Injustice league
U.S OWNERS AT HEART OF FOOTBALL BREAKAWAY PLOT PUT FINANCES AHEAD OF FANS
BRITAIN and America – two countries, they say, separated by a common language.
But this week, due to the greed of several US billionaires, it is not just words that see our two nations divided, following an assault by American-owned Premier League clubs on our beautiful game.
Between the owners of Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal, and several other clubs, their years of disguising avarice as benevolence were finally exposed.
On Sunday, it was announced 12 of the big- gest clubs in Europe wanted to form a ‘Super League’, but there was nothing ‘super’ about their money-grabbing plan.
The ‘Dirty Dozen’ of Europe’s top clubs who signed up, agreed to be part of a midweek competition for at least 23 seasons, with the sweetener of up to £300 million each.
Anyone who is remotely surprised that the billionaires – Manchester United’s Joel and Avri Glazer, Liverpool’s John Henry or Arsenal’s Stan Kroenke – were the ringleaders of this closed-shop USstyle franchise league with no relegation, needs their head examining.
The writing had been on the stadium walls for years.
Why else would an American businessman who knows nothing about football, or ‘soccer’ as they call it, get involved in the Premier League? They don’t excel at the game. It is not a sport the US loves. But where there is money, America’s thirst for it isn’t far behind.
It started with increased ticket prices. But once it became clear those tens of thousands of working class fans passing through the turnstiles each week provided mere pennies on the dollar, compared to the millions paying to watch globally on TV, it was always going to change.
But to their shame, they struck amid a global pandemic that has robbed many families of their loved ones and their livelihoods.
It is wrong on every level. Immoral and utterly disgraceful.
If it had gone ahead they should have imposed international bans on players of the clubs. Imagine telling H a r r y Kane he won’t captain England at the Euros because he plays for Spurs?
Nobody wanted this league except the owners.
Fans and footballing authorities rightly condemned it. Governments and royalty piled in to stop it.
UEFA and FIFA had vowed to throw the teams taking part out of their competitions, and the Premier League said the same.
But as the Super League lies in ruins, it should not simply be forgotten. The clubs who wanted away should still be punished and their isolation from the footballing community continue.
But, most of all, the clubs’ US billionaire owners need punishing most. They may be able to bully their way through the NFL and NBA, but turning the beautiful game ugly must be a red card offence for life.
The clubs who wanted away should still be punished...
Arsenal: Stan Kroenke