48 For extra news go to www.thecatholicuniverse.com Sport (SWIFT) Like us on facebook - search Catholic Universe Newspaper A proposed European shows a lack of sporting integrity

Dr Colm Hickey

The European Super League. It is a subject that will not go away. I wrote about it a few weeks ago and here we are again. The primary motiva - tion behind it is, of course money and the plans represent a grave threat to lower league football and the very fabric of our game. It is elit - ist, divisive and will damage foot - ball. Let us explore the issues. The European Super League (ESL) initia - tive is led by Juventus chairman An - drea Agnelli and the European Club Association (ECA). It has the backing like to reiterate and strongly empha - of some UEFA executives (but not sise that such a competition would necessarily the FAs who make up not be recognised by either FIFA or UEFA’s structure). Founder mem - the respective confederation. Any bers would receive £310 million club or player involved in such a each to join the competition. The competition would as a conse - league would have 20 teams 15 quence is not allowed to participate founder members and five qualify - in any competition organised by ing each year, each team playing be - FIFA or their respective confedera - tween 18 and 23 games per season. tion.’ FIFA also stated that its Club The main features of the proposal World Cup, both in its current and are: future guise, and the confederations’ The current champions of the EFL Trophy are Portsmouth, who beat Sunderland 5-4 on penalties in the 2019 final to win the competition for the first and only time. The impact of a European Super League may • Founder clubs receive £310 respective tournaments were the destroy the domestic game says Football Supporters’ Association’s Kevin Miles . million; only club competitions recognised. (pictured below) • Annual prize fund of £3.5 billion The governing body plans to expand guaranteeing clubs a minimum of its Club World Cup to include 24 sponse to the latest developments. ised around the following six princi - rope.” £130 million and a maximum of teams from the six confederations. The vice ples: In many ways it should not matter £213 million; The forthcoming event in Qatar, president Margaritis Schinas be - • based if you support a ‘top six’ club or not. • Two groups of ten with the top postponed from 2020, will feature lieves that the proposals incompati - on sporting performance – from Life should be about justice not self- four going into knock out quarter six teams. ble with the ‘European way of life’ the bottom of the pyramid to interest. Sport should reflect life, so finals; Elsewhere, the Football Support - arguing: “There is no scope for the qualification for ; football should be fair. The fact that • Midweek matches; ers Europe (FSE), the umbrella or - few to distort the universal and di - • No to closed leagues or franchise it is not; that the gap between the • Clubs able to show four games on ganisation for local and national fan verse nature of European football. football – qualify on results, not ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’ is almost their own digital platforms. groups across the continent, of The European way of life is not com - through history or heritage; impossibly wide and getting wider, which the Football Supporters Asso - patible with European football being • Weekends are for domestic leagues is neither here nor there. Yes, the Is this a good thing? Not accord - ciation (FSA) is a member, said: ‘The reserved for the rich and the power - – protect fan culture, home and distribution of finance in football is ing to Lar-Christer Olsson, President European sports model is based on ful.” away. No live broadcasts on unfair, but that should not mean of the European Leagues who argues sporting merit, qualification for Eu - In England the FSA has long op - Saturdays at 3:00pm; that we allow proposals to make it that: “This is a significant threat to rope via domestic success, and fair posed the concept of a European • We want competitive leagues – no even worse. This initiative is not European football and would lead to revenue distribution. It should be Super League, arguing that such a to even more concentration of what most of the football commu - a closed European Super League for strengthened by all stakeholders, league would have a disastrous im - wealth and on-going domination nity want. Although some self-inter - a limited number of clubs similar to not undermined.’ FSE will hold an pact on the domestic game. The FSA by a fixed few top clubs; ested individuals who only care the franchise models operating in emergency board meeting in the believes European competition and • Domestic football comes first – about their top six club may support the NFL.” Meanwhile, UEFA and coming days to decide upon a re - domestic leagues should be organ - protect the pyramid and cup it, they are not true fans. True fans FIFA and the five other continental competitions; are people who love football and see federations have issued a joint state - • Share the wealth – the money from it as it really is: a wonderful sport ment warning that any player play - elite football should be shared that brings joy to so many, who un - ing in such a competition would be across the whole game; derstand the role that it plays in banned from playing in the - • These principles were backed by communities across Britain and pean Championships or World Cup. fans across the continent at the who cherish the history and heritage FIFA said in a statement: ‘In light of European Football Fans Congress of the game. They are people who, in recent media speculation about the in 2019. the deepest recesses of their hearts, creation of a closed European ‘Super have the dream that one day, maybe, League’ by some European clubs, FSA chief executive Kevin Miles their club will climb the football lad - FIFA and the six confederations said: “This is the most advanced der and win the league or cup. They (AFC, CAF, Concacaf, Conmebol, proposal we’ve yet seen for a know that the proposed ESL OFC and UEFA) once again would potential European Super stinks. League and it’s something If it goes through an - that should be of grave other piece of the ro - concern to supporters up mance of football will and down the game.” He vanish. Do you really continued: “Decisive ac - want this creeping corpo - tion is now needed to pro - ratisation and globalisation tect the game we love. Foot - of football? Do you really ball in all its forms in the UK, want football to be in the hands FIFA and UEFA have threatened from grassroots to the top tier, occu - of rich businessmen who see our clubs and players who participate pies far too important a place in our wonderful game as merely as a cash in any European Super League society to be jeopardised by an even cow for their self-interests? Well, I with a ban from their The likes of Liverpool and United could be immune to greater concentration of wealth in for one do not, and I hope you do competitions. relegation. the hands of 15 big clubs across Eu - not too.

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