Plans for ‘Super League’ attacked
MPS HIT OUT AT ‘GREED’ AS MAJOR CLUBS THREATEN TOI BREAK AWAY
PLANS for a football “Super League” have been condemned by politicians from all parties – with the Government under pressure to step in.
Gateshead MP Ian Mearns, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Football Supporters, accused clubs of “unbridled greed”, after it emerged the Premier League’s socalled “big six” of Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham intended to join a rebel European competition. Newcastle Central MP Chi Onwurah said owners of the clubs involved were not “fit and proper” people – suggesting they should be forced to relinquish ownership.
North West Durham MP Richard Holden described the plans as “disgraceful”.
Conservatives promised to set up a “fan-led review” of the way football clubs are managed, in their manifesto for the 2019 General Election.
So far nothing has happened, although the Government would probably argue that it’s been forced to delay a lot of things because of Covid. But it could now press ahead with proposals to give supporters a say in how clubs are run.
Mr Mearns, a Labour MP, said: “It is unbridled greed by the European clubs and the socalled big six in this country.”
He pointed out that many of the clubs involved have US owners, saying: “It does look as if the United States ownership is having a significant impact on this and is bringing it about.
“This seems to be about TV revenue from outside of Europe. This is a product that the Americans want to sell into the Asian, the African and the south and central American TV markets, and also the US TV market.” He said the Parliamentary Group for Football Supporters, which includes MPs and members of the House of Lords, had been pushing the Government to carry out its promised review of football governance. Richard
Holden, a Conservative, said: “It’s an absolutely mad scheme. It totally undermines the entire basis of competition within the game.
“I’m sure that whether people are supporters of Consett or Newcastle or Sunderland, they will be as outraged as I am. It’s a disgraceful situation.
AC Milan, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Juventus and Real Madrid will also be joining as founding clubs, with three more clubs expected to follow before the inaugural season.
Some critics have pointed out that no German clubs are involved, and highlighted the fact that rules pre
vent clubs in the top two divisions of German football from having external investors as majority shareholders.
In other words, a majority of shares are held by the clubs themselves, giving fans far more say.
There is also widespread criticism of plans to ensure the founding clubs remain permanent members of the Super League without fear of relegation, severely reducing the element of true competition.
These points were raised by Ms Onwurah. She said: “It shows that the arrogance, the greed and the total lack of connection with what makes football the game that’s so important to so many people doesn’t stop or start with Mike Ashley.
“What they are trying to do is turn football into some kind of performance, to take it away from being a sport.
“It’s significant that none of the German clubs are part of these proposals. Giving the fans a say in football is the only real protection that football has.
“And I’d like to ask the Premier League and Oliver Dowden, do they think the owners that are doing this are fit and proper? Because I think they are unfit and improper.” Former England international Gary Neville said he was appalled by the developments, which he feels are motivated by greed.
“I am a Manchester United fan and have been for 40 years but I am disgusted, absolutely disgusted,” he told Sky Sports. “It is an absolute disgrace. Honestly, we have to wrestle back power in this country from the clubs at the top of this league, and that includes my club.
“The motivation is greed. Deduct them all points tomorrow, put them at the bottom of the league and take the money off them. Seriously, you have got to stamp on this. “It is criminal. It is a criminal act against football fans in this country. Deduct points, deduct money and punish them.
“Enough is enough.
It is unbridled greed by the European clubs and the so-called big six MP Ian Mearns
There isn’t a football fan in this country that won’t be seething listening to this conversation and these announcements. This is disowning-your-own-club stuff, this. “Let them break away but punish them straight away. If they announce a letter of intent has been signed, those six clubs, they should be punished heavily. “Give the title to Burnley, let Fulham stay up. Relegate Man Utd, Liverpool and Arsenal. Those three clubs, with their history in this country, are the ones that should suffer the most.
“The history and traditions that run through those three clubs is absolutely enormous and I value it, but they leave a lot to be desired at this moment in time.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson. wrote on Twitter: “Plans for a European Super League would be very damaging for football and we support football authorities in taking action,” he wrote on Twitter.
“This would strike at the heart of the domestic game, and will concern fans across the country.
“The clubs involved must answer to their fans and the wider footballing community before taking any further steps.”