Sod off LEICESTER, we don't want your sort in the Champions League...

[Kinky Gerbil]

The real question is why Liverpool are there?

What have they achieved in the past 5 years, which I assume they are basing it on as City are there.

 

[Pavilionaire]

One of the key points that the Yanks seem to overlook is that under their closed NFL systems with no promotion and relegation the worst performing teams that season get to choose the best players coming out of the college draft.

The Carolina Panthers had the worst record in 2010 - 2 wins, 14 defeats. That gave them first pick in the 2011 Draft, they brought in Quarterback Cam Newton and he has improved their fortunes, taking them to the play-offs for the last 3 years and this year all the way to the Superbowl final. Similarly, Chicago Bulls poor season in 1983 enabled them to get a high Draft pick in Michael Jordan and the rest was history.

Football in the UK and Europe doesn't work in this way, there is no equalisation mechanism so that teams that fail get an opportunity to pick up the best young players in a Draft and commit them to long-term, binding contracts. Similarly, there is no transfer system in the States, and when good players do move they are free agents. Comntracts mean more, so if a player DOES want to move then the selling team usually exact a high price with good young prospects moving the other way.

Sealing off competitions without these checks and balances will mean that, in all likelihood, even a European Super League could be a closed shop between Real, Barca, PSG and Man City within just one or two years. Liverpool fans beware - imagine having only 4 away matches in the UK all season, no derby with Everton and being the perennial whipping boys in a sealed-off League, destined to be humped by Barca twice-yearly for all eternity.

 

[SAC]

Firstly, sorry for negative rant, having a bad morning. But yes I'm not keen on Leicester because of FFP. On the basis that clubs like us did stick to it and played fair, and when actually we could have done what Leicester and Bournemouth did and go completely unpunished. Obviously nobody's sticking to it now because it’s a sham, but a few years back we were trying to play fair when others weren't.

From memory, in year one of FFP in the Championship most clubs complied with the limits set (I think Blackpool may have) as there was no punishment. Does this mean that all these clubs should be branded cheats?

 

[hans kraay fan club]

The real question is why Liverpool are there?

What have they achieved in the past 5 years, which I assume they are basing it on as City are there.

It is (clearly and unapologetically) not based on achievement. It is based on worldwide BRAND strength.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

So now that Man U, Chelsea, Arsenal, City and Liverpool are getting a bit put out about not being good enough to qualifiy for the Champions League in the traditional way by, y'know, winning enough games, they've all had a little meeting with American tycoon and Miami Dolphins owner Charlie Stillitano about having a "restructure" of the competition (ie carve-up) so they don't have to bother with all this irksome qualifying malarkey any more.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...says-man-who-set-up-clubs-secret-meeting.html

Stillitano said: “What would Manchester United argue ?: Did we create soccer or did Leicester create (it)? Let’s call it the money pot created by soccer and the fandom around the world. Who has had more of an integral role, Manchester United or Leicester? It’s a wonderful, wonderful story. But you could see it from Manchester United’s point of view too.”

“Maybe that is absolutely spectacular unless you are a Manchester United fan, Liverpool fan ... or a Chelsea fan,” Stillitano said. “I guess they don’t have a birthright to be in it every year. But it’s the age-old argument: US sports franchises versus what they have in Europe. There are wonderful, wonderful, wonderful elements to relegation and promotion. And there are good arguments for a closed system.”

“This is going to sound arrogant, and it’s the furthest thing from it, but suddenly when you see the teams we have this summer in the ICC you are going to shake your head and say, ‘Isn’t that the Champions League?’” Stillitano said. “No, the Champions League is PSV and Ghent.”

Wow. So Manchester United "created" soccer. That was news to me. And of COURSE that last sentence doesn't sound arrogant at all. So with the PL clubs about to receive the biggest cash windfall in their history with the monster new £8.3bn TV deal from next season, its still not enough. The big boys want their Champions League guaranteed every year.

Footballs great these days isn't it.

To be fair, from what little ive read (whilst pissing myself laughing) it is the other European Leagues that are pushing it as they want in on the money.

 

[Wozza]

I have no problem with the 'Big 5' breaking away, as long as the 'little 87' kick them out of all English competitions and sign a document which bans them from returning for a least 100 years.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

It is (clearly and unapologetically) not based on achievement. It is based on worldwide BRAND strength.

In my head I have an image of all the clubs double taking as Liverpool walk through the door and holding in a laugh.

 

[Carrot Cruncher]

Leicester's 'cheating' was nothing to do with FFP. FFP wasn't even thought of when they built a brand new stadium, went bust, had their debts wiped and were allowed to start afresh with no punishment and with a zero bank balance.

Cheating FFP is small fry.

 

[The Albion Roar]

It is (clearly and unapologetically) not based on achievement. It is based on worldwide BRAND strength.

Nor on quality, given that - at present - Leicester and Spurs are the best team in England at present.

 

[Braggfan]

It was probably only ever bandied around so much back in the day because it offered the club a tailor-made excuse not to spend too big in the transfer market. Some clubs clearly made more use of that excuse than others, but I suspect that all of them probably knew that nothing substantive would ever really come of it.

You're probably right it did serve some clubs as an excuse not to spend. But regardless of what people suspected would happen, the rules were there and some clubs made a decision to break them. That is the very essence of cheating, which is what Leicester and Bournemouth both did.
Maybe breaching FFP isn’t that big a deal, but I do think it legitimises how those big clubs are run ie Chelsea and Man City breaking FFP as well. And therefore I think that’s what Leicester’s season represents.

 

[Braggfan]

Leicester's 'cheating' was nothing to do with FFP. FFP wasn't even thought of when they built a brand new stadium, went bust, had their debts wiped and were allowed to start afresh with no punishment and with a zero bank balance.

Cheating FFP is small fry.

Your absolutely right, that was disgraceful.

 

[brakespear]

So now that Man U, Chelsea, Arsenal, City and Liverpool are getting a bit put out about not being good enough to qualifiy for the Champions League in the traditional way by, y'know, winning enough games, they've all had a little meeting with American tycoon and Miami Dolphins owner Charlie Stillitano about having a "restructure" of the competition (ie carve-up) so they don't have to bother with all this irksome qualifying malarkey any more.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...says-man-who-set-up-clubs-secret-meeting.html

Stillitano said: “What would Manchester United argue ?: Did we create soccer or did Leicester create (it)? Let’s call it the money pot created by soccer and the fandom around the world. Who has had more of an integral role, Manchester United or Leicester? It’s a wonderful, wonderful story. But you could see it from Manchester United’s point of view too.”

“Maybe that is absolutely spectacular unless you are a Manchester United fan, Liverpool fan ... or a Chelsea fan,” Stillitano said. “I guess they don’t have a birthright to be in it every year. But it’s the age-old argument: US sports franchises versus what they have in Europe. There are wonderful, wonderful, wonderful elements to relegation and promotion. And there are good arguments for a closed system.”

“This is going to sound arrogant, and it’s the furthest thing from it, but suddenly when you see the teams we have this summer in the ICC you are going to shake your head and say, ‘Isn’t that the Champions League?’” Stillitano said. “No, the Champions League is PSV and Ghent.”

Wow. So Manchester United "created" soccer. That was news to me. And of COURSE that last sentence doesn't sound arrogant at all. So with the PL clubs about to receive the biggest cash windfall in their history with the monster new £8.3bn TV deal from next season, its still not enough. The big boys want their Champions League guaranteed every year.

Footballs great these days isn't it.

Shameless.

 

[Megazone]

China invented it 2,000 years ago.

View attachment 72825

View attachment 72826

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-35409594

They clearly didn't have a clue how to run the sport. Where the hell are the shirt sponsors?

 

[Hotchilidog]

Your absolutely right, that was disgraceful.

It was disgraceful, but thanks to them penalties for going into adminstration were actually introduced. At the time Leicester were just taking the proverbial p*ss.

I do not think that this current Leicester squad or adminstration should be tarred by that brush, as they are currently achieving success with far less resources than their competitors. Their season is down to a decent group of players and a good manager working their arses off, not a charlatan owner hoarding all the best avaialble talent.

 

[Ernest]

I wonder how SKY will feel about all this ? They just pumped in BILLIONS and now the BIG 5 want to leave or go into another competition which could be on BT like all the EURO football too. The only ones going to get rich out of this will be the lawyers

 

[Easy 10]

Leicester's 'cheating' was nothing to do with FFP. FFP wasn't even thought of when they built a brand new stadium, went bust, had their debts wiped and were allowed to start afresh with no punishment and with a zero bank balance.

Cheating FFP is small fry.

You may recall that the season they went bust (2002-03), Leicester had just been relegated from the Premier League.

Whilst in administration that season (and playing in their new free stadium), they retained the core of their Premier League squad they came down with, gained promotion straight back into the land of milk and honey, and all was rosy in the garden again.

Meantime, they took all 6 points off us on their way back up - while we were relegated at Grimsby...5 points shy of safety. So whilst I am enjoying seeing Leicester "stick it to the big boys" this season, I've not forgotten their cheating past. It was a highly effective template for several clubs to follow, some we could mention who actually followed it more than once.

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

and all the dins on here will be falling over themselves for Premiership football at PREMIERSHIP PRICES............. clueless
regards
DR

 

[Honky Tonx]

They don't like it up em.

I do

 

[Iggle Piggle]

Do you know why the Champions League is boring - it's because there are too many teams that aren't Champions in it.

This is a myth though isn't it? The UEFA cup used to better than the European cup as it was more competitive. It's only since the introduction of the Champions League that the UEFA cup became a 2nd class competition.

Move it back to the European cup and what have you got? Barcelona beating the Champions of Slovenia 6-0 before the champions of Spain, England, Italy, Germany battle it out in the semi finals. Whilst you can pretty much guarantee half of the last 16 and the CL is predictable to an extent it's miles better than the European cup ever was.

 

[mr sheen]

Firstly, sorry for negative rant, having a bad morning. But yes I'm not keen on Leicester because of FFP. On the basis that clubs like us did stick to it and played fair, and when actually we could have done what Leicester and Bournemouth did and go completely unpunished. Obviously nobody's sticking to it now because it’s a sham, but a few years back we were trying to play fair when others weren't.

Didn't they also do the going into admin, penny in pound thing that palace did?