European Super League

The guy involved with Bayern has hinted at a European Super League being created and breaking away from Fifa when the agreement ends in 2014.

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

I really hope this doesn't go through, it seems as if it would kill off football within 10 years. But possibly the biggest threat to Fifa so far to clean up their act?

I don't think it would kill off football, but it would make an already large divide unbridgeable. In essence the power clubs go off and make millions in a super league that they can't be removed from, and the rest of the clubs pick up scraps. If I were a fan of one of these clubs I would wonder what impact it would have too -- ticket price hikes, unreachable away matches etc.

I don't think it's a likely course of action, but an alarm call to FIFA to get their finger out; and if one thing will do it, it's the potential loss of money!

The European league would make a huge television deal, but the same companies wouldn't be interested in an English Premier League without them. Normal clubs would get less revenue, so less money is being put into the pyramid system in England.

What happens to the supporters of big clubs that are used to performing well every season? Say if a club like Manchester United are constantly finishing outside the top 6 in the European league, where does that leave their real fans and armchair fans?

I see the appeal of bringing the best in Europe together, but we already have the Champions League for that. As you say it would be incredibly difficult for fans to go to most away matches in a season.

It would certainly see the end of big-money PL television deals, which would leave the clubs in an instantly difficult position -- where would they get the money to pay the wages of their high earners? And that would cascade down the divisions too.

At least the PL would be a bit more competitive, but we'd effectively act as a feeder league to the ESL...

I think that we have quite a competitive league, but if Man Utd, City, Chelsea and Arsenal were to go up to the Euro Super League- you could the better players from Premier League clubs would want to join them. I enjoy watching a competitive league, but I enjoy watching a league filled with the best players.

Bring it on, let all those self deprecating sycophant clubs do their own thing and let real football have a chance again

Thing is Gaffer, if the top teams go and the money disappears, the 'real' football and the clubs wouldn't last very long.

Couldn't Fifa impose some kind of ban on countries Fa's from picking players who played in the super league?

The threat of expulsion from national selection and international competition would surely make some players think twice about it? (although i suppose money talks nowadays far more than earning caps and representing your country).

Fifa could try, but the national team is supposed to be the best players of that nationality. If the majority of our Premier League joined the ESL group then we'd be left with very little in terms of talent.

But then that would presumably happen with the best of germany, spain, italy etc?

The aim would be to keep the best players in their domestic leagues (or at least not in the super league).

It could go either way though, and you're right that we could end up watching an england team being captained by Nigel Reo Coker, with DJ Campbell and Jay Bothroyd leading the line (no offence to any of those players!).

I think the players would take not playing for England if it meant they were being paid another £50k on top of whatever any non-ESL club could offer them.

For me international football is one of the most important things in football; everyone gets excited when the World Cup/Euros comes along, whereas in club football if it's a cup final, only two set of fans are really involved.

I'm with Gaffer. Have football go back to the starting 11 all living within 10 miles of the stadium rather than all these pre madonnas making stupid sums of money.