Match Day Thread Premier League, Cups & Euro Watch

Yeh I knew someone would say that. But the general balance was being maintained. You could say the same about Real Madrid. But it wasn't enough to tip it. Chelsea coming in and spending £200m in Roman's first transfer window was way beyond anything seen before and set an unprecedented benchmark for things to snowball after that. It was the tipping point.

 

You could argue that PSG, Bayern and, at a push, Juve all spend big without too much affect on the spending levels in their respective leagues.

But generally agree with what you're saying.

 

Yeh but they themselves have been corrupted, they all want this European Super League. Juve are driving it, have you listened to their President, Agnelli? He's been banging on about it for a while.

 

It's been mooted for a long long time, the thing is this time it's being pushed by FIFA because they see the chance to usurp UEFA with the premier competition.
The CL contract runs out in 2024 so the time is ripe to launch a counter bid/competition that will rival that.

 

Not from me.
I know as a Blue you will have a different take on it, but at least we're having a discussion rather than an argument, and I appreciate that.
Before they took over many of our fans were eager to get the nasty taste of H&G out of the way and would have taken the sugar-daddy route to instant success, but I have always maintained I want none of that.
Though not perfect, I think FSG have embarked on a sound, pragmatic approach, gained lucrative sponsorships and were increasing the club's value before Klopp came along.
Got lucky with Klopp, I doubt anyone thought he would be quite as successful as he has been. On the pitch started to complement the other aspects of the club.
Their painful lack of understanding of our game was evident from the beginning, they were advised of it by the resistance to the ticket price hike, and I thought they were learning. Now I'm not so sure, but I'm not going to get on their backs just yet. Let's see how they respond to the clear signals of disapproval they're getting over this latest kite-flying exercise.
If they continue to try and turn us into a US style franchise I might even join the FSG out brigade.

It's far more than just us though, most of Europe's top clubs have been taken over by people who just see it as a business opportunity and have little feel for the game. Football as we knew it is gone.

 

Chaps, a bit of a fretful night, but I'm back now and I guess you're all waiting to hear my view on it.

Carra is right.

That's it.

PS, hate to admit I actually agree with Tobes on something too, but I think FSG have been more than stingy and I never miss a chance to say so. They got the club at half book price, albeit it in a distressed sale, because RBS said they were in a position to build the new stadium. I understood why they had a review and decided to upgrade Anfield (although there's nowhere else to go with the Kop and the Kenny stand), but ten years on - and they still haven't done the Anny Rd. But their asset has gone from $500m to $2bn according to some reports...

I agree with not getting in debt, but what happened to the then $200m they were supposed to have to build a new stadium? I'd crawl over 500 miles of glass to flick pebble at Lady Linda's ****, but I'm not taken in by the rest. All said, I did predict this when the Big 6 + 3 stuff was dismissed. And it won't go away.

 

Yeah - I can't remember when I first heard the idea brought up, but it was quite a few years ago.
Hated the idea then, and I haven't changed my mind now.

 

If FIFA weren't involved they would have issued a statement saying so ergo they are the body putting it together including the finance .

 

I believe FSG have been open about it since the start that they don't understand why the biggest attraction to the league (Liverpool and Utd) don't get a proportional amount. Its why I assume the two have teamed together on these ideas.

Personally I think that is a typical and horrible American capitalist look at things. Football as a society doesn't work like that, or are we happy to just throw away a bunch of smaller clubs like they are on minimum wage and made homeless.

 

If this had anything of note behind it currently, then FIFA would have put their name to it. There’s a World of difference between FIFA having floated the basis of an idea at some point & it being a current realistic plan.

There is no ‘finance’. An American bank (now there’s another coincidence) apparently saying they’d issue an advance payment based on future revenues, that they’d undoubtedly want security on from all of those involved, is nothing more than a huge payday loan.

Genuine finance would be sponsors and a broadcasting deal agreed in principle.

 

so why haven't they disowned the plan then ?

 

Why even comment on a story that literally no one has put their name to? Plus, I never said they wouldn’t fancy the idea if it could make them some additional dosh.

 

I know, I know - but it was PSG.

 

Was that 16-20 years ago a time when you had Ferguson and were dominating the league by any chance

 

You guys realise this isn’t a European super league that’s been touted in the past where teams leave their current league to play in it.

it’s in addition to the domestic league, so it’s effectively a replacement for the CL but with diff formatting of set clubs with 6 additional ones. It’ll be played midweek so clubs can still compete in their normal leagues at weekends.


I like the idea of a league format rather than lost of little groups with knockout games. Means you get to play all the teams which makes it more exciting. Only thing not keen on is the fact that it’s a set 14 teams and 6 others invited. Does seem a bit of a big boys club though

 

Only it is.

How can you play in an 18 team league as well as a domestic 20 team league?

With the knockout games (assuming they were 1 leg) that’d be adding 37 games to the calendar. If you get to the final of the CL you play 13. So to try and suggest both could be played concurrently is abject nonsense, unless you literally played your B team in the domestic league most weeks, which would massively devalue the PL product, and the PL would never sanction it.

 

Nah sorry
I don’t agree with most of you on here on this
I have no beef with anyone spending any of the money they want to spend

You can’t come in saying, well we only spent a bit more than everyone else but these guys have spent a **** ton - like everyone did when City started their spending
Oddly nothing like the 90mil spent on Pogba which really tipped the scales and caused a crazy summer.

Every single pro club has contributed to where we are now
There is no going back - going right back to Trevor Francis - this was always going to happen.

the only thing we can hope is that football implodes
But our choice is simple
Watch and accept the disgusting way in which it is going or don’t watch and go get involved in your local grassroots club imho

 

Do you not see a difference between money earned through legitimate football means (fanbase/success on the pitch/ sponsorship deals etc) and a large injection of cash from a source totally unrelated to the game?

 

These are the responses I expected on here. That genuinely has nothing to do with it. We were breaking spending records signing Robson in the early 80's and winning nothing more than FA Cups. The apple cart was well and truly balanced.