The Football News Thread 2020/21

[Penfold]

Apparently the organisers of this aren’t keen on having 2 clubs from Manchester and 3 from London.
Draw from that what you want, franchise time?
I

I seriously doubt that would happen Would be a disaster even if a small part of me would find it hilarious when Man City United play Arsenal Hotspur and there is fighting in the crowds amongst their own supporters.

 

[Tony Towner]

Still don't think it'll happen, just that they'll be a restructuring of CL payments and some sort of financial pay off for those clubs who don't qualify

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Still don't think it'll happen, just that they'll be a restructuring of CL payments and some sort of financial pay off for those clubs who don't qualify

I think so too, but whatever happens football has changed from this day forward with this.

 

[broughtonwolf]

I know there is, quite rightly, a lot of anger about the subject. But I'm not sure I believe all of the people running to say they'd "never watch Wolves again if we were part of it". Firstly, it's easy to say that because 1) we're not and 2) it makes you look good.

But lets be fair. Most of us have the support of our club deeply embedded within us from a young age. You don't spend 20/30/40/50+ years loyally following a football club around the country through thick and thin and then just walk away on a moral decision.

I've been to some absolute shitholes in my time watching us kick around in the lower leagues, because that's what 'support' and 'loyalty' is. I wouldn't change those memories for anything. But if we were part of a breakaway super league, despite what I think is right or wrong, for my love of the club, I would probably continue to watch and support. I appreciate that adds to the problem - but it is what it is. I suspect a lot of top 6 fans (and most of my mates follow Spurs, Liverpool or Man Utd) are angry right now - but if in 2 years time this happens, they'll still watch their clubs games.

There is precedent with Wimbledon / MK Dons / AFC in terms of walking away from a moral viewpoint. although I accept that could be seen as having the club forcibly taken away from them.

An American ringfenced franchise system works for sport there, it doesn't in European football. The question is now how much desire is there to fight this and secondly if this is a negotiating tactic from the ESL group for something different but ultimately along the same lines, have they underplayed how much collateral damage they will cause in the meantime.?

 

[Stan Hullis]

I know there is, quite rightly, a lot of anger about the subject. But I'm not sure I believe all of the people running to say they'd "never watch Wolves again if we were part of it". Firstly, it's easy to say that because 1) we're not and 2) it makes you look good.

But lets be fair. Most of us have the support of our club deeply embedded within us from a young age. You don't spend 20/30/40/50+ years loyally following a football club around the country through thick and thin and then just walk away on a moral decision.

I've been to some absolute shitholes in my time watching us kick around in the lower leagues, because that's what 'support' and 'loyalty' is. I wouldn't change those memories for anything. But if we were part of a breakaway super league, despite what I think is right or wrong, for my love of the club, I would probably continue to watch and support. I appreciate that adds to the problem - but it is what it is. I suspect a lot of top 6 fans (and most of my mates follow Spurs, Liverpool or Man Utd) are angry right now - but if in 2 years time this happens, they'll still watch their clubs games.

I won't watch Premier League football if they allow them to form this Super League but then continue to play in the Premier League alongside.

I didn't go to all of the "absolute shitholes" watching Wolves on a Tuesday night so that so many years later I could watch the "Top 6" continually rip us a new arsehole every time we play them because they can afford to pay Mbappe £1m a week or some other bullshit.

So yeah I'd be gutted to not watch Wolves games but at least I've got my morals to keep me warm at night when I go to bed.

 

[jd1981]

Regardless of whether this doesn’t happen it’s out there. Trying to back track and mend relations is near on impossible like trying to put toothpaste back in its tube.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Regardless of whether this doesn’t happen it’s out there. Trying to back track and mend relations is near on impossible like trying to put toothpaste back in its tube.

Exactly, all this has fucked football.

 

[nimrod]

can't say i'm shocked about this proposal which is all about money again. the big clubs want to spend more and more and to do so they need to maximise stable income. no surprise if the glazers are the key promoter having borrowed millions to buy Man U, no doubt they think they can monetise the additional forward secure revenue for a payout or debt settlement. three english clubs involved may not make the champions league next season - so true colours from their owners, and it's not pretty to see.

obviously if they proceed they should be kicked out the domestic leagues but its a big question whether that would ever realistically be taken all the way, so comes down to who really exerts the power. disgusting proposal though that just pisses on the game's history

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1384101159187542017

 

[Stan Hullis]

I know there is, quite rightly, a lot of anger about the subject. But I'm not sure I believe all of the people running to say they'd "never watch Wolves again if we were part of it". Firstly, it's easy to say that because 1) we're not and 2) it makes you look good.

But lets be fair. Most of us have the support of our club deeply embedded within us from a young age. You don't spend 20/30/40/50+ years loyally following a football club around the country through thick and thin and then just walk away on a moral decision.

I've been to some absolute shitholes in my time watching us kick around in the lower leagues, because that's what 'support' and 'loyalty' is. I wouldn't change those memories for anything. But if we were part of a breakaway super league, despite what I think is right or wrong, for my love of the club, I would probably continue to watch and support. I appreciate that adds to the problem - but it is what it is. I suspect a lot of top 6 fans (and most of my mates follow Spurs, Liverpool or Man Utd) are angry right now - but if in 2 years time this happens, they'll still watch their clubs games.

Also, sorry to bleat on but this type of thinking really pisses me off (and this isn't specifically aimed at Jinky, but the wider thinking on this kind of level)

You don't spend 20/30/40/50+ years loyally following a football club around the country through thick and thin and then just walk away on a moral decision.

Morals decisions aren't weighed up against the amount of time you have invested into something prior - they are moral decisions and to reject your own morals based on the amount of time invested is a) sunk cost fallacy and b) cunty and c) stupid.

Watching Wolves in a breakaway European Super League that fucks over the very sport and fabric of a game that got them there in the first place isn't "support" or "loyalty" it is blind faith and you may as well wear a fucking sheeps costume every time you sit down to watch a game.

Anyway sorry for the rant but at least I feel a bit better now.

 

[BillyDee]

Of course the biggest disgrace is we weren't invited when we invented European football in the first place...

 

[Kenny]

With Sky and BT going against this idea, I'm going to presume they were told how much they needed to bid for the rights to show it.
Not accepting they have found some morals after charging £15 to see games earlier in the season.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

That was the PL, wasn't it?

Sky and BT broadcast the games but at cost, they didn't make anything out of it. The PL wouldn't pay up (until they did).

 

[jd1981]

The more I think about it the worse it gets, deep down I’ve got a feeling the 14 clubs will vote to keep the big 6 simply out of pragmatism and the realisation of what it means otherwise.
They won’t care that the dream to reach the top is over. Bare this in mind any player we develop, nurture will be taken away after probably 1 good season.
The rest of the PL won’t risk losing huge chunks of its finance.
Im not endorsing violence but I’d strongly recommend to fans of theses clubs not to travel to the other 14 clubs simply because the anger is so high and isn’t going away.
Never let these clubs forget what they’ve done, they’ll ridicule us when they sweep us aside each season but look at how they’ve done this.

 

[Johnny75]

The more I think about it the worse it gets, deep down I’ve got a feeling the 14 clubs will vote to keep the big 6 simply out of pragmatism and the realisation of what it means otherwise.
They won’t care that the dream to reach the top is over. Bare this in mind any player we develop, nurture will be taken away after probably 1 good season.
The rest of the PL won’t risk losing huge chunks of its finance.
Im not endorsing violence but I’d strongly recommend to fans of theses clubs not to travel to the other 14 clubs simply because the anger is so high and isn’t going away.
Never let these clubs forget what they’ve done, they’ll ridicule us when they sweep us aside each season but look at how they’ve done this.

Why do you think the other 14 clubs need the so called 'big 6'?

Their finance doesn't depend on it as Stadia would be full and the PL would guarantee the TV income.

 

[Kenny]

That was the PL, wasn't it?

Sky and BT broadcast the games but at cost, they didn't make anything out of it. The PL wouldn't pay up (until they did).

Thought they were making a small profit on the PPV games. If I've got that wrong then hands held up but still won't accept they have found morals...at least SSN can have more countdown clocks as clubs go out of business or the product they paid billions for is devalued

 

[PuntsWolf]

With Sky and BT going against this idea, I'm going to presume they were told how much they needed to bid for the rights to show it.
Not accepting they have found some morals after charging £15 to see games earlier in the season.

Not that Sky were completely innocent, but wasn’t the PPV for the clubs to make money...

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Thought they were making a small profit on the PPV games. If I've got that wrong then hands held up but still won't accept they have found morals...at least SSN can have more countdown clocks as clubs go out of business or the product they paid billions for is devalued

Oh, there are no morals. Sky have had a gun to football fans' heads for the thick end of 30 years. BT forced football fans to pay more for the same thing so they could get people to sign up to their shit broadband.

But on this one they're not guilty.

 

[jd1981]

Why do you think the other 14 clubs need the so called 'big 6'?

Their finance doesn't depend on it as Stadia would be full and the PL would guarantee the TV income.

Realistically you know for a fact tv deals will be a fraction without the big 6.
Plus they know they wouldn’t be able to keep players of any real quality due to wage demands.

 

[Kenny]

Fair do's, my lockdown brain has muddled shit up but Sky would be all over this comp if they could get it, so going with the cost is too high for them.

Amazon on standby to make their big break in football. Now they certainly have no morals.