JF 694 Posted April 20, 2021 It seems we may have all been wrong about this competition. The knockout stages have been hugely entertaining 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Graham Paddons Beard 2,352 Posted April 20, 2021 It’s unraveling as we speak . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Herman 9,585 Posted April 20, 2021 Ed Woodward resigns. All falling apart like a cheap suit. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JF 694 Posted April 20, 2021 12 minutes ago, benchwarmer said: It's being said that they were both "under pressure" to join, whatever that means. What if they ended up as one of the five qualifiers for the ESL, eg. via another European competition? Would they refuse to take part? Seems a bit pointless unless enough other clubs follow to strangle it at birth. Interesting. Apparently both were only informed of the plans on Thursday and told they are either in now or they are never in. Both had reservations but didn’t want to be left behind with other big clubs signing up Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
C.I.D 298 Posted April 20, 2021 Woodward has resigned at ManUre 🤣 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Monty13 2,173 Posted April 20, 2021 Just now, Herman said: Ed Woodward resigns. All falling apart like a cheap suit. Sacrificial lamb, people need to see through this and maintain the anger against the owners. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PurpleCanary 5,531 Posted April 20, 2021 58 minutes ago, PurpleCanary said: They and Man City were always the likeliest to pull out. To be clear, if they are pulling out it was because they had less need to be in. Not for any high-minded reasons. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
How I Wrote Elastic Man 1,167 Posted April 20, 2021 That didn't last long 😄 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wrathofthefarkely 54 Posted April 20, 2021 (edited) 😱 Edited April 20, 2021 by Wrathofthefarkely Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ken Hairy 3,682 Posted April 20, 2021 This might turn into the best thing that's happened to football 👍 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Canary Wundaboy 1,349 Posted April 20, 2021 51% ownership rule. Don't let up until it's law. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Icecream Snow 761 Posted April 20, 2021 Perez is an idiot, because UEFA had very few actions they could definitely take, and he chose to announce all this a week before Chelsea, Man City, Real Madrid and PSG took place in the Champions League semi-finals. No wonder Chelsea and Man City were quick to withdraw from the ESL when UEFA could have just given the trophy to PSG by default. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
How I Wrote Elastic Man 1,167 Posted April 20, 2021 🎶 It was over, before it began 🎶 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ken Hairy 3,682 Posted April 20, 2021 Juve chairman has quit too now 😂😂 A victory for all legacy fans 😁 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
benchwarmer 624 Posted April 20, 2021 (edited) 12 minutes ago, Canary Wundaboy said: 51% ownership rule. Don't let up until it's law. As per the Bundesliga. It's a rule set by the German FA but unfortunately it isn't legally binding. Edited April 20, 2021 by benchwarmer Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ken Hairy 3,682 Posted April 20, 2021 28 minutes ago, benchwarmer said: It's being said that they were both "under pressure" to join, whatever that means. What if they ended up as one of the five qualifiers for the ESL, eg. via another European competition? Would they refuse to take part? Seems a bit pointless unless enough other clubs follow to strangle it at birth. Interesting. That will all be irrelevant, the SL is dead before it began Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
benchwarmer 624 Posted April 20, 2021 (edited) 2 minutes ago, Ken Hairy said: That will all be irrelevant, the SL is dead before it began Haha it looks that way, how things have changed in the last 29 minutes! Edited April 20, 2021 by benchwarmer 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
king canary 7,455 Posted April 20, 2021 Well that was fast. I'm really intrigued to understand what on earth sort of reaction these clubs expected? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ken Hairy 3,682 Posted April 20, 2021 I think they should make the so called big 6 have an end of season mini league, bottom 3 go down. Fulham, West Brom, Sheff Utd stay up 😎 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Monty13 2,173 Posted April 20, 2021 1 minute ago, Ken Hairy said: I think they should make the so called big 6 have an end of season mini league, bottom 3 go down. Fulham, West Brom, Sheff Utd stay up 😎 The way they are playing I’m not sure Arsenal and Spurs would bounce back! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Capt. Pants 4,092 Posted April 20, 2021 Well that escalated quickly. I bet the scousers will stay until the bitter end. Disappointing I was hoping they would all go. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Canary Wundaboy 1,349 Posted April 20, 2021 Dock them all 30 points for the start of next season and make them have to fight to stay up. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nutty nigel 7,352 Posted April 20, 2021 So they were just teasing. Building our hopes up and them dashing them so soon. Will folk buy these excuses? I doubt the intent has gone. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
king canary 7,455 Posted April 20, 2021 A good day for fan power. Let's hope its the start of something bigger. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yellowrider120 738 Posted April 20, 2021 So many people (including many on here) have wailed repeatedly that ...........'nothing can be done', 'it's their American owners, Arab owners whatever) who call the shots', 'fans have no say' etc. etc. Well - as I've said many times it's US who actually own our clubs in this country at the end of the day. Not technically or legally I agree but emotionally and spiritually. This circus has collapsed in face of a united opposition without any serious level of fan protest at grounds. It fell apart without any combat needed (remember 1989 anyone in Eastern Europe?). These six clubs MUST be punished and not simply 'accommodated' or 'welcomed back on board'. Their owners must be told in no uncertain terms that ANY attempt to swagger around demanding more and more money will be met with their removal. It is now imperative that the fury of fans across the country is addressed by a wholesale review of football ownership and finances. To simply pretend this didn't happen would be a betrayal of the people from all walks of life who said 'enough is enough'. I (for one) salute the Leeds fans outside Elland Road last night and the (presumably) Chelsea fans outside Stamford Bridge tonight. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aggy 739 Posted April 20, 2021 Can’t see how you punish them if they withdraw. What rules have they actually broken if this super league falls through before it has even begun? Still looks to me like it was all an attempt to bully UEFA into going with their champions league plans. No chance it unravels this quickly if they were properly committed to it. They must have been expecting this response. Either that or they had got some duff legal advice and are now starting to realise they might get kicked out of the domestic comps after all. Thing is, had they done it in a better way, they might have got something fairly close to what they want. A three tier European competition isn’t a bad idea - a couple more years of proper discussions, get Bayern, PSG on board etc and they might have ended up with something like a “super league” (maybe where the bottom 2 don’t qualify the following year and are replaced by the winner of the champions league and winner of a playoff between losing champs league finalist and UEFA cup winner). But now anything remotely like that is completely dead in the water for a long old time. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
seanthecanary 168 Posted April 20, 2021 (edited) 26 minutes ago, king canary said: Well that was fast. I'm really intrigued to understand what on earth sort of reaction these clubs expected? That’s what I’ve been wondering the last two days.What did these clubs think would happen when they announced this? Overall it’s a damming indictment on football as a whole, especially at the top. You’ve got clubs like Barca, Real and Juve who manage their finances like Nick Leeson is their accountant. They almost cannot afford for this Super League to fail because they can’t reign in spending and are in financial holes. Then you’ve got the businessmen owners who have shown their true colours that it’s all about profits for them. It’s not just the 12 clubs greed on display though, it’s FIFA, UEFA and the Premier League who were all worried about how this effects their finances. Bamford also made a really good point when interviewed last night. Ask UEFA to do something meaningful about racism, you get the right noises but nothing really happens. You take their revenue away and suddenly they’re all action. He’s right as well. 10 game ban for racially abusing a player on pitch. Lifetime ban for playing in the Super League when players don’t have a choice because they’re contracted to a club. Not many football clubs or bodies are coming out of this looking good. Edited April 20, 2021 by seanthecanary Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Canary Wundaboy 1,349 Posted April 20, 2021 1 minute ago, Aggy said: They must have been expecting this response. Either that or they had got some duff legal advice and are now starting to realise they might get kicked out of the domestic comps after all. Honestly, they were probably expecting the FIFA/UEFA backlash and probably a bit of fan backlash. I honestly don't think they were expecting governments to weigh in so strongly, I think they totally underestimated the affront to our merit-based sporting history that they'd caused. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ken Hairy 3,682 Posted April 20, 2021 I must admit though, this knockout format of the Super League is much more exciting than the Champions League 👍 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
seanthecanary 168 Posted April 20, 2021 (edited) 15 minutes ago, Canary Wundaboy said: Honestly, they were probably expecting the FIFA/UEFA backlash and probably a bit of fan backlash. I honestly don't think they were expecting governments to weigh in so strongly, I think they totally underestimated the affront to our merit-based sporting history that they'd caused. I also don’t think they expected the reaction from broadcast partners to be so severe and negative either. I guess they expected the likes of Sky, BT and Amazon to be fighting over and begging for the rights. Instead Amazon condemned the plan and Sky Sports have been quite prepared to let their reporters and pundits really lay into the idea since Sunday. They’ve been lining up people from the football world and fans to shoot down the whole thing for 3 days. If even Sky thinks it’s too much, you know you’ve gone too far. Edited April 20, 2021 by seanthecanary Share this post Link to post Share on other sites