Campbell lets rip as Super League starts to unravel

Veteran Scottish football boss Dick Campbell claimed the game was being ripped to shreds by the money men who proposed the controversial European Super League.

The Arbroath manager let rip at the plans which saw 12 clubs plot to form a breakaway rival to the Champions League.

The former Dunfermline and Forfar boss pulled no punches when asked about the proposals, saying: “I’ve been in the game for 50 years and I’ve never known anything like what I’ve seen over the last few days.

“The level of greed and total disdain shown for the people who are the lifeblood of football – the fans – is staggering.

“My wife’s reaction sums it up. She normally takes it all in her stride and isn’t fussed about football but she’s absolutely furious.

“What these money men are doing is appalling. It’s disgusting and anyone involved should be utterly ashamed of themselves. They are nothing but a shower of greedy b ******* . Players are already on £500,000-a-week and more. Where does the greed end?”

Meanwhile, English football’s so-called big six have confirmed their intention to pull out of the proposed Super League.

Manchester City became the first team to quit the controversial project last night and were later followed by Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham and Arsenal.

It was understood Chelsea have also begun proceedings to withdraw from the breakaway competition.

It capped a remarkable evening of developments in the saga which also saw United executive vicechairman Ed Woodward resign.

Further reports suggested Atletico Madrid and Barcelona were on the brink of pulling out while there were conflicting reports in Italy over whether or not Juventus president Andrea Agnelli had also resigned.

City’s withdrawal came after boss Pep Guardiola had publicly criticised the Super League concept, which would see the ‘founding members’ guaranteed entry each year, earlier in the day.

I“What these money men are doing is appalling. It’s disgusting and anyone involved should be utterly ashamed of themselves. They are nothing but a shower of greedy b ******* . The game used to be a way out of the poverty trap. It was a game that could be played and enjoyed by all and it offered light, hope of better times” -Arbroath boss Dick Campbell

’m no’ a Dobbies man and I’m no’ a fisherman,” said Arbroath manager Dick Campbell in the wake of his side’s 2019 League One success. “Saturday’s fitba’ day.”

As the elder statesman of Scottish football, Campbell has been in the game for 51 years. He has masterminded two of Arbroath’s three titles in their 143-year history and is revered across the country for his ‘no-nonsense’ approach.

However, the game he has known and loved for the last 67 years is being ripped to shreds by the money men who are proposing a European Super League.

Arbroath may be light years away from the kind of world where a player like Neymar moves for £198 million and one where Lionel Messi collects a £67m annual wage at Barcelona.

However, the Angus side represents everything he loves about football and the Super League proposals are symptomatic of everything he hates.

“I’ve been in the game for 50 years and I’ve never known anything like what I’ve seen over the last few days,” said Campbell.

“The level of greed and total disdain shown for the people who are the lifeblood of football – the fans – is staggering.

“My wife’s reaction sums it up. She normally takes it all in her stride and isn’t fussed about football but she’s absolutely furious.

“What these money men are doing is appalling. It’s disgusting and anyone involved should be utterly ashamed of themselves. They are nothing but a shower of greedy b ******* .

“The game used to be a way out of the poverty trap. It was a game that could be played and enjoyed by all and it offered light, hope of better times.

“When I was a boy we’d get one football between four of us on Christmas Day and we were in our element. We’d chuck our schoolbags down on the ground after school and use them as goalposts until it got dark.

“I still believe there are people out there who love the game the way I do.

“There are people like me, who, if there is a kickabout on across the road will go out of their house and watch it.

“The game could and should still be about that.

“People like me still get a kick out of watching the game they know and love.

“I guarantee 90% of the fans will find it hard to get the money together to pay for the astronomical ticket or TV prices to watch any of these games in the Super League.

“Players are already on £500,000-a-week and more. Where does the greed end?”

In a statement yesterday, Anas Laghari, the secretary general of the ESL, said: “The idea of a Super League is not new.

“The younger generations are less interested in football, focus on their consoles or something else and only log in for big games but these big games rarely happen.” Campbell begs to differ. He believes the bigmoney TV deals with the likes of Sky, BT and Premier Sports have saturated the game to the point where, even he, reaches for the off button on his remote control.

“TV has dominated the game for years,” said Campbell.

“But during the pandemic it has become even more obvious.

“We’re now seeing games all the way from 11.30 in the morning until 10 or 11 at night.

“I love my football but it’s too much.

“There are too many dull games. Half of the time I feel like I’m watching a game of Subbuteo. I’d be better off doing that.

“Get along to watch a game at our level.

“At Arbroath I know every single player I put out on the pitch will give their all for me and for the club.

“The players don’t do it for the money, they do it for the love of the game.

“They aren’t getting paid colossal sums of cash and I think your ordinary punter can relate a lot more to an Arbroath player than they can to one of these £500,000-a-week superstars in ‘the Super League.’”