SAVING THE WORLD'S GREATEST SPORT

 
 Owners have used football clubs for the sake of earning profits. Traditionally, clubs considered themselves as public-spirited entities. Meaningful competition among them was seen as a meritocratic exercise. But with leagues increasingly awash with hedge fund money and handouts from oligarchies, decisions are answerable more to shareholders and investors than the actual supporters. The World’s greatest sport had to be freed from the clutches of billionaires who had no regard for the beautiful game, their loyal fans, players, and managers. They had just displayed the worst kind of covetousness in the history of sports. The principal aim seemed to be to upend the Champions League, the crown jewel among all competitions managed by UEFA. 

The reaction of the players, supporters, managers, and commentators towards the European Super League was negative. None of them were ready to adapt to this so-called “positive change.” Florentino Perez (The President of the Super League) stated that football required change since young people are no longer interested in football because they find the quality of games boring and they have platforms to distract themselves. I believe that he is completely wrong. The only ones who aren’t interested in football are the people running the Super League Project. For them, the game is a secondary concern.  

The formation of a European Super League attacks the principles of open competition and sports merit which are at the hearts of the domestic and football pyramid. The creation of the league will have a lugubrious impact on the prospects of the domestic leagues. It hurts the sentiments of the clubs that are left out. This precludes a team that is not originally considered a big club from becoming a big club. For example, if Southampton gains a rich investor and he/she strengthens their brand significantly, in the current format they could become a big club in the EPL and Europe.

In the proposed Super League, the remaining clubs would just be marginalized every year without any possibility for future recompenses. The teams who are proposing to form a super league want guaranteed European football without having to qualify for it. The teams who do qualify but aren’t in the elite selected crowd would not get the rewards for the performances they deserve. Currently, Leicester is in the third position and if they stay there until the end of the season they’ll qualify for the champion’s league. West Ham is in the sixth position and if they stay there until the end of the season they’ll qualify for the Europa League. With the proposed plan the two teams who have worked very hard for the entire season won’t be in the European super league no matter how well they play. Meanwhile, Arsenal, who are in the ninth position, haven’t qualified for the Champion’s league since 2017, will be in the European super league as if it is their default right. For a Leicester or West Ham fan, that’s a kick in the teeth. However, for an Arsenal fan, it means that the results don’t matter. Why would you follow a team in any sport if results don’t matter? This means that even if a club has a terrible season, it will come back to play again next season as if nothing has happened.

The feisty last game week matches, the nerves of the relegation battles, the excitement of promotion, none of this will take place with the creation of the super league. The exhilaration of watching your home team rise through the ranks and win the respective domestic league is on another level.  The formation of the super league removes the element of inspiration. Leicester City beating the unfathomable strong competitors at 5000/1 odds to win the league, FC Porto winning the Champions League, a young Ajax team steamrolling past the big clubs to reach the CL semis, these are the inspiring stories that the world will miss out on the formation of the Super League. 

 A few individuals namely Pep Guardiola, Boris Johnson, Kevin De Bruyne, Luke Shaw, Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes, Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher and James Corden spoke up which was needed at that critical moment for the football world. An insider suggests that Harry Maguire (Captain of Manchester United) threatened to lead the Manchester United players in taking unprecedented actions should the club not withdraw from the European Super League. Boris Johnson stated that a legislative bomb should be dropped on the plans of the Super League and it should be done now. He did not want UK football clubs to turn into “international brands.” Pep Guardiola, the manager of Manchester City, said that the Super League won’t make football a sport if the relationship between effort and reward doesn’t exist. The formation of the Super League removes the purpose of competition. 

 

Within the next 24 hours of the super league announcement, the Football World’s darkest days turned out to be the brightest. Various clubs across Europe turned in documents stating that they would like to leave the European Super League. It turned out to be a memorable day for football fans, especially Manchester United fans as Ed Woodward stepped down as Executive Vice Chairman of Manchester United. The collapse of the Super League plan may as well see the Glazer family sell the Manchester United. Florentino Perez might resign as he is under immense pressure. The intent of the owners and their false pretense was exposed due to the current circumstances. 

 

The reaction of the pundits, supporters, players and, managers stopped the formation of the European Super League. We did this. We won this battle. It was time for us to take back what’s ours. Football is for the fans. Our history isn't theirs to buy, our future is not theirs to gamble.

 

The real owners of football are the ones who love the badge and without the fans, football would disappear – Marcelo Bielsa.

~ Manu Halapeth