Rumours, and they are just rumours, are circulating that the ‘ringleaders’ in the UK were Man U and Liverpool. They successfully courted Arsenal and Spurs, after the Spanish and Italian teams, along the lines of “join us (and Man City and Chelsea) and everyone will have to take notice, don’t risk missing out now…”
They’ve then sold the package to Man City and Chelsea owners as a done deal, though it seems with a couple of ‘flaws in their communications’ which could see the latter two duck out as the ESL concept was somehow misrepresented to them. Though again I can’t see how that fits as both teams, with the other gang of four, have left the ECA.
Still think it won’t happen. A lot of the players won’t play for one. Imagine if you’re French, German or from any other nation not involved in the ESL. You’re probably not going to put your playing career at risk for this, no matter what the bucks offered. I bet the lawyers will be able to see them out of any contracts too.
Found this quote online. Thought it was interesting.
“We don’t want too many Leicester Citys”, a quote from an anonymous executive at a ‘big six’ side told the Independent last year, and it’s a line that has been etched on to the minds of the club’s supporters ever since.
According to this executive, “a more democratic league would be bad for business”. Note the word business, and not the word football
This is a great opportunity for all the fair weather fans who came on board during the early Wenger years who subsequently didn’t get the success they thought they would to bail out perhaps the retreating Chelsea and Man City teams can mop them up.
Credit to the Chelsea fan reportedly outside the ground this evening with a T-shirt saying ‘We want our cold night in Stoke’. That’s a fan who understands what the game is really all about.
I was watching an interview with Wenger and he said he’d studied viewing trends and fewer people are watching 90 minutes. More and more younger fans are switching between their phones and watching bites of action.
If my kids and their friends are anything to go by, this seems to hold true. They can’t even watch a film without picking up their phones!
Good on Chelsea though. Possibly a factor is Abramovich in the stands regularly enjoying the game?
I would love to know what the fan reaction is in Spain and Italy. I have a heard Perez talk on a number of occasions, he comes over as delusional when he tries to justify his actions.
But why would that not be the case? If you give me a choice between MOTD and the Sky Sports app video highlights on Sky Q then it’s the latter every time. Remove the choice.
