That's what I was trying to say: A well written piece of satire. That also sums up Flyer for me. The lights are on but nobody's home.
I read an article about two years back which said the G14 clubs had agreed with UEFA to drop the threat of a Super League in return for a revamped Champions League which had been agreed and the last changes to the second phase had been implemented with the agreement going to 2014, this also included the Financial Fair Play rules which would further protect the big clubs from upstarts like Man City & PSG. However, the big clubs are still not happy with it and there are already advanced plans for around 16 clubs to break away and run a Euro Super League outside UEFA/FIFA. Within a couple of years the plan would be that the clubs, who would all be partners in owning the League would issue worldwide franchises for a second division of 16, it would embrace Asia, America, Africa and South America and there would be promotion/relegation play-offs etc. All the best players would be playing as the worldwide television deals would dwarf the current PL deal by several times. The major betting companies would pour massive amounts of money in and effectively the World Cup will have been replaced by a club/franchise version. With the players owned by the League they would not feature in any UEFA/FIFA competition so they would be virtually reduced to running a Blue Square Conference type competition for the little countries that have for so long been the 'tail wagging the dog'. There are further meetings due before 2014 but clubs are businesses and they see a far more lucrative future running a Kerry Packer style breakaway that being subject to the vagaries of Platini & Blatter...
Very interesting, though somewhat depressing article Sooper, thanks. Seems the shape of things to come in the not so distant future.
If i want to see anything of his, I just have to click on "forum tools" on the top right and his name is right there along with all the Norwich and Swansea fans.
This is only a matter of time. It is verging on the miraculous that EUFA have held the line on a full time Super League for 15 years or so now but as soon as the accountants do their sums and calculate that the financial incentive of a breakaway outweigh the risks then it will happen. With global TV rights now worth gazillions the risk of losing income by upsetting the local 'consumers' is now much less of an impact so things will be coming to a head real soon. Such a move is likely to be driven from the likes of Spain, Italy and perhaps Germany rather than the Premier League clubs where that calculation is more marginal.
