Football from below.....

[sancho_panza]

The thing is that the European football system isn't really 'free'. It is a rigidly structured and regulated industry.

What is evident is just how ineffectual and corrupt UEFA's governance of the game has been. The issue isn't so much 'greed' and 'capitalism', it's the fact that in the 90s the conditions were put in place that created a runaway effect whereby the resources were funnelled towards the top clubs and top leagues. Obviously the top clubs pushed for this but it was all put in place by UEFA. UEFA's attempts to redress the financial imbalance have been pitiful. UEFA will claim that it had to out of fear that the top clubs would breakaway but that's a weak argument given that the situation could hardly have turned out worse than it has.

While I'm not a fan of the idea of super-leagues (i.e the 'Atlantic League') UEFA has consistently shown that it will block any attempts by clubs and smaller associations to redress the balance while doing nothing to address the underlying issues that have forced clubs to consider such options.

This is a fair summary of what's happened, but the idea that UEFA did this on purpose is more debatable. A lot of what created this situation wasn't the work of UEFA, but the work of circumstance: e.g. the growth of international TV markets, which are starting to dwarf the resources available from any other stream. A lot of it was negligence for failing to see that this is where the game was going and by the time they realised it was a problem (and the threat of clubs breaking away is now entirely real and completely against UEFA's interests) things had progressed too far for them to do anything about it.

They knew it was a problem ten years ago when Platini took over. He attempted to try and open up the Champions League with various proposals (even minimal ones like giving Champions League spots to cup winners) but the clubs wouldn't buy it. A European Superleague could be an improvement if it were an open system that had some means of promotion/relegation from domestic leagues, but what we'd actually get would be even worse. At least some people in UEFA are attempting to make things more equitable, the European Superleague wouldn't even have that. It would be like the NFL - a completely closed shop run by a small number of clubs that have all the resources, all the best players, and no interest in letting anyone else join unless they'd benefit financially from it.

[DonUnder]

This is a fair summary of what's happened, but the idea that UEFA did this on purpose is more debatable. A lot of what created this situation wasn't the work of UEFA, but the work of circumstance: e.g. the growth of international TV markets, which are starting to dwarf the resources available from any other stream. A lot of it was negligence for failing to see that this is where the game was going and by the time they realised it was a problem (and the threat of clubs breaking away is now entirely real and completely against UEFA's interests) things had progressed too far for them to do anything about it.

They knew it was a problem ten years ago when Platini took over. He attempted to try and open up the Champions League with various proposals (even minimal ones like giving Champions League spots to cup winners) but the clubs wouldn't buy it. A European Superleague could be an improvement if it were an open system that had some means of promotion/relegation from domestic leagues, but what we'd actually get would be even worse. At least some people in UEFA are attempting to make things more equitable, the European Superleague wouldn't even have that. It would be like the NFL - a completely closed shop run by a small number of clubs that have all the resources, all the best players, and no interest in letting anyone else join unless they'd benefit financially from it.

You are right in that the regulations are there and were largely ignored. But whether it's Fanny Mae or Fanny Baws in Govan people were spending money they either didn't have (or didn't care where or how it was obtained) on things they couldn't afford. So perhaps greed was a motive?

[57vintage]

When the kids with whom I work come into the office asking, "Did you see Barca v Sociedad/Bayern v Dortmund/some shower of overpaid hyped-up Italians v a similar shower of overpaid hyped-up Italians last night?" My stock responses are:

I dinna have satellite telly. Murdoch can go ask Jerry to poke a stick wi a nail through it up his erse.

Were the Dons involved? No? Then I dinna give a ****.

Were Keith involved? No? Then I dinna give a ****.

If Kingsford is passed, I will buy a season ticket for the first season, but if the hassles of actually getting there prove to be far too much to bear, as I predict they will be, I will then pick and choose which games to attend. I'm sure it's going to be quicker to drive to Nairn or Forres to watch Keith play than to get to Westhill from Brigadon no matter what "transport strategy" is in place.

[StandfreeFM]

When the kids with whom I work come into the office asking, "Did you see Barca v Sociedad/Bayern v Dortmund/some shower of overpaid hyped-up Italians v a similar shower of overpaid hyped-up Italians last night?" My stock responses are:

I dinna have satellite telly. Murdoch can go ask Jerry to poke a stick wi a nail through it up his erse.

Were the Dons involved? No? Then I dinna give a ****.

Were Keith involved? No? Then I dinna give a ****.

I suspect the kids in the office are just on the wind up.

"here, want to get old man Vintage going, just ask about the footie last night?"
"wit footie last night?"
"ach, just make it up. I bet you he talks about Sky, Murdoch n that, bonus points if he mentions Keith."
"Nae bother, wish me luck"
...
"Hiy, 57Vintage min, did you see the footie last night , Wolfsburg versus Atalanta?"

[Pacman1903]

I suspect the kids in the office are just on the wind up.

"here, want to get old man Vintage going, just ask about the footie last night?"
"wit footie last night?"
"ach, just make it up. I bet you he talks about Sky, Murdoch n that, bonus points if he mentions Keith."
"Nae bother, wish me luck"
...
"Hiy, 57Vintage min, did you see the footie last night , Wolfsburg versus Atalanta?"

[InversneckieDob]

I suspect the kids in the office are just on the wind up.

"here, want to get old man Vintage going, just ask about the footie last night?"
"wit footie last night?"
"ach, just make it up. I bet you he talks about Sky, Murdoch n that, bonus points if he mentions Keith."
"Nae bother, wish me luck"
...
"Hiy, 57Vintage min, did you see the footie last night , Wolfsburg versus Atalanta?"

Like.

[InversneckieDob]

I'm sure the younger elements in my work adopt similar tactics on a wide area of issues to induce a Sneckie rant with some mildly predictable content.

[donsdaft]

The thing is, vintage min, if you buy your season ticket , where are you going to sit?


There will be nae "Y"

Nae obvious working class hero section.

It'll be a problem.

[57vintage]

I suspect the kids in the office are just on the wind up.

"here, want to get old man Vintage going, just ask about the footie last night?"
"wit footie last night?"
"ach, just make it up. I bet you he talks about Sky, Murdoch n that, bonus points if he mentions Keith."
"Nae bother, wish me luck"
...
"Hiy, 57Vintage min, did you see the footie last night , Wolfsburg versus Atalanta?"

I'm afraid it's not like that at all.

They have an interest in Proper Mannies' Fitba, but I suppose the satellite global village makes them see no difference between something tangible in which I have a buy-in, and something that can be consumed via didital technology. They were nearly all at the Dons' Euro games this season, but since they're played on Thursdays, and I no longer work on Fridays, I missed out on any discussion (thank ****, I hate all that amateur expert analysis pish anyway).

I think it's the same now where kids with an interest in music just see the Stones, the Pistols and Frank Sinatra as music from the past without differentiating in any way as we did in the mid-60s and mid-70s Rock n Roll Wars.

[Pacman1903]

I'm afraid it's not like that at all.

They have an interest in Proper Mannies' Fitba,.

I thought that was the Heelan League min