The Ref Stop

Breakaway European League.

Kes

I'll Decide ...
Word on the street is that Man Utd, Liverpool, Chelsea, Man City, Arsenal and Tottenham have all signed up to it. Real controversy.

What are the members thoughts?
 
The Ref Stop
Word on the street is that Man Utd, Liverpool, Chelsea, Man City, Arsenal and Tottenham have all signed up to it. Real controversy.

What are the members thoughts?
Appalling greed. To be honest, I am not the fussed, the domestic competition will continue and I recon the interest in their own little league will diminish I recon. Pleased to hear rumours that the domestic leagues have stated that they won't be welcome if they do this.

It is just because they want to decide on how much money they get - I think it is everything that is wrong in football, and I hope that fans will boycott these teams.
 
I haven’t posted here in a number of years but I’ll make an exception for this.

Speaking as a fan of Tottenham, I think Gary Neville was absolutely spot on with what he said, it’s a dealbreaker to support them if they go through with it. An absolute disgrace and IMO it makes a mockery of everything that has got football to the point of where it is now. It’s greed, and that’s all it boils down to.
 
Embarrassed to be associated with if

Won't be getting a penny of my money if it happens

Wonder how they'll get refs...
 
Could we be headed for another code of football a la league / Union in rugby.
If uefa/fifa won't sanction it then the game could be played under modified laws?
That said the money that is being bandied about I can't see them not giving it though but if it is a true breakaway then it's a possibility
 
Think about the timing here, it has been announced the day before UEFA planned to announce their new Champions League format. Feels to me that they are just flexing their muscles and will try to get better rights in the existing competitions.

If you were a professional footballer would you be happy playing for one of these teams if you knew it meant the end of your International career, which it undoubtedly would? And there is the issue, it doesn't seem that players have been consulted, nor supporters, they have just missed the point of what football is about completely.
 
Think about the timing here, it has been announced the day before UEFA planned to announce their new Champions League format. Feels to me that they are just flexing their muscles and will try to get better rights in the existing competitions.

If you were a professional footballer would you be happy playing for one of these teams if you knew it meant the end of your International career, which it undoubtedly would? And there is the issue, it doesn't seem that players have been consulted, nor supporters, they have just missed the point of what football is about completely.
I agree this is just posturing for more money, it won't happen.
 
If you were a professional footballer would you be happy playing for one of these teams if you knew it meant the end of your International career, which it undoubtedly would?
Looking at players that were happy to pop off to China for presumably less money than this breakaway is potentially promising, yes! I can see a lot of footballers happy to do that.
I can also see that threat being reneged on if this is realised when they are basically denying a lot of the worlds top talent in world footballs most prestigious competition.
Coupled with that, if we enter a world of dual code then there could be a national team for each, just as in rugby
However, I expect you are right and this won't actually happen.
 
Just before UEFA's announcement. Someone has got very pi**ed off in a negotiation it seems.
UEAFA already threatening players would not be allowed to play in other competitions.
Rumour is UEFA's new format would let in e.g. Chelsea and Liverpool to the ECL via the back door of places for high co-efficient teams.

It's all very strange.

Probably comes down to money and the broadcasters wanting to renegotiate contracts from 2020 onwards. And the losses of matchday revenue for clubs that have have made big stadium investments. For the big 6 in the prem, they see the TV pot and they want the Barca-Real situation where they get a bigger slice when the contracts are renegotiated because of Covid - so this is the threat.
 
Looking at players that were happy to pop off to China for presumably less money than this breakaway is potentially promising, yes! I can see a lot of footballers happy to do that.
I can also see that threat being reneged on if this is realised when they are basically denying a lot of the worlds top talent in world footballs most prestigious competition.
Coupled with that, if we enter a world of dual code then there could be a national team for each, just as in rugby

And most of those players end up coming back sooner rather than later as they realise that whilst they are earning megabucks the football is rubbish.

They won't renege on the representing your country ban, and you wouldn't have anywhere near enough players for a dual code system with just 16 clubs. I'm pretty sure this is just posturing by the big clubs.
 
Looks like it’s going ahead. Disgusting and embarrassing - tonight’s showed the owners involved really do not care for football or the fans. Gary Neville got it spot on, ever word.

I was wondering who will ref their games? The clubs are essentially not going to be part of FIFA or UEFA
 
Horrific. Don't want to sound too fatalistic but this could be the beginning of the end for the elite game as a spectacle. Until the announcement, I was hoping it was simply brinkmanship from the likes of Perez and Glazer but it clearly isn't. Glad my club, Leicester, appears to be nothing to with it but I really fear for the future of the Premier League.
I was wondering who will ref their games? The clubs are essentially not going to be part of FIFA or UEFA
Although it's hardly the most important topics, I was wondering the same thing. I'm sure huge contracts could tempt enough FIFA rated referees away from their respective leagues. But they'd only be doing 5-10 games max so it wouldn't really be possible for those in England etc. reliant on their full-time contract? I'd hope the refereeing bodies took a stand and caused this new league some real problems.

Either way it's an offensive, gut-wrenching mess; a a kick in the teeth to fans at such a difficult time from a bunch of greedy businessmen only interested in lining their own pockets.
 
Horrific. Don't want to sound too fatalistic but this could be the beginning of the end for the elite game as a spectacle. Until the announcement, I was hoping it was simply brinkmanship from the likes of Perez and Glazer but it clearly isn't. Glad my club, Leicester, appears to be nothing to with it but I really fear for the future of the Premier League.

Although it's hardly the most important topics, I was wondering the same thing. I'm sure huge contracts could tempt enough FIFA rated referees away from their respective leagues. But they'd only be doing 5-10 games max so it wouldn't really be possible for those in England etc. reliant on their full-time contract? I'd hope the refereeing bodies took a stand and caused this new league some real problems.

Either way it's an offensive, gut-wrenching mess; a a kick in the teeth to fans at such a difficult time from a bunch of greedy businessmen only interested in lining their own pockets.
Easy. Mike Dean gets offered £200K a year, what do you think his answer would be??
 
I think REAL football for REAL fans will continue. But I’m pleased (for once) that politicians have butted in too - think everything will be thrown against this from all angles.

Although I find Neville irritating (especially when he speaks about Man Utd), he hit the nail on the head here. It is greed and I don’t think fans will accept it. I think these clubs would lose fans in bulk.

Great to see French and German clubs with more integrity than “big six”. I’d like to see FIFA come out with a totalitarian, bullish response today.
 
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