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.
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BIG JIMMY on 22ND DECEMBER 2023 4:40 AM
BURNLEY78 on 21ST DECEMBER 2023 9:23 PM
” IF a Celtic Player scores an OWN GOAL from 40 yards out during a match……According to YOU….I should NOT BLAME the Celtic Player either because…” I have never walked in his Boots by playing for Celtic” ?
…………….
In such a horrible scenario above, if JOE HART was standing 35 yards out from his Goal Line,…..according to YOU….I should NOT BLAME Joe Hart either….because Ive never been a Celtic Goal Keeper ?
Celtic Internet is all about the return of the GB.
It seems there is as much if not more interest in them as there is about our team. The expectation is OTT imo.
Without knowing it they seem to suggest they are like performing seals.
The question is :- Will they get the seal of approval
Presentation
Content
Entertainment value.
I do not know if they crave all this attention, but I don’t think it’s very fair.
HH.
Good morning cqn.
Great news that the GB are back.
They will be our 12th man in getting the atmoshphere going.
All we need now for Christmas is our corrupt board to walk and get in some quality players to give our manager a fighting chance.
D. :)
Never mind Celtic!
Just found out that Greece is effectively doubling the existing tourist tax and renaming it “durability fee”.
No happy.
Considering flight times are a nightmare, it’s mibbe time for a change.
Pass the holiday brochure darling!
Burnley78,
Grow up and open your eyes. Look at the whole picture of Lawwells tenure against the multiple failures which cost the club way over £100M in revenue.
Lawwell is Scrooge —- look at the shit going on with the womens team incl how injured players are dealt with. Franz Alonzo couldn’t afford to stay at Celtic. That is the culture a controlling beancounter intoxicated Celtic with while driving nepotism through the club when it suited him. This is why a Board is so out of touch with the fans and why a talentless exec don’t know what to do. Exactly what has MN achieved.
Most important now is to win the next 4 games, get 4 quality players in. They will strengthen I am reliably informed. The Lawwell’s will be dealt with in due course.
The alternative is civil war..
Taurangabhoy
Thanks for the kind words. I hope they have a great experience and it can kick start a run for us toward the title. You are not wrong re them getting in front. The way the fixtures fall that should not happen if we make the most of it.
Greenpinata
I really don’t think it is the GB return which folk are excited about. It is just the possibility we might have a more energy around the stadium than the past few games.
Just my opinion based on the huge number of folks who were happy to see them taken out.
Big Jimmy
It’s a good point you make re the limitations of the expression never having walked in folks shoes.
It’s an expression someone I respect massively always told me when I started out in business. It has always held me in good stead and helped me consider all angles before any critical comment.
It maybe explains why I dislike the moaning and groaning of so called fans on blogs and at the park and tend to be more tolerant of what appear to be errors or strange decisions.
The best games most of the complainers have played have been sat on the sofa or in the stands with zero accountability or responsibility. It’s so easy for some folk to come on and pick on their perception of a negative.
I totally accept the extreme point you make though. Although football on the pitch is often easier to judge than the many nuances of decisions made in the more opaque business world. I hope your health is looking up in time for the festive period.
Lucky Cody
Could you explain what role the chairman has and what benefit he could personally get from the woman’s team manager leaving ?
It might help me understand your latest rant.
B78
spot on about the GB
its not so much about the GB now, but about the toxic environment which has taken hold since they were barred
Any alternative to that will be welcome
it will also deflect from the shambles that have been the board, management and players
David 66
Could you explain and give some clear evidence of the corruption charges the board should face ?
It would also be great to get a sense of what would replace the board and what this nirvana might realistically look like ? It sounds great judging by your passion for it. How will it work in reality ?
Burnley78 I don’t answer questions which don’t deserve an answer.
BURNLEY78
I hope you saw the posts in support of you yesterday after what seemed, to me, unfair criticism of some of your comments.
Big Jimmy
To be clear the basic premis regarding ‘having walked in someone’s shoes’ is that an understanding of why decisions are made is far easier if you understand and have experience of doing it yourself than if you do not have.
Anyone can sit and be critical without that if they wish. Usually the most critical and Moisey are those who have never had any level of real accountability. Or idiot ‘shock jocks’ in the media running phone in programmes who need to drum up interest.
Big Jimmy
Mostly not Moisy
Big Jimmy
To be clear the basic premis regarding ‘having walked in someone’s shoes’ is that an understanding of why decisions are made is far easier if you understand and have experience of doing it yourself than if you do not have.
Anyone can sit and be critical without that if they wish. Usually the most critical and mostly are those who have never had any level of real accountability. Or idiot ‘shock jocks’ in the media running phone in programmes who need to drum up interest.
Hot smoked
Thanks. Yes. It’s a funny thing but criticising people who are in public positions is easy. Solutions are much harder to find.
I think the consensus seems to be a bit of a truce all round in terms of backing the team this next 4 games. I just hope the manager can get them functioning well enough on the park now.
I have always been ambivalent about the GB. The ban was inevitable, they are not bigger than Celtic. The Green Brigade create energy when they stick to football and Celtic, and suck energy out when they crave attention elsewhere. I am not sure they would appreciate being called performing seals but they defo want to put on a show and be noticed. All power to them if it helps the team and lifts up the spirits of the stadium.
Lucky Cody 8.50
It kinda says it all really.
Lucky Cody we all see the world through different lens. That’s ok.
You say lost $100 million.
I say the Celtic men who run the club at all levels made the Celtic many times that over the last two decades. The Season ticket money turns on the lights, pays the council tax, the police, traffic control, electricity, ground maintainance, face painters, maybe even stretches to the player wage bill.
Player trading and winning the league so many times these last twenty years gets us into the pot of gold CL money and when things don’t go to plan like the 10IAR we can recover quickly. Keep the faith.
Taurangabhoy
Taurangabhoy
Did you get tickets ok for your gang for Saturday ?
Burnley78 got them from the ticket office, restricted view but near the GB so they will feel the vibe. they are staying at my bro’s house and he has sorted the local Celtic supported bus for them, people I grew up with who will remember my daughter when we lived back in Scotland for a few years. That will also give them a taste of the build up and maybe a celebration beer or three afterwards. They are really excited. Could be a highlight of their trip. Wish I was there. A good win will set us up for the derby game. Last few games have been poor but I can’t see us getting beat at Celtic Park by them, the players know that this is one game they must win.
Taurangabhoy
That’s great. Hopefully they have a fantastic experience and we can turn pressure onto the rivals for Sunday.
Taurangabhoy
A big thing in our favour is that only a few of them has been over the course and distance to win a title. None in a stadium with fans in it.
Burnley78 it shows you how our players respond to support, and how they play better without their followers. Time for Celtic fans to lift the team, as David66 says the twelfth mhan.
TAURANGABHOY @ 9:12 AM,
Wasn’t really wanting to get involved in the latest squabbles.
Also, think the “finance” debate is a herring rouge, the feral capitalists want us all to be obsessed by “money”.
Actually, whether a football club is doing well is down to their ability to put their best possible team out.
Now, to the finance:)
Our ticket money sales make us one of the top Clubs in Europe, outside the top five leagues, if you add the merchandising and the media (not broadcast) that the supporters contribute to then that IS our Club.
Man City can survive without selling a single season book or a single fan turning up.
Celtic can’t.
Many eons ago I pointed out that the way Celtic run their moneyball recruitment is a zero sum game.
They take the supporters money, buy players, many of them prospects, most fail, some make it, a few make it big.
So, we’ve bought two hundred players from season ticket money and made mega bucks on a dozen.
The Board uses that as a sop to tell us they are doing a great job and the have a recruitment model that works and is right for the Club.
It isn’t, it’s a business strategy, while not a ponzie scheme as such, is not much better.
And as the summer transfer window shows and our current thirty man squad demonstrates, it is not fit for purpose.
Hail Hail
An T last night – cheers.
I actually support the principle of PR fully.
Agree with your view that FPTP is an anachronism.
But, two points
1. Scottish Parliament has swung the pendulum too far. Instead of 40% gets you power, we now have a party whose named candidates garnered less than 1% of votes running the country with the SNP.
See also farcical coalitions in Europe where Party for Ministry of Silly Walks form the final layer of the 15 strong consortium of parties.
2. Just a general moan about politics in general. In the hardest of times these self serving types would not consider any sacrifice upon themselves. Plus, Scottish politics – as an effective discipline – is a disaster zone, IMHO.
Immature politicians who don’t get the practicalities of getting legislation through …. working with an increasingly immature and passionate (that’s a criticism) civil service.
Collectively – cost a fortune, and deliver the SROBA.
dearie dearie some are now comparing BR’s previous assistant like thems done to SG assistant and look what happened to him.
News that the bhoys and gb are back for tomorrow is a piece of good news in what has been a tough week. It may not be the solution to all our ills but we have to give ourselves the best chances possible to get these 4 wins before the break.
AN TEARMANN on 21ST DECEMBER 2023 10:10 PM
:-))))
https://x.com/OfficialParmo/status/1737914262322872404?t=CmWBLMaX-LjpS-3o1KBdPw&s=08
HH
______________________________________________________________
That’ a pity as I thought Palmerston really could have enhanced the new European League!
Chris Davies role, in his own words:
https://www.coachesvoice.com/cv/chris-davies-interview-liverpool-leicester-celtic-swansea/
https://www.premierleague.com/news/2573082
From the above, BR does seem to be a little more hands off than Ange.
No-one, I don’t think, is saying CD was the brains of the operation and that he would make as good a manager as BR (as some Sevconuts have said about Beale/Slippy G) but simply that he was perhaps a good coach whose absence is felt. Sometimes it takes a blend of people to make a good management team; perhaps the current setup does not have the right blend?
QB
QUADBHOY @ 10:47 AM,
There is no doubt that Chris Davies is a good coach and did us proud when he coached at Celtic.
Earlier this year, after they got muttualled from Leicester City, Brendan Rodgers (and presumably Chris) were offered the Spurs job (for the fourth time).
Brendan didn’t want to go for it, keeping his options open.
Eventually BR decided to take a sabbatical.
Ange Postecoglou was offered and accepted the Spurs job, Chris Davies accepted the position of joint head coach.
So no real mystery there.
Had the Rodgers’/Davies’ partnership ran it’s course? Possibly.
Yet it is no big deal. We always knew Chris wasn’t coming with Brendan this time around.
Hail Hail
Alex Ferguson changed his assistant every couple of years,Kidd,MacLaren,Quieroz etc,didn’t do him any harm
This made me laugh, nothing to do with defensive
discipline more to do with bent refs!
Naomi Rose of https://instantcasino.com said: “There is no doubt that Rangers nearing two years without conceding a penalty in league football is remarkable, with odds reflecting confidence in their defensive discipline.
Quadbhoy
Thanks for taking the time to articulate the point re Chris D.
Some folk just kinda want to see negatives. My son worked there during the 1st and 2nd treble seasons and saw the dynamic first hand. Also noted was the roles Broony and Jack Naylor played in the overall mix.
Without Googling it, embdy ken whose words these are?
‘A club effectively cheated the game for years and no sanctions were taken against any of the individuals responsible…
the Scottish football authorities do nothing, say nothing and hide everything…
…and Sir David Murray, still a Knight of the Realm, despite having run the largest tax evasion scheme in Scottish history…’
??
Bada Bing
To be fair re Sir Alex some were better than others in that role.
He also had Walter Smith (he really does have a surname) for a period I think 🤔
!!BADA BING!! @ 11:08 AM,
Yes, like all great managers SAF relied heavily on his second in command and extended team.
Many in England, especially Man City fans, argued that Brian Kidd was the brains of the operation.
Fact was, he was no Bob Paisley, few of them are.
Hail Hail