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Project "Big Picture" - "Big" Clubs Plan Overhaul of English Football
Comments
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A shameless power grab, which seeks to take advantage of acute Covid-related financial problems. It's no surprise in the light of the idiotic comments last week from Manchester City's CEO about the need for B teams in the League structure.
It's also probably no coincidence that, like the Glaziers and Manchester Utd, Liverpool's parent company is proposing to float the club on the US stock exchange. Why should the tradition, heritage and structure of the English game be subject to the whim of the American Stock Exchange and other wealthy owners from the Middle East and elsewhere ?
I can understand the very real desperation of many EFL clubs in the current climate but Parry is an idiot to publicly back these outlandish proposals, especially prior to any, or any meaningful, consultation with the EFL 72 clubs. As a Liverpool supporter and ex-CEO, he has left himself very exposed. As the article says: "The plan is supported by the EFL chairman Rick Parry who has held talks with Liverpool’s principal owner, the American investor John W Henry, and shareholder and director Mike Gordon. In addition, Parry has spoken to the Glazer family, who own United." I bet he has.
In addition to the ability of the so-called 'Big 6' to change the rules at any time, the proposals are a precursor to B teams via the back door and the proposed major expansion to the Champions League.
I very much doubt that the plan will gain any traction with Premier League clubs on the basis that turkeys generally don't vote for Christmas. It is, however, a premeditated flexing of the muscles in order to force certain changes through in the future and the timing of the 'leak' is also probably no coincidence in the light of government demands for an EFL bale out.10 -
When talk of a breakaway league first surfaced in the mid-80s the "big six" had a different make-up to today.
Everton was one of the best sides in Europe and battling with Liverpool for the league title most years. Of the others, Arsenal finally got their shit together when they appointed Graham, Man Utd were big but ordinary (until Fergie straightened them out), and the Spuds were, well, the Spuds - flattered to deceive year after year but won the occasional cup. City spent most of the 80s and 90s bouncing back and forth between Div One and Div Two before finally giving everyone a bloody big laugh by dropping into Div Three. As for Chelsea, we, of course, had our own hand in their mediocrity by condemning them to the relegation play-offs after the Battle of Stamford Bridge leading to them visiting Division Two.
It's only the obscene amounts of money that the so-called big clubs siphon off for themselves that has prevented a similar turnover in membership in recent years. If it wasn't for the bundles of cash they can throw around Man Utd and Arsenal would have been laughed out of court and Man City and Chelsea would never have got in.
Ring-fencing the power into the hands of a select few cannot be good for the future English football, regardless of how they want to spin it.9 -
"West Ham (Dildos)"PragueAddick said:Worth reading this Tweet through to the end...
Is Dildos one of the smaller Emirate states alongside Abu Dhabi and Dubai?14 -
No you fool it's one of the Greek islands.10
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Power move by the so called top teams. Using a potential bailout to clubs who need money to manoeuvre a change in the hieracrhy.
Fuck them all greedy cnuts the lot of them6 -
Re B teams.
If the Premier League clubs are so keen for a league for their reserves to play in why don't they help fund a proper competition for the twos?
Instead of them loaning out umpteen players each year to get experience they can play for their own clubs in a proper comp and players that are out of form or returning from injury can play senior footy instead of with the kids. The reserves can then be a stepping stone for junior players looking to move up to the ones.
I appreciate that many clubs further down the pyramid may not be able to afford to run a full reserves side but there should be enough interest for a couple of divisions at least.
Unless of course the Premier League's interest in B teams is just to hoover up a bigger share of the money pot, effectively stealing back some of the pennies they've given to the Football League ...2 -
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The proposals themselves constitute an investigation by the Office for Fair Trading into the industry.
As structured empowering a clique of businesses is a recipe for anti competive trading in breach of Anti Trust Laws. There is a reason the NFL has special exemption from Anti Trust legislation in the USA.
The proposals need immediate referral to the OFT.
It does really matter whether anybody agrees to "the bribe" if it is illegal. It is illegal. Empowering 6 companies to control the structure and operation of its industry is by definition illegal.
For any organisation to even submit such proposals at a time of global crisis speaks to the integrity of the organisations. There is none. It is blatant opportunism and greed.
Mr Parry should resign immediately. Whatever his intent he had a duty of care in representing the interests of the EFL to ALL stakeholders in the game not a select few.
He has compromised his position to speak on behalf of the EFL.
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Why on earth aren't EFL clubs calling on Parry to resign? Or calling for a Special General Meeting at which they can vote him out?
Surely, despite the bribe on offer, there aren't any EFL clubs in favour of this? Or are there some small ones like, for example, Barrow who, realising it is unlikely they will ever make the Championship let alone the Premier League, and sensing a pay day that can keep them alive and are actually in favour of this nonsense?0 -
This, ladies and gentlemen, is @Grapevine49's equivalent of a short-and-snappy tweetGrapevine49 said:The proposals themselves constitute an investigation by the Office for Fair Trading into the industry.
As structured empowering a clique of businesses is a recipe for anti competive trading in breach of Anti Trust Laws. There is a reason the NFL has special exemption from Anti Trust legislation in the USA.
The proposals need immediate referral to the OFT.
It does really matter whether anybody agrees to "the bribe" if it is illegal. It is illegal. Empowering 6 companies to control the structure and operation of its industry is by definition illegal.
For any organisation to even submit such proposals at a time of global crisis speaks to the integrity of the organisations. There is none. It is blatant opportunism and greed.
Mr Parry should resign immediately. Whatever his intent he had a duty of care in representing the interests of the EFL to ALL stakeholders in the game not a select few.
He has compromised his position to speak on behalf of the EFL.
Still hits the mark though, as usual.3 -
Grapevine49 said:The proposals themselves constitute an investigation by the Office for Fair Trading into the industry.
As structured empowering a clique of businesses is a recipe for anti competive trading in breach of Anti Trust Laws. There is a reason the NFL has special exemption from Anti Trust legislation in the USA.
The proposals need immediate referral to the OFT.
It does really matter whether anybody agrees to "the bribe" if it is illegal. It is illegal. Empowering 6 companies to control the structure and operation of its industry is by definition illegal.
For any organisation to even submit such proposals at a time of global crisis speaks to the integrity of the organisations. There is none. It is blatant opportunism and greed.
Mr Parry should resign immediately. Whatever his intent he had a duty of care in representing the interests of the EFL to ALL stakeholders in the game not a select few.
He has compromised his position to speak on behalf of the EFL.
Thank goodness this is short for GV49, so I don't feel guilty quoting it! Indeed, Parry should resign. I imagine quite a few emails are heading to the EFL today, saying the same thing!
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They realise that if it gets to 9 clubs in control, the "big 6". will jettison the other 3 as quickly as they can.Pelling1993 said:https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54505270 at least West Ham are against it, and they are 1 of the 96 -
Great post.DOUCHER said:Football needs to take a step back - because prem clubs now have such a disproportionate amount of money they are now stockpiling young talent but don't have anywhere for them to play proper mens football, they want to create B teams to play in the lower divisions. The real solution is to apportion the money more fairly, re create the reserves leagues and do away with these ridiculous cups where u23 teams play against first teams. I will never go to a match like the one the other day where our first team is playing a brighton u23 side - ridiculous. I'll probably go to very few cup games now anyway until the whole attitude towards them changes - not interested in watching reserve football which is all it is now. Give the fa cup winner a champions league spot or restart the european cup winners cup or shut the whole thingh down. Sooner go and watch a park game than watch a match where both clubs are not putting their strongest sides out - its an insult to the fans.0 -
That FSG has devised this sort of move towards a closed shop premier league is wholly unsurprising. "Elite" american sport abhors promotion and relegation. The major sports franchises are all closed. This is FSG's metier and it is very good at it.
Only slightly surprising is Parry's wholehearted endorsement of the scheme. That surprise is fleeting indeed. This racket confirm's Parry's own monumental stipend will endure the wider economic reality up to the point that his equally monumental pension can kick in and he can slip away into unqualified financial security leaving the national game to collapse in on itself as a direct consequence of his woeful stewardship. This loathsome creature has sunk to the depths of debased self interest hitherto only demonstrated by the odious Gordon Taylor in his personal fiefdom at the PFA and the conveyor belt of crooks and charlatans at FIFA and UEFA.
It is the overlong and largely unchallenged reigns of their type of miscreants that brings football to these moments.
One can only hope that English football's existing structure and regulations prevent this first draft suicide plan from progressing without significant amendment.
We imagine/hope that turkeys won't vote for christmas but they will need a workable alternative. Without a swift and thorough revision of the professional game then the bells are tolling for League 1 and below to be able to continue in anything like recognisable form.
FWIW I've suspected that 18 would be a better size for the top division for a number of years but have never believed that it would achieve a majority vote without the promise of some sort of "Premiership 2". FSG's proposal is superficially less scary for divisions 3 and below but the restriction on promotion and relegation is the thin end of the wedge. What the septics don't get is that spectators need the maximum number of games to be competitive and meaningful i.e. more promotion and relegation not less. Serie A in Italy still has 4 up & down does it not?
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Wet Sham also know that they are not safe in the top flight; they are not a perennial top-half team.Covered End said:
They realise that if it gets to 9 clubs in control, the "big 6". will jettison the other 3 as quickly as they can.Pelling1993 said:https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54505270 at least West Ham are against it, and they are 1 of the 9
With the proposal to decrease the league to 18 teams that would put extra pressure on the Hamsters if/when they went down; only two automatic promotion spots and three play-off places available could mean an extended stay in Division Two. If it took them too long to get back up the door may be shut permanently when the Premier League will attempt to stop relegation altogether ... which would be terrible for them - how would they be able to maintain their super-duper stadium? Maybe they'd have to move out and ground-share with Orient in order to make ends meet.3 -
If anything it's the non Big 6 sides PL who will be most against this proposal, followed by the ambitious Championship ones. For the smaller L2 sides, they probably aren't so bothered, the PL is light years apart from them alreadyFortune 82nd Minute said:Why on earth aren't EFL clubs calling on Parry to resign? Or calling for a Special General Meeting at which they can vote him out?
Surely, despite the bribe on offer, there aren't any EFL clubs in favour of this? Or are there some small ones like, for example, Barrow who, realising it is unlikely they will ever make the Championship let alone the Premier League, and sensing a pay day that can keep them alive and are actually in favour of this nonsense?1 - Sponsored links:
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I listened to Radio five yesterday and there seemed to be a unanimous verdict against this move, however I would beg to differ (maybe I’m just a contrarian).
i remember a time before a premier league, before it was a product to be sold and sky, bt, virgin or whoever marketed it to the extreme. There was uproar when the split occurred as it concentrated the power in those 20 clubs. so why do the latest developments have the media and players in a similar spin? It’s just a further narrowing down from 20 to 6 of power, money and influence.
Surely this is the end game of the premier leagues capitalist values? Why would we be tut tutting in annoyance? To coin a phrase ´the game has gone a long time ago’
When you listen, watch, or read any media outlet today you would genuinely think that the game did not exist prior 1991. This is the next step and let’s keep our fingers crossed, Charlton and the EFL will be ok through the transition.
So let’s crack on, get a European super league up and running and continue to wave our fist at the passing clouds.
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I was dubious until i saw the line at the bottom.
Crystal Palace to be demoted to Division 2 for being cnuts.4 -
These plans sound absolutely mental.0
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Could this be a reason why West Ham are against it, as they have a stadium of their own?Callumcafc said:4 -
I simply cannot see any way in which 14 Premier league clubs will vote for this. Aside from the 'big 6' obviously, i can't think of one good reason why any other club would vote in favour.
Why would you want another club being able to say yes or no to a rich new owner taking over your club?
If this ever got passed it'd be the death of football.
Give it a year before the big clubs would be playing some league games in China or Dubai or Riyadh or wherever paid them the most money possible.
They'd change loan rules so they could stockpile players and loan them out to whoever.
Then today we find out that Spurs would be able to claim back around £125m for the cost of their stadium under a clause in these new proposals.
One of the proposals is that PL clubs will be able to sell their own TV rights for 8 games a season internationally. This will therefore reduce the value of the centrally negotiated TV deals and naturally just give more money to the big clubs with huge fanbases.
They're also trying to claim that reducing the league to 18 clubs will help the England team because of less fixture congestion. Yet the Champions league is increasing in size in a few years so teams will have even more games anyway.
The only good things about this are the 250m 'bribe' to the EFL, and the scrapping of parachute payments. But even scrapping those payments means more money kept in the PL, so again the big clubs benefit.
A total farce all round.11 -
Jesus wept. The more I read, the more I think just fuck this, I can't be bothered with professional football anymore! The greed is just unbelievable. The top 6 stopping takeovers to protect their positions, the fake bail out of lower league clubs, b-teams and fuck8ng subsidising Spurs' stadium!!!! Absolute bollocks, and as for Parry and his secret meetings with Liverpool and Utd! Good on the Telegraph for exposing this, shame on the guardian for supporting it! COYA2
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Don't think the Guardian is supporting it.
One writer, David Conn, expressed support for parts of the plan but not all of it.1 -
Yeah, the increased revenue each season, although this is really made up from the reduced number of teams and the abolition of parachute payments. The Guardian has no interest in lower league football, you can tell that by their coverage. They have previously run editorial supporting b-teams in the pyramid too, so I wouldn't expect any different. Your summary earlier in the thread was spot on btw.Henry Irving said:Don't think the Guardian is supporting it.
One writer, David Conn, expressed support for parts of the plan but not all of it.0 -
You've got to laugh really. When questioned on the new proposals Parry said:
"It's two of our great clubs showing leadership when it's needed and exercising great responsibility".
What a bellend.6 -
G-R-E-E-D.End of.1
