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10 Dec 2018 11:48:23

An update from Ed002 about the changing face of European football.....

{Ed002's Note - There are two/three counter-proposals to the pan-European breakaway that have partially been backed by UEFA to try and save their own skin. The first proposal is to rename and change the format of the UEFA Champions League to make it an elite closed-shop pan-European league with a fixed number of teams – and these would be the same teams every year and be based on past winners of the Champions League and European Cup and a few (not specified) more. It would then require the restructuring of the Europa League and the possible introduction of a lower-tier European competition again. Although they have yet to flesh out the detail and there is now a major concern that the impetus for this is not coming from Europe, although one major Football Association has given their support and discussions have also been held with the leading clubs from England (Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal). The American backer, Stephen Ross of the Miami Dolphins, has on several occasions requested a meeting with an extant group of sides considering the pan-European breakaway to discuss his proposals. They have yet to respond but having identified the source of much of the funding (and that raising a concern) will wish to discuss it between themselves first. This has dragged on for a couple of years and nothing has happened - and I doubt it will.

However, UEFA are now considering a variant proposal that would see some places in the CL fixed (probably to previous winners) and then see it supplemented by Champions and second place sides each season. This complicates matters again as it means the re-introduction of a third competition or the significant restructuring of the EL. The plan being put to clubs is a summer/preseason tournament that will evolve in to a parallel league, and of course eventually in to a complete breakaway for these clubs. As a first step to all of this, UEFA have negotiated minor changes that will see the four entrants from England, Germany, Spain and Italy enter the existing Champions League group stages without any qualification beyond their National League position (so no entry to qualifying rounds). This has been agreed by the European Club Association but UEFA did not want to discuss it with the separate group of “elite” sides discussing the Pan European League (and that “elite” group includes three English sides) as they are aware they will get no more than a shrug and no long-term support - and that is where we are now.

The other major counter proposal is a Chinese proposal from the Dalian Wanda Group proposes to open up the lucrative Chinese and Far Eastern media markets by extending the league to include Chinese and South American clubs - right now North American clubs have not been mentioned. This has yet to be discussed by the "elite" sides as a group although the proposals have been presented to a number of them already on an individual basis. The proposals are very broad-based and lack detail - their selling point is significant additional income for the "elite". The general feeling from informal discussions over cocktails is that the "elite" would not want it on a league basis but could be open to including other sides in a some sort of expanded World Club Cup.}

So after that I obviously asked THE question and to summarise Ed002's answer -

Celtic, Feyenoord, Hamburg, Forest, Villa, Red Star, Steau Bucurest and one or two other past winners were not on the list put forward whereas past winners Ajax and Benfica are in a group of 5 clubs that have so far said they don't want any part of a breakaway.}

Agree0 Disagree0

10 Dec 2018 13:22:47
Thanks to both the Eds there. Well done to Ajax and Benfica for sticking it to them as well.

{Ed007's Note - You're welcome mate.}

10 Dec 2018 14:31:58
I cannot get my head around this would it be good for the hoops?

{Ed007's Note - It depends what you want mate, if you're happy enough to see us getting pumped by Barca and PSG just to get mega £ you're going to be disappointed but if you'd rather see us competing against teams nearer our level but with higher financial rewards than the EL and better (fairer) distribution of money etc it'll be exciting times imo.
For now though there's still the guarantee of access to the CL through the Champions Route and these plans are at least a couple of years away yet.}

10 Dec 2018 16:49:14
Money has ruined football. What's the point in having a big healthy bank balance but getting horsed off every other team? All you would be doing there is paying HMRC a load of tax on profits and creating an apathy for the fans. Wouldn't it be far better to get into a European competition that we could do well in and actually compete?

10 Dec 2018 17:41:22
The idea of teams qualifying regardless of where they finish in their respective leagues absolutely stinks by the way.

10 Dec 2018 18:15:22
I would rather compete and be entertained than be steamrolled by the elite. Their cash rich tournament will eventually become boring with the same old clubs in the quarter finals semis and final.

10 Dec 2018 19:05:39
Jimtim basically if your not in a title challenge what’s the point in trying?

10 Dec 2018 19:27:13
Not sure we're on the same page Bigbhoy mate? I'm talking about the 'fixed places' idea. So does that mean say Man Utd will be in it year on year even if they finish 6th? I'd rather the 'elite' clubs bugger off and form their own league than that. In saying that, if they change the name from 'Champions League' then it would make more sense.

10 Dec 2018 22:47:36
Jim basically it doesn’t matter where united, Man City, Chelsea finish. there going to be there anyway?

11 Dec 2018 00:46:22
I think the CL is boring already. In years gone by, I used to watch it even if we weren’t in it or had been knocked out. I haven’t watched a CL final for about 5 or 6 years now. The amount of ‘fixing’ that is being proposed is no less cheating than the David Murray EBT era at the oldco. I wouldn’t be that bothered if we stopped playing in Europe altogether.

11 Dec 2018 04:26:15
I'm with you now Bigbhoy sorry mate that was me being a div 👍. Good point yes so if a team was languishing they could even just take the foot off the gas.







 

 

 
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