Football is in total meltdown - In more ways than one

[Guest BaRmY OwLs]

FB

IMO Football in the UK will change enormously over the next 10 years.

The first thing to happen will be the Europa League, consisting just 5 clubs from England & 2 in Scotland ONLY and of course just the top clubs' from the other major leagues in Europe This is based purely on invitation from the organisers and the TV broadcasters. Don't get too excited there won't be any promotion or relegation to it.

Sky will gradually move away from broadcasting the English/Scottish leagues. The money will start to disappear and we will end up with 2 top divisions of 18 and another 2 regional ones of 20 and it will be a combined English & Scottish league pyramid with the regional ones being amateur/semi-pro.

What do others think? I know its a dark view but what arguments can be put against it when you see how football has been 'developed' in the last 5 years.

I dont think sky can pull out of football because sky needs football to sell its product and unfortunatly football needs sky.Why did the FA not learn there lesson from On Digital that went under pulling the sponsorship out of the championship.

[mcmigo]

There is only one real solution to all of this (sadly).

The top clubs must break away and form a European SuperLeague. The top 5 or 6 from each of the major leagues can leave and stay there. Sky will fuel the league by showing all games live on TV. The 'boom' in football can continue in this superleague environment.

The rest of us - we stay in our national league, our TV rights can only be sold to free broadcasting channels, we have strict wage caps/ turnover to wages ratios. Prices drop, wages drop. We wont have the megastars playing for us but who cares.

The sooner the big boys up sticks and f off, the better.

[oakleyrob]

I dont think sky can pull out of football because sky needs football to sell its product and unfortunatly football needs sky.Why did the FA not learn there lesson from On Digital that went under pulling the sponsorship out of the championship.

I think sky will ONLY show the Europa league i.e. do what they covertly do now by just having the top teams on.

[Goatboy]

There is only one real solution to all of this (sadly).

The top clubs must break away and form a European SuperLeague. The top 5 or 6 from each of the major leagues can leave and stay there. Sky will fuel the league by showing all games live on TV. The 'boom' in football can continue in this superleague environment.

The rest of us - we stay in our national league, our TV rights can only be sold to free broadcasting channels, we have strict wage caps/ turnover to wages ratios. Prices drop, wages drop. We wont have the megastars playing for us but who cares.

The sooner the big boys up sticks and f off, the better.

Interesting point mate.

Just look at the German game. Clubs are financially healthy, cheap tickets, full stadiums. OK they dont have the superstars but only the top few clubs over here have those. The rest have overpaid average players.

The current farce is driven by the top few clubs and the Premiership and FA riding on the back of their glory.

We heard the other day that English Premier clubs have 56% of the total debt owed in European football. Is English football really healthy? Half the Premier clubs are struggling to fill stadiums these days.

Things WILL change because the current situation is unsustainable. The question is do we change it ourselves now or in a few years when we are forced to because the English game is on the edge of collapse?

[PEARSON]

Globalisation is what ruined football. Club's who are a global brand bring in more money; these clubs also charge a lot of money because of supply and demand. Other clubs try to catch up with these clubs by spending beyond their means and by charging fans a lot of money. You can't reverse these effects; fans will now always remain clubs main source of income; and therefore rinsed for every penny they have. Big clubs will always earn more: rich clubs get richer, better clubs get better. Competiton dies out - unless you spend beyond your means; vicious cycle that can't be stopped unless a higher authority steps in - which they won't because it means they'll lose money.

Thats the shortened version anyway.

[shez owl]

FB

IMO Football in the UK will change enormously over the next 10 years.

The first thing to happen will be the Europa League, consisting just 5 clubs from England & 2 in Scotland ONLY and of course just the top clubs' from the other major leagues in Europe This is based purely on invitation from the organisers and the TV broadcasters. Don't get too excited there won't be any promotion or relegation to it.

Sky will gradually move away from broadcasting the English/Scottish leagues. The money will start to disappear and we will end up with 2 top divisions of 18 and another 2 regional ones of 20 and it will be a combined English & Scottish league pyramid with the regional ones being amateur/semi-pro.

What do others think? I know its a dark view but what arguments can be put against it when you see how football has been 'developed' in the last 5 years.

I've said something similar for a few years, not sure about the joint English Scottish leagues as the politics is complicated with uefa.

Convinced a europe super league by 2012/13, the desire to compete with the big four has driven also rans to spend way beyond what they could ever hope to recoup.

I am confident we will come through the next five years after what I heard on Thursday, whereas othe clubs whose fans are as yet blistfully unaware will not.

[Bluesteel]

I hope it all goes pop and that a more even playing field is developed.

Because this is flipping ridiculous. Football is ruled by greedy TV multinationals like the US sports. Its crept up on us, but now we hear things such as "survival sunday" it could be the NFL or WWF

[Eastern]

Interesting point mate.

Just look at the German game. Clubs are financially healthy, cheap tickets, full stadiums. OK they dont have the superstars but only the top few clubs over here have those. The rest have overpaid average players.

The current farce is driven by the top few clubs and the Premiership and FA riding on the back of their glory.

We heard the other day that English Premier clubs have 56% of the total debt owed in European football. Is English football really healthy? Half the Premier clubs are struggling to fill stadiums these days.

Things WILL change because the current situation is unsustainable. The question is do we change it ourselves now or in a few years when we are forced to because the English game is on the edge of collapse?

And they (Germany) have a stronger national side. We have the bigger international names, which I think is causing fewer quality English players to come through.

Football needs, maximum wages for clubs and restrictions on number of foreign players that can be fielded at any one time.

[scram]

And they (Germany) have a stronger national side. We have the bigger international names, which I think is causing fewer quality English players to come through.

Football needs, maximum wages for clubs and restrictions on number of foreign players that can be fielded at any one time.

I don't think Germany have a stronger national team but that's by the by....

Football doesn't need a maximum wage and it doesn't need quota's - it needs to regulate itself and be sensible - for too long clubs write out blank cheques to pay very, very ordinary players - they spend money like it really does grow on trees - a bottomless pit

Football clubs don't need to be sanctioned to the hilt - they need to voluntarily manage themselves within their means - there needs to be a summit - with the clubs, the PFA and the league representatives involved - and it has to be made clear that player wages cannot be sustained

Clubs could also draw up some sort of code for dealing with agents

Then they need to look at their own working practices

There is more than enough money for clubs not to be in the shyte - that they are is due to their own mismangement and if they need to make cuts then they have to make them - and not be regulated into it

[Mike Hunt]

I don't think Germany have a stronger national team but that's by the by....

Football doesn't need a maximum wage and it doesn't need quota's - it needs to regulate itself and be sensible - for too long clubs write out blank cheques to pay very, very ordinary players - they spend money like it really does grow on trees - a bottomless pit

Football clubs don't need to be sanctioned to the hilt - they need to voluntarily manage themselves within their means - there needs to be a summit - with the clubs, the PFA and the league representatives involved - and it has to be made clear that player wages cannot be sustained

Clubs could also draw up some sort of code for dealing with agents

Then they need to look at their own working practices

There is more than enough money for clubs not to be in the shyte - that they are is due to their own mismangement and if they need to make cuts then they have to make them - and not be regulated into it

That aint going to work though is it ?

You will always get people gambling on players to try to buy success .

[DJMortimer]

That aint going to work though is it ?

You will always get people gambling on players to try to buy success .

Who is going to enforce the club's living within their means?

The FA?

They are the big club's *******.

Themselves? :laugh:

That's certainly worked these last few years hasn't it?