TheBrownBottle

I agree that the ruling isn’t on FFP, and there’s no guarantee on it being thrown out - besides, it would need to be challenged in the first instance. But the UEFA ruling was on a breach of commercial law - so it does potentially provide case law showing that UEFA could well be breaching commercial law

Yep, wouldn’t dispute that. Howe isn’t on Guardiola or Klopp’s level, I’m not sure he’s Emery’s level tbh, but I’d say he’s the equal of Arteta etc. He’s a better manager / coach than Ten Hag & Moyes, of course.

I saw that too. I did make me wonder why Howe has to field these types of questions constantly interviews - considering we’ve stocked up now on senior figures at the club instead of just tea boy Penfold, why are they not fielding questions from time to time?

It was about whether UEFA had breached commercial law by stopping or threatening to punish the clubs breaking away - and it was ruled that they had; which is why FFP is likely on the same potential chopping block

One who wins trophies would be a good starter for ten

I went to most games that season, and anyone else who did wouldn’t write what you’ve written there. Context is important - it doesn’t matter if the Ashley years proved to be awful. Robson was finished and we could all see it - he’d lost the support of the fans, dressing room and owners. But we should have kept him on. Aye, alright - we were just impatient.

Yeah, understood and agreed. FFP isn’t wrong in principle for me - the way it’s been implemented is designed to pull the ladder up. I don’t want to see rich owners come in and destroy the transfer market like Chelsea and Man City did - but at the same time, the current rules simply keep those clubs at the top table. There is a balance to be found somewhere.

We do, but the UK govt immediately came out talking about amending them so the UK football are protected from a potential cash grab breakaway. edit: I agree re FFP and the danger of a free-for-all

It potentially does for UEFA comps and EU member states. The UK isn’t subject to the ruling. edit: it doesn’t affect the PL’s FFP rules

The Qataris at PSG were vocally against it from day one. Man City’s Abu Dhabi owners were completely lukewarm and the first to pull out. UEFA are a FIFA Confed, and KSA is after the 2034 WC. It would be the stupidest move imaginable. ’Sportswashing’ doesn’t work at all if it pisses off the people and govts of the places were you’re buying clubs. The govts of the ME who are buying football clubs aren’t doing it to run afoul of UK govt opinion - which they would with this nonsense. It’s the American hedge fund cunts and those running European giants who can’t keep up with the PL who are the biggest backers of this.

Also, as the thread has already been bumped and the cunt still isn’t dead, did anyone ever find out who ‘MoneyMikeAshley’ was?

I’m afraid I can’t picture the Metro Centre being any less of an eyesore than it already is, not sure there is a way to vandalise its interior.

You can’t regionalise leagues due to both FIFA and UEFA rules and regs re national FAs. Welsh clubs play in English football due to a dint of history (in fact, the UK has separate national team due to this too). The revised ‘Super League’ is absolutely no better than the first. It is another closed shop, drawbridge pulling-up exercise serving none but a handful of the big clubs. It’s a fucking abysmal idea. No idea why everyone suddenly wants to ditch UEFA - particularly when it’s proposed smashing comes from a collection of complete lowlifes. We should all be careful what we wish for - UEFA needs reform, not destruction. The Super League is the opposite of what is needed; UEFA needs to grow some bollocks and get control over its competitions again. So much was lost with the ruination of the old European Cup - the competition has become staid and boring. UEFA needs its smaller and Eastern nations to have regeneration - the solutions are simple enough.

Capability Ashworth

‘Waffles! Waffles!’ *nowt* ’Chris!’ ’What?’ ’We all call him Waffles’

I think the Mackems should put out a statement saying that they’re not joining it, making it look like they’d been invited. That would be the final nail

They’ve got all the big clubs except the usual two in their corner then, otherwise there’s no chance they announce this

Atletico has confirmed they’re out

It’ll all collapse quickly again. Perez will still be wanging on about. I don’t think it’s coincidence that Real went 32 years without winning the European Cup, before winning it the first season that runners-up got in. Then they stitched up La Liga with their bedfellows, Barcelona. Before pissing and whining about unfair distribution of money in the CL, which then changed. Then it was FFP, and they got that. Then it was that they didn’t want to risk not qualifying, and they got that. Then it was they wanted more guaranteed games, and they got that. You know, European football somehow survived for over three decades of Real Madrid not winning Europe’s big pot. Fuck knows why so many want to bend over to let them fuck football one more time.

Unfortunately for you, it is

Spain mainly. Juve eventually admitted defeat.

Just seen that Barcelona and Real are still gagging for it. Fiorentino Perez is a right weapon. I love that he never seems to get that everyone else can see this is just those two clubs trying to do what they’ve already done to La Liga - and that we should all be happy and supportive of that. Why shouldn’t Real get all of the money for everything?

Yep - which is one of the factors which ultimately scared off the six English clubs. They gambled on the PL’s arse dropping - when it didn’t because of public outcry, they all collectively backed off (apparently Chelsea and Man City weren’t arsed in the first place). The offer was based upon getting more money than UEFA competitions - it didn’t replace UEFA + PL money. Same still applies.

Got you. Stick where we are, then.

And sack off the PL, FA Cup …