In an extraordinary 48 hours plans for a new European Super League on the closed US model are on the brink of collapse after an extraordinary revolt at what was seen as a cynical money raising exercise.
The plan was announced on Sunday. Six British Premier League clubs, Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Chelsea, together with a number of leading Spanish and Italian clubs including Real Madrid, Barcelona, planned to start a new closed European super league on the US model of permanent membership. Completely contrary to existing leagues with promotion and relegation and qualification on merit for the existing European Champions and Europa League.
It appears to have been led by US owned Premier League clubs backed by about £4bn from American bank JP Morgan. Significantly no German or French clubs supported the move. The issue has dominated UK media including opposition from PM Boris Johnson who earlier today threatened "a legislative bombshell" to stop it.Vehemently opposed by FIFA and UEFA and other PL clubs. Fans and football luminaries including very bravely Pep Guardiola of Manchester City have been queuing up to condemn this attack on our beautiful game.
Late this afternoon a report emerged that Chelsea wre preparing documents to formally withdraw and in the last hour very credible reports that Manchester City will be following Chelsea's lead. Also Ed Woodward, Executive Vice Chairman of Manchester United which is owned by the US Glazer brothers is reported to be stepping down.
The proposed new ESL is clearly on the brink of collapse. Without buy in from the English Premier league clubs, German, French and Portugues clubs it has no chance of success..
An etraordinarily ill conceived proposal whose imminent demise will, I hope, be a salutary lesson to the businessmen and bankers seeking to use football for their own selfish financial ends.
The plan was announced on Sunday. Six British Premier League clubs, Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Chelsea, together with a number of leading Spanish and Italian clubs including Real Madrid, Barcelona, planned to start a new closed European super league on the US model of permanent membership. Completely contrary to existing leagues with promotion and relegation and qualification on merit for the existing European Champions and Europa League.
It appears to have been led by US owned Premier League clubs backed by about £4bn from American bank JP Morgan. Significantly no German or French clubs supported the move. The issue has dominated UK media including opposition from PM Boris Johnson who earlier today threatened "a legislative bombshell" to stop it.Vehemently opposed by FIFA and UEFA and other PL clubs. Fans and football luminaries including very bravely Pep Guardiola of Manchester City have been queuing up to condemn this attack on our beautiful game.
Late this afternoon a report emerged that Chelsea wre preparing documents to formally withdraw and in the last hour very credible reports that Manchester City will be following Chelsea's lead. Also Ed Woodward, Executive Vice Chairman of Manchester United which is owned by the US Glazer brothers is reported to be stepping down.
The proposed new ESL is clearly on the brink of collapse. Without buy in from the English Premier league clubs, German, French and Portugues clubs it has no chance of success..
An etraordinarily ill conceived proposal whose imminent demise will, I hope, be a salutary lesson to the businessmen and bankers seeking to use football for their own selfish financial ends.