10 May 2017 13:15:21
ed002 this is not strictly Liverpool related but I saw a article today about andy holt the Accrington Stanley chairman who was basically saying the premier league is ruining the game as the money they provide is akin to peasents fighting over the scraps, naturally the pl has defended itself over the amount of money it provides, my question for you is what is the future for these clubs?, we have seen Coventry for example go from being a pl team to becoming a complete disaster. Do you like I do, see a lot of these clubs going out of existence?
{Ed002's Note - I hold a reasonably strong view in terms of the need to restructure football in Europe in any case. For me an eventual a breakaway pan-European league would force the restructuring of many of the national leagues, possibly resulting in a British league with perhaps only a couple of professional tiers and then regionalised amateur leagues below that. Financially I do not see that so many pro sides can be sustained within the sport which, like it or not, will see more and more money going in to the highest levels of the game. Governments will ensure that grassroot sports get funding but everything in the middle (Southern, Northern, Conference, Division 2, Scottish Divisions 1-3, League of Wales will not get the funding needed to continue on any sort of professional basis. For me, clubs should already recognise this and put their efforts in to getting there finances in order to see if they can make it to a British professional league that will need to flourish without perhaps six sides that have gone down the pan-European route - and have gone for good. Clubs like Accrington Stanley will need to carry on as ameteurs or face extinction (yet again). A possible option might result from a potential landmark decision that UEFA must make in June or July - and that could facilitate the ownership of of lower-tier sides by the more senior sides and then work as a feeder club.}
10 May 2017 14:11:20
thanks for the reply ed, I myself see a bleak future for a lot of lower league clubs as there is simply not enough money to go round, also a lot of sides have stadiums far to big for there average attendances, doing nothing is simply not a option, as the rich clubs get richer, and we possibly head towards a European super league, these smaller clubs will be bulldozed out of existence.
{Ed002's Note - I think that is very true, but there are way too many pro sides in England already and the existing model cannot be sustained. Eveything will look very different in 10 years time.}
10 May 2017 14:22:50
who are the 6 sides if i may ask 002?
{Ed002's Note - At the moment there are three English sides involved in the regular discussions with another trying (so far unsuccessfully) to get involved. It works very much on an invitational basis and the next planned discussions are at the end of August in Monaco. Eventually the plan will be for two tiers and perhaps six English sides being involved.}
10 May 2017 14:30:57
this is the Liverpool page.
(sorry - couldn't resist)
10 May 2017 14:35:38
bound to happen ed - in fact I am surprised it hasn't happened a whole lot sooner.
Just look at monies spent this year in the EPL and if we take the top 3 as being Chelsea, Spurs and City - that's Arsenal, United and LFC fighting for remaining spot, so 2 have no CL income next season.
{Ed002's Note - Right.}
10 May 2017 14:55:36
I'm assuming that two of those clubs are United and City, do you think there may be an issue for them being in the same city? Ie the european breakaway league won't want to have 2 big clubs from the same city and would rather spread them around if at all possible.
Or do you see it as entirely unimportant?
As a follow up question do you see the breakaway league operating a franchise structure more like the US sports where franchises could be moved to a new location etc?
A follow up follow up question, if the above franchise system is likely do you think this would lead to younger players being involved in a college style tier before joining the breakaway teams or will it still be the current system of academies and poaching youngsters?
Apologies for my ignorance on all this and cheers in advance for your response.
{Ed002's Note - Firstly no they are not both involved and there will be no limitations on the number of clubs from any one city. It is the clubs themselves foring the breakaway and there will be no franchise type system.}
10 May 2017 15:08:35
Cheers Ed, you're invaluable.
I can only assume that United are involved and City aren't (although that may be wrong) .
However, if I am right, the owners of City must be very worried that they have invested so much into the club and the area and are not currently part of the discussions.
I can only hope and pray that Liverpool are at least involved in the discussions. I'm aware that not everyone would want us to join such a league but you have to be involved in the discussions to be able to make the decision over whether you are in or not.
Have a great day Ed.
{Ed002's Note - None of it involves Liverpool. This has been dealt with at length in the past.}
10 May 2017 16:19:47
Easily the most ignorant post I've seen on this sight, super mane, if the smaller clubs fold what do you expect to happen to the level of talent available for the national side if professional coaching is not available at lower levels? Further more what do you think will happen to Liverpool? Because I highly doubt we would be considered for the break away league having been out of European football for as long as we have. Fleas on fleas? Serious lack of class.