After some horse-trading towards the end of last week, involving a reluctant Spartak Moscow, a huge step was taken on Monday towards establishing a Unified Football Championship across former-Soviet countries. 14 Russian clubs met a representative club from the Ukrainian league in Moscow, with Ukrainian clubs now due a corresponding meeting.
The event was hosted by Gazprom deputy chairman, Alexei Miller, an ally of Vladimir Putin, who afterwards briefed Russian media and indicated Uefa were aware of their plans.
Miller said, “We think it is realistic to hold the championship from the autumn of 2014 to the spring of 2015, but if the time to reach agreements drags on, we plan to hold the championship from autumn 2015 to spring 2016.
“Since a championship like this is a complicated diplomatic matter, we have decided to initiate the championship initially with Ukraine only.
“In the future, if everything works out, we will be able to co-opt clubs from the other countries in the post-Soviet territories, but that’s the next step. All former-Soviet countries would be eligible to join.”
Show me the money
Gazprom sponsor the Uefa Champions League and are keen to sponsor the new league. Miller was clear that money would drive the change, promising annual sponsorship of €1 billion, which in world football is (a close) second only to the value of the next FA Premier League TV contract.
Uefa Financial Fair Play requirements make change, of some sort, inevitable in Russia and Ukraine. Leading clubs there are heavily subsidised by benefactors and, unless they manage to considerably improve their income, they will have to either get rid of all their expensive players, or forgo European competition.
As things stand, the sums don’t add up but money from a Unified Football Championship would allow clubs in Russia and Ukraine to meet Uefa Financial Fair Play requirements and compete with major leagues in the west. Gazprom have the seed cash and political influence, both domestically and at Uefa, to oil the wheels.
In 2005 Uefa sanctioned the Royal League in Scandinavia between the top four clubs from Denmark, Sweden and Norway, but the initiative was poorly organised and perished three years later due to a lack of a TV deal.
After this experiment several clubs across Europe started lobbying to extend the strategy to other leagues which were disenfranchised by a lack of competition or TV income. The principle was further confirmed by Michel Platini and the Uefa Executive Committee in March last year, when they approved a three year probationary period for the BeNe League, which combined top women’s teams from Belgium and the Netherlands, the first season of which is now underway.
The Committee stated at the time that, subject to a satisfactory outcome of the BeNe experiment, other cross-border leagues would be considered by the Executive Committee if all stakeholders (national associations, leagues and clubs) came to agreement on a way forward.
The former-Soviet countries are now motivated to regionalise. The Scandinavians have understood the potential of regionalisation for years but didn’t get it right (they retained national leagues which determined European qualification, the Royal League was effectively a friendly competition). The Belgians and Dutch have a pan-national league already underway, while the former-Yugoslav countries have discussed implementing the same for a couple of years now.
Wales and England have the longest-established regionalised league system in the world.
Meanwhile…………. at a national stadium near you, the only change on the agenda is whether to have three lower leagues or two.
Scottish football is fully aware the viability of many clubs is at a critical level, but have singularly failed to present the vision evident elsewhere in Europe. Whatever world-class technical, stadium and coaching resources we have is being squandered by unambitious leadership.
Months into deliberations Scottish football is only addressing how to slice up an ever-smaller pie. The enormous increase in income possible from regionalisation to SPL clubs, and what trickles-down to the lower leagues, dos not seem to have registered.
Hard cash can focus minds..
Spartak Moscow owner, Leonid Fedun, was highly critical of plans for the new league and insisted he would not attend Monday’s meeting but after doing so he said, “When I heard the budget per year was €1 billion I changed my mind and decided to attend. You can’t miss a chance to be the part of that game.”
Football across Europe is set for change, a fact a great deal of the UK media seem to have missed.
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be doing well being allowed any kinda demo in the square,
there’s major road works in that area, plod will not be happy…..
be wary if attending fellas
tomcourtney – “8 + 4 = 12,
what’s the next stage up from a riot called?”
A walk?
tomtheleedstim
:))
ernie lynch @16:47 curses “How much of a tosser would someone have to be to complain to Celtic about the Green Brigade?
I’ve said before ernie I don’t answer double or leading questions.
SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
What money did NEW co give to Rapid V over the JellyFish deal?.
Was it money everton had paid them?
Ah Guess ..Zonal Marking is Like… Pornography..
Everybuddy, Has Seen it.. Talks Aboot it..and.. Some Folk Like it…and Some Folk
Don’t
But..
Really, couldnae.. really tell ye.
Jist whit..
Pornography… Actually…. Is.
Kojo
Still..Laughin’
Kojo
The fourth Album from the Cure
ernie lynch
16:47
How much of a tosser would someone have to be to complain to Celtic about the Green Brigade?
Post of the day ………………up till now -))))
tomtheleedstim
goodun :)
The efficacy of football clubs and governing bodies paying monies owed or held, directly to other football clubs and players, thus depriving other creditors of access to these funds, is being challenged by HMRC.
Craigy Bhoy trousered the Jelavic money on behalf of Oldco
Anybody quoted Martin Niemoller today?
Jelavic is a sausage wallet.
bournesouprecipe – everyone who was gonna quote him has been taken away.
The Spirit of Arthur Lee
Guid wan.. Pally..
Ah canny Top That..
Kojo
Still…Laughin’…. though.
tomtheleeds
Every thread since Saturday talk about popular.
Didn’t know ole Simon Mayo’s name was short for Mayonaisse.
DriveTime CSC
Bourne – do you live near here http://i.imgur.com/KoyX2bY.png
Place empties every night
It’s Bourne time!!
Has the paperwork been signed yet?
tomtheleeds
West End Chavs
PetshopbhoysCSC – aff oot!
Ha ha cheeky Timmies
New kit deal been announced?
Nearly Francie & Josie time…….
Then they came for the Martin Niemoller repetitive inappropriate quoters
Is Bourne wearing a green tie the night??
See you Josie see you
Is everyone aff oot?
Jist Read.. Phil Macs .. Blog.
A Stoater.. Yep.. He captured the very Essence of jist why..
the G.B. are sich a Controversial Group.
They. Represent.. accordin’, tae Him..And.. well.. ME…
All the Good ,Great and Wonderful .. Aspirations .. tae which a Celtic Fan Should Strive…
But.. They ,unfortunately, Also.. Represent..
Well..
Jist Think all the Opposites ,of that First Description…
and ..that Second Description.. wid Fit the G.B. .. like a A Glove.
…
The G.B. ur a…. well..
A Livin’. Breathin’….Puzzlin’ Paradox o.. Anomalies..!
Yep.. Noo, that Description.. Fits them .. like wan of Marilyn’s Nightgoons.
Kojo
Still.. Laughin’
Starry Plough wears a Bandana
BSR
Ha ha the old man called me Geronimo when ah wis wee!!
I saw four Sevco players outside my door playing football with a cat. I was just about to call the RSPCA when the cat went 1-0 up.
Oldies CSC
Yep, Wee Nutsy’s Question.
Stumped the Panel
Ah am Beginning the Form the Opinion.
That in MA Opinion..
NAEBUDDY.. oan Here..
Knows, Whit the Hades..
Zonal Marking,is Soccer..
REALLY, REALLY.. And Another .. Really..
Really is!
Kojo
Still ..Laughin’
Kojo, zonal marking? Disnae work. Why fur no? Cos it jist disnae. Too minny flaws. If I ahm a manager whae huz dun ma hamework, then ah pretty much ken that when playin the hoops, in a coarner kick situation, big Charlie, big sammy n big vic ur the main dangers. So, ah tell big Davie, big tam n big billy tae mark thum. Ah most definitely wullnae ask wee jim, wee Bertie n wee joe tae mark thae 3, coz, well that wid be plain daft. Since another thing ah disnae ken is exactly whit zones big messrs Charlie vic n sammy are gonnae run intae, then ah wid be mad tae employ that method, cos ah might end up wi wee joe in a zone which suddenly becomes occupied by big sammy, and ye kin work lot fur herself whit might happen next. So that kojo, in broken kojoeese, is whit zonal marking is. It’s jist plain daft.
“Efe is under contract and is playing for one of the best clubs in the world”
– Dudu Dahan (Efe’s Agent)
Twists n Turns
Thanks fur yer input..
And
Sure, Ye Fully and Comprehensively.. Explained.
Jist, Why.. In Your Opinion.
‘
Zonal Marking.. Disnae Woik..
and.. after reading yer Reasons.. as tae why that is the case..
And AM mair that Inclined tae Agree ,wi ye..
Howevahhhhhhhhhh
Ye jis Hivnae Answered the Main Question
“Wit in theName of the Wee Man..or wee wumman..
Is
Zonal Marking??”
Kojo
Still.. Laughin’