10 Feb 2018 15:23:11
Q for Ed2
Regarding this breakaway european league, suppose Liverpool or spurs or whoever were euopean champions and considered the best team in europe (higly unlikely i know) the season before the breakaway. Would they be invited in and if not, in your opinion, would their exclusion not devalue the league? Thanks in advance.

{Ed002's Note - No and no.}


1.) 10 Feb 2018
10 Feb 2018 16:15:53
Seems strange that a team with a record in Europe probably only 2nd to Madrid in Europe.2nd most successful in English history, a fanbase up there with the very biggest teams with one of the largest revenues wouldn't be invited.


2.) 10 Feb 2018
10 Feb 2018 16:32:59
Big Emre it's all about now not history from 30 plus years ago. It really is simple if we had been a top Premier league team with a few championships we would have been invited.
On the breakaway I think it will loose all appeal after 10 years and teams will try and get back into their respective leagues.

{Ed002's Note - The respective leagues will have changed considerably by then.}


3.) 10 Feb 2018
10 Feb 2018 18:05:17
ED002, correct me if I am wrong here, but will the pan breakaway only be made up of the clubs that are currently involved in the on going meetings in Monaco?

Will there be a second tier league? And if so what teams would make that league up?

Regards

Kemlyn.

{Ed002's Note - The plan remains it is those clubs. Subsequently their may be a second tleague but that is far off and some will be against it.}


4.) 10 Feb 2018
10 Feb 2018 18:21:03
ED002,

For the teams left in the premier league, will there be an opportunity to get into the breakaway league through winning the league, champions league of another competition? And subsequently a team from the breakaway league loosing there place through relegation?

But, where would they be relegated to? They would have lost of there place in the league they came from I guess as it would be two different governing associations, no?

I guess I just answered my own question, but the breakaway league would soon become boring as every team would be safe from relegation as they have nowhere to be relegated too?

Could players be bought from the premier league by a team in the breakaway league

I am opening a can of worms in my own head here

Regards

Kemlyn.

{Ed002's Note - (1) No, that is not the plan. (2) There is no reason to think that transfer would be any different to now - this has already been discussed.}


5.) 10 Feb 2018
10 Feb 2018 18:29:13
ED002

Sorry to be a pain, but do UEFA have representatives at the meetings in Monaco? Do they get invited?

They must have a bit of a sweat on with the prospect of it happening, as you would think it would de value the champions league and the UEFA cup eventually

Cheers.

{Ed002's Note - It remains the greatest fear of UEFA and all major national authorities that one day this will happen – which has resulted in a counter-proposal being drafted by UEFA. They don't attend the meetings as members but have on some occasions been represented where specific matters are being discussed, or where they wish to raise specific matters with the clubs.}


6.) 10 Feb 2018
10 Feb 2018 18:36:00
Ed002, a or two question if I may and it’s hypothetical, but would the exclusion of Liverpool from the breakaway league hurt Liverpool considerably? The reason I say Liverpool is coz I support Liverpool, but spurs could be an example too. Basically clubs who complete in European completions most years.

And have the breakaway discussed further entries? Promotion demotion style or is it just going to be the X amount of clubs and that's it?

{Ed002's Note - If the proposal for a breakaway goes ahead, there is every likelihood that the big money from television, sponsorship etc. would go with a breakaway league. It would completely rupture the operations of UEFA and I would expect it would require national associations like the FA to restructure their leagues. Nobody wants this but it is the eventual consequence I would expect. Initially it could be that there is a single 16 team league with probably 3 EPL teams making the initial plunge. If I had to speculate, I would think (1) you might eventually see something like five or six EPL teams leave for two-tier pan European league - but it won't be based on the UEFA rankings and it is a long way off; (2) the Premier League would be disbanded as an organisation; (3) the FA would restructure in to two 20 team divisions with lower leagues regionalised as they were many years ago; (4) FIFA would ban all players from the breakaway teams from International football - perhaps rescinding that position to stop FIFA breaking up as well - they don't want further issues but the troubles are not going to go away. I could also see many teams lose their professional status. I would think we are probably 10 years away from any significant move at this time.

I hold a reasonably strong view in terms of the need to restructure football in Europe in any case. For me an eventual a breakaway pan-European league would force the restructuring of many of the national leagues, possibly resulting in a British league with perhaps only a couple of professional tiers and then regionalised amateur leagues below that. Financially I do not see that so many pro sides can be sustained within the sport which, like it or not, will see more and more money going in to the highest levels of the game. Governments will ensure that grassroots sport get funding but everything in the middle (Southern, Northern, Conference, Division 2, Scottish Divisions 1-3, League of Wales will not get the funding needed to continue on any sort of professional basis. For me, clubs should already recognise this and put their efforts in to getting there finances in order to see if they can make it to a British professional league that will need to flourish without perhaps six sides that have gone down the pan-European route - and have gone for good. Clubs like Accrington Stanley will need to carry on as amateurs or face extinction (yet again).

The game has changed significantly and will continue to do so. Football at the highest level is big business and attracts the sponsorship it does because the sponsors wish to tap in to the disposable income of the fans and ride the back of the advertising that flows naturally from the success some clubs achieve. Long gone are the days of the cloth-capped, hobnailed-booted, chimney sweep making his way, rattle in hand, to cheer on his team at Anfield on a Saturday afternoon. I have explained that there will be changes, probably within the next 10 to 12 years, which will force the restructuring of all of the leagues in Europe and likely do away with the likes of UEFA. You will have the opportunity to see the likes of Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Juventus and the other major European sides play in week-on-week regular competition at The Emirates, Stamford Bridge etc.. You will have the opportunity to visit Milan, Barcelona, Monaco, etc. every couple of weeks to watch your team play - if they make the cut. If you want to don your cloth cap, have a pint of wallop with your chums before going off to the local match, perhaps one of the sides from the suburbs will have survived so you can go and watch them?}


7.) 10 Feb 2018
10 Feb 2018 18:37:55
ED2

Last question, is there a free pint of wallop in it for you?

All the best mate.

{Ed002's Note - I don't drink wallop at all Kemlyn.}


8.) 10 Feb 2018
10 Feb 2018 18:49:10
Thanks for the info Ed002, always a pleasure.

{Ed002's Note - You are welcome.}


9.) 10 Feb 2018
10 Feb 2018 18:49:51
Thanks Ed002 for you answer and I do remember seeing a lot of the points from you before, so thanks for putting it together. it was a good read.

{Ed002's Note - Glad it helped.}


10.) 10 Feb 2018
10 Feb 2018 18:53:46
I think liverpool have a good chance of winning ucl. We can beat anyone. Not favourites of course but we are there.


11.) 10 Feb 2018
10 Feb 2018 18:57:42
From what I read, liverpool would be asked. We are European football royalty.

I really hate the idea of it though and I hope and pray it doesn't happen. It would be another example of money ruining the game we love. Things like Leicester winning the Premier will be over and devalue the achievements of potential winners of the Premier league. Does it mean Liverpool will never play Everton again? Or only rarely in fa Cup etc.


12.) 10 Feb 2018
10 Feb 2018 18:58:10
I am guessing the new league will have a top 4 places and it will need the likes of Us, Spurs and Arsenal to fight for that spot lol!


13.) 10 Feb 2018
10 Feb 2018 20:01:48
This breakaway league could be what most fans are craving. Let the breakaway teams go. That leaves the league clubs with a limited pot of money and the 'good old days' where it's not all about money. Every team left wold be working to a budget, I'd imagine less big wages, less foreign players, more teams made up of home grown and local lads. It may not have the glitz and gL'Amour of the breakaway but domestically could be the best thing to happen. Just my opinion. Clean the slate and start again.


14.) 10 Feb 2018
10 Feb 2018 20:58:36
A pan European football league sounds incredibly boring to be honest, no more derbys, no more giant killings, no new teams from lower leagues, no unexpected results, no rivalries, no fun, no atmosphere, Just dull, sterile football.

Imagine if United went and we didn’t, the United fans live to do us over, playing PSG every other week will just take the fun out of it for them, they would have nothing to look forward to, it’s like taking away Xmas, same goes if we went and Everton didn’t, I would miss derby day too much, sorry but give me Everton over Real Madrid any day of the week.
I imagine all the big teams fans would miss it as well after the initial honeymoon period, the big money will go initially but if the stands are empty after a few years and nobody’s watching on sky/ bt/ Amazon/ google anymore because it’s a total snore fest then the money and sponsorship will Soon dry up.
The moneymen in football are a bit naive thinking they can completely rip the soul out of football and expect the fans to lap it up and chuck money at them, we don’t live to watch PSG vs Madrid just because it’s PSG vs Madrid, we live to see the unexpected, games like the legendary LfC vs Newcastle game (4-4) smashing Norwich for 6, even getting turned over by Cyrstal palace, Gerrards slip, leisters title win as it’s these moments/ talking points that make football special and successful not Neymars latest haircut.

{Ed002's Note - They would play teams as often as they play Liverpool. You wildly underestimate how popular it will be. It is a natural progression away from what is bloated and unsustainable.}


15.) 10 Feb 2018
10 Feb 2018 21:08:26
Ed002 alluding to a cap and rattle 😂😂

I’ve been following and going to the games, home and away for over 30 years, no cap, no rattle, just plenty of brilliant days out following my team. Pure football days out.

Football lost it’s “rattles and caps” when Murdoch got his greeds hands on the games.

Chelsea away used to be totally hostie, now it’s full of Sloaney blondes thinking they know everything about football! Believe me I know, because I still go to Chelsea away and have a few pints in the white horse on Parsons Green.

I’d rather see the rattes and fat caps than the soulless support of today.

{Ed002's Note - we lived very close to the ground when we first moved to England and we stay regularly in the Chelsea Harbour hotel still. I don’t recall the White Horse but there is a very good vintage guitar shop in Parsons Green. Try the Chelsea Prayer Room (you need to ask if there is space in there as it is above a restaurant called Goat. Else Barts is worth a visit. The Lots Raod pub on, not surprisingly, on Lots Road is pleasant enough, you can park nearby and it is about a 10 minute walk to the ground.}


16.) 10 Feb 2018
10 Feb 2018 21:43:41
Wildly popular with who though? I’m not pretending I speak for the majority of football fans, but I would have thought the majority of football fans would hate it.


17.) 11 Feb 2018
11 Feb 2018 06:43:54
To me it sounds too predictable if there are the same set of clubs doing the rounds. A p-Ing contest between billionaires to see how much money they can waste on agents. Can’t wait to pay for that 😴
I think the people pushing this idea are wildly over estimating how popular it would be. If it takes the billionaire owners away from the game then it’s probably a positive step.
Football in this country would survive and be just as popular. You get 25k fans plus going to some championship games these days. Do you think Newcastle fans will abandon their team fo go and watch Chelsea’s millionaire mercenaries play PSG millionaire mercenaries on Sky? 😄.


18.) 11 Feb 2018
11 Feb 2018 07:06:24
One more thought on the breakaway. Common sense says the big sponsors and money follow at the start as it had world wide appeal. In short period of time with the leagues reorganised and regional areas the sponsors will be back and football big business again. The reasoning behind this is the Nfl (breakaway ) and then college football (UK leagues) . Both extremely successful and full houses and money in sponsorship. Suppose all the UK players will also be hoping to get 'drafted' to the big league also. I'm not worried in the slightest.


19.) 11 Feb 2018
11 Feb 2018 09:11:38
I have to agree with others about it not sticking long term. I for one will not be watching, I will cancel my tv subscription and go and watch my local team play or even better will go and watch rugby which is a much more honest and friendly place.

I can see it working in the short term but after a while the teams which do less well in the breakaway league will loose there glamour, Man U fans will not want to see there team spanked week in week out and be at the bottom of the table. PSG will loose there appeal when they are not able to win the league. The league over time will be become uncompetitive, boring and predictable, the same couple of teams that come make more revenue will come out top every year and those teams which used to be at the top in there respective country and now just mid table in a rich boys league which will have no pull to attract new fans.

This will be bad for football, I know the current status is not as good at is could be and the money is causing an issue but we do have a competitive league where no one team dominates. The likes of Watford can stun us with wins over the top boys, we can see thrashing at the Emirates, of arsenal anyway.

{Ed002's Note - Piffa: You are missing the point that there is a need for a natural progression away from what we have now and conceptually it is not considerably different from the elagues across Europe aside from relegation/promotion - and realistically clubs like Watford, Swansea, Burnley et al do not go on to challenge seriously in the Premier League at all. Periodically things change - the Premier League didn't even exist until 1992 but I guess a lot of readers are young and don't recall the previous structure. UEFA didn't exist until the mid 1950s and the Champions League has regularly changed formats.

There are a lot of questions above in other posts that have not been answered. To try and pick off a few:
Supersalah: Liverpool are not part of this - and nobody cares about the ridiculous "European Royalty" claim.
Mikey: Fans of most European sides are far less insular that the Liverpool supporters who largely live in the past.
Ron: It will be no different than the Premier League where there are a limited number of clubs who can realistically win it - but the number, looking at the clubs, is not just three or four like the Premier League. From the overall group of "elite" clubs involved two have already declared they won't be involved with any Breakaway and another three are sat on the fence - leaving for now the 16 I spoke of.}


20.) 11 Feb 2018
11 Feb 2018 10:02:45
I know formats have changed over the years. I am not arguing that change should not happen, but the same premise has happened over all those years. Club can go from the bottom to the top, obviously we do not see it as much, but from what I can tell that will never happen again. The elite will already be decided, not by fans or opinion and not by right but by the elite. Fixed in place to play only the elite week in week out. Obviously there are many questions unanswered but the way I see it, they will be under no jurisdiction of current associations, therefore making their own rules voted for by clubs which only have money in mind. These clubs will then be outside of normal jurisdiction, not able to play the FA Cup and other domestic competitions. I think people underestimate the power of and intelligence of people, football is sat precariously the edge of a cliff that could result in its downfall and at the heart of the problem is greed. This is a continued example of that.

My own opinion is that it may not happen outside the remit of FIFA and therefore it may continue to use some of the rules of our current system but this must include promotion/ relegation of some form, it cannot be a locked in elite of clubs on an invite only basis.

{Ed002's Note - I think you have missed a few things here. Firstly they will need a governing body and UEFA would obviously like to take that role. One way or the other that will be resolved, even if it is eventually outside of FIFA (as some are). The league will be formed in exactly the same was as the Premier League was formed - a decision by the clubs in the old First Division to "break away" (from what was then the Football League) and form their own league - so it is exactly the same. They will not be changing and Laws of the game. There will be no obligation for promotion/obligation and I have explained that may eventually changeed - and there is no FIFA ruling that mandates that needs to happen.}


21.) 11 Feb 2018
11 Feb 2018 11:04:47
Brilliant thread and some very interesting points and opinions in this debate. Will be very interesting to see what happens in the long run. Will it be the revival of dad/ mum being able to afford to take the kids to the local derby or will we all be wishing we was part of the elite league watching the world class perform? I personally wouldn’t be able to afford the luxury of following my team around Europe so it’s local for me.


22.) 11 Feb 2018
11 Feb 2018 11:33:15
Taffy

If it’s not televised globally then the clubs won’t survive. It’s the money that’s coming from the TV rights that’s pulling the strings. No body wants to see the games that’s not on TV mate! None of the top clubs would survive without the TV money!


23.) 11 Feb 2018
11 Feb 2018 11:38:34
I understand your points ed. And I agree that football needs to change to make it more competitive but I would be really sad to see the end of the league as we know it. No matter what aspect of life you look at, the rich get rich and the poor struggle to survive. Perhaps if every team in Europe was involved and was more regional the lower down the league it goes.

There has to be a way for the lesser clubs to progress and eventually break into that European league. It seems the gap between the top sides will only be widened making it more difficult for those not in the top European league to sign quality players. That said there won't be enough teams for all the quality talent out there to play for. I'm struggling to make sense of it.


24.) 11 Feb 2018
11 Feb 2018 11:40:47
One of greatest team of all time - Nottingham Forest should be included.


25.) 11 Feb 2018
11 Feb 2018 11:37:54
But that is my point. It’s outside of FIFA. Nothing like that has happened to a league this big. The Premier league is different in that it is still governed by the FA and overall FIFA which have a common standard of football.

{Ed002's Note - FIFA's primary role is to organise international competition. The Laws are the responsibility of a different body. Leagues are not associated with FIFA and a reorganised UEFA could certainly oversee a Pan European League.

I don't get your point, what "standards" of football do you see an issue with?


26.) 11 Feb 2018
11 Feb 2018 14:24:51
The current standard or rules of football are set out by IFAB and inpretted by each football association thus making the sport consistent to all those who govern by it. The main people that hold the majority of the seats at that table are FIFA and the rest are made up by uk football Association. It’s been that way for a long time. If the new league is not governed by FIFA or the FA they do not have to abide by those rules. They could potentially change the game to suit a style or platform that they prefer, for example changing match lengths or ball size. I think u are incorrect about FIFA only being there to arrange international competitions.

This is all individual opinion, only time will tell if it does happen and if it is good or bad for the game. Personally I can’t see it being good for football but I am just one person with my own agenda and view. What I like about this site is it is a great platform for debate. Thank u for you time.

{Ed002's Note - They will abide by the rules of the game as they stand now and as are amended over time Piffmunda - it will not be like the 20-20 thing has done to cricket. That has already been agreed.

You seem to be clutching at some pretty extreme straws now.}


27.) 11 Feb 2018
11 Feb 2018 18:58:05
Ed002, if you don’t mind.

How will Brexit affect the discussions?
All non-British/ Northern Irish players playing in Uk will need work permits, fans and players will need visas to travel to these places. British/ Northern Irish players will need work permits to transfer to these clubs.

{Ed002's Note - Brexit is of no relevance to the discussions. It is not actually clear what would happen with work permits but regardless it won't impact the players and differently to playing in the Premier League. There would certainly not be any overnight change but the eventual position would likely be a need for work permits and residence permits. In terms of existing EU citizens already working in the UK, there is no plan but I would think an amnesty would be the likely decision followed by a quota system of some type. The issue at the moment is those arriving in the lead up to the UK leaving - that is part of the discussions happening at the moment. A good question but no firm answer I am afraid.}