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| "Why would anyone make a connection between me, Liverpool and this plan? It beats me!" |
Liverpool Manchester United, Chelsea Arsenal, Tottenham with oddly, Everton, Southampton and West Ham.
It doesn't matter who it is really. That's not why we're suspicious. It's not about the particular names involved, it's not about the 'clubs' such as they are. Liverpool are long removed from the club who snuck into Anfield when Everton left and Manchester United are about as far removed from a gang of railway workers at the local depot as you can imagine.
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| Newton Heath railway depot. Not a Glazer in sight. (or a Louis Edwards for that matter) |
It's not about the particular clubs at all. They're a homogeneous lump now.
They're all basically the same thing. Variations on a moneyed theme.
Any sense of what those clubs once were has long gone. They've been sold, once, twice, ten times over and now reside in the hands of global capital. They're owned by very, very rich people, by very, very successful businesses. They're floated on markets and dependent on the whims and habits of stocks and shares. They're intrinsically tied up with big money, wedded to corporate partners and worldwide sponsorship and TV deals
Any sense of what those clubs once were has long gone. They've been sold, once, twice, ten times over and now reside in the hands of global capital. They're owned by very, very rich people, by very, very successful businesses. They're floated on markets and dependent on the whims and habits of stocks and shares. They're intrinsically tied up with big money, wedded to corporate partners and worldwide sponsorship and TV deals
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| More European football, more TV games, more PPV revenue for us and our lovely sponsors |
Clubs have become corporations and if League One and Two clubs are in need of a bail out, it's because they've been swamped by the wake of bigger boats. It takes a crew of many to sail the biggest ships. Manchester United employ over 80 people in their media team alone. How many local newspapers employ even a fraction of that?
Size is everything. Manchester City are part of a 'football group' that consists of 10 other clubs, spread across the globe. Tottenham's stadium cost a cool billion quid to build. Abramovich has invested around £3billion in Chelsea (and is yet to turn a profit.) Liverpool sold 1.7 million shirts by January 2020 - so many, they ran out completely. They're global mega brands and have global recognition.
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| One of a mere ten clubs owned the group who run Man City |
The point is, these are gigantic institutions, servicing huge costs, astronomical wage bills and working on a scale barely conceivable at the outset of the Premier League. Some of their owners have invested sums that probably dwarf anything spent by the majority of League 2 clubs (combined) in their entire history. Some of their owners are looking for returns.
Even the 'good owners' - the sainted FSG aren't in this to make losses. They've turned Liverpool into a profit making machine. Because that's how they roll. Fine. That's no skin off my nose and clearly they know how to maximise sporting performance in an efficient manner and produce great sports teams whilst making profits. That's not a reason they should run football though.
To imagine that such businesses and such interests are planning to save football is bizarre. Nothing about global capital speaks of caring, socially minded generosity. It's not to say a capitalist can't be a philanthropist individually, but corporations themselves are amoral. Their only duty is to their shareholders and to their corporate goals. Their own performance. Corporations do not feel romance. They don't feel anything.
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| Two really successful hedge fund managers walk into a bar and one says to the other... "let's give a load of money to the little hedge fund managers, for no reason other than we care" |
The intent behind the move is clear. Offer a small portion of money to the rest of football in return for carte blanche to do what you like. In return for the power to shape football in the way that brings the biggest return on their investment, the leading players at the biggest clubs are offering to lower their lifeboats to the boats in need of bailing out.
Just imagine that a moment. Imagine what sort of people would *charge to rescue drowning people?* Ok, it's an analogy but it's reasonably watertight imo.
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| "So, we'll whistle a tune innocently as we talk about our duty to football and they'll just follow. Rick, can you round up any stragglers?" |
The bail out is needed, but in this offer its the cheese in the mousetrap. It's the tempting bag of sweeties held by a stranger with a smile, it's the abusive partner with a gift and a promise to 'learn to be better' if you just keep them sweet and behave as they want.
*Even the government* recognise that this stinks to high hell of backroom politics (more likely exclusive restaurant politics) and gave it short thrift.
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| "Fuck me lads. Even Dom and I couldn't have come up with this shite" |
The question has to be this. How in all conscience can Rick Parry show his face around the EFL in the knowledge that he
A) Has seemingly been involved in cooking up this particular bailout plan for a long time. Without any of his members knowing.
B) is an ex very senior employee of the club who just happened to come up with it (and a supporter thereof)
C) is supposed to be advocating for greater influence on the game as a whole for EFL clubs, not plotting to reduce their already paltry influence to next to none and backing a plan which would give a veto over rules the EFL set to just six top flight clubs.
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It's time for a new league. One run simply to allow football clubs to play football against each other for the entertainment of people who pay to watch it. Sporting, sustainable and competitive. How hard can it be?
Why the fuck does it have to be this complicated?
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