Champions League restructuring

[Dave]

Surely UEFA can ban them from European competition for a number of years just as they did with all English clubs post-Heysel. The clubs involved can hardly threaten to leave and set up their own league now.

Why would UEFA want that? Their main concern was that they would lose their money-spinners from their competitions.

They're not going to punish them by enacting the precise thing that they want to prevent.

[Bobby Boy]

All this "points deductions would be wrong, it punishes the fans who have done nothing wrong" stuff.

Isn't that the case with clubs that get points deductions for going into administration? Or is that the fault of the fans?

I agree but think that any punishment needs to be appropriate and proportionate rather than motivated by revenge.

For me the most important thing is to fix the rules preventing a few owners looking to cash in on their assets.

That's how I feel. It's all getting a bit Clemenceau at Versailles on here. They didn't actually leave, they just acted twats. If they apologise and we can get some structure in place that prevents anyone trying this again without mass support throughout the league then I don't particularly want to pursue vengeance.

It isn't about vengeance at all, it's about securing the future of the game. If there isn't a penalty for throwing a bomb into the domestic and international game then these vultures will see that as weakness and it will be only a matter of time before new plans are formulated which will be better thought through.

Ownership is the key. National Governments can intervene to legislate in a number of areas.

This was a close shave but next time we may not be so lucky.

[andyh]

I’m curious to know how the actual super league would have worked in reality.
If it had gone ahead it would have been outside the auspices of FIFA and UEFA and so would have had no governing body.
Does that mean they would have set their own rules? Would a new version of football be developed purely for that league with new rules and ideas.

What’s for certain is that they would be totally beholden to their paymasters, the TV companies (even more than now). There would be rule changes to make the game more palatable to the youngsters, because they don’t like the game as it is (apparently).

Ad breaks every ten minutes.....kit plastered in advertisers names....teams renamed (rebranded). Sin bins, timeouts. Free kick special teams who come on only to take a set piece. TV viewers able to vote on who should be substituted.

With no protection from governing bodies, over time I reckon there would be massive infighting and skullduggery between those 12 teams and they’d end up killing each other.

Shame it didn’t happen really.

[Brend'Watkins]

All this "points deductions would be wrong, it punishes the fans who have done nothing wrong" stuff.

Isn't that the case with clubs that get points deductions for going into administration? Or is that the fault of the fans?

I agree but think that any punishment needs to be appropriate and proportionate rather than motivated by revenge.

For me the most important thing is to fix the rules preventing a few owners looking to cash in on their assets.

That's how I feel. It's all getting a bit Clemenceau at Versailles on here. They didn't actually leave, they just acted twats. If they apologise and we can get some structure in place that prevents anyone trying this again without mass support throughout the league then I don't particularly want to pursue vengeance.

Guy Fawkes didn't actually blow up Parliament, his attempt didn't work out too well for him and his cronies.

[sickbeggar]

There's always been rich clubs going back a hundred years or so. . I personally never had a problem with an owner coming in and spending their own money on a club. Things go in cycles whether your a blackburn with Walker or us with Lerner or now even or the "Bank of England Clubs" like Arsenal and Sunderland.

I didn't have a problem with the principal of FFP but to me it always looked like it wasn't to protect clubs overspending but to protect the clubs who were already at the top.

[Sexual Ealing]

I wonder what Sheffield United fans think of the "don't punish the fans" narrative. Is it their fault that their team is shite and relegated? It is not. But if your club fucks up - be it by underinvesting, underperforming or colluding to destroy all that's good and right in the game, you should expect there to be consequences

[ADVILLAFAN]

I'll be honest, I wouldn't be devastated for their fans if they were demoted.

I think in fact, that I would laugh my bollocks off.

[andyh]

There's always been rich clubs going back a hundred years or so. . I personally never had a problem with an owner coming in and spending their own money on a club. Things go in cycles whether your a blackburn with Walker or us with Lerner or now even or the "Bank of England Clubs" like Arsenal and Sunderland.

I didn't have a problem with the principal of FFP but to me it always looked like it wasn't to protect clubs overspending but to protect the clubs who were already at the top.

Of course it is. It’s to stop oiks like Villa, Leicester, West Ham, Southampton or Leeds closing the gap.

[cdbearsfan]

All this "points deductions would be wrong, it punishes the fans who have done nothing wrong" stuff.

Isn't that the case with clubs that get points deductions for going into administration? Or is that the fault of the fans?

I agree but think that any punishment needs to be appropriate and proportionate rather than motivated by revenge.

For me the most important thing is to fix the rules preventing a few owners looking to cash in on their assets.

That's how I feel. It's all getting a bit Clemenceau at Versailles on here. They didn't actually leave, they just acted twats. If they apologise and we can get some structure in place that prevents anyone trying this again without mass support throughout the league then I don't particularly want to pursue vengeance.

Guy Fawkes didn't actually blow up Parliament

FFS, he had one job. 😡

[OCD]

Uefa's bargaining position will have been strengthened after this. Hopefully they can do more to focus financial reward on performance rather than track record.

[The Man With A Stick]

All these pricks saying "the fans shouldn't suffer because of the owners" can fuck right off.  What happened to the mass outpouring of grief when the Glazers saddled ManUre with hundreds of millions worth of debt, FCUM pretty much died on its arse didn't it and OT is still full every week, only a small % of which are daytrippers looking for their EPL fix *vomits*.  The fans of all these clubs would have been lapping it up by Christmas and all of this protesting would have been long forgotten when the money started rolling in.

I'm gutted they're all pulling out as I was looking forward to a league where these six clubs no longer concern me.  PL and UEFA should throw the book at them all but they won't have the bottle to do so, never in a million years.  Then fine Spurs and Arsenal extra as well for even having the fucking brass neck to think they're anywhere near worthy of such status.

[sickbeggar]

There's always been rich clubs going back a hundred years or so. . I personally never had a problem with an owner coming in and spending their own money on a club. Things go in cycles whether your a blackburn with Walker or us with Lerner or now even or the "Bank of England Clubs" like Arsenal and Sunderland.

I didn't have a problem with the principal of FFP but to me it always looked like it wasn't to protect clubs overspending but to protect the clubs who were already at the top.

Of course it is. It’s to stop oiks like Villa, Leicester, West Ham, Southampton or Leeds closing the gap.

yep. if we'd have gatecrashed the party like City with Lerner, they'd have been all sorts of mutterings about our finances. I mean that transfer ban Chelsea got where they actually got permission from the FA for what got them banned from UEFA/FIFA?! I mean what else can you do than ask your own governing body if its allowed?

[Chris Smith]

All this "points deductions would be wrong, it punishes the fans who have done nothing wrong" stuff.

Isn't that the case with clubs that get points deductions for going into administration? Or is that the fault of the fans?

I agree but think that any punishment needs to be appropriate and proportionate rather than motivated by revenge.

For me the most important thing is to fix the rules preventing a few owners looking to cash in on their assets.

That's how I feel. It's all getting a bit Clemenceau at Versailles on here. They didn't actually leave, they just acted twats. If they apologise and we can get some structure in place that prevents anyone trying this again without mass support throughout the league then I don't particularly want to pursue vengeance.

Guy Fawkes didn't actually blow up Parliament, his attempt didn't work out too well for him and his cronies.

Neither did he change his mind and leave the gunpowder at home.

[Jon Crofts]

The more I read about this the more I think it was all a massive bluff by the 6 & they never had any intention of going through with any of it.

[Brend'Watkins]

All this "points deductions would be wrong, it punishes the fans who have done nothing wrong" stuff.

Isn't that the case with clubs that get points deductions for going into administration? Or is that the fault of the fans?

I agree but think that any punishment needs to be appropriate and proportionate rather than motivated by revenge.

For me the most important thing is to fix the rules preventing a few owners looking to cash in on their assets.

That's how I feel. It's all getting a bit Clemenceau at Versailles on here. They didn't actually leave, they just acted twats. If they apologise and we can get some structure in place that prevents anyone trying this again without mass support throughout the league then I don't particularly want to pursue vengeance.

Guy Fawkes didn't actually blow up Parliament, his attempt didn't work out too well for him and his cronies.

Neither did he change his mind and leave the gunpowder at home.

Ahh, but you could say the fact he let his powder get so wet it was rendered useless was as good as saying  "I have no intention of carrying this out."