Champions League restructuring

[Steve67]

Interesting debate on BBC about how the ESL 6 should be punished.  What are people's thoughts?  I guess it becomes a legal thing and the FA are in the hands of what, under current rules allows for permissible sanctions?  I'd hope for them to have points docked, banned for two transfer windows.  What is the point in a fine when they are richer than God?

[Monty]

Transfer bans are a good one, but the problem with that is they haven't done anything transfer-related. Only UEFA can ban them from European competition I believe, and while this might just happen to Real, Barça and Juve if they don't leave soon, I can't see it happening to the English clubs after Ceferin's warm welcome back to them.

Points deductions would make sense, but I'd rather see them for the start of next season instead of retro-actively applied to this season. Of course, had they persisted longer they might have got what they deserve, which is relegation to the Championship next season regardless of where they finish, but there's no chance this will happen now.

[Stu]

Unprecedented actions need unprecedented punishments. Relegation to League 2 and transfer ban for five seasons. I'd much prefer to punt them down to the 11th level of football - to the local leagues that feed national ones - bulldoze their stadiums and salt the very earth upon which they once played - I can dream.

But what is actually going to happen is this: nothing. The narrative that 'it wasn't the fans fault' is getting traction and I don't see any high profile sports writers making the point of the double standards at play in that argument and how it is logically flawed.

[Steve67]

I liked Danny Murphy's point that they tried to send 86 other clubs into administration.  I normally don't listen to him but on this occasion I think he makes a good point.

I suspect Stu is right.  No action will be taken but it won't be long before they come back with yet another idea, in fact, I think the next TV deal for football might be a really tough one to negotiate.

[Risso]

It comes down to nothing more than the Premier League not wanting an extremely expensive legal battle with the likes of Man City. If they punish one, they have to punish them all, and you can't see Man City worrying too much about legal costs. It's far easier to go after skint lower league teams and deduct them points, because they can't afford to fight back, and other than the fans of the clubs themselves, nobody cares.

[Stu]

Take Luton Town. Deducted 10 points for fielding a player they hadn't actually signed, and a further 20 points for not disclosing that they had left administration.

These six clubs formed a league that sought to torpedo the very notion of competitive sport in Europe in order to keep themselves wealthy.

Who was worse?

[dave.woodhall]

Unprecedented actions need unprecedented punishments. Relegation to League 2 and transfer ban for five seasons. I'd much prefer to punt them down to the 11th level of football - to the local leagues that feed national ones - bulldoze their stadiums and salt the very earth upon which they once played - I can dream.

But what is actually going to happen is this: nothing. The narrative that 'it wasn't the fans fault' is getting traction and I don't see any high profile sports writers making the point of the double standards at play in that argument and how it is logically flawed.

It's never the fans' fault, but they never complain when their team are winning.

[Stu]

Watching the Man City match the other night, Jane and I were of the opinion that having to play these fuckers tarnished us with their presence by association. We know they have absolutely no respect for us as a competitor.

[Stu]

It comes down to nothing more than the Premier League not wanting an extremely expensive legal battle with the likes of Man City. If they punish one, they have to punish them all, and you can't see Man City worrying too much about legal costs. It's far easier to go after skint lower league teams and deduct them points, because they can't afford to fight back, and other than the fans of the clubs themselves, nobody cares.

I think the government could bring in legislation that bans any pro football match being played on English soil which isn't organised by the FA. Seems easy on the face of it (in that I know nothing of how to make laws). Also needs a schedule for remedies if this rule is broken.

[Lastfootstamper]

The only hardship their supporters would suffer is to have to watch their team in a different division. Boo-fucking-hoo.

[paul_e]

Rugby Union set a precedent last year by bombing Sarries out when they completely ignored the rules of the league. I'd love to see the Premier League and the FA show they have the same attitude.

[Steve67]

Rugby Union set a precedent last year by bombing Sarries out when they completely ignored the rules of the league. I'd love to see the Premier League and the FA show they have the same attitude.

If they did that, relegated all six clubs, the beauty of it is that only three of them can come back up in one season as winners, runners up and Championship play off winners.  The other three clubs would have to wait at least two years to come back up and that would surely damage them in the same way that their actions would have damaged others.  Good!!

[LeeB]

I agree with Stu.

For me, relegation is only fitting punishment and deterrent, and it would have the bonus redistributing the wealth around a bit more.

If Sky moan tell them to fuck off and find something else to fill their platforms with, they'd go bust overnight without the Premier League.

Anyway, it would have the opposite effect, I reckon interest would sky rocket at the prospect, a massive Royal Rumble with a guaranteed new champion at the end of it.

[Stu]

Comical Florentino: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/apr/24/perez-says-super-league-clubs-cannot-leave-as-manchester-united-fans-protest

If these clubs can't afford to compete at the very top then the owners need to make some decisions involving selling assets, restructuring the club to be more financially viable, and if it means a few years in the wilderness then that's what it has to be. The notion that these 12 clubs are so special that the rest of European football has to change to accommodate them is the peak of entitlement and arrogance.

[LeeB]

Comical Florentino: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/apr/24/perez-says-super-league-clubs-cannot-leave-as-manchester-united-fans-protest

If these clubs can't afford to compete at the very top then the owners need to make some decisions involving selling assets, restructuring the club to be more financially viable, and if it means a few years in the wilderness then that's what it has to be. The notion that these 12 clubs are so special that the rest of European football has to change to accommodate them is the peak of entitlement and arrogance.

It echoes society if you think of it the same terms of white privilege and structural racism, those clubs are white and all the others are black.

Decisions by authorities, redistribution of wealth and hidden systems keeping the structure in place.

Probably just capitalism though innit? That's what it does.