Politics
European Super League has united just about everyone in outraged condemnation
WE should perhaps congratulate the robber barons behind our “big six” clubs for concocting a scheme so appalling that, even in this divisive era, it has united just about everyone in outraged condemnation.
Players, fans, Royals, politicians of all stripes. Even Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn find themselves on the same side.
Fans are not entirely powerless[/caption]
Who except the billionaires themselves think that a meaningless “super league” — wrecking the Champions League, the Prem and our lower leagues, not to mention those in Spain and Italy — is a good idea?
Its premise is fatally flawed. But that may become clear only after the sport has been torn apart.
It has been designed by greedy men without an ounce of feeling for the game, the history and importance of clubs to our communities, or the fans who have made football what it is over 100-plus years.
Those lifelong supporters are disgustingly now dismissed as “legacy fans” — trash to be tossed aside in favour of a global audience expected to pay handsomely to watch this predictable, uncompetitive contrivance.
As ex-Man Utd star Ander Herrera says, it’s “the rich stealing what the people created”.
Furious fans protested outside the Prem’s ‘Big Six’ clubs[/caption]
Sky TV’s money transformed the game in the 1990s.
But we have all since played with fire in allowing dubious tycoons to buy our clubs to use as cash machines.
The insatiable greed of men branded “liars” and “snakes” by Uefa now threatens to prevail, at huge cost to us all.
Fans are not entirely powerless. No, there is no point appealing to the owners’ better nature.
And we fear their threat will not evaporate this time.
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But we can all still rage against it. The Sun will give voice to that. It is suggested the Government could axe UK work visas for every foreign star at the six clubs. Uefa aims to ban all their players from international football — a massive career blow to some.
We still hope sanity prevails. But this is a battle the billionaires MUST lose. If they do, the Government must tackle rules over who owns our clubs — and their commitment to the sport and fans.
Football is far more than a business. And millions of loyal supporters should be protected from corporate avarice.
