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Toronto Gooner
28-07-2011, 01:41 AM
[I]Top European clubs threaten to break away from Fifa and Uefa

European clubs will break away from Fifa and Uefa and create their own super league unless the world governing body urgently addresses their growing concerns over international fixtures and finances. It would be the most radical development in the history of football since the first World Cup in 1930, ripping up the established world order of the game and seizing power from Sepp Blatter, Fifa's president.

The Guardian can reveal the background to Karl-Heinz Rummenigge's comments on Tuesday about a "revolution" for football: a European super league that would see the clubs seize control of their own affairs from the regulators. The European game is currently ordered through a memorandum of understanding between clubs and Uefa that was signed three and a half years ago. It runs until 2014, and when it expires the top European clubs will no longer be legally bound to play in Uefa's Champions League or, crucially, to release their players for international friendlies or tournaments, including the World Cup.

In a reflection of their belief that Fifa lacks legitimacy – especially in the wake of the damaging bribery allegations currently surrounding the organisation – the clubs will not shrink from breaking away if they do not receive sufficient guarantees.

A board member of the European Club Association of which Bayern Munich's Rummenigge is president told the Guardian on Wednesday: "The fact that Bayern Munich, who have always been close to the institutions, are being so vocal and loud about the situation is a clear sign we're very close to breaking point. We have a memorandum of understanding with Uefa that expires in 2014. After that time we can no longer be forced to respect Fifa statutes or Uefa regulations. And we won't be obliged to compete in their competitions."

When asked what that would mean for clubs' finances if they were to withdraw from the Champions League, which generates tens of millions of pounds a year for his organisation's richest and most influential members, the ECA board member responded: "Don't be naive. Don't think there would be no alternative competition."

Although the ECA has a broad constituency, representing 197 European clubs,it is the interests of nine in particular that will drive this agenda. They are Real Madrid, Milan, Liverpool, Internazionale, Manchester United, Barcelona, Arsenal, Chelsea and Rummenigge's Bayern. When the Guardian contacted the four English clubs for their views on the matter, all declined to comment. However, a director at one of the clubs said: "[Financially] there is a lot of unfulfilled potential in football as it stands."

The English experience of the past 20 years, since a breakaway group of the leading clubs withdrew from the Football League to form the Premier League (albeit under the auspices of the Football Association), has been exceptionally lucrative for the game domestically and the hawks within the ECA are pushing for a replica at European level.

The news will not come as a surprise at Uefa where in some quarters there is a long-held view that the clubs will seek to go their own way. This has arisen from a number of points of conflict with the world football authorities. As revealed by the Guardian last month there is considerable disquiet about perceived moves to expand the international calendar, forcing clubs to release their expensively remunerated players to national associations without any payback. Fifa denies there have been any discussions about the subject but the ECA source claimed that the matter will be ratified at a Fifa executive-committee meeting in the autumn. As is consistent with relations between Fifa and the clubs, the decision will have been taken without any formal negotiations with the clubs about how the additional fixtures would be accommodated.

There is a further grievance, this time with Uefa about insurance. The ECA alleges Uefa has pulled back from its commitment to provide insurance for players who are called up for international duty. "Uefa said we would have our insurance after their presidential elections ," the source said. "Now the elections have taken place and we're still waiting for talks." A spokesman for Uefa did not respond to the Guardian's call.

Yet despite the details of the enduring dispute between the clubs and Fifa and Uefa, there is an overriding financial motive. "When you have every club losing money every year and the only winners the players and Fifa," the source said, "how can that be allowed to go on?"


http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/jul/27/european-clubs-breakaway-fifa-uefa

Cripps_orig
28-07-2011, 02:21 AM
Read half of it but got bored.Wouldn't be surprised if it happens. UEFA and especially FIFA are 2 of the most corrupt organizations in the world.Barcunts won't break away though. UEFA has arguably been their best player for years

fakeyank
28-07-2011, 05:19 AM
If it happens, we will not be part of it.. we'd be lucky to hold onto 4th, so pray that it doesnt! :pray:

dazthegooner
28-07-2011, 06:33 AM
If it happens, we will not be part of it.. we'd be lucky to hold onto 4th, so pray that it doesnt! :pray:

Wel wouldn't be left out we generate to much money and I have a feeling that Stan is going to make changes weather Wenger likes or not.

hymppi
28-07-2011, 07:02 AM
Real Madrid, Milan, Liverpool, Internazionale, Manchester United, Barcelona, Arsenal, Chelsea and Bayern.
soooo...we'd play 16 games.















:getcoat:

dazthegooner
28-07-2011, 07:04 AM
Well would probably be like the Scottish Premiership playing each other 4 times.

fakeyank
28-07-2011, 07:44 AM
Well would probably be like the Scottish Premiership playing each other 4 times.

Yup and we'd be renamed Hibernian

LDG
28-07-2011, 08:03 AM
At least we wouldn't be relegated.

bignev
28-07-2011, 08:11 AM
I wouldn't worry too much about this guys. We won't be part of it. By 2014 we won't be in the CL.:popcorn:

LDG
28-07-2011, 08:35 AM
I wouldn't worry too much about this guys. We won't be part of it. By 2014 we won't be in the CL.:popcorn:

All about money making and history dude. Nothing to do with current standings.

Liverpool are in the pot. Seen them in the CL in the last few years? Do they make as much cash as us?

Joker
28-07-2011, 08:35 AM
I don't really think this is about the corruption allegations against FIFA, but that is being used as a convenient excuse for these clubs to do what they've always wanted: to remove the shackles of regulation and be free to run their own affairs completely. I don't have much faith in UEFA or FIFA, but the Super League would be a disaster for football. Now, Wenger and the board can drop the pretense that we're a football club and will be allowed to run the club purely as a private business, which will mean the fans getting even more shafted than normal. Moreover, the clubs not involved in this elite cartel will suffer if there is a breakaway, their diminishing revenues from TV Rights etc could irreversibly damage lesser clubs and the lower leagues as well.

Whatever you think of UEFA and FIFA (and my opinion of them is not high) we need these international institutions to govern football clubs who are owned by free market fundamentalists who have nothing but contempt for the fans, and are only interested in lining their pockets.

LDG
28-07-2011, 08:37 AM
Free market fundamentalism ftw!! :bow:

Kano
28-07-2011, 08:42 AM
lol

Olivier's xmas twist
28-07-2011, 10:26 AM
I don't really think this is about the corruption allegations against FIFA, but that is being used as a convenient excuse for these clubs to do what they've always wanted: to remove the shackles of regulation and be free to run their own affairs completely. I don't have much faith in UEFA or FIFA, but the Super League would be a disaster for football. Now, Wenger and the board can drop the pretense that we're a football club and will be allowed to run the club purely as a private business, which will mean the fans getting even more shafted than normal. Moreover, the clubs not involved in this elite cartel will suffer if there is a breakaway, their diminishing revenues from TV Rights etc could irreversibly damage lesser clubs and the lower leagues as well.

Whatever you think of UEFA and FIFA (and my opinion of them is not high) we need these international institutions to govern football clubs who are owned by free market fundamentalists who have nothing but contempt for the fans, and are only interested in lining their pockets.

Kind of see what you mean tbh, this could be another way for the baord to make money without loosing face, they know we oculd stay in for a certain time without spending and it won't hurt us.

Could be interesting though not the worst thing to happen to footie tbh, id give that to making the Cl for the top 4 clubs that for me has runied footie in a way.

LDG
28-07-2011, 11:19 AM
Football has already been ruined. So basically, like it or fuck off and watch something else, sad state of affairs as it is.

As a gooner, I'm stuck with it, so I'll follow 'em wherever they go.

Boss
28-07-2011, 01:18 PM
Probably the best news the sport has had in a while.

Inshallah this happens soon.

Kano
28-07-2011, 01:30 PM
Football has already been ruined. So basically, like it or fuck off and watch something else, sad state of affairs as it is.

As a gooner, I'm stuck with it, so I'll follow 'em wherever they go.

basically, yeah

Özim
28-07-2011, 01:40 PM
This will never happen as who the f*ck would be interested in watching it?

It's been threatened for ages it's just an empty threat by power hungry clubs, man how boring would that be having just one European competition.

Olivier's xmas twist
28-07-2011, 02:15 PM
This will never happen as who the f*ck would be interested in watching it?

It's been threatened for ages it's just an empty threat by power hungry clubs, man how boring would that be having just one European competition.

Well you'd still have the Champions League but just with out the quality teams in it, this wil just be a better league and it would make the other league's more faiiere if you like.

Mr. Lahey
28-07-2011, 04:37 PM
Well you'd still have the Champions League but just with out the quality teams in it, this wil just be a better league and it would make the other league's more faiiere if you like.

I agree, i find the discrepancy between the top teams and the others in each league too much as it is. I think this Super League would make things alot more fair and would make things alot more interesting.

Marc Overmars
28-07-2011, 04:41 PM
If Football wasn't fucked already, then it would be if this happened.

Kano
28-07-2011, 08:23 PM
the interesting thing about this 'idea' is the proposal to break away from uefa and fifa. So who exactly would govern the clubs involved in it, themselves? Self interest governed behind closed doors? Sure, it sounds a lot like fifa but at least at present there is some sort of pretence of independent officialdom.

Champagne Charlie
29-07-2011, 09:18 AM
If this super league happened, particulary if Arsenal were in it, then it'd be the death of football for me.

Some of the greatest things about football are the derbies, the history, the rivalries, the bragging rights, etc. All that would go if were we playing the likes of Milan and Bayern each week.

And people can barely afford to go to football already, so who the hell is going to shell out over £300 for every away game!?

Fats
29-07-2011, 09:20 AM
Never gonna happen