Champions League restructuring

[chrisw1]

I can't see there being any points deductions etc.

My main problem is the through the back door reforms to the Champs League where there's more games (and they'll be moaning about fixture congestion and wanting 5 subs) and big clubs are guaranteed qualification from past achievments.  If Utd finish 6th they'd still get a place.  I want to see these clubs struggle if they don't qualify, it's the only way there can ever be something approaching a level playing field.  The financial gap is already too wide - we shouldn't be bending to these clubs greed and allowing it to widen further.

[sickbeggar]

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.

I doubt it. They don't come across as the types who take well to being publicly humiliated. My reading of it is it broke too soon before they had everyone in place, and they were always on the backfoot once UEFA could lobby the likes of Bayern and PSG.

[Brend'Watkins]

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.

I doubt it. They don't come across as the types who take well to being publicly humiliated. My reading of it is it broke too soon before they had everyone in place, and they were always on the backfoot once UEFA could lobby the likes of Bayern and PSG.

It was too much of a gamble to risk their Premier League income, fans, stakeholders etc.  The Premier League is too big a Prize to gamble on something that might or might not be as good or better.

[Chris Smith]

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.

I think for some owners it was seen as a chance to recoup some money quickly and then sell at an inflated price. I think that’s probably why Chelsea and Man City were the first to break ranks as they appear to have a more long term commitment and are involved for wider reasons on top of purely a money making exercise.

[Rory]

My main problem is the through the back door reforms to the Champs League where there's more games (and they'll be moaning about fixture congestion and wanting 5 subs) and big clubs are guaranteed qualification from past achievments.  If Utd finish 6th they'd still get a place.  I want to see these clubs struggle if they don't qualify, it's the only way there can ever be something approaching a level playing field.  The financial gap is already too wide - we shouldn't be bending to these clubs greed and allowing it to widen further.

Yep. Next step might as well be 'you scored 3 and they only scored 1, but due to their elite status, they have been awarded the points'.

[sickbeggar]

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.

I doubt it. They don't come across as the types who take well to being publicly humiliated. My reading of it is it broke too soon before they had everyone in place, and they were always on the backfoot once UEFA could lobby the likes of Bayern and PSG.

It was too much of a gamble to risk their Premier League income, fans, stakeholders etc.  The Premier League is too big a Prize to gamble on something that might or might not be as good or better.

yeah probably was some of that involved. I just think if they'd broken cover with 15 clubs including 2 german teams and PSG then I think City and Chelsea probably wouldn't have got so spooked and it would have been game over for UEFA . Why have 3 unconfirmed teams if they're onboard already? Because they weren't I 'm guessing.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I can't see there being any points deductions etc.

My main problem is the through the back door reforms to the Champs League where there's more games (and they'll be moaning about fixture congestion and wanting 5 subs) and big clubs are guaranteed qualification from past achievments.  If Utd finish 6th they'd still get a place.  I want to see these clubs struggle if they don't qualify, it's the only way there can ever be something approaching a level playing field.  The financial gap is already too wide - we shouldn't be bending to these clubs greed and allowing it to widen further.

Agree completely and this for me is a key issue. Whilst everybody is happy the ESL isn't going ahead, a select few clubs are going to make a large fortune based solely on their lobbying powers inside UEFA. It stinks almost as much as the ESL.

[LeeB]

I reckon Bayern and PSG have played this perfectly and probably increased their influence over UEFA massively as a result.

"Yeah honestly, we'll join next year, you just go out and announce it first. The fans will love it"

[Goldenballs]

I'm 99% sure there will be no significant punishment. It'll all be guff about rebuilding bridges, coming back together for the strength of the league, more open to fan consultation and a load of other meaningless waffle.

[AllanW]

One aspect of this whole episode I've not seen mentioned much is the role Sky have taken. Probably because this is the one time in a decade when 'Breaking News' actually means something ...

Most people are getting their information and much of their 'take' on this from the Sky coverage so they bear a bit of scrutiny.

- 'The Top 6' idea is one created, heavily promoted and massively supported by Sky. Remember all the discussions about no-one in previous years getting a look-in for live games, the select few always being the ones for 'in-depth' puff pieces and filmed inserts of their star players and managers?
- Their coverage in the early parts of this story was consistently NOT from the fans and society point of view; most emphatically not. They covered it as a business/financial news organisation would cover a story, not as a sports story. Implicitly taking the owners' viewpoint therefore. 'It's just business, don't take it personally.'
- It's only when the fan reaction, the drastic threats from FIFA and UEFA and (*spit*) BoJo the Dancing Clown weighed into the fray that the narrative changed. They did not do that, they just noticed it.
- How do you think they have all these 'inside contacts' that feed them their scoops? The organisation is embedded deep within these large companies because they allow them to act as their stenographers.

I think some of their reporting today has been pretty hypocritical and it shows. I hope to god they don't try to claim a social heart on all this; that would be too much for my stomach to bear.

[LeeB]

This needs to be the start and not the end. Uefa and Fifa should be next up, they're shown themselves as completely useless and corrupt time and time again  and have allowed those few clubs to dictate for decades. All it's took is for one government to suggest intervening and the cartel has completely shit itself, showing that they can be held to account if the will is there.

[Chris Smith]

I’m not sure that’s entirely fair re Sky. Of course at first they reported it as a news story as that’s all they had to go on but Gary Neville was the first person I heard commenting on it and he was vociferous and eloquent in his condemnation. On their match coverage they had plenty of comment from within the game similarly condemning the proposals. They’ve already lost a lot of their content to BT and this would have been another, and I use the word loosely, competition that they didn’t have the rights to,.

[chrisw1]

Hang on, Gary Neville was on it immediately and was one of the most powerful voices against it throughout.

[Sexual Ealing]

I hated Neville as a player (although he was good) but he's brilliant at his current job, and has been great on this farrago.

[Jon Crofts]

One of Liverpool's sponsors has pulled the plug because of their involvement in the ESL, only a minor one (Tribus) but hopefully a sign of things to come.