Champions League restructuring

[Ad@m]

None of the players will quit unless and until it looks like they won't be allowed to compete in the Premier League or for their national teams.

They'll just sit it out and see what happens - they'd be mental to do anything else. In isolation, a player has zero weight in this discussion. They only have power if the PFA lead it.

[sickbeggar]

I would be amazed if any footballer at one of the ESL clubs decided they did not want to play for that team anymore - not one will give up £100k + a week (not a chance, and I don't blame them)

Darren Bent was asked the same question this morning, he said he would stay at the club.

Depends who you are I think. The top players tend to want to progress their careers and the money comes along with that naturally. If Grealish wanted to join madrid/City/whoever before all this, you'd realise he was getting a nice payrise but you couldn't argue with the logic he'd probably be more likely to win trophies or become a regular for England.  Now he's probably got a bigger chance of starting for England with us with half the rest of the squad ineligible,

[Somniloquism]

He's also said that they should consider shorter matches as "that's what young fans want". He's an absolute bellend.

I can also see them having a no draws policy or sudden death OT like in American Rugby / Rounders / Netball so they there is always winners.

[artvandelay]

I am instinctively pro these six being kicked out of the Premier League. However, they're unlikely to just no longer play domestic football, and have no doubt thought through this scenario.

The next move from their position is surely to set up their own domestic league based on the six clubs, probably trying to pad the numbers with the Old Firm, and/or trying to bribe a couple of the PL sides with the most instagram followers to join a closed no relegation league, with the chance to be one of the invited clubs to their super duper league. With 10ish clubs they could have more and more 'big' games, control the fixture list to avoid clashes with their european league, and play domestic games abroad. They'll also be able to cut up the TV rights as they want.

The gamble they're taking is that consumers (sadly not supporters) have an appetite for this ahead of the Premier League/Champions League product.

As an aside, does this make Champions League qualification for us a very real possibility this season? As absurd as that is...

[Monty]

Jack is an odd case though, he's emotionally driven and I don't doubt that he'd be utterly torn about losing an international career for a Super League contract.

[Clive W]

Apparently UEFA negotiating a £5.2b deal with Centricus Asset Management, a London based hedge fund

Currently UEFA doles out £3b each year

So I think I see where this is heading

UEFA does the deal based on the new “improved” CL format that was agreed yesterday. The “dirty dozen” were happy with the format but not the allocation of dosh.

So, UEFA agrees that the extra £2.2b should go mainly to the 12 to pretty much compensate for the money they would have got from JP Morgan (which was only as upfront loan anyway)

The 12 “reluctantly” agree to step back into the fold, claiming that their action was only intended for the good of the game at grass roots level

We all move on....nothing to see here

[Somniloquism]

I would be amazed if any footballer at one of the ESL clubs decided they did not want to play for that team anymore - not one will give up £100k + a week (not a chance, and I don't blame them)

Darren Bent was asked the same question this morning, he said he would stay at the club.

Depends who you are I think. The top players tend to want to progress their careers and the money comes along with that naturally. If Grealish wanted to join madrid/City/whoever before all this, you'd realise he was getting a nice payrise but you couldn't argue with the logic he'd probably be more likely to win trophies or become a regular for England.  Now he's probably got a bigger chance of starting for England with us with half the rest of the squad ineligible,

I suppose it will depend on how much they want to represent their national team and whether a million a week will alleviate that pain of not doing that.

[Somniloquism]

Has Beijing Red reappeared on Twitter to add his comments. The trouble is like Trump and Johnson, it is hard to parody when real life is even more of a parody.

[Monty]

Oliver Holt said last night that two of the English clubs are wavering, and I'd bet anything you like that it's Chelsea and Man City. IF it's true.

[Clive W]

Oliver Holt said last night that two of the English clubs are wavering, and I'd bet anything you like that it's Chelsea and Man City. IF it's true.

They were “reluctant” applicants (allegedly)

According to Perez at RM, all 12 have signed binding contracts so I’m not sure what the penalties would be for a club pulling out

[cdbearsfan]

Chelsea and Man City were, apparently, least convinced of the merits of the proposal and acquiesced due to fears of being left behind. Hopefully one or both break ranks and the whole thing crumbles.

[sickbeggar]

yeah i don't honestly think the likes of Mount, Kane, Rashford etc...…...see International football as a chore. I think they genuinely want to represent England because well they were kids once and that's what you dream of. If it came down to them being out in the International cold for any length of time, I really think they would give the situation some very hard thought but again you need the big 6 to let you leave, and UEFA to allow transfers between the two leagues otherwise you're stuck in limbo for the length of your contract.

[Villan82]

Even if this does not go ahead, there needs to be consequences for those who pulled this stunt.

And their inclusion of Spurs, a club who have won SFA in their history, was the ultimate insult to illustrious clubs all over Europe.

[Monty]

Oliver Holt said last night that two of the English clubs are wavering, and I'd bet anything you like that it's Chelsea and Man City. IF it's true.

They were “reluctant” applicants (allegedly)

According to Perez at RM, all 12 have signed binding contracts so I’m not sure what the penalties would be for a club pulling out

I think he's lying. Every report I've seen, in The Athletic and elsewhere, makes clear there is no binding contract, and I trust that more than I trust Perez - frankly, I trust an alligator with its jaws around my head more than I trust Perez.

[Dave]

Oliver Holt said last night that two of the English clubs are wavering, and I'd bet anything you like that it's Chelsea and Man City. IF it's true.

Couldn't be anyone else. If you're only involved in the sport to provide yourself with a veneer of international respectability and you don't care about the money, why would you invite any more controversy than you needed to.