Why do I increasingly feel that I want to become a hermit? This world and the greed of the rich just pisses me off.
https://www.efl.com/news/2020/october/efl-statement-project-big-picture/ I love the fact that Parry refers to "the bottom 14 PL clubs", as if that is a thing. It's news to me that 70% of something constitutes the bottom of that something.
I think that we are missing the point in this discussion. Football is a sport and I think that ,whilst there will always be teams that have an advantage or are simply better than their competitors at a particular point in time, this necessitates that there needs to be genuine competition to make the sport worthwhile. What has been proposed this afternoon does nothing to enhance football as a competitive sport but simply puts the game on a firmer financial footing albeit one where there is a trade-off to the advantage of the supposed "Top Six" teams. Not withstanding the fact that it does seem unfair to let the larger clubs steer the sport increasingly towards their own self-interest, I am wondering just how far this matter has been considered. What does it mean for young English footballers in the revised layout and how will things like financial fair play rules work? With regard to a reduced "Premier League," I think it will be interesting to see how "big" clubs in the Championship will be dealt with and whether it will be seen as being beneficial to have these clubs replace some of the smaller Premier League teams. Whilst the suggestion that this "package" will provide salvation for lower league teams by bolstering their finances, ultimately it will have the effect of narrowing down the list of potential "winners" and make football boring and predictable as a sport. Whoever is proposing this cannot see why so many neutrals were keen for Leicester City to win the league or see teams like Liverpool and Man Utd embarrassed last weekend. The game needs to remain competitive and the "Trumpification" of football must be resisted. I can see a situation under these proposals where the larger clubs continue to erode their identity and become a "global brand" especially if the idea of ditching the League Cup in favour of more lucrative foreign friendlies is pursued. This will let the larger clubs hoover up all the money in the game and will become a self-fulfilling cycle whereby Top Six clubs will ultimately become too big for domestic football. It will also cut down the opportunities for smaller clubs to get to Wembley. The other point I want to raise is the fact that this is all being proposed without the input of the consumer. Indeed, you might now argue that this proposal does benefit the lion's share of the consumers because these are actually foreign supporters lapping up televised matches. The average man on the terrace has not been considered and as he actually contributes very little to the financial success of the game, you can understand why teams like Liverpool and Man Utd hold him in contempt. The regional identity of clubs will be eroded and their heritage will be traded in against the whims of someone in SE Asia whose grasp of "football culture" is limited. I am not sure how many people on this board also follow the non-league game but it is noticeable that attendances have shot right up in the absence of live games at St Mary's, Fratton Park or Dean Court. The attendance at Winchester was 244 yesterday and was typical for the three games I have been to so far. I also went to watch a match at Romsey Town who are two tiers below Winchester and a similar crowd as at that match. It fascinates me to witness that the appetite for football in the UK does centre around people going to matches as opposed to watching TV. I think the proposals mooted today will threaten this and am not surprised at the hostility of genuine fans. I am not surprised to see that the Americans behind Liverpool and Man Utd are behind this since this is a concept that they are unable to appreciate. There is not much geographical loyalty in some American sport and with club ownership now largely in foreign hands, you do worry for the future in the game when owners cannot understand that it is the fans who make a club and that football is not a financial race to the bottom.
Parry just keeps on giving. Now he says that Man Utd and Liverpool aren't thinking of themselves - they're doing it for the greater good. Has he just been watching Hot Fuzz?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54502459 Well thanks Rick, I realise now. I'm so grateful to the wonderful Manchester United and Liverpool for their consideration of the smaller clubs. Get to **** you rancid old ****bag.
Apparently we should be applauding Liverpool and Manchester United I think his position is borderline untenable after sneaking around and colluding with two clubs he's not even responsible for. Rotten as ****.
Well it turns out Rick Parry is a complete twat. I'm not surprised that Liverpool and Man United are the driving force behind this with their American owners. We'll get franchises and drafts next.
If the EFL clubs vote it down, then I can't see how he survives. But I'm not sure if they will vote it down. Long term, I could see this deal potentially being a disaster for many EFL clubs - be careful what you wish for, and all that. And I expect many will be really annoyed at him for going direct to Liverpool and Utd. And two sides from each division will get pushed down into the division below, in order to allow the extra two PL teams to come down. But short term, this cash could help many to survive. I could see desperation resulting in EFL clubs voting for this through by some distance. And if that happens, Parry probably receives a tidy bonus and stays on.
I'm not sure on the numbers needed per division but I think it'll sail through with ease in the bottom two tiers. Championship will be a bit closer though I imagine.
I think - but I'm far from certain - that anything which is voted on by all three EFL divisions requires both an overall majority (ie 50% + 1) and a Championship-specific majority in order to pass.
That rings a bell actually yes. I read something about it during the lockdown but couldn't remember precisely what.
I have been expecting something like this for a couple of years. It will aid the top six teams to play more football in European competitions. I say to them rather than muck the English Premier league around, Why not just **** off to to a European super league. If they think they are so good, that will give a few more teams in the championship to get into the top British league. I do agree about sharing more money with the lower leagues though. I have been a saints fan for over 70 bloody years but if they vote for this that will end any association I have had with them. I'm really pissed off with this so called proposal.
Overall these plans are awful - although i do think reform is needed. I've thought for a while that it would be good to not abolish the league cup, but to just remove all clubs who qualify for europe that season. That way it reduces fixture pile up for those clubs, and also gives other clubs a good shot at winning a decent cup every season.
Why let them pull out the league cup? If they don’t want to prioritise, let them play their kids or the 10 players from their 25 man squad who don’t play the other competitions. They wanted big squads because of the number of games; make the use them.
Getting rid of the league cup won't reduce the amount of fixtures anyway, they'll just be replaced with the expanded CL.
It would be good to have them out the league cup - they do use their kids at the moment until the quarters/semi and then Man City win it every year - it is just dull. Whereas if they are removed, but the European spot for the winner is kept, it gives a good chance for clubs like Saints/Everton/Newcastle/Leicester of getting into Europe more regularly.
They should just have to declare a 25 man squad before the cup competitions (League and FA) begin. That squad is then the one used for the whole duration of that competition. They then have to consider whether they go strong and have the same squad across multiple competitions or whether they balance by using youth in part or for all
Exactly the same as removing the Community Shield ... to be replaced by a mega, glamorous friendly I expect.
