The European Court of Justice (ECJ) this morning ruled that Fifa and Uefa acted illegally in blocking the proposed European Super League (ESL) in 2021. The ESL was a ham-fisted attempted cash grab by a group of ‘elite’ clubs who despite operating in the world’s most lucrative football cartels, wanted more money.
Uefa responded today with a statement saying they updated their rules in 2022 to reflect European law and assert the football pyramid, although they don’t explain how they accommodate the ECJs central point that this is a restriction on trade.
None of that matters now. What happens next may not be the ESL, but you can be sure football is about to change more radically than it has since the introduction of the offside rule. It is inconceivable that this ruling will not lead to the breakup of the national league structures in their present format.
The ESL was opposed by virtually all football fans for one reason only – it subverted the meritocratic principle that football was built on. A group of ‘elites’ would never be relegated and would forever be assured a wealthy financial dividend. This was unnecessarily greedy and betrayed a lack of understanding of what the game is all about. The next proposed iteration may or may not make the same mistake.
US Bank JPMorgan Chase were to be the source of ESL funding. Such funders now seem twee. Since then, LIV Golf, the Saudi Pro League and the pending award of the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia (they are the only bidder) has seen a wealthier-still actor invest in the sport.
What does any of this mean for you and me? On Saturday, Liv Football means 10 men behind the ball for 90 minutes, as Livingston try to resist Celtic’s attempt to win the league and compete again in the Champions League. The domestic environment feels like a sub-par preparation for the European objective.
In European football, meritocracy only really exist in the abstract sense that teams from Budapest, Vienna, Prague or Glasgow can theoretically compete at any level. In practice, a series of national cartels exist to deny competitors access to lucrative TV markets. In the UK, it is not even a national cartel, we have a dominant England and Wales regional cartel that denies access to competition from clubs in Scotland.
You and me? We are enjoying an unprecedented period (generations) of domination in Scottish football and the breakup of national cartels threatens this. So potentially fewer wins against Livi. But can you think of any club in the world with more potential upsides from the breakup of the national cartels?
The game we know was shaped more by the son of a French grocer who never played, than Pele, Cruyff or Messi. He was an administrator with a plan, they named the World Cup trophy after him. Oh for an administrator with Jules Rimet’s vision now.
198 Comments- Pages:
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BACK TO BASICS – GLASS HALF FULL on 21ST DECEMBER 2023 1:12 PM
Interesting that you need a reminder.
Celtic Minded 1-5 by Joseph M Bradley, a good place to start.
AT,
When thinking about it I thought the Burnley 78 may be right sometimes the our fans are sometimes not as supportive of the team as we would like.
I thought that the criticism on Saturday was maybe a bit over the top when the team need all the support they can get to see off a rejuvenated hun team.
Of course, I defend the fans who make the time effort and financial cost to actually attend games, but on this occasion I thought the reaction by some fans Was OTT.
I mean booing poor Santa, it did resonate with the Gringe.
Cheers and HH.
https://news.stv.tv/sport/st-johnstone-player-diallang-jaiyesimi-targeted-by-appalling-racist-abuse-during-rangers-loss?utm_source=app
The current issue remains team performance. We played poorly in our last 2 domestic games and we need to see am improvement. The slow build up is the main reason and we need to address this issue.
We can still win all 5 games before the break and this would keep us top of the League. The main issue is improving performance which will lead to a higher point tally and keeping ahead of a resurgent Sevco.
Brendan and his coaching team are capable of turning this around. Are the players capable of putting the changes into place giving an improvement in performance?
Camusbhoy
New league proposal.:-)
https://twitter.com/A22Sports/status/1737802602375475635?s=19
HH
You can’t hold back the evolution of the game, even if it is driven by the worst motives. The injection of Murdoch´s particular form of evil genius in England in 1993 has eventually and inevitably led us to this point.
Let’s face it, Sky/ EPL has killed competition in football in general and in proud small football countries like ours. Irresistible economic drivers were always going to eventually result in a fundamental reconfiguration of structures. See what’s happening in NCAA College Football in the USA.
I won’t mourn the passing of the SPFL which has been moribund for many years and is so biased in favour of the huns. We’ll find our level, probably in the 2nd division of an 80 team structure, no doubt with the new version of our ugly sisters. Same will apply for the rest of the Scottish teams in a redrawn domestic league.
It’s time.
The story doing the rounds about our interest in Wolves,Silva.He has to be one of the worst strikers I have seen in a long time.Talk of £ 35 million,Dear God,maybe in the EPL.Hopeless.
Cheers AT, I can see a lot of clubs like us looking at this favourably.
Money will be the driver as is always the case!
Hope Santa is good to you and yours as well.
My boy is now playing the game, daft dad has volunteered to be a coach 😱
We will not be joining any Super League.How many times will this be floated?.Even if it had the slightest chance,very few on here would be around for it.Don’t get your Panties fankled.
We’re gonna need a bigger window
It’s lucky for those super rich clubs they found some charitable benefactor to take their case to the European Court of Justice. The bottomless bellies of these behemoths is remarkable, as the ceiling for earnings is ever pushed onward the cry is a constant “More! We need more!!”. This is simple posturing by the super clubs to gain a bigger slice of pie, which they need because they’ve over-spent again, so they’re tossed another bone like the CL expansion, before they eventually get into financial trouble again, and the cycle repeats.
And it’s magnanimous of the ECJ to find the time for the super rich and privileged clubs, but what of the actual consumers? True competition and free trade needs to be driven from the end user upwards. if you want to watch the SPL there’s only one show in town, Sky Sports and Kris Boyd have an entire monopoly on your live football viewing. Or not, as it often transpires they choose not to broadcast SPL if they have a more attractive UK option (there’s that national issue again) like Crystal Palace v Luton.
While the football world have been busy ensuring free trade for the bloated football leagues and clubs, they’ve forgotten to deal with the same issue for the actual consumers.
Using ´Burnley78´ as a moniker doesn´t suggest someone with Celtic´s best interests at heart. There was crowd trouble at Turf Moor in September of that year when Celtic travelled south to play in an Anglo-Scottish Cup Tie. it was not our club´s finest hour.
I´m totally against this Super League myself. I hope Real Madrid C de F and FC Barcelona are very happy with each other as they seem to be the only two clubs signed up….another ´alianza vieja´ in European football
It’s a Rangers plot to make sure we don’t overtake their Scottish league wins.
I beg your pardon I never promised you a Kvistgaarden
Burnley, the ‘real Celtic fan’ who never ventured into The Jungle with a wagon wheel or macaroon bar… 😉
HOT SMOKED on 21ST DECEMBER 2023 12:35 PM
Burnley 78.
Not sure why some are criticising you and they are certainly reading something into your posts that I can`t see. I enjoy ( and agree with) your posts much more than I do those of most of your `critics`. Keep on keeping on.
*mostly hunterlopers as he only tells the truth and he has sat in their corporate boxes tae so knows what he is hearin and lets us, and them, know
Haven’t seen B78 post today has he joined the ever increasing list of the banned…..
Celtic reveal they’re against European Super League as Glasgow giants nail colours to UEFA mast
Peter Lawwell holds a powerful position in the ECA, the sister organisation of UEFA, and has no wish too break ranks.
latest Celtic view apparently ?
RIMTIMTIM on 21ST DECEMBER 2023 2:52 PM
Using ´Burnley78´ as a moniker doesn´t suggest someone with Celtic´s best interests at heart.
——
Wow.
In my time I’ve seen plenty of examples of playing the man.
First time I’ve ever witnessed someone playing the moniker.
Lawwell has his lucrative UEFA Committee posts to defend
Boy don’t we know B78 looks down on us ordinary supporters from his perch amongst the corrupt as he is never done telling us.
Also about his pal Peter and Mark the corrupt and lying LAWWELL family.
D. :)
Green Brigade emptied from CP
Fake news….
Talk of national leagues breaking up seems a bit premature to me. I can see why Spanish clubs crippled with debt find it appealing but why would a Liverpool give up the cash cow that is the EPL ?
When this idea was first floated, the tories suggested domestic legislation to ban their clubs joining it.
For 30 years I’ve heard stories about Celtic joining another league. I won’t be holding my breath on this.
“The wider European football community is not supportive of the ESL, and Celtic, like many other clubs, will continue to promote the interests and protection of football’s broader family through the ECA and UEFA.”
I like reading Burnley78’s expert views. A counter narrative only adds to the blog imo.
https://www.celticfc.com/news/2023/december/21/celtic-football-club-statement/
On Euro court ruling
HH
!!BADA BING!! on 21ST DECEMBER 2023 4:22 PM
Fake news….
____
Another example of the shit stirring aimed at worsening the disharmony amongst us. Win on Saturday, even with just a decent performance and take it from there. A time to be united not divided.
I see Clement moaning that his teams gets kicked off the park in Scotland. Hasn’t taken long for this guy to realise how easy it is for a huns’ manager to manipulate a compliant media.
I quite like the look of the St Johnstone keeper
Comments
KINGLuBO
I seem to remeber Catman used to post here with signings that were in the offing, not seen him post for ages , any info man of the cats if you are out there?
Lennybhoy as well
ZIGGYDOC1 on 21ST DECEMBER 2023 4:44 PM
Do you think he has heard of BOABBY SHEARER ,HAROLD DAVIS GEORGE YOUNG OR SAMMMMMY BAIRD.
From a team that deployed Tam Forsyth and Gregor Stevens
ZIGGYDOC1 on 21ST DECEMBER 2023 4:44 PM
Clement is a amateur, slippy G started after game number one saying refs have been against the huns for years 😳
MARKIEBHOY on 21ST DECEMBER 2023 5:04 PM
From a team that deployed Tam Forsyth and Gregor Stevens
*you missed out on the biggest thug of all willie woodburn who made their greatest livin hoodlum look like Mother Theresa
Sad day when a poster’s Celtic credentials are questioned because of his moniker!
Is this what we are reduced to ?
HH
AN TEARMANN on 21ST DECEMBER 2023 12:34 PM
Trad88 Siempre
Break down his points, break down his argument from its source to the way he expresses it, I would suggest he is totally comfortable viewing Celtic his way, as I am sure you are yours, may not agree with what be says, but respect his right to say it, that’s all I am saying
*well having been a blue collar and a white collar employee who has been down at the coal face plus sat at the top table of a couple of the largest corporations of their kind I can see where he’s comin from, might NOT have agreed with him almost 40 year ago but do now and its all about keepin the club solvent
Most, if not all, successful businesses have a 25 year plan which is normally visited every 5 years unless something drastic like 9/11 or Covid occurs, and I can say this without any fear of contradiction they all carry out Cost Business Analysis aka CBA before taking on any large venture and CFC are no different.
Plus, one of the most important pieces of information that I was given after swappin hats was always make sure your direct report is kept in the loop to what is going on, as he usually is doing the same all the way to the top, as everyone, no matter how high up the chain they go, has to report to someone and in our clubs case DD has to the shareholders and we still have that power to enforce that change but we have been so cosy in the last 20 years or so, where is the “always look on the bright side of life” and “we are Celtic supporters faithful through and through” spirit, instead all we get now is sack the board etc.
Tae paraphrase Mrs TT’s oul auntie “be careful what you wish for”
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 21ST DECEMBER 2023 2:32 PM
We’re gonna need a bigger window
brilliant – shut the beaches down!