Thoughts on the European Super League

If nothing else the proposed European Super League (ESL) of the major clubs of England, Italy and Spain has done something unique: united the disparate and diverse elements of football in voicing its opposition.

The devil, as they say, lies in the detail. I found the best coverage to be in The Times who broke the story.

There is an assumption that the clubs can play the ESL in midweek and their domestic competition on weekends.

Where does this leave the existing contract with BT Sport for the Champions League?

Then, after the permanent clubs help themselves to the lion’s share, the distribution to salaries will be capped.

This will alienate agents who took £227m out of the game according to recent figures.

Then why did Euro giants Bayern Munich and PSG decline to participate?

How do the Euros and World Cup qualifiers fit into this schedule?

If this goes  on to materialise and I still see it as a negotiation ploy to get more of the Champions League cake, I can foresee the Spanish and Italian model of a B Team emerging.

Manchester City, say, could still field such a team domestically that would hold its own.

Football has long since ceased to be the working man’s game, fan income is a small percentage of the television rights revenue but the reaction of outrage must surely make owners and players nervous about this project ever being realised.