Liverpool Rumours Archive March 23 2020

 

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23 Mar 2020 22:15:25
Ed002

Trying to wrap my head around the future of the game if rubbish hits the fan. Realistically how many clubs do you see having to fold? Would they be able to come back from this? And would this possibly make the breakaway league more feasible? And lastly what will this shutdown mean for transfers and the market as a whole. Do you see fees coming down?

Cheers
Matt in FL.

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{Ed002's Note - A lot there Matt. But I will give it a shot: (1) As you know I hold a reasonably strong view in terms of the need to restructure football in Europe regardless. 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. Wheether or not this could be a result of the current crisis I don't know, but clubs at all levels are working close to the wire - Premier League and other senior clubs throughout Europe have budgetted game income to pay wages as an example. Financially, even in the short-term, I do not see that so many English and Welsh 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 eventually gone down the pan-European route - and have gone for good (it would be two or perhaps three initially). Clubs like Accrington Stanley will need to carry on as amateurs or face extinction (yet again). Clubs like Bury are drifting away, clubs like Hartlepool have been struggling - again they need to adapt. (2) The mighty Third Lanark have started their long journey back to the top - it can be done. Accrington Stanley have done it. Bradford Park Avenue are fighting to do it. (3) No, the breakaway is viable but the clubs would not look to this as an excuse. (4) It rather depends when the mess starts to clean up across Europe. It is possible that some clubs may not be in a position to do what they want financially. There are fewer and fewer cash rich clubs that may be able to control the market to some extent. But prices for players wanted by the English sides are well beyond what most clubs would pay. So timing is a big deal here.}

27 Mar 2020 09:33:01
Hi Ed002,
I don’t like the idea of euro breakaway league? For me the idea of winning or getting into the top is part of the excitement. Then by doing so you’re allowed to play the top teams in European football then.

How would playing only the top teams every year then be viewed after a while? What would it cost the fans in season tickets? What would the cost be of fans traveling to away game in Europe every other week?

These are just my views Ed, but to me the idea of playing Europe’s elite week in, week out is a no go. I would more inclined to scrap the league cup and have a mini tournament like fifa are doing. Ed, would be interesting to get your views. Do you think a breakaway league will work.

Thanks.

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{Ed002's Note - The game has changed significantly and will continue to do so whether the Liverpool supporters like it or not - and I appreciate that the Liverpool supporters know that they are notr part of the group of 21 "elite" sides discussing it. 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 or wherever. Fans of the sides who take the plunge will have the opportunity to visit cities such as Milan, Barcelona, Munich, etc. every couple of weeks to watch their team play. It is far from expensive to make the trips and in many cases cheaper than paying British Rail to visit London. If you want to don your cloth cap, have a pint of wallop with your chums before going off to the local match through the grim, wet and cobbled streets of the Northwest of England where there is smog, dead & dying pit ponies laying on the street and only chips and fried curry to eat, perhaps one of the sides from the suburbs will have survived so you can go and watch them? There is no doubt it would work.}

29 Mar 2020 10:50:48
The game, like all spectator sports, is based on emotion. And nothing will replace the emotion of, for a Liverpool fan, beating United, Everton, Arsenal, City, etc. And same for fans of the other teams. Visiting Barcelona, or Munich, or Rome - aesthetically a better experience? No doubt. Emotionally better? Probably not.

So while the pan-European league is possible, partly because top clubs have to eventually pay 20, 30, or 40 million a year for top players, it is not inevitable. Such a scenario is only possible with ever growing broadcast or streaming revenues.

Moreover, while team allegiances will remain, at some point there is the danger of paying spectators being turned off from traveling and cheering for super wealthy mercenaries with whom they no longer have anything in common.

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23 Mar 2020 12:14:08
Sky gossip column says we're looking at Malick Thiaw, Schalke 04 CB. Apparently he's dubbed as the 'new Joel Matip'.
I needed some humour this morning.

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{Ed002's Note - Malick Thiaw (CB) now 18 Schalke are looking to a new contract and a loan to get him some experience and hopefully get the rough edges removed. VfL Bochum may provide an opportunity to him.}

 
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