Football on one side of the Atlantic may have resolved their grievances with regards to the pursuit of the dolla’ dolla’ bill y’all. Not content with sitting back on their laurels, the “other” football are looking at plans for a breakaway league of their own – most of it coming down to the green stuff. Throw into the equation that Sepp Blatter runs FIFA and you have yourself the ingredients for a mutiny!
When the G14 disbanded back in 2008, an agreement was signed that ordered the European game. That expires in 2014 and Europe’s nine biggest clubs are looking at a situation where a breakaway European Super League is formed. The row, as ever, is over money and pits the European Club Association up against UEFA and FIFA. By 2014, if an agreement isn’t made then clubs are open to creating the Super League that has been muted in the past. One of the most vocal has been Karl-Heinz Rummenigge of Bayern Munich.
A board member of the European Club Association told the Guardian, “The fact that Bayern Munich, who have always been close to the institutions, are being so vocal and loud about the situation is a clear sign we’re very close to breaking point. We have a memorandum of understanding with UEFA that expires in 2014. After that time we can no longer be forced to respect FIFA statutes or UEFA regulations. And we won’t be obliged to compete in their competitions.”
The league would definitely involve Real Madrid, Milan, Liverpool, Internazionale, Manchester United, Barcelona, Arsenal, Chelsea and Bayern Munich, with many more likely to take the plunge. It may mean that domestic football is hit hard as the world’s best will be playing in this tournament, with the camera trained on them. This taking place midweek will mean elite sides fielding a “B” side in domestic football.
Until plans are officially announced, it will send the online sports news pages and forums into an orgasm of rumors. A European Super League would undoubtedly be exciting. It’s won’t be far from what we have at the moment though and if its to the detriment of the domestic game then it’s unlikely to gain swathes of support.
