European Super League: Why the breakaway league failed as clubs pull out
Football fans claimed a huge win after England’s biggest clubs walked away from the proposed Super League, but that does not mean this is the end of the standoff, writes Mark Bosnich.
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The decision by the 12 clubs to walk back on the proposed European Super League has been hailed as a victory for fans – and they have definitely claimed a win in the first round.
That does not, however, mean this is the end of this standoff.
Let’s remember this situation was not a shock. It’s been mooted for some time. But I said on Monday when this all blew up there would be a resolution sooner rather than later – though I’m surprised it’s been resolved in the space of 48 hours.
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There was no other option.
One of the guiding principles of football, as Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola summed up so succinctly, is that sporting merit is everything.
You might say ‘it’s hard enough as it is’ for a team to lift themselves up and play in elite competitions like the Champions League but the fact remains there’s still an opportunity to play at the highest level.
The relationship between effort and success must be constant and never gift-wrapped for the rest of time as was proposed with the Super League to a select few teams.
It’s definitely been a wake-up call for the owners about how the fans and players feel about this topic.
The backlash against the Premier League clubs has been ferocious, and rightly so, and it’s come from not just fans, players or coaches – but, significantly, the Royal Family and the British Government as well.
It shows just how big the reaction has been, and it would’ve shaken the architects of the proposal to the core. This debate can be extended to our own competition, the A-League, where we often talk about promotion and relegation.
There must be consequences for failure and reward for success. If you lose that, you lose the game.
Even growing up in the southwest of Sydney, we had divisions and we knew there would be rewards if you were successful and if you’re not then you would go down.
This is why I feel strongly about promotion and relegation, because you need to give everyone a chance otherwise you destroy the spirit.
The next step will be to sit down with UEFA to go through those concerns and surely the governing body will make some concessions to ensure this sort of thing does not ever come to pass again.
WHY REBEL SUPER LEAGUE CRASHED AND BURNED
Plans for the breakaway European Super League have collapsed only days after the competition was made public.
Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham have all pulled out, leaving Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, AC Milan, Inter Milan and Juventus as the teams still involved.
We look at the fallout and why it has collapsed.
WHY HAS THE SUPER LEAGUE COME CRASHING DOWN?
The incredible reaction from supporters, the almost instantaneous response of the British government, the opposition even from the Super League clubs’ managers and players proved too much.
WHY WERE CHELSEA AND CITY THE FIRST TO PULL OUT?
They had always been reluctant partners in the first place – this was very much driven by the American owners of Manchester United and Liverpool. Abu Dhabi-owned City and Chelsea, owned by the Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, are perhaps not so much at the mercy of market forces such as missing out on the Champions League or the effects of the pandemic. One club insider admitted they had been shocked by the reaction of their own fans and alarmed at the government’s strong action, saying: “It’s never good when the prime minister decides to become involved in football.”
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT WITHIN EUROPEAN FOOTBALL?
UEFA will proceed with its new 36-team Champions League from 2024. The Super League clubs are unlikely to face punitive action if they withdraw – the UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin held out an olive branch on Tuesday, directly addressing the owners of the English clubs, and saying: “What matters is that there is still time to change your mind. English fans deserve to have you correct your mistake.”
IS THIS AN IDEA BY RICH AMERICANS WHO UNDERESTIMATED THE OPPOSITION?
Not completely – it was initially Real Madrid’s idea but it was certainly embraced ecstatically by the Glazers who own Manchester United. What is for sure is everyone underestimated the scale of the backlash.
HOW SIGNIFICANT WAS THE POSITION OF PSG AND TWO GERMAN CLUBS?
A fairly strong factor. PSG’s president Nasser Al Khelaifi threw his lot in with UEFA – he is also the head of beIN Sport which has significant TV deals with the organisation – and that was a big blow to the Super League. The top German sides were even more resolute and a Super League without Bayern Munich was unthinkable.
WAS THE SUPER LEAGUE ALL ABOUT CLUBS’ REVENUES BEING HIT BY COVID?
Partly – Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus and AC Milan have been devastated financially and are terrified of falling behind the Premier League, which has a much bigger cash buffer. Tottenham Hotspur have also been hit hard and have a new stadium to fund. The incentive for the American owners of Premier League clubs is to have a guaranteed place in Europe’s elite competition every season and end the risk of a financial shortfall by not qualifying for the Champions League, as well as the chance to sell some digital rights themselves. Chelsea and Manchester City were more reluctant but in the end they joined as they were scared about being left out.
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Originally published as European Super League: Why the breakaway league failed as clubs pull out
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