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Super League Poll


Megadrive Man
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Super League Poll  

149 members have voted

  1. 1. Are you in favour of the proposed super league?

    • Yes - Its a super idea
      29
    • No - It's a disgrace
      120


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1 hour ago, aws said:

I do care if it gets shitter. But it will get shitter one way or the other. The question for me is which shitty conclusion is least bad for us as I'd like to be still supporting a reasonably successful team in ten years' time. And you'll have to forgive me for putting our interests above everybody else because there's not one excluded club who wouldn't kill for an invitation and the null and void hilarity last year just emphasised how little concern other clubs have for us.  

Football is adapting at the highest level because if it doesn't only clubs with unlimited funds will be able to compete in the medium/long term and the COVID crisis has exposed how stretched a lot of the top clubs really are as they are forced to pay players tens of millions every year. I can see it going one of three ways:

 

1. Something like this ESL proposal. We don't have full details but whatever is on the table will get amended in discussions with the football authorities because nobody really wants to go to war. The proposal is supposed to guarantee that far more money will trickle down to the other clubs than happens now and maybe that will get firmed up. We need to see how the other five places in the league get filled every year but as I've posted before it may well be that in England the non-ESL clubs in practice have a better chance of getting in the CL than they do now (once in a blue moon). I agree with Dave's point that the non-relegation aspect is arrogant and unacceptable but I can see that being softened (but only a bit and only after an initial period). 

 

2. Status quo with UEFA's revamped CL. This doesn't tackle the problem of the oil states, oligarchs and money launderers perverting the competition. Once the Saudis buy Newcastle and start waving their huge money dick around the other oil states won't want to be left out. If we had proper FFP then I'd be happy with this.  If we don't then I'm undecided if this is better than the ESL. I'm not going to enjoy watching corrupt/ sugar daddy clubs win everything.  

 

3. Option 1 above with us not in the ESL. Might make us feel holy but probably the worst of all worlds. 

Have complete respect for you and your views Andrew but i’m afraid we’re just on totally different pages with this one mate.

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7 hours ago, Pete said:

It's a bit shit.  Just sort out Financial Fair Play to ensure a more level playing field for all involved.

Either way I think football as we know/knew it is fucked until it get's it's house in order.  Happy that we won the league & champions league in the last two years so if I walk away now (as best I can) I have some good memories to take with me. 


My thoughts as well more or less. After following this club for over 40 years, last year was very special. Over the years I was far from convinced that I’d live to see another league title. That we managed to do it, with a manager and person like Klopp in charge, and without financial cheating, somehow gave some peace of mind.

 

If there is ever a moment to walk away from it all this may be it. 

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7 hours ago, Pete said:

It's a bit shit.  Just sort out Financial Fair Play to ensure a more level playing field for all involved.

Either way I think football as we know/knew it is fucked until it get's it's house in order.  Happy that we won the league & champions league in the last two years so if I walk away now (as best I can) I have some good memories to take with me. 

Financial Fair Play could have saved the sport, it really could have. 

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One positive is that it reduces the chances of another Manchester City or Chelsea. 20 years ago Newcastle and Leeds would have been ahead of both in terms of "qualification" for the ESL. 

Does a middle Eastern country buy Newcastle or equivalent if it goes ahead?

Not  a fan of the idea but as stated by many, if FFP had been implemented properly then this would not have had the following from a lot of the clubs involved. 

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17 hours ago, 3 Stacks said:

Unlike with VAR, I'll wait till it becomes either a success or a humongous failure before labelling it a great or shit idea. Because the important thing is that I personally look correct.

That horse bolted years ago, 3S.   I fucking hate the idea of this, so I'm massively against it, but for those who see 'the club' as an abstract entity with precious little to do with the community or fanbase that made it, and absolutely no chance of getting to see them in person unless the Super League or whatever the fuck it's called expands to China, the Far East and Saturn, then they might see this as a fun thing to get behind until their hoverboard is available and they forget about football full stop.  After all, if you've got nothing emotionally invested in the UK you're going to give less of a fuck about WBA than even we do.  

 

I may be eventually proved wrong about this, but by then I'll be in my own cryogenically sealed unit round the back of ASDA wondering why I can smell fish, so won't give a fuck.

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2 hours ago, aws said:

I do care if it gets shitter. But it will get shitter one way or the other. The question for me is which shitty conclusion is least bad for us as I'd like to be still supporting a reasonably successful team in ten years' time. And you'll have to forgive me for putting our interests above everybody else because there's not one excluded club who wouldn't kill for an invitation and the null and void hilarity last year just emphasised how little concern other clubs have for us.  

Football is adapting at the highest level because if it doesn't only clubs with unlimited funds will be able to compete in the medium/long term and the COVID crisis has exposed how stretched a lot of the top clubs really are as they are forced to pay players tens of millions every year. I can see it going one of three ways:

 

1. Something like this ESL proposal. We don't have full details but whatever is on the table will get amended in discussions with the football authorities because nobody really wants to go to war. The proposal is supposed to guarantee that far more money will trickle down to the other clubs than happens now and maybe that will get firmed up. We need to see how the other five places in the league get filled every year but as I've posted before it may well be that in England the non-ESL clubs in practice have a better chance of getting in the CL than they do now (once in a blue moon). I agree with Dave's point that the non-relegation aspect is arrogant and unacceptable but I can see that being softened (but only a bit and only after an initial period). 

 

2. Status quo with UEFA's revamped CL. This doesn't tackle the problem of the oil states, oligarchs and money launderers perverting the competition. Once the Saudis buy Newcastle and start waving their huge money dick around the other oil states won't want to be left out. If we had proper FFP then I'd be happy with this.  If we don't then I'm undecided if this is better than the ESL. I'm not going to enjoy watching corrupt/ sugar daddy clubs win everything.  

 

3. Option 1 above with us not in the ESL. Might make us feel holy but probably the worst of all worlds. 

 

This should be a competition exclusively for oil states and oligarchs.  Let them wallow in it.  I can't get past their arrogance in thinking they can rewrite the rules of a competitive sport.  How long before play is split into quarters to maximise advertising revenue?  Or goals are turned into round targets?  Or draws are settled with a dance-off? 

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Guest Alex_K
22 minutes ago, 3 Stacks said:

Financial Fair Play could have saved the sport, it really could have. 

It could have, but the authorities implementing it were the most corrupt of the bunch. 
 

As for those saying “no idea why anyone would be behind this!”, I yet again say:

- Finals in Azerbaijan, Basel & the likes

- Huge mounds of tickets going to the “UEFA family”

- Corruption from the top down. From officials directly enriched (Platini; Blatter) to children and officials’ children’s-children being on the payroll of clubs under investigation

- Seasons chopped up and entire calendars rearranged to accomodate World Cups in Qatar, piled on top of dead bodies

- Empty or unenforced regulation. Enlarged fixture lists to swell FIFA/UEFA coffers. Absence of club consultation.

- Ascension of the oil and sovereign wealth clubs. Plunge into debt of the Old Giants trying to chase the unregulated nouveau riche.

 

There are many, many reasons as to why clubs should want to seize control. Execution of the concept is debatable but the status quo absolutely should not be allowed to stand.

 

 

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Just now, stringvest said:

 

This should be a competition exclusively for oil states and oligarchs.  Let them wallow in it.  I can't get past their arrogance in thinking they can rewrite the rules of a competitive sport.  How long before play is split into quarters to maximise advertising revenue?  Or goals are turned into round targets?  Or draws are settled with a dance-off? 

Excellent idea. 

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The aspect of a West Ham or a Leicester having to put as much effort in in the PL as the ESL to qualify every year, while others can just take it easy and concentrate on the ESL seems utterly ridiculous as well as unfair. While I was hopeful that this could be a way to rein in the oil clubs initially I just can’t get past that nonsense.

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I voted yes. If it means we aren't in the premier league anymore then I would be 110% completely against it but this seems to be power play replacement for the CL.

 

I don't like the proposed non-relegation aspect of it and it needs changing. 

 

However not being part of this is a mistake. The alternative is just as unpalatable which is to see our stock slowly diminish as we wait for an oil sheikh to buy us or we accept 1 title run every 15 years due to the stars aligning with a perfect manager, players at their peak before we sell them and injuries or bad form hindering the usual suspects from hoovering up everything in sight.

 

I'm sick of watching unlimited funds pour in for some and no spending cap or FFP. This Super League is the next iteration of the CL. Change is always hard but I'm not falling prey to the sky and media influence machine. If they add relegation to it then I'm all for it. 

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4 hours ago, Alex_K said:

It could have, but the authorities implementing it were the most corrupt of the bunch. 
 

As for those saying “no idea why anyone would be behind this!”, I yet again say:

- Finals in Azerbaijan, Basel & the likes

- Huge mounds of tickets going to the “UEFA family”

- Corruption from the top down. From officials directly enriched (Platini; Blatter) to children and officials’ children’s-children being on the payroll of clubs under investigation

- Seasons chopped up and entire calendars rearranged to accomodate World Cups in Qatar, piled on top of dead bodies

- Empty or unenforced regulation. Enlarged fixture lists to swell FIFA/UEFA coffers. Absence of club consultation.

- Ascension of the oil and sovereign wealth clubs. Plunge into debt of the Old Giants trying to chase the unregulated nouveau riche.

 

There are many, many reasons as to why clubs should want to seize control. Execution of the concept is debatable but the status quo absolutely should not be allowed to stand.

 

 

 

We've been battered into accepting this as normal. 

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4 hours ago, stringvest said:

 

This should be a competition exclusively for oil states and oligarchs.  Let them wallow in it.  I can't get past their arrogance in thinking they can rewrite the rules of a competitive sport.  How long before play is split into quarters to maximise advertising revenue?  Or goals are turned into round targets?  Or draws are settled with a dance-off? 

Played exclusively in open air stadiums in Qatar.

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The way I see it, it was an opportunity for the larger clubs to take control and not be fucked around by FIFA, UEFA, national FAs and repeatedly being held back by the smaller clubs.

 

There'll always be bigger clubs and smaller clubs. It is the order of everything.

 

You cant turn the clock back and make clubs, managers and players poorer. Football is a major sport and will always attract big money because of this.

 

One of the major issues is this Euro League wasnt 'sold' to the fans regarding tickets, ticket pricing, scheduling and location of games etc.

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26 minutes ago, dockers_strike said:

The way I see it, it was an opportunity for the larger clubs to take control and not be fucked around by FIFA, UEFA, national FAs and repeatedly being held back by the smaller clubs.

 

There'll always be bigger clubs and smaller clubs. It is the order of everything.

 

You cant turn the clock back and make clubs, managers and players poorer. Football is a major sport and will always attract big money because of this.

 

One of the major issues is this Euro League wasnt 'sold' to the fans regarding tickets, ticket pricing, scheduling and location of games etc.

I disagree,the major issue was that a load of top(by that I mean richest.See Tottenham for example) teams were going to form a league they couldn't be relegated from even if they didnt finish in all the respective top positions in their leagues. This is dogshit as  'top' should mean 'highest finishing.'

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