It’s taken some time for me to fully quantify my feelings on the disastrous news that filtered in throughout Sunday afternoon. Whilst I’m sure my thoughts are echoed by many pundits, writers and professional players, I wanted to reflect on why I believe the European Super League to be a fundamentally damaging proposition to the very essence of the game we love.
Let’s start with the obvious: this is an awful idea. It’s an elitist cult created by 12 power-hungry clubs that are either looking for a bigger payday, or hellbent on making a brinkmanship play for more power than they already possess. The baffling concept of no relegation, partnered with an unbelievable suggestion that 15 clubs should be guaranteed their place every season rips apart the very essence of competitive sport, let alone football. I find it appalling that any club should feel virtuous enough to appoint themselves as the ‘biggest clubs in Europe’, especially when you consider that some of the competing clubs have less historical relevance in European competitions than clubs currently playing in England’s third tier. The working-class values that catapulted football to the most viewed sport in the world has been seized by businessmen who have only ever understood the community values that are found in a boardroom. The incessant desire to turn clubs into franchises is a baffling approach that I’d hoped football would reject, but it seems that out-of-touch owners and executives are focussed solely on completing their mission to alienate fans across the globe.
I feel for the players and staff that represent these clubs. The fact that Jurgen Klopp, the manager responsible for bringing huge success back to Liverpool Football Club, is being hung out to dry by the people benefiting from his hard work is nothing short of disgraceful. The filthy rich will lean back in their leather armchairs and neglect to answer the pressing questions that require explanations. The owners of these clubs have turned their backs on their players, all of their staff, and most devastating of all, their fans.
We’ve all heard over the past few days that ‘football is nothing without fans’. Just like the sentiment of Black Lives Matter, these are statements that shouldn’t have to be reiterated. It should be a given that all people should be treated equally, it should be a given that no one should suffer through online abuse, and it should be a given that football fans are the lifeblood of their communities and their clubs. Right now, we appear to exist in a murky section of society where the rats come out to feed in the depths of night and can disappear without any consequence for the devastation they have caused. I find it abhorrent, especially in this hour of global uncertainty, that those who bathe in bank notes neglect to see the value of the people that power these wonderful clubs. These men see dollar signs where they should see people, and their tyranny poses a major threat to the sport we love.
However, as many have already stated, we shouldn’t be pinning our hopes on UEFA or FIFA. Unfortunately, it is their neglect that has permitted these ideas to fester amongst the elitist owners in Europe. In fact, it wasn’t too long ago that ‘Project Big Picture’ was leaked and subsequently squashed. The ludicrous entitlement of the so-called ‘big six’ is born out of the power and economic clout that they have been afforded by football’s governing bodies. If you continue to feed a greedy horse until your supply runs out, that horse will quickly find someone else who can offer more. The criticisms laid at the door of UEFA are totally fair and whilst I respect that they have an enormous responsibility to prevent this ‘super league’ from taking place, it’s a shame that they are only quick to act when the prevalent issue takes a swipe at their pockets.
The failings of governing bodies doesn’t take away from the obstinate stance taken by those with no respect for competition or sporting values. The fact that an idea so ludicrous could pass through so many stages is a worrying indicator of the direction that football is going in. Regardless of the future prospects for this breakaway league, it should send warning signals around the sporting world to represent the extent of how far these men are willing to go. They will happily strip apart the footballing pyramid, sipping champagne with their 15 hairy friends in a hot tub stewed with wealth, greed and disrespect.
Football is a sport built on values and with every passing year, those values continually disappear. One of the reasons cited by Florentino Perez for the formation of this league is to entice 16–24-year-olds back into the game. Whilst the context is abhorrent, the sentiment is true. Football is becoming inaccessible to a younger generation who cannot afford to shell out the extortionate monthly fees for BT and Sky Sports. People have disconnected with the Champions League because it’s hidden behind a massive paywall. My love for the competition comes from the weeknights watching it on ITV for free, not sitting in front of a buffering illegal stream. I’m a huge advocate for people supporting their local sides, but I’m not naïve enough to ignore the appeal of supporting a successful team. My heart belongs to Ipswich Town and whilst it may mistreat and disappoint me, I will always go back. Unfortunately, times have changed, and the younger generation of football fans don’t all want to suffer, some of them simply want to watch a winning side. That’s not a slight, it’s just a taste of reality. If football continues to be monopolised by greedy owners, corrupt governing bodies, and battling broadcasters, all of whom are not innocent in present circumstances, we will lose the essence of a working-class sport that thrives due to a passionate and diverse fanbase, not because of the financial black-hole that underlines it.
Ultimately, we have all been let down. Whilst this ‘innovation’ is not surprising, it doesn’t detract from the immense level of disappointment I felt when reading the naïve statements published under the cover of darkness. It’s similarly unfortunate that the conclusion becomes a predictable mess in which these clubs crawl back with no sanctions, likely gaining more power and wealth due to their rebellion. Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Juventus, Inter Milan and AC Milan have snookered their superiors because they know their worth. Unfortunately, in a time where we may have hoped for better, the ignorance, greed and exploitative attitude of desperate owners attempting to plug a gap has been exposed for all to see. As a football community, regardless of your allegiances, we deserve better.
Thank you for taking the time to read my column. If you enjoyed, feel free to share it around. I’ll see you soon!
ITFC Hub 
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