The Super League | FA + PL: New Charter & Fines | UEFA: Settlement

Would you be happy if City joined this European Super League?

  • Yes

    Votes: 109 5.3%

  • No

    Votes: 1,954 94.7%
  • Total voters
    2,063
Waking up this morning has a bit of a ‘morning after the night of the long knives’ feel.

It does feel like City and Chelsea have been in cahoots with at least some of this whole charade. In fact the outcome has been quite good to us in the end with Utd, Lpool, Arsenal etc losing their positions of influence at Uefa and the American owners’ long term goal lying in tatters and their highly indebted clubs taking a battering. I’m sure we’ll never know but it wouldn’t surprise me if some serious politics and backstabbing has been going on and some wry smiles in East Manchester this morning.
 
Sadly I have lost interest in football I am hoping it is temporary but who knows? I work in Social Care and less than a year ago many vulnerable people were forced out of hospital, sent back to endanger other residents. Doctors and ambulances refused to visit and they were left to die with minimal if any care. No press outcry, no Boris Johnson saying he is going to anything to stop it, no public anger. Yet we suggest moving from one corrupt uncompetitive league to another corrupt non-competitive league and look at the what happens.
 
The ESL collapsed less than 12 hours after we pulled out. To me that proves it was never a viable proposition in the first place. Forget fan power, media criticism and global condemnation; it was only ever an attempt to win concessions from UEFA. Hopefully that bit has failed though the coefficient issue still exists.
The rag, dippers, Arse and Spurs may have to play with the rest of us but they also have the four biggest grounds and largest match day revenue. Not sure about dippers corporate facilities.
Those clubs have less money than they claim they'd get, but they aren't exactly poor. The stadium costs could hurt Spurs and Bingo's toothpaste bill could impact the dippers, but none will really struggle as the ESL was always pie in the sky and they knew it.
 
I’m no happy clapper and the thought of a closed shop super league disgusts me.

But regards the club’s actions I’d like offer my option/play devils advocate based on what I’ve read in the last few days.

Based on what we’re lead to believe. City didn’t know about this until Thursday, we have been told by powers at Chelsea that they were sold a lie, so let’s assume we were sold the same lie.

We didn’t sign up until the last available second. There was breaking news at 5pm Sunday that FIVE clubs had signed up to the ESL. Let’s assume we weren’t in that 5.

So, at the very last minute we made a rush judgement and joined up. We signed up to a league that didn’t effect the premier league participation. Or so City were told.

The club were faced with a decision, do we side with the Super League? Why not? The clubs we were supposed to show solidarity with, the Everton’s, Leicester’s etc, They couldn’t wait to shaft us. The club will know our fan base was not happy with the hateful 8/9.

The club were also faced with the more prominent issue, do we side with UEFA or have a foot in the door for 23 years in the new breakaway competition. The club know we as a fan base despise UEFA and UEFA have continually tried to shaft us. So, it’s more than plausible to me, that the club thought a good portion of us would be quite happy to give a big fuck you to those who have continually tried to halt our progression by any means.

Then there’s the proposals from UEFA about their revised CL. We all knew they were planning to bend over for certain history clubs, which they have done.
Why would our owners think we as a fan base would be arsed if we gave UEFA a big fuck you?

Then as a club after making a rushed judgement late Sunday evening based on what we told and what we knew, less than 48 hours later after seeing what fans & football thought, we were preparing our exit. There were several credible leaks that we were wanting out less than 24 hours after joining.

The club made a mistake, but acted rapidly to correct that. But as a fan base, we have done nothing but show utter distain for UEFA and quite often the PL. For me, it’s not hard to see how or why the club got this wrong. And whilst I’m not happy at all that we signed up, it does please me that the club observed and reacted correctly in pretty quick time.
 
Brendan110_0 said:
I'm a back them or sack them kind of person, the way City have treated us all since Sunday evening is nothing short of disgraceful. Someone will be falling on their sword for sure. Bollocks did we have little notice, and if we did, you pull an all nighter to consider it properly.
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As I’ve said, I think we have to allow the dust to settle and see what happens. Wait and see, bit of patience.
 
Cheesy said:
The hierarchy of our club thought it was acceptable to sit round the table to discuss the idea of the ESL with the very people who have systematically tried to destroy us over the last few years.

For many fans that's going to leave a very bitter taste in their mouths for a long time.
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I disagree.
Is there any evidence to suggest we were all sat around this so called big table?
How do we know that there wasn't an initial group of owners in discussions?
We know for a FACT that we have never been part of the G14 so what now makes you think we would have been invited at the start of any initial concept meetings?
For all we know we could have received an invite with all the terms and conditions on but I'm just speculating.
There is a bigger picture to all of this and not just what is being portrayed in front of our eyes. Yesterday press conference with Pep was crucial, the reaction from our players again crucial and most importantly tonight's game is going to be crucial.
There is a bigger picture here, that I am certain of. Why would we get into bed with the very same owners who have tried to take us down since our owners arrival?
There's a reason why within 48 hours we have gone from signing that initial engagement letter, LOI what ever you want to call it, to withdrawing.
Pep was annoyed yesterday but he still looked quite calm about it all. If he leaves in the summer because of all of this then I will hold my hands up and say yeah our owners really are snakes like the rest.
Pep has always maintained that he trusts every single person at this club from top to bottom. At this moment in time I am still remaining calm.
 
I honestly don't think that Sheikh Mansour would've understood anything about this superleague, so it was probably taken out of his hands. More than likely Soriano or Bergiristan were the ones who agreed to it. Is an apology enough, I don't think it is, more to come here
 
Rammy Blue said:
You've missed the point completely, and intentionally, imo. Arsenal fans hate their owner already, and know full well he was in with this full on from the beginning. I personally have faith that we were railroaded, had minimal notice and little choice, and knew exactly what we were doing and made sure we had means to bail. Being first to back out is always the hardest, everyone else piece of piss to follow.
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I would say you have missed the point also, and possibly intentionally. . My post has been in isolation about dialogue with the fans, hence I have posted the two responses on the websites providing information to the fans.

Who left first is a completely different issue and the background into the ESL will only come to light in the future. If we left first that maybe the only thing we can salvage from this mess, but I doubt is was in the interests of the fans.
 
This morning really does feel like the morning after...

So much damage caused, so much to repair and things to talk about. The crux of the matter is still there - the big clubs are not happy with UEFA's plans and want more. But the damage ot the integtrity of the game and to fan's hearts has been evident.

Was it a masterplan by City, or are we just as guilty as the rest? The timing of ours and Ceferin's statements was.. interesting... Did we accomplish our goal by removing certain problem individuals? Does the US influence an desire for globalisation of our game still pose a great risk? Will the media and fans in general view us with understanding and some credit, or will it fuel further their hate of all things City, oil and Arab related?

There are solutions to be had, but hopefully now it can be done in a more transparent and considered way. The big clubs will always, perhaps rightly, want more - to be rewarded for their success and popularity. But never, ever, should that be something that takes away the core value and love of our game from the rest. We were there once, hoping for salvation and a cup run, and we should never, ever take that hope away from any club, unless it is on the pitch. Be it Morecombe, Everton, Barnsley or Leiston, English football is a source of enjoyment, passion and togetherness for so many and should be culturally protected to a degree.

Anyway, a Super League would probably just end up boring. Imagine, tonight City play Arsenal for the 6th time this season... yawn... Champions League needs a revamp no doubt, but that is where the clash is. It needs, in my optionon, to be a more elite competition. For winners, champions. But that would mean less games, less commercial opportunitiues, less revenue. Expanding it to 30 or 40 teams dilutes the quality, in the same way that having Real face Juventus does actually guarentee goals or entertainment.

So make the Champions League bigger, but include more Champions. Don't protect the big teams, don't seed them excessively, make them earn it. So Liverpool reckon they have istree and should be in every year? Nope. So United feel they have contributed historically to the Champions League and deserve payments from the competition winnings even when they don't qualify? Do one. Make us face the Icelandic winners, the Lativian kings, the best of Portugal, the Spanish supremos, home and away. Give them their fair share. Let them get better. Have a Champs League B for the cup winners and league runners up, which feeds into the A tier at the knockout stage. It would be interesting and probably more exciting, and if the supposed big teams really are the best then they'll inevitably meet in the later stages anyway.

At the very least I expect, as a fan, a member of our board to now explain what happened, why we were in, what we feared and why we stepped out, as well as what we wan in the future.

It will be nice to sit back tonight and actually watch some football.
 
City Raider said:
Hang on. You asked how it could be classed as a PR win and I provided proof and now your shifting goalposts? Quit while your behind.

And you know fuck all about what I do or don’t remember so quit the fucking sarky comments. You’re a fucking guest.
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The change in the direction of the topic seemed natural, but right you are, I am a guest so should mind my Ps and Qs.
 
jollylescott said:
Please hear me out.

I believe that most on here are doing our owners a grave disservice. Let’s examine the facts, and then draw some conclusions based on the available evidence.

A Super League has been mooted for quite some time. I can find proposals from June 2019 where it was mooted by European clubs. One of the drivers of the proposal at that time was Agnelli (who has now fallen from power) from Juventus. At that time, a Guardian article stated that he wanted to ‘close the financial gap between his club and the premier league clubs’.

So I think it’s safe to conclude that this new proposal built upon that initial shot across the bows.

The next critical piece of evidence is from Tolmie. He has more inside information than any of us on here. He has stated for quite sometime (well before these events) that Ceferin has been an ally of City. In March last year, Ceferin was interviewed on Sky and said City remained a ‘valuable asset‘ for UEFA. I trust Tolmie’s information on our relationship with him.

I also think it’s completely implausible that both Ceferin and our owners were caught off guard by this current proposal. As Tolmie said, our owners know more about politics (particularly of the Machiavellian kind) than any of us will ever know. They would have known well in advance that this was coming.

So who was going to benefit most from this proposal? Certainly our premier league rivals, most of whom are economic basket cases. Also the Spanish/Italian axis. It would have, in one fell swoop, saved them from ongoing financial misery. So was it in our interests for this to go ahead, thereby allowing these hopelessly run businesses to catch up with us? My conclusion would be a resounding no.

Let’s then look carefully at what transpired. City leaked information that they were reluctantly dragged into the agreement. Ceferin is interviewed and urges the Premier League clubs to change their minds. Then there are leaks that two English clubs are waivering. Then City responds to the fans concerns and withdraws from the proposal, and Ceferin issues a statement that he is ‘delighted’ and welcomes City ‘back into the European football family’.

Now look at the fallout. Woodward and Agnelli have gone. The American owners are completely disillusioned. Our European enemies are left clinging at a mirage. We remain on course to continue the development of our long term sustainable business model. The super league is dead in the water. Our enemies in the Premier League will continue to hate us, and remain financial basket cases.

If this was Survivor, we have outwitted, outplayed, and outlasted our European and Premier League enemies.
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A great post mate.
 
schfc6 said:
I’m no happy clapper and the thought of a closed shop super league disgusts me.

But regards the club’s actions I’d like offer my option/play devils advocate based on what I’ve read in the last few days.

Based on what we’re lead to believe. City didn’t know about this until Thursday, we have been told by powers at Chelsea that they were sold a lie, so let’s assume we were sold the same lie.

We didn’t sign up until the last available second. There was breaking news at 5pm Sunday that FIVE clubs had signed up to the ESL. Let’s assume we weren’t in that 5.

So, at the very last minute we made a rush judgement and joined up. We signed up to a league that didn’t effect the premier league participation. Or so City were told.

The club were faced with a decision, do we side with the Super League? Why not? The clubs we were supposed to show solidarity with, the Everton’s, Leicester’s etc, They couldn’t wait to shaft us. The club will know our fan base was not happy with the hateful 8/9.

The club were also faced with the more prominent issue, do we side with UEFA or have a foot in the door for 23 years in the new breakaway competition. The club know we as a fan base despise UEFA and UEFA have continually tried to shaft us. So, it’s more than plausible to me, that the club thought a good portion of us would be quite happy to give a big fuck you to those who have continually tried to halt our progression by any means.

Then there’s the proposals from UEFA about their revised CL. We all knew they were planning to bend over for certain history clubs, which they have done.
Why would our owners think we as a fan base would be arsed if we gave UEFA a big fuck you?

Then as a club after making a rushed judgement late Sunday evening based on what we told and what we knew, less than 48 hours later after seeing what fans & football thought, we were preparing our exit. There were several credible leaks that we were wanting out less than 24 hours after joining.

The club made a mistake, but acted rapidly to correct that. But as a fan base, we have done nothing but show utter distain for UEFA and quite often the PL. For me, it’s not hard to see how or why the club got this wrong. And whilst I’m not happy at all that we signed up, it does please me that the club observed and reacted correctly in pretty quick time.
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I find that difficult to believe that a club run by a man as clever and powerful as Khaldon Al Mubarak would be rushed into making a monumental decision in the space of a few hours.

This has gone on for months, the club have known about this for months, they f%%ed up, end of story, spin what you want, we f%%ed up, but at least we have come to our senses if damaged.

And fortunately we are rich, very rich, money talks , so we could still get away with this.
 
franksinatra said:
I would say you have missed the point also, and possibly intentionally. . My post has been in isolation about dialogue with the fans, hence I have posted the two responses on the websites providing information to the fans.

Who left first is a completely different issue and the background into the ESL will only come to light in the future. If we left first that maybe the only thing we can salvage from this mess, but I doubt is was in the interests of the fans.
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So you still say “if we left first”, lol.

One line in a statement from the Arsenal board and you think they’ve done a better job than we have.

Cool.
 
urban genie said:
All you city master plan conspiracy happy clappers considered while these 12 clubs have be averting attention they have just sneaked a 36-team Champions League with 225 games & VIP passes for two ESL-type clubs past the lot of you, right?

more likely.Uefa and these clubs planned this smoke screen to stop a fans backlash over that, with woodward, perez and the rest now free of their roles at clubs suddenly forgiven and invited onto Uefas board.


It is as plausible as we planned the whole thing and also as equally implausible to suggest.

We need to face facts we fucked up and spat in the face of the league and fanbase, and need to appologise
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A smokescreen that made ongoing ownership of some of these clubs untenable? Not so sure.
 
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