cup and the fact that Spurs and Arsenal are in it.
The only positive things about it is that Everton weren't invited and the fact most fans view UEFA with disdain.
Show some balls man! [Metaphorically] Find another club that deserves your support. You don't get many chances to change club in life. This is the perfect opportunity. I reckon far fewer than 85% will stick with it. Football fans of my aquaintance typically seem to loathe football as it has become. Typically they say they carry on going out of force of habit, or because it is how they see one particular group of friends, of relatives, or some such. Most seem desperate for a reason to stop.
Look, in recent years I've already given up on a lifelong association with the Tory Party, I'm not sure I can give up on LFC either.
If I stop supporting Liverpool then that's me done with football, I cannot transfer my loyalties elsewhere, I just cannot.
Why did you give up on the Tories? My interpretation is that you felt it had changed; that it had let you down; that it was no longer the party you thought you had joined; that it no longer stood for what you thought it did; that had you remained there you would just be some bloke who liked the word 'Conservative'. I'd say you could say the same about Liverpool. But you haven't given up on politics. You still take an interest; praise things you like and deride things you do not. You could do the same with football. Take a look at Barnsley, Rotherham, Dinnington Town, Nottingham Forest*. Each will have something to offer you. You might find a new home. How often do you actually get to Anfield? Who do you go with? Take the opportunity instead to choose a football match based on other factors than blind loyalty to a club which is showing little in return. Like an interesting stadium or a city which is worth visiting or a decent bit of countryside.
*I mention only these four because I know people who enjoy going to each and will continue to do so regardless of what the money boys do.
I’m laying low for a while now lockdown is being eased.
Some seriously wound up people out there. I expect a significant increase in pub fights, road rage, domestic violence etc over the next few months.
Was just confronted in my car by a nutter. It’s shaken me up a bit.
anyone on the receiving end of politics, MP staffers, councillors etc will tell you that lockdown was a long conversation with the most angry, impatient and just rude individuals of any area.
I feel for the staffers - from all parties.
Dealing with the general public is bloody miserable at times.
Goodness me that is not a healthy man whatsoever, he needs to hit the gym
He's still got the charm tho. Look at the adoring faces of the public
You're right however he's not setting a good example to people, he said just a few months ago how important losing weight was, he's evidently not stuck to that.
It isn't easy, especially over winter under lockdown or if you're stressed.
I've done it, it's perfectly possible to do it if you're motivated.
The reality is he wanted a cheap headline, which he got. Then he immediately decided not to stick to it.
He was the one who made this a big deal, he could at least lead from the front.
This is the email Liverpool's CEO sent to all staff.
Dear Colleagues,
You will be aware of the announcement published late last night regarding Europe’s leading football Clubs coming together to establish a new mid-week competition, the European Super League, governed by its Founding Clubs.
It’s important as a member of our team that I share with you some of the context.
For quite some time now, Clubs, including our own, have held numerous longstanding concerns about not only the future of European football but also the way football is run by UEFA. The global pandemic has also accelerated the instability in the existing European football economic model.
We have therefore joined AC Milan, Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, Chelsea, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Juventus, Manchester City, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur as Founding Clubs of the Super League. It is anticipated that a further three Clubs will join ahead of the inaugural season, which is intended to commence as soon as practicable.
The Super League will be the future of European football and if we want to continue our journey of being a sustainable Club with ambition to grow and continue winning trophies then we should absolutely be part of that process and have a seat at the table rather than outside that group.
The new annual tournament will provide significantly greater economic growth and support for European football via a long-term commitment to uncapped solidarity payments which will grow in line with league revenues. These solidarity payments are expected to be roughly three times what is currently achieved from UEFA competitions. One of the core commitments of the European Super League is to vastly increase financial support for the football pyramid.
After the start of the men’s competition, a corresponding women’s league will also be launched, helping to advance and develop the women’s game.
We know that this announcement has provoked strong feelings within the game and elsewhere but we believe this decision is in the best long-term interests of Liverpool Football Club.
Importantly, this is the beginning of the journey and we can now start an engagement process with you, supporters and key stakeholders to help shape this process in the right way.
There is still much more information to come in due course.
I will keep you updated as we progress on this journey and discuss further on our Town Hall tomorrow.
Thank you for your continued support.
That last sentence must be one of the most out of touch sentences ever made by a football club, and there have been many
It's a circular to staff. Of course they'll support it or whatever will happen will happen. Not out of touch in this case.
Perhaps a mistake of the ESL was to make it too elitist....I wonder if they had proposed a two division system, with an element of promotion / relegation?
Pure greed. If they had just allowed one relegation a season, including the - boak - Founding Fathers, then much of the wild anger would have been defused. It would still be horribly unpopular, but not the Work of Satan.
This, this is the Work of Satan. No relegation at all. The big 12 clubs are the big 12 clubs for the rest of time, and no one else will ever break in.
It is despicable. The ruination of the world's favourite sport. It cannot stand
That's a fair point, and probably will be a concession to Uefa – one relegation/promotion per season (although I suspect the promotion will be based on a historical coefficient that combines recent success with midterm success).
Ultimately there will end up being a package agreed – as nobody benefits from a breakaway/wildcat league. That simply won't happen.
I would have opposed a historical coefficient factor, except that the Champions League already crossed that bridge putting it into their proposal. I still dislike it, but the principle of that is already accepted by UEFA ridiculously so this isn't a UCL/Super League difference..
At least its theoretically possible for the coefficient to drop. In fact it can drop quite quickly.
Goodness me that is not a healthy man whatsoever, he needs to hit the gym
He's still got the charm tho. Look at the adoring faces of the public
You're right however he's not setting a good example to people, he said just a few months ago how important losing weight was, he's evidently not stuck to that.
It isn't easy, especially over winter under lockdown or if you're stressed.
I've done it, it's perfectly possible to do it if you're motivated.
The reality is he wanted a cheap headline, which he got. Then he immediately decided not to stick to it.
He was the one who made this a big deal, he could at least lead from the front.
Goodness me that is not a healthy man whatsoever, he needs to hit the gym
He's still got the charm tho. Look at the adoring faces of the public
You're right however he's not setting a good example to people, he said just a few months ago how important losing weight was, he's evidently not stuck to that.
It isn't easy, especially over winter under lockdown or if you're stressed.
I've done it, it's perfectly possible to do it if you're motivated.
The reality is he wanted a cheap headline, which he got. Then he immediately decided not to stick to it.
He was the one who made this a big deal, he could at least lead from the front.
Good for you.
Not everybody finds it as easy.
Then Boris Johnson shouldn't be making claims he can't keep, should he? It's not my problem.
Probably the best day on the Covid monitor since the pandemic began more than a year ago.
4!!
Goodness me, 0 deaths a day soon
EDIT
There have only been five days since records began with fewer reported deaths than today – 5, 6, 7 and 8 March 2020, almost 14 months ago... and a single day last summer (1 Sep, which had three reported deaths).
Goodness me that is not a healthy man whatsoever, he needs to hit the gym
He's still got the charm tho. Look at the adoring faces of the public
You're right however he's not setting a good example to people, he said just a few months ago how important losing weight was, he's evidently not stuck to that.
It isn't easy, especially over winter under lockdown or if you're stressed.
I've done it, it's perfectly possible to do it if you're motivated.
The reality is he wanted a cheap headline, which he got. Then he immediately decided not to stick to it.
He was the one who made this a big deal, he could at least lead from the front.
Good for you.
Not everybody finds it as easy.
Then Boris Johnson shouldn't be making claims he can't keep, should he? It's not my problem.
Did he claim it was easy?
I don't remember him doing so.
I can 100% relate to someone struggling. It's human. If you can't then you're insensitive not clever.
Perhaps a mistake of the ESL was to make it too elitist....I wonder if they had proposed a two division system, with an element of promotion / relegation?
Pure greed. If they had just allowed one relegation a season, including the - boak - Founding Fathers, then much of the wild anger would have been defused. It would still be horribly unpopular, but not the Work of Satan.
This, this is the Work of Satan. No relegation at all. The big 12 clubs are the big 12 clubs for the rest of time, and no one else will ever break in.
It is despicable. The ruination of the world's favourite sport. It cannot stand
Any 'league' where there is no relegation cannot and shouldn't be taken seriously.
Promotion, relegation and the chance to progress to a higher level are fundamental to what football is all about.
really?
For the fans of very big clubs, promotion and relegation has effectively been something everybody else goes through for some time now. The chance of relegation is effectively very low.
All the while they share the spoils around between them.
The new super league is a signal the clubs' owners are no longer prepared to finance this false state of grace.
Got my hair cut this morning and got another outing booked for tomorrow evening to the pub.
I haven't yet failed to get a reservation anywhere - and that's in London.
I honestly think the so-called "boom" has been somewhat over-egged
Yet around here the best pubs are now fully booked until mid May.
It must be entirely area-dependant then. My point is that it's not consistently busy, across London. Which doesn't seem to suggest the boom is everywhere.
I'm not booking in quiet areas either.
I think the capacity in London has been relatively high as it is more profitable to run a pub in London where there has been a culture of socialising. Elsewhere capacity has been eroded and particularly in relation to pubs with outdoor spaces.
Perhaps a mistake of the ESL was to make it too elitist....I wonder if they had proposed a two division system, with an element of promotion / relegation?
Pure greed. If they had just allowed one relegation a season, including the - boak - Founding Fathers, then much of the wild anger would have been defused. It would still be horribly unpopular, but not the Work of Satan.
This, this is the Work of Satan. No relegation at all. The big 12 clubs are the big 12 clubs for the rest of time, and no one else will ever break in.
It is despicable. The ruination of the world's favourite sport. It cannot stand
That's a fair point, and probably will be a concession to Uefa – one relegation/promotion per season (although I suspect the promotion will be based on a historical coefficient that combines recent success with midterm success).
Ultimately there will end up being a package agreed – as nobody benefits from a breakaway/wildcat league. That simply won't happen.
I would have opposed a historical coefficient factor, except that the Champions League already crossed that bridge putting it into their proposal. I still dislike it, but the principle of that is already accepted by UEFA ridiculously so this isn't a UCL/Super League difference..
At least its theoretically possible for the coefficient to drop. In fact it can drop quite quickly.
If it wasn't for the fact that I don't think UEFA are cunning enough I'd almost think that this was explicitly designed such that everyone looks at it in horror and then goes "Yeah, I take it all back, UEFA's suggestions that we'd all panned previously are waaay better than this pile of crock"
Perhaps a mistake of the ESL was to make it too elitist....I wonder if they had proposed a two division system, with an element of promotion / relegation?
Pure greed. If they had just allowed one relegation a season, including the - boak - Founding Fathers, then much of the wild anger would have been defused. It would still be horribly unpopular, but not the Work of Satan.
This, this is the Work of Satan. No relegation at all. The big 12 clubs are the big 12 clubs for the rest of time, and no one else will ever break in.
It is despicable. The ruination of the world's favourite sport. It cannot stand
That's a fair point, and probably will be a concession to Uefa – one relegation/promotion per season (although I suspect the promotion will be based on a historical coefficient that combines recent success with midterm success).
Ultimately there will end up being a package agreed – as nobody benefits from a breakaway/wildcat league. That simply won't happen.
You're far too optimistic about a compromise. I hope you're right but it seems to me this really is a detailed and determined effort to break entirely away. They want to run elite football, for themselves. Fuck UEFA, the FA, FIFA, Seria A, and so on. I can understand the desire to say Eff Off to FIFA but they are also saying Up Yours to fans around the world, and meanwhile severely damaging domestic leagues, especially the super-successful EPL.
They are crippling the most popular league in the world for some extra gold, which will turn to ashes.
And sadly I don't think they will ever agree to a relegation mechanism. The whole point of this is to preserve in aspic the superiority of the Shameless 12. eg Why would any of the weaker teams, like Arsenal, or AC Milan, agree to almost certain relegation in the first few seasons?
If they have relegation several of the teams would withdraw and the whole idea collapses, it only works because it guarantees them money forever. Even if, in reality, that might prove illusory
Got my hair cut this morning and got another outing booked for tomorrow evening to the pub.
I haven't yet failed to get a reservation anywhere - and that's in London.
I honestly think the so-called "boom" has been somewhat over-egged
Yet around here the best pubs are now fully booked until mid May.
It must be entirely area-dependant then. My point is that it's not consistently busy, across London. Which doesn't seem to suggest the boom is everywhere.
I'm not booking in quiet areas either.
I think the capacity in London has been relatively high as it is more profitable to run a pub in London where there has been a culture of socialising. Elsewhere capacity has been eroded and particularly in relation to pubs with outdoor spaces.
Fair point, although I guess my point is that if pubs in London are not full it doesn't suggest there's a huge boom going on. A small boom, I would suggest.
It remains to be seen whether it is maintained, I have my doubts.
Perhaps a mistake of the ESL was to make it too elitist....I wonder if they had proposed a two division system, with an element of promotion / relegation?
Pure greed. If they had just allowed one relegation a season, including the - boak - Founding Fathers, then much of the wild anger would have been defused. It would still be horribly unpopular, but not the Work of Satan.
This, this is the Work of Satan. No relegation at all. The big 12 clubs are the big 12 clubs for the rest of time, and no one else will ever break in.
It is despicable. The ruination of the world's favourite sport. It cannot stand
That's a fair point, and probably will be a concession to Uefa – one relegation/promotion per season (although I suspect the promotion will be based on a historical coefficient that combines recent success with midterm success).
Ultimately there will end up being a package agreed – as nobody benefits from a breakaway/wildcat league. That simply won't happen.
You're far too optimistic about a compromise. I hope you're right but it seems to me this really is a detailed and determined effort to break entirely away. They want to run elite football, for themselves. Fuck UEFA, the FA, FIFA, Seria A, and so on. I can understand the desire to say Eff Off to FIFA but they are also saying Up Yours to fans around the world, and meanwhile severely damaging domestic leagues, especially the super-successful EPL.
They are crippling the most popular league in the world for some extra gold, which will turn to ashes.
And sadly I don't think they will ever agree to a relegation mechanism. The whole point of this is to preserve in aspic the superiority of the Shameless 12. eg Why would any of the weaker teams, like Arsenal, or AC Milan, agree to almost certain relegation in the first few seasons?
If they have relegation several of the teams would withdraw and the whole idea collapses, it only works because it guarantees them money forever. Even if, in reality, that might prove illusory
I do love this comment I've just seen from elsewhere
I like the idea that someone had the brainwave ; "You know what football needs more of? ...More money".
Probably the best day on the Covid monitor since the pandemic began more than a year ago.
4!!
Goodness me, 0 deaths a day soon
EDIT
There have only been five days since records began with fewer reported deaths than today – 5, 6, 7 and 8 March 2020, almost 14 months ago... and a single day last summer (1 Sep, which had three reported deaths).
I think many of those people who are being admitted to hospital are now recovering from it rather than dieing as would have happened before the vaccines. Admissions are still falling but comparatively slowly. Deaths can't fall much more really. Things are looking very positive.
Perhaps a mistake of the ESL was to make it too elitist....I wonder if they had proposed a two division system, with an element of promotion / relegation?
Pure greed. If they had just allowed one relegation a season, including the - boak - Founding Fathers, then much of the wild anger would have been defused. It would still be horribly unpopular, but not the Work of Satan.
This, this is the Work of Satan. No relegation at all. The big 12 clubs are the big 12 clubs for the rest of time, and no one else will ever break in.
It is despicable. The ruination of the world's favourite sport. It cannot stand
That's a fair point, and probably will be a concession to Uefa – one relegation/promotion per season (although I suspect the promotion will be based on a historical coefficient that combines recent success with midterm success).
Ultimately there will end up being a package agreed – as nobody benefits from a breakaway/wildcat league. That simply won't happen.
One change a year? Every year? I can't see that being attractive to The Twelve. They think they're being generous giving five suckers clubs the chance to be the whipping boys join the competition each year.
Maybe a process like the old Football League re-election... something with the possibility of change when absolutely unavoidable but massive damping, so it hardly ever happens.
And the brute reality is that, after a few years of enormous and reliable funding, not even the most bloated plutocrat would be able to pump enough resources into an outsider club to break into the magic circle.
Perhaps a mistake of the ESL was to make it too elitist....I wonder if they had proposed a two division system, with an element of promotion / relegation?
Pure greed. If they had just allowed one relegation a season, including the - boak - Founding Fathers, then much of the wild anger would have been defused. It would still be horribly unpopular, but not the Work of Satan.
This, this is the Work of Satan. No relegation at all. The big 12 clubs are the big 12 clubs for the rest of time, and no one else will ever break in.
It is despicable. The ruination of the world's favourite sport. It cannot stand
That's a fair point, and probably will be a concession to Uefa – one relegation/promotion per season (although I suspect the promotion will be based on a historical coefficient that combines recent success with midterm success).
Ultimately there will end up being a package agreed – as nobody benefits from a breakaway/wildcat league. That simply won't happen.
You're far too optimistic about a compromise. I hope you're right but it seems to me this really is a detailed and determined effort to break entirely away. They want to run elite football, for themselves. Fuck UEFA, the FA, FIFA, Seria A, and so on. I can understand the desire to say Eff Off to FIFA but they are also saying Up Yours to fans around the world, and meanwhile severely damaging domestic leagues, especially the super-successful EPL.
They are crippling the most popular league in the world for some extra gold, which will turn to ashes.
And sadly I don't think they will ever agree to a relegation mechanism. The whole point of this is to preserve in aspic the superiority of the Shameless 12. eg Why would any of the weaker teams, like Arsenal, or AC Milan, agree to almost certain relegation in the first few seasons?
If they have relegation several of the teams would withdraw and the whole idea collapses, it only works because it guarantees them money forever. Even if, in reality, that might prove illusory
We'll see (I refer you to your similarly emphatic forecasts about the European Vaccine Embargo!)
Oh dear. Rotten luck for Keir there. That "Rod Humphries" sounds utterly ghastly. Thank the lord he won't be voting Labour.
Do the public want a politician who'll stand there and be shouted at? Or do they want someone who'll argue back? Wonder if it's a missed opportunity for Keir.
Perhaps a mistake of the ESL was to make it too elitist....I wonder if they had proposed a two division system, with an element of promotion / relegation?
Pure greed. If they had just allowed one relegation a season, including the - boak - Founding Fathers, then much of the wild anger would have been defused. It would still be horribly unpopular, but not the Work of Satan.
This, this is the Work of Satan. No relegation at all. The big 12 clubs are the big 12 clubs for the rest of time, and no one else will ever break in.
It is despicable. The ruination of the world's favourite sport. It cannot stand
Any 'league' where there is no relegation cannot and shouldn't be taken seriously.
Promotion, relegation and the chance to progress to a higher level are fundamental to what football is all about.
really?
For the fans of very big clubs, promotion and relegation has effectively been something everybody else goes through for some time now. The chance of relegation is effectively very low.
All the while they share the spoils around between them.
The new super league is a signal the clubs' owners are no longer prepared to finance this false state of grace.
If you are a Watford fan and - when we are in the Premier League - the chance of relegation is always effectively very high!
Perhaps a mistake of the ESL was to make it too elitist....I wonder if they had proposed a two division system, with an element of promotion / relegation?
Pure greed. If they had just allowed one relegation a season, including the - boak - Founding Fathers, then much of the wild anger would have been defused. It would still be horribly unpopular, but not the Work of Satan.
This, this is the Work of Satan. No relegation at all. The big 12 clubs are the big 12 clubs for the rest of time, and no one else will ever break in.
It is despicable. The ruination of the world's favourite sport. It cannot stand
That's a fair point, and probably will be a concession to Uefa – one relegation/promotion per season (although I suspect the promotion will be based on a historical coefficient that combines recent success with midterm success).
Ultimately there will end up being a package agreed – as nobody benefits from a breakaway/wildcat league. That simply won't happen.
You're far too optimistic about a compromise. I hope you're right but it seems to me this really is a detailed and determined effort to break entirely away. They want to run elite football, for themselves. Fuck UEFA, the FA, FIFA, Seria A, and so on. I can understand the desire to say Eff Off to FIFA but they are also saying Up Yours to fans around the world, and meanwhile severely damaging domestic leagues, especially the super-successful EPL.
They are crippling the most popular league in the world for some extra gold, which will turn to ashes.
And sadly I don't think they will ever agree to a relegation mechanism. The whole point of this is to preserve in aspic the superiority of the Shameless 12. eg Why would any of the weaker teams, like Arsenal, or AC Milan, agree to almost certain relegation in the first few seasons?
If they have relegation several of the teams would withdraw and the whole idea collapses, it only works because it guarantees them money forever. Even if, in reality, that might prove illusory
I do love this comment I've just seen from elsewhere
I like the idea that someone had the brainwave ; "You know what football needs more of? ...More money".
I think clubs here want to have a bigger slice of the EPL pie, but have been rebuffed each time. Fairly or unfairly, Philip Thompson is correct, the big six do bring in the lion's share of TV income and Liverpool, United, Arsenal and Spurs are extremely exposed by the threat of not having fans in the stadium because all four get more than a fifth of revenues from matchdays and the clubs are run to make a profit, not be bankrolled by billionaire owners.
I'm hoping that @Anabobazina is right and this is a negotiating ploy by them to get what they see as a fairer slice of EPL TV revenue, but I'm not sure that he is. I think Levy, Woodward and the rest have made the calculation that they can take the hit of lower EPL TV revenue because they will have about 11 more guaranteed European home matchdays against elite opposition, they will have the TV revenue from the ESL and after a few years once thing settle down they will be hoping the fans are willing to forgive and forget as they did for the formation of the PL.
Nope. Although my post is wrong above as we had a 3 death day on 1 Sep. Other than that one date, my post is correct though!
Without wanting to rain on your parade, daily reported deaths are now very noisy - the historical data added and removed is starting to be highly significant in relation to the deaths reported to day. We could well see a negative day soon. But more relevant is the deaths by date of death, which is getting very low indeed. Deaths reported by NHS England - which account for the majority of all deaths - by date of death, are now habitually into single figures.
Oh dear. Rotten luck for Keir there. That "Rod Humphries" sounds utterly ghastly. Thank the lord he won't be voting Labour.
Do the public want a politician who'll stand there and be shouted at? Or do they want someone who'll argue back? Wonder if it's a missed opportunity for Keir.
I'd hope they'd want one who'd listen for a while and, if not given a turn to respond, start responding over the rant with firm, polite insistence, until eventually saying something along the lines of "I'd happily debate this with you, when you are prepared to engage."
He got the headline he wanted in March, then immediately gave up.
What a charlatan.
I hope you never have to struggle with anything like your weight for the rest of your life.
Not everyone finds it as easy as you must. That doesn't make them charlatans.
In the early days of lockdown scared of the virus I lost just over 30 pounds. Over the last 6 months and specifically since the new lockdown at the end of December I have, sad to say, put 20 pounds back on again. I am now trying hard to lose some of that. It's a struggle involving an alcohol free diet and I sympathise with anyone who finds it difficult.
He got the headline he wanted in March, then immediately gave up.
What a charlatan.
I hope you never have to struggle with anything like your weight for the rest of your life.
Not everyone finds it as easy as you must. That doesn't make them charlatans.
I will have you know I struggled with weight and eating my entire childhood. Boris Johnson's attitude to the issue is to score a cheap headline, he is doing a disservice to people who need somebody to inspire them to lose weight.
If he's not the man for that, then he shouldn't have made such a big deal out of it. I stand by what I said, he's a charlatan.
Oh dear. Rotten luck for Keir there. That "Rod Humphries" sounds utterly ghastly. Thank the lord he won't be voting Labour.
Do the public want a politician who'll stand there and be shouted at? Or do they want someone who'll argue back? Wonder if it's a missed opportunity for Keir.
In fairness, he does snap back at the guy after listening to him that lockdown saved many lives so "I don't need any lectures from you" or something like that. It's an impossible situation for a politician, if you cut the guy off then you may well be reported as 'having a row' or 'losing your temper' with a voter instead of showing respect to the public - but as you say it makes you look very passive.
He got the headline he wanted in March, then immediately gave up.
What a charlatan.
I hope you never have to struggle with anything like your weight for the rest of your life.
Not everyone finds it as easy as you must. That doesn't make them charlatans.
I will have you know I struggled with weight and eating my entire childhood. Boris Johnson's attitude to the issue is to score a cheap headline, he is doing a disservice to people who need somebody to inspire them to lose weight.
If he's not the man for that, then he shouldn't have made such a big deal out of it. I stand by what I said, he's a charlatan.
I'm not sure you can make that judgement based on one picture taken from an odd perspective.
Oh dear. Rotten luck for Keir there. That "Rod Humphries" sounds utterly ghastly. Thank the lord he won't be voting Labour.
Do the public want a politician who'll stand there and be shouted at? Or do they want someone who'll argue back? Wonder if it's a missed opportunity for Keir.
Good point. I'd have liked to see him give the guy some stick. But there's this notion that a politician on walkabout must treat every member of the public they meet - even utter wankers like this "Rod" - with overt respect. I'm not sure it's good advice myself. As I say, I'd have liked to see the rule broken in this case. And when Biden told that gun loving jerk he met in that factory on the campaign trail for WH20 to "c'mon man, gimme a break" I thought it played well for him.
Somewhere in Conservative HQ some staffer is busy checking what donations J P Morgan have made to the Tory party and what other links there are between them and Tory Ministers.
He got the headline he wanted in March, then immediately gave up.
What a charlatan.
I hope you never have to struggle with anything like your weight for the rest of your life.
Not everyone finds it as easy as you must. That doesn't make them charlatans.
In the early days of lockdown scared of the virus I lost just over 30 pounds. Over the last 6 months and specifically since the new lockdown at the end of December I have, sad to say, put 20 pounds back on again. I am now trying hard to lose some of that. It's a struggle involving an alcohol free diet and I sympathise with anyone who finds it difficult.
I'm in the same shoes as you. I lost 30lbs this time last year, over the past few months I've put it all back on again. Chocolate and sweets are my downfall.
He got the headline he wanted in March, then immediately gave up.
What a charlatan.
I hope you never have to struggle with anything like your weight for the rest of your life.
Not everyone finds it as easy as you must. That doesn't make them charlatans.
I will have you know I struggled with weight and eating my entire childhood. Boris Johnson's attitude to the issue is to score a cheap headline, he is doing a disservice to people who need somebody to inspire them to lose weight.
If he's not the man for that, then he shouldn't have made such a big deal out of it. I stand by what I said, he's a charlatan.
If he'd said it was easy then you may have a point, he didn't he said it was difficult.
He also said its important. It is. Everyone who struggles with this knows its important.
You're being hatefilled and nasty and insulting to anyone who struggles because you dislike the man. Not because anything he said was wrong.
Perhaps a mistake of the ESL was to make it too elitist....I wonder if they had proposed a two division system, with an element of promotion / relegation?
Pure greed. If they had just allowed one relegation a season, including the - boak - Founding Fathers, then much of the wild anger would have been defused. It would still be horribly unpopular, but not the Work of Satan.
This, this is the Work of Satan. No relegation at all. The big 12 clubs are the big 12 clubs for the rest of time, and no one else will ever break in.
It is despicable. The ruination of the world's favourite sport. It cannot stand
That's a fair point, and probably will be a concession to Uefa – one relegation/promotion per season (although I suspect the promotion will be based on a historical coefficient that combines recent success with midterm success).
Ultimately there will end up being a package agreed – as nobody benefits from a breakaway/wildcat league. That simply won't happen.
You're far too optimistic about a compromise. I hope you're right but it seems to me this really is a detailed and determined effort to break entirely away. They want to run elite football, for themselves. Fuck UEFA, the FA, FIFA, Seria A, and so on. I can understand the desire to say Eff Off to FIFA but they are also saying Up Yours to fans around the world, and meanwhile severely damaging domestic leagues, especially the super-successful EPL.
They are crippling the most popular league in the world for some extra gold, which will turn to ashes.
And sadly I don't think they will ever agree to a relegation mechanism. The whole point of this is to preserve in aspic the superiority of the Shameless 12. eg Why would any of the weaker teams, like Arsenal, or AC Milan, agree to almost certain relegation in the first few seasons?
If they have relegation several of the teams would withdraw and the whole idea collapses, it only works because it guarantees them money forever. Even if, in reality, that might prove illusory
I do love this comment I've just seen from elsewhere
I like the idea that someone had the brainwave ; "You know what football needs more of? ...More money".
I think clubs here want to have a bigger slice of the EPL pie, but have been rebuffed each time. Fairly or unfairly, Philip Thompson is correct, the big six do bring in the lion's share of TV income and Liverpool, United, Arsenal and Spurs are extremely exposed by the threat of not having fans in the stadium because all four get more than a fifth of revenues from matchdays and the clubs are run to make a profit, not be bankrolled by billionaire owners.
I'm hoping that @Anabobazina is right and this is a negotiating ploy by them to get what they see as a fairer slice of EPL TV revenue, but I'm not sure that he is. I think Levy, Woodward and the rest have made the calculation that they can take the hit of lower EPL TV revenue because they will have about 11 more guaranteed European home matchdays against elite opposition, they will have the TV revenue from the ESL and after a few years once thing settle down they will be hoping the fans are willing to forgive and forget as they did for the formation of the PL.
Well said.
I hope a compromise is found that leaves a pyramid system, but I'm worried it won't. Americanisation of football and having franchises that can't be relegated is the worst possible position for our national sport to be in.
But anyway, re the politics of this 'superleague' thing, and cui bono, it got me musing about whether there is such a thing as Remainy football as distinct from Leavey football. At first I thought no, don’t be silly, but as I kept on determinedly considering the matter I had a change of heart and concluded that yes, yes there most certainly is, and it’s about the style of play.
When picturing the Remainy version of the game one sees something built around a coterie of diminutive, highly mobile ball players, deft of touch, slow to anger but prone to going down a bit too easily. Leavey football could not be more different. Here, the foundation is a brutish bunch of hard men at the back, good honest pros, and in front of them yet more good honest pros ready and willing to chase that long ball punted through.
The aesthetics of the first is probably superior, think that’s fair, but when it comes to what really matters, results, it’s if anything the other way around. I suspect most people realize this now.
Another way the government might fight back. Legal?
"Government will come under pressure not to award work permits to Premier League’s breakaway six for new foreign signings if the ESL comes to fruition. Would effectively prevent them from recruiting overseas players."
Oh dear. Rotten luck for Keir there. That "Rod Humphries" sounds utterly ghastly. Thank the lord he won't be voting Labour.
Do the public want a politician who'll stand there and be shouted at? Or do they want someone who'll argue back? Wonder if it's a missed opportunity for Keir.
I'd hope they'd want one who'd listen for a while and, if not given a turn to respond, start responding over the rant with firm, polite insistence, until eventually saying something along the lines of "I'd happily debate this with you, when you are prepared to engage."
Perhaps a mistake of the ESL was to make it too elitist....I wonder if they had proposed a two division system, with an element of promotion / relegation?
Pure greed. If they had just allowed one relegation a season, including the - boak - Founding Fathers, then much of the wild anger would have been defused. It would still be horribly unpopular, but not the Work of Satan.
This, this is the Work of Satan. No relegation at all. The big 12 clubs are the big 12 clubs for the rest of time, and no one else will ever break in.
It is despicable. The ruination of the world's favourite sport. It cannot stand
That's a fair point, and probably will be a concession to Uefa – one relegation/promotion per season (although I suspect the promotion will be based on a historical coefficient that combines recent success with midterm success).
Ultimately there will end up being a package agreed – as nobody benefits from a breakaway/wildcat league. That simply won't happen.
I would have opposed a historical coefficient factor, except that the Champions League already crossed that bridge putting it into their proposal. I still dislike it, but the principle of that is already accepted by UEFA ridiculously so this isn't a UCL/Super League difference..
At least its theoretically possible for the coefficient to drop. In fact it can drop quite quickly.
Yes but. Your co efficient drops quite quickly if you don't qualify for European football. 0 points for that season stays on your record for 5 years. If you can't not qualify it doesn't.
Another way the government might fight back. Legal?
"Government will come under pressure not to award work permits to Premier League’s breakaway six for new foreign signings if the ESL comes to fruition. Would effectively prevent them from recruiting overseas players."
Another way the government might fight back. Legal?
"Government will come under pressure not to award work permits to Premier League’s breakaway six for new foreign signings if the ESL comes to fruition. Would effectively prevent them from recruiting overseas players."
Another way the government might fight back. Legal?
"Government will come under pressure not to award work permits to Premier League’s breakaway six for new foreign signings if the ESL comes to fruition. Would effectively prevent them from recruiting overseas players."
If HMG finds a way to do this, that collapses the Superleague
The criteria for a work permit, is (I believe) to represent their national team.
It's a bit difficult to do so if you are banned from playing for that team...
Also the government can just pass a law to change the criteria, and make one criterion "this person is deemed a benefit to British sport" and given that the Superleague is going to harm British sport, for sure, then they can't come in
All the Big Six prevented from making any foreign signings. That WOULD be hilarious. All that money and nothing to spend it on, apart from a 36 year old defender from Oldham
Oh dear. Rotten luck for Keir there. That "Rod Humphries" sounds utterly ghastly. Thank the lord he won't be voting Labour.
Do the public want a politician who'll stand there and be shouted at? Or do they want someone who'll argue back? Wonder if it's a missed opportunity for Keir.
In fairness, he does snap back at the guy after listening to him that lockdown saved many lives so "I don't need any lectures from you" or something like that. It's an impossible situation for a politician, if you cut the guy off then you may well be reported as 'having a row' or 'losing your temper' with a voter instead of showing respect to the public - but as you say it makes you look very passive.
Starmer loses temper in defence of NHS... would be a GREAT headline for him to get.
Another way the government might fight back. Legal?
"Government will come under pressure not to award work permits to Premier League’s breakaway six for new foreign signings if the ESL comes to fruition. Would effectively prevent them from recruiting overseas players."
But anyway, re the politics of this 'superleague' thing, and cui bono, it got me musing about whether there is such a thing as Remainy football as distinct from Leavey football. At first I thought no, don’t be silly, but as I kept on determinedly considering the matter I had a change of heart and concluded that yes, yes there most certainly is, and it’s about the style of play.
When picturing the Remainy version of the game one sees something built around a coterie of diminutive, highly mobile ball players, deft of touch, slow to anger but prone to going down a bit too easily. Leavey football could not be more different. Here, the foundation is a brutish bunch of hard men at the back, good honest pros, and in front of them yet more good honest pros ready and willing to chase that long ball punted through.
The aesthetics of the first is probably superior, think that’s fair, but when it comes to what really matters, results, it’s if anything the other way around. I suspect most people realize this now.
Perhaps. On Remainy football vs Leavey football, this argument strikes me as another hash of somewheres vs anywheres. Those proposing the EPL are right up the anywheriest end of the spectrum, so much so as to alienate almost all of the people in their half of the spectrum.
Which brings up the old chestnut of what the Remainiest and Leaviest sports are.
Taking a selection of sports, I would propose the following from Remainiest to Leaviest:
Winter Sports Tennis Rugby Union Cricket Football Rugby League Darts
He got the headline he wanted in March, then immediately gave up.
What a charlatan.
It was actually worse than this. He overstated by miles his pre Covid weight - claimed it was 17.5 stones lol - so as to be able to exaggerate to great sympathy how much weight he'd lost due to the disease.
Only Philip Thompson swallowed this - and it ultimately (after a tumble with me) led to him having to make the ludicrous claim that Johnson (at just 5 feet 7) was as heavy as that due to being "all muscle and very little fat".
Another way the government might fight back. Legal?
"Government will come under pressure not to award work permits to Premier League’s breakaway six for new foreign signings if the ESL comes to fruition. Would effectively prevent them from recruiting overseas players."
If HMG finds a way to do this, that collapses the Superleague
Or they just up sticks & move to Riyadh, or Dubai, or wherever.
I wouldn’t put it past them.
We've been through this, it just won't happen. Liverpool are never leaving Liverpool, and never going to Dubai or Shanghai. The clue is in the name
I'm not sure any of the Terrible Twelve could move, they are all so firmly attached to their home cities, and famous grounds, the San Siro, the Bernabeu, White Hart Lane - one of the joys of football, of course
What you could do is create an entirely new ESL team from scratch - Dubai Dildos? - and all the players from Arsenal or Spurs move there, but that's pretty bloody difficult, practically and logistically
Lol, what a joke. It's literally lie after lie after lie. Madrid and Barca have been going bankrupt for a decade, COVID had nothing to do with Barca spending €500m keeping Messi in employment and another €500m on players that barely get any game time.
How are Liverpool fans taking this? Spurs fans are basically all anti, even though it guarantees Spurs an elite place every season, almost all are against it.
Judging by the forums/groups I belong to I'd say it is about 99% opposed to it.
I'll be honest, I suspect about 85% of them will suck it up, because there's FOMO, and the fact it is the club we've supported our entire lives.
They are ripping into for the fact that four of the twelve super clubs have never won the Champions League/European Cup and the fact that Spurs and Arsenal are in it.
The only positive things about it is that Everton weren't invited and the fact most fans view UEFA with disdain.
But how many opposed the premier league when it was first proposed. There was outrage over the idea at the time and talks of banning the teams from football league competitions and so on.
But you could get relegated from the Premier League.
This is a closed shop.
This is the express highway to a glorified version of the Scottish Premier League.
TBH the EPL has been a glorified version of the SPL for a while now ... the proof point is the pundits' and bookies' predictions for top 6 clubs at the start of each season.
Rather like the SPL, the big 6 in England want competition (to make the "product" exciting) but only within themselves. If a club like a Leicester or even a West Ham comes along once in a blue moon it presents a serious business risk. This ESL proposal is about removing that risk ... because the leading football clubs are global businesses/brands now and nothing to do with the sporting endeavor and local community. They cannot afford not to be in the big 6 and this proposal guarantees that in perpetuity.
Another way the government might fight back. Legal?
"Government will come under pressure not to award work permits to Premier League’s breakaway six for new foreign signings if the ESL comes to fruition. Would effectively prevent them from recruiting overseas players."
If HMG finds a way to do this, that collapses the Superleague
The criteria for a work permit, is (I believe) to represent their national team.
It's a bit difficult to do so if you are banned from playing for that team...
Also the government can just pass a law to change the criteria, and make one criterion "this person is deemed a benefit to British sport" and given that the Superleague is going to harm British sport, for sure, then they can't come in
All the Big Six prevented from making any foreign signings. That WOULD be hilarious. All that money and nothing to spend it on, apart from a 36 year old defender from Oldham
Not so funny when the owners cut their losses and leave the prem taking the world's best players with them. Wait for the howls from Merseyside and Manchester then.
Not so funny when Joe Biden starts to ask why Britain is penalising US investors in our country.
Not so funny when international investors think Britain? maybe not, actually. A few scousers get angry, and the government shafts our business.
They shafted hospitality, they shafted football, we could be next.
Another way the government might fight back. Legal?
"Government will come under pressure not to award work permits to Premier League’s breakaway six for new foreign signings if the ESL comes to fruition. Would effectively prevent them from recruiting overseas players."
If HMG finds a way to do this, that collapses the Superleague
The criteria for a work permit, is (I believe) to represent their national team.
It's a bit difficult to do so if you are banned from playing for that team...
Also the government can just pass a law to change the criteria, and make one criterion "this person is deemed a benefit to British sport" and given that the Superleague is going to harm British sport, for sure, then they can't come in
All the Big Six prevented from making any foreign signings. That WOULD be hilarious. All that money and nothing to spend it on, apart from a 36 year old defender from Oldham
Not so funny when the owners cut their losses and leave the prem taking the world's best players with them. Wait for the howls from Merseyside and Manchester then.
Not so funny when Joe Biden starts to ask why Britain is penalising US investors in our country.
Not so funny when international investors think Britain? maybe not, actually. A few scousers get angry, and the government shafts our business.
They shafted hospitality, they shafted football, we could be next.
The Government has literally just today got involved in the acquisition of ARM by Nvidia, an American company.
Another way the government might fight back. Legal?
"Government will come under pressure not to award work permits to Premier League’s breakaway six for new foreign signings if the ESL comes to fruition. Would effectively prevent them from recruiting overseas players."
If HMG finds a way to do this, that collapses the Superleague
Or they just up sticks & move to Riyadh, or Dubai, or wherever.
I wouldn’t put it past them.
We've been through this, it just won't happen. Liverpool are never leaving Liverpool, and never going to Dubai or Shanghai. The clue is in the name
I'm not sure any of the Terrible Twelve could move, they are all so firmly attached to their home cities, and famous grounds, the San Siro, the Bernabeu, White Hart Lane - one of the joys of football, of course
What you could do is create an entirely new ESL team from scratch - Dubai Dildos? - and all the players from Arsenal or Spurs move there, but that's pretty bloody difficult, practically and logistically
You are wrong about this I’m afraid. This entire episode is about the clubs not caring about upsetting domestic stakeholders in order to earn more from overseas ones.
Now I don’t know how this is being viewed by the English football fan in Asia but will try and find out. But if they are supportive of the idea and don’t care about Fulham or Villa or Everton etc... then they’d lap up the idea of games taking place not only in their time zone but in their city. Relocating a historic European “franchise” to Asia isn’t something for phase 1 but I guarantee you it’s in the long term business plan.
Another way the government might fight back. Legal?
"Government will come under pressure not to award work permits to Premier League’s breakaway six for new foreign signings if the ESL comes to fruition. Would effectively prevent them from recruiting overseas players."
Another way the government might fight back. Legal?
"Government will come under pressure not to award work permits to Premier League’s breakaway six for new foreign signings if the ESL comes to fruition. Would effectively prevent them from recruiting overseas players."
If HMG finds a way to do this, that collapses the Superleague
Remarkably. That will be a Brexit bonus. Boris Johnson is the luckiest politician of all time.
Of course. It's so obvious. Earlier in the thread, in response to a Nick Palmer comment, I rather cheekily tried to blame all this on the Jean-Marc Bosman, and through him the EU - but it never occurred to me that was the actual solution to all this.
Of course, if Man City, Arsenal etc want to employ British footballers, they are entirely free to set up their own competition. Ha ha . Ha ha ha.
Another way the government might fight back. Legal?
"Government will come under pressure not to award work permits to Premier League’s breakaway six for new foreign signings if the ESL comes to fruition. Would effectively prevent them from recruiting overseas players."
If HMG finds a way to do this, that collapses the Superleague
The criteria for a work permit, is (I believe) to represent their national team.
It's a bit difficult to do so if you are banned from playing for that team...
Also the government can just pass a law to change the criteria, and make one criterion "this person is deemed a benefit to British sport" and given that the Superleague is going to harm British sport, for sure, then they can't come in
All the Big Six prevented from making any foreign signings. That WOULD be hilarious. All that money and nothing to spend it on, apart from a 36 year old defender from Oldham
Not so funny when the owners cut their losses and leave the prem taking the world's best players with them. Wait for the howls from Merseyside and Manchester then.
Not so funny when Joe Biden starts to ask why Britain is penalising US investors in our country.
Not so funny when international investors think Britain? maybe not, actually. A few scousers get angry, and the government shafts our business.
They shafted hospitality, they shafted football, we could be next.
The Government has literally just today got involved in the acquisition of ARM by Nvidia, an American company.
Another way the government might fight back. Legal?
"Government will come under pressure not to award work permits to Premier League’s breakaway six for new foreign signings if the ESL comes to fruition. Would effectively prevent them from recruiting overseas players."
If HMG finds a way to do this, that collapses the Superleague
Or they just up sticks & move to Riyadh, or Dubai, or wherever.
I wouldn’t put it past them.
We've been through this, it just won't happen. Liverpool are never leaving Liverpool, and never going to Dubai or Shanghai. The clue is in the name
I'm not sure any of the Terrible Twelve could move, they are all so firmly attached to their home cities, and famous grounds, the San Siro, the Bernabeu, White Hart Lane - one of the joys of football, of course
What you could do is create an entirely new ESL team from scratch - Dubai Dildos? - and all the players from Arsenal or Spurs move there, but that's pretty bloody difficult, practically and logistically
You are wrong about this I’m afraid. This entire episode is about the clubs not caring about upsetting domestic stakeholders in order to earn more from overseas ones.
Now I don’t know how this is being viewed by the English football fan in Asia but will try and find out. But if they are supportive of the idea and don’t care about Fulham or Villa or Everton etc... then they’d lap up the idea of games taking place not only in their time zone but in their city. Relocating a historic European “franchise” to Asia isn’t something for phase 1 but I guarantee you it’s in the long term business plan.
Yes, but these people are businessmen
The EPL generates a ton of cash. The English teams have an alternative if Boris successfully scuppers the ESL, they don't have to up sticks, luducrously, and go to Jeddah - they can just revert to the EPL (maybe with a bit more money). The ESL will then collapse, leaving Barca and Real and Milan a bit stuck, but hey ho. It's what they deserve
Then we all go back to sanity, the EPL, UCL, euros, World Cup, all fine
I really hope Boris finds a way to upend their selfish chariot of avarice. He would save football and probably get a 40 point poll lead for a decade
“One in three people in Delhi is testing positive, the BBC's Rajini Vaidyanathan reports”
That's impressively unclear by the teeny-Beebies. It is a whole para.
Do they mean one third of the population, or one in three of people tested at medical facilities? Never mind ... get the story out.
Lockdown rules are strange and quite loose:
---- Lockdown rules: Religious places are allowed to open, but cannot accept visitors Only 50 people will be allowed at weddings and up to 20 people at funerals Shopping centres, cinemas, restaurants, public parks, gyms and spas will remain closed during the lockdown All social, political and religious gatherings have been banned Sporting events without spectators are allowed Public transport like buses and the metro will function with up to 50% seating capacity Students appearing for examinations with valid documents will be allowed to travel Home delivery and takeaway food made by restaurants will be allowed People travelling for Covid-19 vaccinations or testing will be allowed if they have valid documents ----
He got the headline he wanted in March, then immediately gave up.
What a charlatan.
It was actually worse than this. He overstated by miles his pre Covid weight - claimed it was 17.5 stones lol - so as to be able to exaggerate to great sympathy how much weight he'd lost due to the disease.
Only Philip Thompson swallowed this - and it ultimately (after a tumble with me) led to him having to make the ludicrous claim that Johnson (at just 5 feet 7) was as heavy as that due to being "all muscle and very little fat".
You are a liar.
I never said that he had "very little fat" so please stop telling lies.
You claimed that he wasn't fat enough to be 17.5 stone, I said I entirely believe it is plausible he is 17.5 stone. I said he'll have a mix of muscles (which is denser than fat) and fat (which he clearly has) to make it plausible to be 17.5 stone.
And quite frankly 17.5 stone isn't "that" much.
I think he's fat enough to be 17.5 stone, you don't. That's the difference.
Andrew Musgrove Oliver Dowden: "Be in no doubt, if they [The Premier League] can't act - we will. We will put everything on the table to prevent this from happening."
A strong line from the government - let's see what happens.
Comments
Some seriously wound up people out there. I expect a significant increase in pub fights, road rage, domestic violence etc over the next few months.
Was just confronted in my car by a nutter. It’s shaken me up a bit.
https://twitter.com/StephenSumner15/status/1384123119946780679?s=20
https://twitter.com/StephenSumner15/status/1384126531643920386?s=20
I haven't yet failed to get a reservation anywhere - and that's in London.
I honestly think the so-called "boom" has been somewhat over-egged
The lowest since 10 March 2020.
Admissions down
Positive tests down
Testing up
Probably the best day on the Covid monitor since the pandemic began more than a year ago.
Promotion, relegation and the chance to progress to a higher level are fundamental to what football is all about.
Goodness me, 0 deaths a day soon
Starmer throwing shade
I'm not booking in quiet areas either.
Ultimately there will end up being a package agreed – as nobody benefits from a breakaway/wildcat league. That simply won't happen.
I'd say you could say the same about Liverpool.
But you haven't given up on politics. You still take an interest; praise things you like and deride things you do not. You could do the same with football. Take a look at Barnsley, Rotherham, Dinnington Town, Nottingham Forest*. Each will have something to offer you. You might find a new home.
How often do you actually get to Anfield? Who do you go with? Take the opportunity instead to choose a football match based on other factors than blind loyalty to a club which is showing little in return. Like an interesting stadium or a city which is worth visiting or a decent bit of countryside.
*I mention only these four because I know people who enjoy going to each and will continue to do so regardless of what the money boys do.
Dealing with the general public is bloody miserable at times.
The reality is he wanted a cheap headline, which he got. Then he immediately decided not to stick to it.
He was the one who made this a big deal, he could at least lead from the front.
SKS does seem a bit ... err ... accident-prone.
What happened to the cyclist he ran over in his car?
Grrr
At least its theoretically possible for the coefficient to drop. In fact it can drop quite quickly.
Not everybody finds it as easy.
This doesn't bode well for the recovery, IMHO.
#DefundtheMancs
You get the idea...
There have only been five days since records began with fewer reported deaths than today – 5, 6, 7 and 8 March 2020, almost 14 months ago... and a single day last summer (1 Sep, which had three reported deaths).
Oh I see, freedom of speech is only relevant when it's something you disagree with
I don't remember him doing so.
I can 100% relate to someone struggling. It's human. If you can't then you're insensitive not clever.
really?
For the fans of very big clubs, promotion and relegation has effectively been something everybody else goes through for some time now. The chance of relegation is effectively very low.
All the while they share the spoils around between them.
The new super league is a signal the clubs' owners are no longer prepared to finance this false state of grace.
They are crippling the most popular league in the world for some extra gold, which will turn to ashes.
And sadly I don't think they will ever agree to a relegation mechanism. The whole point of this is to preserve in aspic the superiority of the Shameless 12. eg Why would any of the weaker teams, like Arsenal, or AC Milan, agree to almost certain relegation in the first few seasons?
If they have relegation several of the teams would withdraw and the whole idea collapses, it only works because it guarantees them money forever. Even if, in reality, that might prove illusory
He got the headline he wanted in March, then immediately gave up.
What a charlatan.
"If you really want to stop Russian aggression against Ukraine, you have to stop Nord Stream 2. As simple as that."
Mutti Merkel will not be happy with Mr Tusk
It remains to be seen whether it is maintained, I have my doubts.
I like the idea that someone had the brainwave ; "You know what football needs more of? ...More money".
Maybe a process like the old Football League re-election... something with the possibility of change when absolutely unavoidable but massive damping, so it hardly ever happens.
And the brute reality is that, after a few years of enormous and reliable funding, not even the most bloated plutocrat would be able to pump enough resources into an outsider club to break into the magic circle.
Not everyone finds it as easy as you must. That doesn't make them charlatans.
Or do they want someone who'll argue back?
Wonder if it's a missed opportunity for Keir.
I'm hoping that @Anabobazina is right and this is a negotiating ploy by them to get what they see as a fairer slice of EPL TV revenue, but I'm not sure that he is. I think Levy, Woodward and the rest have made the calculation that they can take the hit of lower EPL TV revenue because they will have about 11 more guaranteed European home matchdays against elite opposition, they will have the TV revenue from the ESL and after a few years once thing settle down they will be hoping the fans are willing to forgive and forget as they did for the formation of the PL.
But more relevant is the deaths by date of death, which is getting very low indeed. Deaths reported by NHS England - which account for the majority of all deaths - by date of death, are now habitually into single figures.
If he's not the man for that, then he shouldn't have made such a big deal out of it. I stand by what I said, he's a charlatan.
Now planning on losing it again. If he'd said it was easy then you may have a point, he didn't he said it was difficult.
He also said its important. It is. Everyone who struggles with this knows its important.
You're being hatefilled and nasty and insulting to anyone who struggles because you dislike the man. Not because anything he said was wrong.
I hope a compromise is found that leaves a pyramid system, but I'm worried it won't. Americanisation of football and having franchises that can't be relegated is the worst possible position for our national sport to be in.
When picturing the Remainy version of the game one sees something built around a coterie of diminutive, highly mobile ball players, deft of touch, slow to anger but prone to going down a bit too easily. Leavey football could not be more different. Here, the foundation is a brutish bunch of hard men at the back, good honest pros, and in front of them yet more good honest pros ready and willing to chase that long ball punted through.
The aesthetics of the first is probably superior, think that’s fair, but when it comes to what really matters, results, it’s if anything the other way around. I suspect most people realize this now.
"Government will come under pressure not to award work permits to Premier League’s breakaway six for new foreign signings if the ESL comes to fruition. Would effectively prevent them from recruiting overseas players."
https://twitter.com/SamiMokbel81_DM/status/1384165919740465163?s=20
If HMG finds a way to do this, that collapses the Superleague
Your co efficient drops quite quickly if you don't qualify for European football. 0 points for that season stays on your record for 5 years.
If you can't not qualify it doesn't.
It's a bit difficult to do so if you are banned from playing for that team...
I wouldn’t put it past them.
All the Big Six prevented from making any foreign signings. That WOULD be hilarious. All that money and nothing to spend it on, apart from a 36 year old defender from Oldham
There are a lot of very frustrated and angry people about just now.
Boris Johnson is the luckiest politician of all time.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9487383/Keir-Starmer-THROWN-Bath-pub-astonishing-bust-Labour-supporting-landlord.html
On Remainy football vs Leavey football, this argument strikes me as another hash of somewheres vs anywheres. Those proposing the EPL are right up the anywheriest end of the spectrum, so much so as to alienate almost all of the people in their half of the spectrum.
Which brings up the old chestnut of what the Remainiest and Leaviest sports are.
Taking a selection of sports, I would propose the following from Remainiest to Leaviest:
Winter Sports
Tennis
Rugby Union
Cricket
Football
Rugby League
Darts
Only Philip Thompson swallowed this - and it ultimately (after a tumble with me) led to him having to make the ludicrous claim that Johnson (at just 5 feet 7) was as heavy as that due to being "all muscle and very little fat".
I'm not sure any of the Terrible Twelve could move, they are all so firmly attached to their home cities, and famous grounds, the San Siro, the Bernabeu, White Hart Lane - one of the joys of football, of course
What you could do is create an entirely new ESL team from scratch - Dubai Dildos? - and all the players from Arsenal or Spurs move there, but that's pretty bloody difficult, practically and logistically
Rather like the SPL, the big 6 in England want competition (to make the "product" exciting) but only within themselves. If a club like a Leicester or even a West Ham comes along once in a blue moon it presents a serious business risk. This ESL proposal is about removing that risk ... because the leading football clubs are global businesses/brands now and nothing to do with the sporting endeavor and local community. They cannot afford not to be in the big 6 and this proposal guarantees that in perpetuity.
Not so funny when Joe Biden starts to ask why Britain is penalising US investors in our country.
Not so funny when international investors think Britain? maybe not, actually. A few scousers get angry, and the government shafts our business.
They shafted hospitality, they shafted football, we could be next.
“One in three people in Delhi is testing positive, the BBC's Rajini Vaidyanathan reports”
Now I don’t know how this is being viewed by the English football fan in Asia but will try and find out. But if they are supportive of the idea and don’t care about Fulham or Villa or Everton etc... then they’d lap up the idea of games taking place not only in their time zone but in their city. Relocating a historic European “franchise” to Asia isn’t something for phase 1 but I guarantee you it’s in the long term business plan.
Of course, if Man City, Arsenal etc want to employ British footballers, they are entirely free to set up their own competition. Ha ha . Ha ha ha.
I expect the former.
The EPL generates a ton of cash. The English teams have an alternative if Boris successfully scuppers the ESL, they don't have to up sticks, luducrously, and go to Jeddah - they can just revert to the EPL (maybe with a bit more money). The ESL will then collapse, leaving Barca and Real and Milan a bit stuck, but hey ho. It's what they deserve
Then we all go back to sanity, the EPL, UCL, euros, World Cup, all fine
I really hope Boris finds a way to upend their selfish chariot of avarice. He would save football and probably get a 40 point poll lead for a decade
He is not taking any prisoners
Do they mean one third of the population, or one in three of people tested at medical facilities? Never mind ... get the story out.
Lockdown rules are strange and quite loose:
----
Lockdown rules:
Religious places are allowed to open, but cannot accept visitors
Only 50 people will be allowed at weddings and up to 20 people at funerals
Shopping centres, cinemas, restaurants, public parks, gyms and spas will remain closed during the lockdown
All social, political and religious gatherings have been banned
Sporting events without spectators are allowed
Public transport like buses and the metro will function with up to 50% seating capacity
Students appearing for examinations with valid documents will be allowed to travel
Home delivery and takeaway food made by restaurants will be allowed
People travelling for Covid-19 vaccinations or testing will be allowed if they have valid documents
----
This is far more robust than even I expected
STOP THIS NOW
I never said that he had "very little fat" so please stop telling lies.
You claimed that he wasn't fat enough to be 17.5 stone, I said I entirely believe it is plausible he is 17.5 stone. I said he'll have a mix of muscles (which is denser than fat) and fat (which he clearly has) to make it plausible to be 17.5 stone.
And quite frankly 17.5 stone isn't "that" much.
I think he's fat enough to be 17.5 stone, you don't. That's the difference.
Andrew Musgrove
Oliver Dowden: "Be in no doubt, if they [The Premier League] can't act - we will. We will put everything on the table to prevent this from happening."
A strong line from the government - let's see what happens.
#TheESL
That's what the Tory government has said. Excellent. But they better deliver. Having said that, you cannot fail
Kick out these billionaire twats if necessary. Ban them from having foreign players. Anything