Clubs to breakway?

[Svlad Cjelli]

Potentially big story starting to break

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/jul/27/european-clubs-breakaway-fifa-uefa

Top European clubs threaten to break away from Fifa and Uefa

• ECA teams unhappy about finances and international fixtures
• Clubs may bypass governing bodies and run their own affairs

European clubs will break away from Fifa and Uefa and create their own super league unless the world governing body urgently addresses their growing concerns over international fixtures and finances. It would be the most radical development in the history of football since the first World Cup in 1930, ripping up the established world order of the game and seizing power from Sepp Blatter, Fifa's president.
.....

[papereyes]

If they are going to do that, can they just go ahead and do it.

[Bandini]

If they are going to do that, can they just go ahead and do it.

Alternatively, if they aren't going to do that, can they make a big fuss about it and get FIFA/UEFA to accede to some of their demands but basically keep the same structure?

Oh.

[TheMaraudingDog]

It will never happen but at least it gives the FSF something else to w-nk over.

[Ian Royal]

In what way are they unhappy about finances? That some controls are being brought into place so they can't carry on as was, or that financial controls aer good enough and much more needs to be done?

[TheMaraudingDog]

In a free Market there shouldn't be any controls in place.

[sandman]

I don't know why they're complaining. The "financial fair play rules" will only serve to cement the top clubs in their current position even more.

[Svlad Cjelli]

It will never happen but at least it gives the FSF something else to w-nk over.

As Blackadder would say, there are tribes in the Amazon delta, as yet undiscovered by the white man, who knew you were going to make some such remark.

It's sad really - you used to be the king of WUMs - witty and original. But now all your stuff is just so boring and predictable it makes some of Kes's posts look feash and vibrant.

[T.R.O.L.I.]

it makes some of Kes's posts look fresh and vibrant.

Bit of an exaggeration there, Dirkers

[Barry the bird boggler]

I don't know why they're complaining. The "financial fair play rules" will only serve to cement the top clubs in their current position even more.

Yes I can see those rules being appreciated. They'd rather demand more money out of FIFA/UEFA to keep them quite than go any way towards levelling the playing fields in their own domestic league

Either way though something has to give; either the clubs "monopoly" or the disorganisations that are UEFA/FIFA

[Wax Jacket]

I'm all in favour of a breakaway tbh

[Svlad Cjelli]

In what way are they unhappy about finances? That some controls are being brought into place so they can't carry on as was, or that financial controls aer good enough and much more needs to be done?

That the TV money goes to UEFA & FIFA (the latter for coverage of games involving the players that they own) and they don't get a share of it (or as big a share as they'd like.)

[LUX]

calm down to a panic m9s, I cannot see what this has got to do with Reading

[sandman]

It wouldn't have anything to do with Chelsea either.

[Hoop Blah]

It will never happen but at least it gives the FSF something else to w-nk over.

To be fair I think there were plenty of people saying that about a top tier split away from the Football League 20 odd years ago.

As much as I think a shake up is needed I don't want to see the top clubs distancing themselves from the rest of the game and basically killing off international football as we currently know it.

[Svlad Cjelli]

Not sure how I feel about it - we've been here before, of course, with fewer clubs and a threat to breakaway and form a European Super-League - and that led to the European Cup becoming teh Champions League with more money and more teams qualifying and getting a guaranteed number of matches.

Where this one might go is less clear ... here' a school of thought that says oxf*rd off and form your own league, but it all depends on whether that league is a completely closed shop of if there are ways into it for clubs doing well.

[Terminal Boardom]

It will never happen but at least it gives the FSF something else to w-nk over.

To be fair I think there were plenty of people saying that about a top tier split away from the Football League 20 odd years ago.

As much as I think a shake up is needed I don't want to see the top clubs distancing themselves from the rest of the game and basically killing off international football as we currently know it.

TBF, the quality of International football is fairly dire. I would expect the top clubs to easily beat any International side. her's a question. Is there any need or purpose for International football? The big clubs certainly don't want it and one way for it to survive could be to have players centrally contracted as in cricket.

[Svlad Cjelli]

Sepp Blatter would say that it pays for player developemnt in all the coutries outside Europe - and even some smaller ones within Europe.

[Mr Angry]

As posted on this forum (if not this thread) many, many times, the richer clubs want more money and this would be the first step to establishing a "World League" with the TV rights for individual games auctioned off with all the monies going to the "home" club, and games played wherever the highest bidder for that particular game is located. (Needless to say, there would be no relegation or promtion, and new clubs would only be "invited" to join if they can stump up serious cash for the others....)

How would it work? Say Man Utd have a "home" game versus Barcelona. Star TV in the Far East offer £150M for the TV rights for that game, whilst the Glazers decide that, to further their brand, the game will be staged in Denver.

Or how about Man City having all their home games played in Abu Dhabi?

The clubs would not allow their superstar galactico's to play for the respective National teams, as it wouldn't be in the clubs interests to allow them to.

Needless to say, the players will be on obscene money.

Personally, I'd love that to happen; it would then mean that the remaining clubs can get on and have a competitive League with a level financial playing field. TV revenues would fall, but that would mean ALL clubs would have to act in a financially prudent manner; players would no longer be paid stupid money.

UEFA & FIFA would still stage tournaments, just with National sides made up of players from outside the "World League".

I'm sure fans of Man Utd and Chelsea etc will still feel its "their" club, though of course, the only way they will get to watch "their" team is on the TV.

As the Bible warns: sow the wind, so reap the whirlwind.

[Friday's Legacy]

As posted on this forum (if not this thread) many, many times, the richer clubs want more money and this would be the first step to establishing a "World League" with the TV rights for individual games auctioned off with all the monies going to the "home" club, and games played wherever the highest bidder for that particular game is located. (Needless to say, there would be no relegation or promtion, and new clubs would only be "invited" to join if they can stump up serious cash for the others....)

How would it work? Say Man Utd have a "home" game versus Barcelona. Star TV in the Far East offer £150M for the TV rights for that game, whilst the Glazers decide that, to further their brand, the game will be staged in Denver.

Or how about Man City having all their home games played in Abu Dhabi?

The clubs would not allow their superstar galactico's to play for the respective National teams, as it wouldn't be in the clubs interests to allow them to.

Needless to say, the players will be on obscene money.

Personally, I'd love that to happen; it would then mean that the remaining clubs can get on and have a competitive League with a level financial playing field. TV revenues would fall, but that would mean ALL clubs would have to act in a financially prudent manner; players would no longer be paid stupid money.

UEFA & FIFA would still stage tournaments, just with National sides made up of players from outside the "World League".

I'm sure fans of Man Utd and Chelsea etc will still feel its "their" club, though of course, the only way they will get to watch "their" team is on the TV.

As the Bible warns: sow the wind, so reap the whirlwind.

agree with this and supportive of it for those reasons, as long as those financial restraints are brought in. i wouldn't miss the so called big four or five if they went off on a jolly. i get more out of watching the football league than i do the premier league as it currently stands.