Karl-Heinz Rummenige broke cover on his proposal to change Champions League football in a fundamental way but guaranteeing places for the top (sic.) teams in Europe, without the need for qualification.
Rummenige is not worried about his own club, Bayern Munich’s ability to qualify for the tournament, that is very much a forgone conclusion, but the prospect of games against Basel, or Leicester City, instead of Manchester United next season is less appetising. A tournament with only games against bigger teams is worth millions more in TV and sponsorship revenues than a tournament with games against lesser opponents.
This is an age old football adage. One of the prime reasons I don’t want an 18-team Scottish Premiership as interest in games against another half dozen lesser teams, at the cost of games against top teams, will put fewer bums on seats and create less interest.
Rummenige’s move is predatory and by no means guaranteed to succeed, but he’ll know this and perhaps be angling for a more accommodating compromise.
Ultimately, football is a democracy. Clubs make up the national associations and national associations make up Uefa. There are many more small clubs who would be disenfranchised by this move than large clubs who would succeed. The problem is, the money that could be placed on the table by those larger clubs.
A new football order is on its way. The current structures will not survive. I’m strongly opposed to Rummenige’s proposal but we need someone to shake things up. Now the ball is in play let’s see where it takes us.
Double-header coming up against the Highlanders. Bring it on………
192 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- »
CultsBhoy can not relate to Celtic Board ambitions on or off the park on 12th February 2016 1:30 pm
Bawsmen
When I watch an SPFL game then swith to EPL it looks like a different sport. Maybe it’s as much to do with coverage quality than quality on the pitch. That said I am a big youth and Highland League attendee. I guess those lower levels are at least authentic and honest.
……………………………………………………………………………………
The EPL, for all its wealth, is a very poor League to watch. As more money is pumped into it, the worse it has been to watch.
Spain and Germany are leading the way.
Come on the Prudent and the Wise Celtic.
Sorry to branch off the topic here but been meaning to ask all the clever clogs out there – when posting a comment how do you manage to make a particular word hyperlink to a page or picture on the net – such as petec did in his post at 1:15? I know how to do it in the manner that BRTH did at 12:57 above but would like to be more clevererest.
If it’s too complicated or distracting for the blog email me at jobobaldie@yahoo.co.uk
Thank you in anticipation.
hopetodaysaschooldayCSC
Do away with national barriers…but also do away with greed…
I’m beginning to think there must be TWO Neil Doncasters.
The one that doesn’t want all the big teams in the Champions League and the one that DOES want all the big teams in Scotland to be in the top league…..
CULTSBHOY……………
I am very disappointed to hear Ronny say that.
I’ve tried to back him as much as I can but not now.
How much time does he need to “settle in”?
In the 60’s as a callow 18 year old youth I went to work in London.
No mobile phones, skype, no face time.
4 old pennies into the public phone if you wanted a chat with yer folks.
What age is Roberts, 5????
Still, I should be grateful, we can play Forrest and GMS and that other toughie Armstrong.
I think I’ll start following Linlithgow Rose.
CultsBhoy can not relate to Celtic Board ambitions on or off the park
I’ll be off to watch AFC Fylde (local side) tomorrow, as you say, great quality and honest football. I find the EPL a complete turn-off.
I was at Old Trafford the night we used Cillian Sheridan and Ben Hutchison in the Champions League due to injuries, Manchester had £100 Million worth of subs on their bench, that scunnered me.
Sorry about the double post!
Mr Green Man
———————-
It is not always possible for me to immediately reply to replies to something I’ve posted – usually when I do get time to come back, the debate has moved on and there is another ‘hot’ topic, or Paul has introduced a new subject for discussion.
It is not my intention to ignore anyone with a different opinion, it’s just the way things fall.
Maybe one of our excellent (some award-winning!) journalists will ask Doncaster to square his seemingly different views…..
Mibbe that’s why Cole, Allan, Christie are not getting a game.
They huvny settled in.
Whose paying Roberts wages while he settles?
Mind you didn’t Cole take some of the young lads for a jaunt to Mayfair recently where it is alleged they didny pay a £5000 bill.
I’ve had it with Ronny and these amateur fannies who think they are taking my club in any direction but downwards.
Not another brown cent.
I could do a better job!!!!!
overseasbhoy on 12th February 2016 12:56 pm
So Ronny has no intention of playing Patrick Roberts until next season as he needs “time to adapt”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If I was being cynical, I would say that Ronny is saying I didn’t want the boy, after all, he did say on more than one occasion that he didn’t want loans.
HH
A piece of supposition:
Let’s take 20 already rich but potentially much richer European Football Clubs.
They come from the established best leagues in Europe, with the winner of the Champion’s League coming from one of four leagues for the past decade, and add in teams from a country with a unified single massive multimedia broadcaster.
These teams reckon that they will always be in or around the mix when it comes to the big European prizes and, whatsmore, they want to break into the massive American TV Market where recently 180 Million subscribers all paid a fee to watch a drab superbowl.
Currently, these teams are members of a huge administration which is top heavy with officials who regulate everything from football boots to toilet paper, ground safety to advertising, media rights to agents fees. It is an organisation which is hugely expensive to run and which is mainly financed by the sale of media rights in a block. It is full of cronyism and glad handers.
“Ah” say the rich teams ” We are the greatest attractions in this media rights sale, and therefore it is us who pay the salaries of these numerous UEFA buffoons! Let’s away with them and form our own league, and sell our own rights. The buffoons can sell everyone else’s rights!”
So they all meet, decide who is in and who is out, and having formed a general consensus they appoint agents to sound out the big worldwide broadcasters.
” Here is our idea they say – and to make it even more attractive, we have agreed with the guys who organise soccer in America that at the end of our season our best teams will play theirs – every year and you can broadcast that too!”
The media guys fall over themselves but have a host of questions:
How will you do this?
What about UEFA?
What about your National FA’s? They might not let you play!
“Oh that is easy” say the big teams, we have thought about all that:
First – we will collectively form a company which will hold all our media rights and these will be shared between us. We all have our own media officers, Internet TV channels, marketing and PR teams – what do we need UEFA for in that regard. Our professionals are taken from the very top of the industry and are paid top dollar. All of them are known to your guys.
“We will all grant this communal company a “Master Licence” and that company will in turn sell individual territorial packages to you guys so that you can carry various games etc in your territories and indeed worldwide at various times and for various games.”
” You are then obviously free to sell on secondary packages to smaller broadcasters with our consent if you so wish and with us taking a commission and having the right to a commercial override saying yes or no. Just the twenty of us – but obviously it is in our brand interests to have as much coverage as possible.”
“What about the other clubs?”
“Oh they are free to stay with UEFA or even do their own thing – not our concern really. Some of them might want to follow this model and even create a second division. We won’t care.”
“What about UEFA?”
” Well once we have agreed a deal with you we will resign from UEFA and our National Associations. They can’t make us stay and they can’t stop us playing. Can they?”
And so it comes to pass that in this way the superclubs break away from UEFA and their national associations.
UEFA has to react as do all of the national associations who are left standing holding the “diddy teams”.
The idea of a second division European League is mooted and a search for big teams – or big enough teams – for that is explored.
Teams are identified based on size of support and their media sellability and of course the leagues they play in.
Eyes are cast on Scotland to see who and what sells in that country and across Europe.
Hmmm a long held mantra seems to be churned out – and happily churned out at that — by editors, newspaper owners and broadcasters all of whom need to protect their jobs and ensure their futures.
What is the biggest selling thing or who are the biggest selling clubs in Scotland and should they be allowed to join this party?
Well it would appear that the cream of Scottish Football is not up to much in European terms these days – losing out to so called smaller footballing countries like Norway or Sweden.
Hmmm Maybe there would be a better quality from Scotland and a greater attraction all round if there were greater competition?
Then again, maybe the big club in Scotland won’t even win the title and will lose out to one of the more provincial clubs?
” Ah” say the broadcasters ” Well it is only Scotland – there are only 5 Million of them and they are not all interested in football at all. Their clubs get nowhere near European Football nowadays and have little international commercial value in their own right – there are many other clubs which are similar. Let’s look at Hungary, The Czech Republic and Greece – there are bigger populations there”
” But keep your guys in Scotland — their Rugby teams are coming on like a house on fire, get decent crowds and get into the European competitions on merit. The Rugby world cup was a great success and sold a lot of sponsorship and advertising. Keep an eye on that.That is an emerging market with unexploited potential – The Italians are getting bigger and better all the time and Canal Plus are mad keen to further this”
” Forget the football in Scotland – it is run by idiots, —- by the way have you seen the Dad’s Army Movie? ……. concentrate on their stronger and better run sports……….”
Tontine Tim 1:20
Agreed – patience does seem to be lacking among some of our support.
I think we will always lose our better players to richer leagues (that has always happened), but likely to be less often if they are our “own” players.
THOMTHETHIM 1258
Celtic have a Plc operation,and an FC,football,operation.
The original plan was that the former would provide finance for the latter.
Recently,the reverse has been the case.
JOBO
http://www.w3schools.com/html/html_links.asp
Bawsmen
Yes I love the interaction at Junior or Highland League. As you probably gather I coach youth football so I get more than my fair share of football fix.
I was a regular at Pittodrie but watched too many poor games so go less often as tickets are £25 for quality that is questionable. Last few seasons I’ve gone to watch Formartine or Cove in Highland League- really due to personal connections. I stand or sit virtually on the touch line . It costs me £8 to get in and pies etc are £2….
It’s always good to see boys I’ve previously coached which is one of the attractions but there are always a couple of players that you think – he could make it if spotted. Jamie Vardy is the classic example as is Charlie Austin.
Cove Rangers have a young guy who would be a starter for Aberdeen – I can’t believe that he’s gone under the radar. I guess the margins are fine- some of the EK boys held their own last week. The centre half and goalie had obvious potential.
If Scottish fitba doesn’t slim down I can see more folk turning to very local teams and conserving their money for CL type teams either through 1 off visits or Sky subscriptions.
I very occasionally attend ST Jame’s park as it’s easy to get to buy train on East Coast line. I’ve no affection for Newcastle but enjoy watching Arsenal if they visit. Tickets for my son and I cost £37 and £17 last time. Similar to SPFL but massive jump in standard.
We will never be at the top table in football!
Never ever!
Our glory days are past.
And in the past……they shall remain.
@ 12:10
That is Incredible Teamwork and Teamplay from 2 of Celtics Greatest.
Gift frae the Big Man for sure.
Keep the Faith.
If Ronny was quoted correctly re Roberts he needs a kick in the arse. You have a squad, you put out your best team & subs. If Roberts us turning it on at training he should get his chance.
The alternative let him waste a third of his contract hanging about like Cole and what then?, introduce him to the team in next year’s Euro Qualifiers.
Why sign the likes of Allan, Christie, Roberts & Cole to an already bloated squad and not play them and then send Nesbitt away to get games.
CORKCET
They couldn’t organise a piss up in a brewery!
Really really fed up with the whole lot of them!
Board, Management, players, TD.
Can’t wait for the good weather so that I can go go golfing on a Saturday.
Corky
Again putting my cynic hat on, maybes Ronny didn’t sign them :-)
HH
3 signings I don’t understand are Cole, CKR or P Roberts.
They are inconsistent with the plan we are always told the club are pursuing. None of them can be sold on for profit.
I particularly find P Roberts perplexing as he will only serve to stall the development of Christie and Alan and possibly Henderson when he returns. These guys must have been so disheartened by his arrival. Not mention Nesbitt.
That said, he’s here he is almost certainly a cut above our squad ( nobody at Celtic could get £12m fee) so we should at least give him a go is my view.
As for Cole and CKR two 100% knee jerk reactionary purchases to take the heat off. Griffiths get injured – neither will fill his boots. GMS more likely to do that imo.
Paul
There is a bit of delicious irony about clubs like Man Utd who were top dogs complaining about the current CL set up they largely contributed before upstarts backed by more money than they had arrived on the scene to push them down the pecking order.
Whatever solution is arrived at it has to be holistic and embrace all teams in the top division of their league no matter the size of the league.
There are two skew factors involved. The distribution of TV money where a lot more could go to solidarity payments than prize money and oligarch money that FFP is supposed to control.
Until something is done about the distribution of wealth (a human condition problem) around the game as a whole, any remedy is going to kill some part of the whole.
We’ve missed the boat
The juxtaposition of the lead article re the Giants of European football and the annecdote re the Highlanders …two provincial clubs with a minimal turnover and a minuscule support….teams who have knocked us out of successive cup competitions …should be of great concern to all CFC supporters
Lawwell you’ve been paid a fortune for making a pigs erchie of it …we’re now EL also rans …never mind a CL team and are even struggling domestically
We are a big team in our own minds …nowhere else
What a mess
Cults
Or Cifcti, buy him, hardly play him, then send him out on loan, who is in control, sure disny look like RD.
HH
Belfast City…
Belfast United…
Belfast County…
Belfast
My heart grieves but forever and ever amen…
there will only ever be…
One Belfast Celtic
Who sold our souls?
Who cares?
Time for a pint to cry in.
CULTSBHOY
Loanees very, very, rarely come back to us and make a difference.
Very few.
Nesbitt will be the same.
TET
Cifcti is Cole is CKR imo.. Why bother switching they are all poor…Id rather have Adam Rooney. He’s a proven SPFL scorer and a genuine alternative if Griffiths gets injured. Also it would have sunk AFC’s hopes…
CORKCELT
I am beginning to despair at ‘the strategy’
Ronny is starting to look like Martin Sheen as Brian Clough when he realises the game’s up.
And that’s a shame,IMO.
HE SIMPLY DOESNT KNOW WHAT TO DO FOR THE BEST,AND ENDS UP LOOKING LIKE HE DOESNT KNOW WHAT TO DO,AT ALL.
And when you are finished crying into your pint…
don’t forget your SKY subscription is due tomorrow.
We’re on the one road….
PHILBHOY 204
Put me in charge!
Cults
Yip, none fit the profile that RD wants, not even close, yet some use it as a stick to beat him with, he manages that fine without help from on high.
HH
OVERSEASBHOY on 12TH FEBRUARY 2016 12:56 PM
So Ronny has no intention of playing Patrick Roberts until next season as he needs “time to adapt” . Ridiculous.
Totally agree,Man City will be on the blower to PL to get him playing,or they will take him back.
Of recent CRC signings only Sviatchenko makes sense
Our signing policy is scattergun and flawed
Too many people at CFC getting paid big money for failure
Philbhoy
I would feel for Henderson if he’s not given a chance as he’s done all that has been asked of him.
I’d also pair Findlay with Erik as he was excellent v Huns last week.
I know one recently retired pro quite well – he coaches my team once a month. He always says ability is less than half of it.. Application a part but the biggest factor is if the manager likes the look of your face. He said that’s the nub of it. Maybe Ronnie just doesn’t like Henderson/ Nesbitt/Findlay’s faces..???
Well TET, he is the guy supposed to have the contacts at Man City, he got the credit for Denayer & Guidetti so he should take responsibility for Boyata & Roberts.
In any case if it’s true that he is not party to player’s being purchased, he should have the balls to tell Lawell to Eff off. He is a young Manager for his own sake he needs success , if he is seen as a failure with us then his future as a Football Manager is bleak.
Anyone at the Q&A with RD last night? Not too convincing according to a bhoy on Snyde last night?
…PFAYR..SACK THE BOARD
It’s taken a while, however, I now agree with you 100%.
Not only are we crap but and this to my mind is worse,
WE ARE AN EMBARRASSMENT.
We don’t seem to know our a from our e.
We are signing dud after dud after dud and not playing them.
We are taking all the crap from the smsm every day and doing nothing about it.
Oh and who is next to throw a flare?
Sickened.
Sickened and angry.
I’m just glad my old Dad is not here to see this shambles.
An absolute mess.