Sod Off I Say!

[davieG]

Source

Uefa issues threat to big clubs The G14 group wants a greater say in how football is run Uefa has threatened clubs with expulsion from their domestic leagues if they try to form a rival tournament. At the weekend the G14 group of clubs denied a media report they wanted to form a breakaway competition.

"Uefa will not stand in the way of those who want to leave the family - (which also means the domestic competitions)," said Uefa.

"You cannot `pick and choose'," the statement added, which did not specifically name the G14.

The G14 group represents 18 of the world's richest clubs, including Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal.

G14 general manager Thomas Kurth said: ¿This attack on G-14 does not mean the issues which we are fighting for will go away.

"At the moment, the rules of the game are written by the federations, for the federations. Professional clubs have no direct representation and that needs to change.

"These threats are simply an attempt to defend the position of the federations and not deal openly with the real bones of contention such as representation, player insurance and compensation.¿

While denying they want to form a breakaway rival tournament, Europe's biggest clubs do want the format of the Champions League changed to increase the number of games.

A 2003 revamp led to more knockout ties but fewer games overall and G14 has been unhappy over the revenue loss.

"We are not talking about doubling the number of games, it may be adding just one or two," Barcelona vice-president Ferran Soriano told BBC Sport.

"We have to have the opportunity to participate in the final decision."

Fifa president Sepp Blatter, who attended the Uefa Congress in Budapest where the statement was released, thanked Europe's governing body for its support over the Charleroi court case.

Belgian club Charleroi, backed by G14, are taking world governing body Fifa to court, claiming compensation over a player injured in an international match.

Moroccan Abdelmajid Oulmers was out for eight months after playing against Burkina Faso in November 2004.

G14 wants the regulations surrounding the compulsory release of players for international matches changed and clubs to be compensated if players are injured playing for their countries.

"Everything that happens in European football has an influence on global football," said Blatter.

"Can you conceive football without the national teams or the national associations?

"It would mean the collapse of the whole pyramid of football because of the elitism of a few."

[Nationwider]

G14's objectives, according to their rather sinister website:

To promote the cooperation, amicable relations and unity of the member clubs. The family that plays together, stays together.

To promote and improve professional football in all its aspects and safeguard the general interests of the member clubs. The second half of that sentence rather outweighs the first.

To promote cooperation and good relations between G-14 and FIFA, UEFA and any other sporting institutions and/or professional football clubs, paying special attention to negotiating the format, administration and operation of the club competitions in which the member clubs are involved. The second half of the sentence completely negates the first.

I don't think we'll be seeing G14 clubs breaking away from their national leagues to form a Superleague. Even if the eighteen became say, 32 in two leagues of 16, that would leave half of the clubs finishing in the bottom half of their leagues. Why would Arsenal or Porto (or Real Madrid for that matter) want to run the risk of losing more than they win? Fans want to see their teams win. The players want to win trophies. How can they do that when they don't play in a national competition?

What do we get then? Another breakaway? Juventus and Real Madrid playing each other in perpetuity over a 30-game seasons?

The fans - in Britain, it'll be £60 a home game, and £500 for every away game attended (plus two days off work). Man Yoo fans - sorry, no Manchester derby, no trips to Everton, Bolton, or Blackburn. And yes, you're 7th in League 2.... Never mind, a couple of end-of-season hum-dingers against Shaktar Donetsk and Porto should keep you happy. And what's that Mr Glazer?....You've taken the Superleague dollar and finally changed the name to Dreamcast Manchester Devils? That'll go down well.

Maybe that's a bit far-fetched. Perhaps they just want the Champions League to be a closed shop - to have the best of both worlds?

But the idea of a Euro Superleague is so half-baked, it's untrue. UEFA won't ring-fence the Champions League - they'll want to keep the door open. All it takes is for a Russian/Dubai billionaire to think, "Right, I fancy a Champions League side from scratch - there you go Billy Davies, have £250M and put Preston in the Top 4. Mr Glazer thinks, "Sod this, it's not a hobby, y'know, you can have my debt and stick it up yer arse" and walks. RIP Walmart Manchester Tornados.

[Magictv]

G14's objectives, according to their rather sinister website:

To promote the cooperation, amicable relations and unity of the member clubs. The family that plays together, stays together.

To promote and improve professional football in all its aspects and safeguard the general interests of the member clubs. The second half of that sentence rather outweighs the first.

To promote cooperation and good relations between G-14 and FIFA, UEFA and any other sporting institutions and/or professional football clubs, paying special attention to negotiating the format, administration and operation of the club competitions in which the member clubs are involved. The second half of the sentence completely negates the first.

I don't think we'll be seeing G14 clubs breaking away from their national leagues to form a Superleague. Even if the eighteen became say, 32 in two leagues of 16, that would leave half of the clubs finishing in the bottom half of their leagues. Why would Arsenal or Porto (or Real Madrid for that matter) want to run the risk of losing more than they win? Fans want to see their teams win. The players want to win trophies. How can they do that when they don't play in a national competition?

What do we get then? Another breakaway? Juventus and Real Madrid playing each other in perpetuity over a 30-game seasons?

The fans - in Britain, it'll be £60 a home game, and £500 for every away game attended (plus two days off work). Man Yoo fans - sorry, no Manchester derby, no trips to Everton, Bolton, or Blackburn. And yes, you're 7th in League 2.... Never mind, a couple of end-of-season hum-dingers against Shaktar Donetsk and Porto should keep you happy. And what's that Mr Glazer?....You've taken the Superleague dollar and finally changed the name to Dreamcast Manchester Devils? That'll go down well.

Maybe that's a bit far-fetched. Perhaps they just want the Champions League to be a closed shop - to have the best of both worlds?

But the idea of a Euro Superleague is so half-baked, it's untrue. UEFA won't ring-fence the Champions League - they'll want to keep the door open. All it takes is for a Russian/Dubai billionaire to think, "Right, I fancy a Champions League side from scratch - there you go Billy Davies, have £250M and put Preston in the Top 4. Mr Glazer thinks, "Sod this, it's not a hobby, y'know, you can have my debt and stick it up yer arse" and walks. RIP Walmart Manchester Tornados.

r0fl my w0ffle