Former Bolton Wanderers chairman, Phil Gartside, lost his battle with cancer yesterday. During Bolton’s 18 year Premier League tenure, Gartside wanted Celtic and Rangers in the league, as part of a reorganisation which would have seen a second tier Premier League created.
His motivation was the realisation that English football’s model was inherently dysfunctional. Teams like Bolton would over-commit to the player contracts necessary to keep them in the league, but with everyone else doing the same thing, it was only a matter of time before they finished in the bottom three. Less than 3 years since relegation Bolton face a winding-up order this month over a £2.2m debt to HMRC.
‘The Gartside Plan’ for league reorganisation found little support among his Premier League peers. Each passing TV deal poured ever-more money into the Premier League but the model remains dysfunctional. Those relegated regularly face dire consequences – and that’s before the bubble bursts.
As English and Welsh clubs who have dropped out of the Premier League continue to deal with the consequences, Europe’s mega-rich clubs are unhappy with their return from Champions League football. The relative democratisation of Champions League qualification, introduced by Michel Platini, which sees more clubs from smaller countries reach the group stage, is seen as a problem to some of Europe’s richest.
They want games against Manchester United, not Dinamo Zagreb. So do TV companies and sponsors. The football industry in Europe operates a series of EU sanctioned cartels. These sanctioned exceptions were granted on the basis that football is a sport, not a conventional business. The more top clubs act like businesses, not sporting institutions, the more reason to tear down the walls of these carters.
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Seen this question and answer on another Celtic site yesterday
Any thoughts on the proposed changes to the Champions League. Strong rumours that the big money clubs are demanding automatic entry regardless of their league position at end of season. Other rumours concern just a league comprising of clubs from the main money (that word again) countires form the CL tournament (stinks of an elitist super league) .
The way they are talking clubs like ours won’t need to worry about qualifying as it will not be an option available.
It’s no surprise to me, I’ve been saying for years about he introduction of a European Super-League and that we wouldn’t be involved whether people like it or not. One of the plus points for me is it will hopefully rid the CFC support of the type of people who seem to only follow the club because of what we do on the European stage and those who have started demanding managers’ heads for failure to qualify for the CL. Man City can always do with new supporters.
The matter of a breakaway pan-European league remains very much an on-going issue with regular discussions on the matter between a dozen or more clubs.
Without going in to too much detail: (a) A number of clubs take the opportunity to meet and discuss various issues including changes in rules, club versus country issues, television and other media rights, the power of UEFA, exploitation issues for new technology streams, etc.. The meetings were annually but now they happen two and sometimes three times a year. There was a meeting in December – where there was a discussion about the state of FIFA, the situation with UEFA and a so far unpublished claim from a retired referee that the result of a Champions League game was influenced by a third party. These discussions also always turn to the possibility and structure of a breakaway pan European league. Several are ex-G14 clubs, several are not, and some clubs decline involvement in such discussions. (b) The plan is that at some point a number of clubs would break away from their national leagues and UEFA. They accept that they would be banned from all existing club competition and the players would initially be banned from all FIFA competitions as well, but know that FIFA would be looking to negotiate in any case. It would be the end of UEFA in all probability and UEFA are very aware of this. It would also result in a restructuring of many of the national leagues. (c) The clubs would renegotiate their television and media rights, rights of distribution via other streams etc.. (d) It remains the greatest fear of UEFA and all major national authorities that one day this will happen – which has resulted in a counter-proposal being drafted by UEFA. (e) Timing wise, two very prominent clubs want it to happen as soon as possible (2018) and they have the support of a third club – but most are looking at 2022 being a good option. A few clubs are looking at 2025 to 2027 and I suspect that could end up as the reality.
There is going to be a counter-proposal backed by UEFA to try and save their own skin which is soon to be tabled. The proposal is to rename and change the format of the UEFA Champions League to make it an elite closed-shop pan-European league with a fixed number of teams – and these would be the same teams every year. It would then require the restructuring of the Europa League and the possible introduction of a lower-tier European competition. Although they have yet to flesh out the detail, on major Football Association has given their support.
If the proposal for a breakaway goes ahead, there is every likelihood that the big money from television, sponsorship etc. would go with a breakaway league. It would completely rupture the operations of UEFA and I would expect it would require national associations like the FA to restructure their leagues. Nobody wants this but it is the eventual consequence I would expect. Initially it could be that there is a single 16 team league with 2 or 3 EPL teams making the initial plunge. If I had to speculate, I would think (1) you might eventually see something like five or six EPL teams leave for two-tier pan European league – but it won’t be based on the UEFA rankings; (2) the Premier League would be disbanded as an organisation; (3) the FA would restructure in to two 20 team divisions with lower leagues regionalised as they were many years ago; (4) FIFA would ban all players from the breakaway teams from International football – perhaps rescinding that position to stop FIFA breaking up as well – they don’t want further issues but the troubles are not going to go away. I could also see many teams lose their professional status. I would think we are probably 10 years away from any significant move at this time.
I hold a reasonably strong view in terms of the need to restructure football in Europe in any case. For me an eventual a breakaway pan-European league would force the restructuring of many of the national leagues, possibly resulting in a British league with perhaps only a couple of professional tiers and then regionalised amateur leagues below that. Financially I do not see that so many pro sides can be sustained within the sport which, like it or not, will see more and more money going in to the highest levels of the game. Governments will ensure that grassroots sport get funding but everything in the middle (Southern, Northern, Conference, Division 2, Scottish Divisions 1-3, League of Wales will not get the funding needed to continue on any sort of professional basis.
The fact that referee’s have a differing approach to both sides in many of our games should be questioned but only when we win.
Celtic should produce tv evidence and publish on Celtic tv.
Smsm will ridicule but who cares their bias and approval of of cheating refs is obvious.
The referee who booked Boogie for a shocking tackle on Keane for his first challenge then allowed at least 6 more fouls was never censored.
The smsm glossed it over but Celtic should have published it on every social media channel and left it on Celtic tv as a constant reminder.
Right, that’s too much for me to handle. Collision took place 1.2 billion(yeah, that’s right, lady, billion) light years from Earth.
Now I don’t know much, but I do know that light travels at 186,000 miles per second, so that’s a fair old jaunt.
Anyway, I’m going out as I like to walk in a state of awe.
Awe
Is that American billions or real billions ?
Dave King billions!
Good Afternoon.
Here are a couple of new pieces.
One about squabbling in public:
https://theclumpany.wordpress.com/2016/02/11/internal-squabbles/
And another about the importance of understanding the way the media operates:
https://theclumpany.wordpress.com/2016/02/10/holidays-in-the-sun/
Enjoy the rest of the day!
beatbhoy
Dave King billions!
————————————————————–
Both black holes declaring the collision a favourable settlement?
Mmmm-
It’s like having a tele which can only show one channel which always shows the same old things and then somebody gives you a tele which can show lots of different channels showing lots of different things.
Welcome to the future CSC – way down south.
I wish I was a spaceman
The fastest guy alive
I’d fly around the Universe
In Fireball XL5.
Bring us back a stock a rock
Davidopolous
Of course, allowing both parties to move forward with dignity, emitting waves of gravitas.
Minty or that newfangled fruity flavour?
Still chuckling at Mr Pastrays early morning made up numbers. Was a lol moment for me.
Anyway. You know how when you notice that young children are about to throw a tantrum you try and distract them with a toy or something shiny?
Or when they get older you try and scare them out of doing something by telling scary stories?
Well that’s what Paul is doing here.
Hot on the heels of us all accepting that it was horrible to dra Morton at home cos they might beat us (step back from that for a minute, take a deep breath, then realise how absurd it is) which is expectation management at its best ( something that cqn was formed for). We now get the Whitney new toy of the EPL thrust again into our eager faces.
The fact that it will never happen (I am choosing to ignore td67s childlike innocence about the made up rules of international football) is of course not important, what is important is that it distracts Celtic supporters from their current tantrum around quite how spectacularly badly the board have performed over the last 4 years. The magnitude of this failure is right up there with Enron and world com for its heady mixture of ineptitude and collusion in corruption.
But hey. Don’t look there. Look over here. It’s a shiny new toy……..
And one more thing.
I have just read the daily records report on the orange band raising money for a Celtic supporter (I am in the airport and the paper is sitting beside me left by someone else). It is a fascinating article in that, unwittingly it reveals quite how racist Scotland is. Firstly the front page inset says “a picture to defy bigotry” which of course suggest being a Celtic far is a bigoted act in itself (beautifully innocent racism at work). And then in the article itself it says
“Ronans mum said everyone knows he is Catholic so we were delighted and overwhelmed hen the flute band…..”
Then “I think it is great because they don’t care about your religion”
It’s a phycologists and sociologists dream.
Oh where to start with it.
Canamalar
Of course and you may be bang on of course.
I’d hope our host could put some more meat on the bones regarding what sort of action would be feasible. He has said it is an option.
An important point to note is the growing number of clubs across Europe who are in our corner and find themselves struggling to compete with comparatively small, local EPL clubs
HH
Fanatic………….I watched the Superbowl and the Ireland v Wales game on Sunday and I have to say the yank game was a garden party in comparison to the sheer physicality almost brutality of the rugby and not an oxygen mask to be seen among those players.
And just on that daily record article if you replace the words Catholic or Celtic fan with black it really does reveal how racist Scotland is.
NEGANON2
Disturbing to say the least.
There is no pretence now.
Colours nailed firmly to the mast.
HH
Trad88,
Continuing to operate in the local national competitions will produce new challenges if they don’t consolidate their advantage, exactly what Celtic have failed to do, you can’t blame the clubs from bigger competitions for doing exactly that. They are consolidating their advantage as they have been doing for a long time. We have failed to consolidate or build on the back of success and that is the only reason why we are in our current predicament, whimpering that the big boys continuing to look after themselves is unfair is pathetic, especially coming from our capitalist captains of commerce ffs.
Our useful idiot captain beefheart’s comment now makes sense.
I have just spent a pleasant 2 hours watching a re-run of the Celtic v Spartak game. The stadium rocking. 60,000 fans. Total commitment from team. The date 5/12/12, how things have changed.
Starting Line up
Forster,Izzy, Ambrose,Wilson,Mulgrew, Lustig,Brown,Commons, Kayal, Samaras, Hooper,
From the outfield we can mourn the departure of Sammi & Hoops but apart from that what else can you say.
apart from change of Manager.
The keeper ?
How did EFE play :)
Canamalar, I said outfield. Efe could be said to be at fault for the Spartak goal but apart from that did well.
The thing that struck me was the fight & commitment the team showed. Sammi & Hoops were magic but you knew that.
Green man you couldnt really make it up. But it justs shows you how ingrained scotlands racism is that this is portrayed as good news story……….
Pleased with appointment of David Hay and Tom Boyd both ambassadors no questions asked.
David Hay was a manager never judged on his European record, but he did suffer the hands of ‘the cheating’ in Scotland, and came under stringent examination during difficult times at Celtic. He also has shares common ground enjoying some success in Scandinavia, just like Ronny.
His opinion matters, likewise Celtic legend Tom Boyd who hit the ball with strait bat, and declared support the team, support the manager, support Celtic.
Hail Hail the new Celtic Ambassadors.
corkcelt, what else can you say? how about injuries?
Corky,
Would have maybe been fun reading the CQN updates while watching it :)
Then again it might be a bit too educational :)
Wonder if there is a quick way to pull up CQN updates for games that you can combine with watching the game as you did, that would in my expert opinion be an interesting wee game, especially during blog infestations, what a lovely distraction that would be eh :)
Winning captains how’s about it, a link to a game with the CQN update blog together, expect the games will be found on utube just need you to make the game update blogs page :)
Neganon2
Its an attempt to consolidate their readership in the face of dwindling sales.
Shocking the lengths they will go to.
They know their rag only appeals to bigots.
It cant be long before we get blatant anti-catholic campaigns, just like the old days.
Crazy stuff.
Sectarianism gone bananas.
John Knox would have loved it.
Sick wee country.
HH
Do you all honestly think that any sovereign nation is gonna allow it’s top clubs to destroy it’s grassroots, domestic sport for their own greed?
Let’s face it, this fantasy champions league means the end league football in most of the big nations. It doesn’t just mean that celtic & all other clubs from smaller nations, that are not invited to participate will no longer have the dream of lifting the big cup; it all spells the end for all non – fashionable clubs.
Teams like Leicester, Southampton, Lazio, Parmalat, Wolfsburg, Sporting Gijon & all other unfancied teams from the big nations won’t be eligible to play due to their lowly status.
I can’t honestly see the football associations of those countries sitting back & watching as the core of the national sport is ripped apart.
Infact any clubs that even entertained the idea would have their domestic league licence revoked for breach of contract. Not to mention what a United Supporter’s Union might do.
FIFA & UEFA are Dinosaurs; it’s only a matter of when, not if they become redundant.
Green man i refuse to use the sectarian word. Its just used to portray a world view of ones as bad as the other and to disguise the real probkem.
If you read sthe wtirling university report into the OB they agonise over dedinition of sectarianism. Why? Well to avoid and disguise the real problem.
Good ole institutional rqcism. Bless scotland and lets look forward to handing the full reigns over to the rqcists when scotland goes independent.
DJ67,
You on,y need to look at the top men of the national associations and see their ambition mirrors their greedy clubs, to be on that gravy train when it pulls out the station. Don’t kid yourself that there’s any altruism left at that level.
Best thing that can happen is that they make the changes to suit themselves then the public don’t buy it, that is the only way a real rethink could or would ever happen.
The man who invented predictive text died this morning.
His funfair is next monkey.
Neganon2
I refer to Sectarianism, from the point of view of Knox and the Scottish Reformation.
Calvinism.
Religious fundamentalism.
Recently, there has been much talk of the destruction of ancient sites in the east…destruction of statues etc.
That was going on in Edinburgh in the 16th century.
All social groups that oppose this fundamentalism…are targets.
Thats how warped it is.
Anyway…Racism….it certainly is.
HH
Garygillespieshamstring –
That’s a cracker! Please tell me you stole it from somewhere, thus allowing me to do the same. Alternatively can I buy the copyright off you?
TGM,
“Recently, there has been much talk of the destruction of ancient sites in the east…destruction of statues etc.”
It’s ok our evangelist brethren have identified these sites as centres of gnostic worship due to their age being prior to the western bible, the Christian populations that were murdered were just gnostic worshipers who did not strictly follow the western gideons bible, so not to worry. They have been useful though, in that, our evangelist brethren can claim that Christianity is under assault and Christians are being wiped out in the Middle East, same ones who they were calling satanists a couple of minutes ago.aye it’s only Catholics they hate :)
Damn.
randomdinnertimestuff CSC
The Green Man says SACK THE Board on 11th February 2016 6:10 pm
Recently, there has been much talk of the destruction of ancient sites in the east…destruction of statues etc.
That was going on in Edinburgh in the 16th century.
*aye in wittenberg tae after luther nailed his thesis tae the church door he went on a retreat. On his return the peasants were looting and destroying the churches to which he ordered them to stop.
Canamalar
Amazing what you learn on CQN
Earlier, i was shocked to find out that Marx was a Satanist:)
And apparently, there is a Bolshevik Revolution due in Glasgow….any day now:)
And ive to get sent back to Ireland for some unknown reason.
Scotland is like the Old Testament.
David Lynch should be here filming.
Its barking mad.
HH