Moshiri slams breakaway Super League as Everton urge rebel 6 to backtrack

The interesting thing though, as has been pointed out elsewhere, is that they are unlikely to have taken such a bold step without guarantees in place from their supposed backer (JP Morgan bank) and that, if they do now renege on that deal, they could be sued for billions each.

So, it may be that, instead of gaining untold riches, in some cases this could lead to ultimate bankruptcy.

Spurs, for example, had a huge government loan to tide them over Covid 19 because of the cost of their new stadium.

What happens if, as part of the backlash, promised by the government, that loan is immediately called in?

Spurs could be the first major financial casualty of this debacle.

Andy, I wonder if that depends on the basis on which they came back into the EPL. If it was because of the threat of sanctions (from various quarters, in various forms), then wouldn't backing down from the super league proposal leave them in a weaker bargaining position?

Let's keep the focus on the man in the title of this report. Moshiri seems a humble man. He is learning the ropes at Everton and many can point to mistakes. I wouldn't say mistakes, he's probably put too much faith in the wrong people. But as an astute businessman, he has a vision for Everton Football Club. And, he genuinely appears bought into Everton Football Club, our supporters and our heritage. There is a right way to do things and we are showing that class now. You could argue leading the way for the 14.

It may have frustrated us over the years as we have watched these clubs do things another way. Well they are now exposed for what they are.

There are 3 possible scenarios here as I see it:

1. They break away and become a global franchise. Self-licking and indulging themselves whilst the rest pick up the pieces and get on with it.

2. They force through change in the Champions League format closer to what they want but give a little in terms of compromise. It may even get renamed the Super League. I don't have issue with that as I've always had issue with the name Champions League.

3. They come crawling back, but as Andy says, they get improved status on TV rights associated with them and more voting powers.

Either way, they have absolutely destroyed their relationship with the other clubs, national associations and even with their own fan bases. Certainly in the short to medium term.

If scientists could remove the gene that causes the Greed complex, I'm all for it. Greed is ruining everything in life at present. Its about time it was dealt with in schools as to how it undermines everything we hold dear.

Their only solution as I see it, is some form of back-tracking with the remaining 14 of the Premier League, allowing them to remain because when the likes of Pep and dare I say it Klopp, come out against this ill-advised enterprise, you begin to wonder if this is all going to have a rather messy end.

One final point I would like to make, is if such as RS, MU, MC and the rest do proceed with the ESL, what are they going to say to their supporters who are obviously, in the main, so set against it?

If the former, there is nothing they can say that will change things now - it is too late - they have shown their true ambition.

"The conspirator clubs have obviously failed to see that their status today was not achieved in isolation, but rather was part of a dynamic European system where big, medium and small clubs have all contributed to the successes and losses of everyone. It is an affront to European values and sporting merit for them to assume they are entitled to “separate” and lay claim to the legacy that everyone built"

However if they and the others dig their heels in and are forced to depart the Premier League because of their greed, I'd get over it. I don't blame the teams or their fans one jot. They didn't know it was coming. It is as though the war draft has come and they are expected to go. Well done to my Club for being on the front foot and behaving professionally. A class act... NSNO

I'm likely to get lynched for this and will definitely go to mass and confession. But, given our cousins do like a good protest and, in honesty, they're pretty good at them, I think I'd encourage Evertonians to march with them on this one.

There, said it. Off to do my Hail Marys.

The game has become rotten to the core and corrupt as hell. Time to clean house and rid us of this vermin.

They didn't do It after they got rid of Blatter and Platini. If they miss this opportunity then we may as well give up and watch croquet.

Hats off to Moshiri and EFC.

In fact, l'm pretty sure the American owners would love to take their franchises and move them to play in the MLS on weekends and the European Super League midweek.

Its coming

I see they are calling their local fans 'legacy fans'.

Plenty will fall into the second category.

A brilliantly worded statement from Moshiri, which was absolutely first class, and right on the “money.” “Money” which should never be allowed to take over from the proper values and integrity that should always exist in football!

The reds I've seen on rawk are all 'yes it's bad, but lets not pretend the current situation is ideal'. they seem to think this is where it ends. They don't realise the danger they are in. Cos these horrible bastards will now want to go on endless tours with games all over the world. Will the Liverpool Redsocks still be based in Anfield in 20 years time? don't bet on it.

Those like Foden and Mount need to have a conversation with their agents.

No suprises that you cannot find one piece of the Everton statement, anywhere on the bbc website, as I speak, why am I not suprised.

Well done Everton Football club, and especially Moshiri, for speaking up, not just for Evertonians, but every single football fan

For most of 'em, no way. No way. They'll refuse to play SL games, or put in transfer demands.

The World Cup is no longer the priority for a lot of top players and coaches plying their trade in Europe.

It's just the start

And by the way it's Red Sox.

Here in the U.K. I think most of us like to be associated with our clubs and we wear our support with pride. Yes, our team may get hammered one week and we have to go down the pub to face our mates who support other teams, but we still will stand by our team. Our loyalty and pride in the teams we support is born out of different things for different folk. It could be heritage, or values or family loyalty, whatever it is, its always positive attributes, which I think most fans like to be associated with.

Switch it on its head and do U.K. fans of the traitorous 6 want to viewed as a supporter with no such self perceived reflected positive values? I think most fans won't and this is why I think the Super League would fail, at least in the U.K.

Just think how easy it will be to take the genuine moral high ground with any fans against any from those 6 clubs.

Although that European ban may be suspended depending on the ESL actually getting off the ground.

I say, 10 point penalty to all 6 clubs involved now with a further 15 point penalty applicable to any club who doesn't pull out by 1st May.

Then a 25 point penalty for every subsequent season they are involved until the thing actually starts, then they get booted out.

That would mean that next season they would need around 95 points to win the league, and at least 60-65 points just to avoid relegation. We'd definitely see new teams in the champions league.

As for this season, 25 points would put Arsenal in grave danger of going down.

“I'm appalled and embarrassed. When you talk about Liverpool Football Club and its history and its roots, you could reference seven, eight or nine of grandad's quotes which are all appropriate to the current situation – socialism, greed and the Holy Trinity – but I also think about one of the less well known comments. It's from his book, when he spoke about wanting to bring the football club closer to the fans and the fans closer to the football club. And he achieved that. It's not an understatement to say he would be spinning in his grave at the current situation because it couldn't be further removed from his ethos. Given the chance I'd happily see the statue removed.”

Since the only countries' clubs that are involved are England, Spain and Italy, there is no particular reason for the French, Germans, Greeks, Portuguese, and even the Scots to offer anything much in the way of reward. UEFA can impose some very interesting restrictions. Indeed, there is every reason to penalise the Dunghill Dozen - not so much that they actually withdraw, but sufficiently that they are seriously hurt for a significant time.

Likewise with the EPL and the 14. There is every reason to tell the would-be leavers that their TV rewards will be significantly reduced.

I would hope to see very severe punishments levied on the 6 (and the Italian and Spanish teams in their leagues), which would have the entirely beneficial effect of evening up the competitions.

What appears to be becoming clear is that the 12 have far less actual clout than they think. There is certainly going to be no interest in a continuous set of matches between the 12 of them. If they are relegated to second or third tier in their own countries, there will be a terrible financial reckoning, and if the external revenues (TV, sponsorship) are restructured, then the kind of financial domination we have seen will notbe possible. (Well, City may be OK, but the rest don't have the liquid assets required, most are technically bankrupt).

They are more concerned with the fan that will subscribe and pay to consume the product. They want consumers of their product, not necessarily supporters.

I want to be mindful here that we don't alienate our many and very loyal overseas supporters, many of whom provide great insight and contribution on here. As an exile in London, I don't get to Goodison regular these days and when I do, it costs me the best part of £250 as a round trip. But even then, I go as a supporter, not a consumer. My point here is we have many non-local supporters who are as genuine and passionate as any of us.

I have to admit, although I wasn't thinking this at the time, I wonder if Covid has accelerated this. I've been saying for different reasons since football welcomingly came back to our screens in the summer, that they top clubs have proven then can actually survive without match day fans. I don't like that, but they have proven it, even if in the short term. TV revenue and sponsorship is where it's at for them.

The number of players picking up injuries just before international breaks who are back and fit for their clubs a few days later, the lack of top level managers going into international management and the significant drop in quality and passion in international football.

Champions League is the number one priority now, ESL will take over from it for some but not for others.

Martin #39 respect on your Damascus statement.

Some won't but those 12 teams will field squads packed to the rafters with international footballers if that league gets under way, ban or not.

There has to be severe sanctions against any team that signed up to leave the EPL.

Severe.

They need to understand they don't exist without the collective / League. They need to reassess and understand they are part of a League and as such should do work to improve the league.

Because without the League they will be castrated and exiled into some obscure wasteland of footy that is irrelevant.

Punish the crap out of these Clubs. Mutiny must be squashed.

I promise you, not a single player from Mexico, the USA, or anywhere in South America will play in the ESL if that rule were implemented.

OK, maybe a handful, but the VAST majority of players would never play. This is something the British, due to their huge Club loyalties, can't comprehend.

The rest of us, and the players too I'd argue, live to see our country's compete. It means the world to the vast majority of players to represent their country, and frankly most fans around the globe.

Patriotism - that one thing that the English don't quite fully grasp how massive it is for the rest of us. And the English are right, it's damn silly in it's way. But it's not logical, and it emotionally gobbles you up.

No player on this side of the water would miss representing his country to play in the World Cup. They'd find another Club where they weren't excluded from the competition. North, Central, or South American - it won't happen.

I guess its the environment they grown up in. The modern younger fan can obviously be influenced by Sky and; let's be honest, the Premier League has contributed to this momentum.

My son has been educated right. Not just in the values of being an Evertonian, but being a football supporter.

Messi
Cristiano
de Bruyne
Kane
Sterling
Rashford
Ederson
Alisson
Gundogan
Fernandes
Lukaku
Hazard
Benzema
Ramos
Pique
Greizmann
Stones
Maguire
Pogba
Mount
Werner
Donnarumma

I'll tell you. None of them. Not one. None of the five Yanks at SL clubs. None of the Brazilians, Colombians, Argentines or Mexicans.

Of course, all this is predicated on FIFA banning the SL players, and let's face it, any theory that depends on FIFA or UEFA doing the right and proper thing is on swampy ground. (It's amazing that the SL has managed to make these two amoral organizations look moral by comparison.) But if it happens, the SL will be gutted.

Anecdotally I think he's right I've been saying for years footy is dying before our very eyes as it morphs into a humungous unentertaining piece of crap. His solution is nonsense but something needs doing.

The problem is space.

Pitches are the same size but players are bigger, faster and more athletic effectively this has killed one of the most exciting components of the game - dribbling.

Reduce teams to 10 men and create space for skill to return entertainment and excitement will follow.

The immediate solution for our domestic league and the cesspit 6 is to ban them as soon as humanly possible they need excising as a cancer

I think it's true not only of the Americas but most of the world that players would bite off a leg rather than miss a World Cup with their countries.

Not only have the twelve vastly overestimated their power they have underestimated the interest the UK and other Western European governments will take in this matter. This is not the 1980s when a Thatcher style regime was all too keen to wash its hands of football as well as many other industries. The climate has changed significantly in recent years, not least owing to the impact of the pandemic.

We now have an interventionist government very willing to operate according to the preferences of voter focus groups. Intervention to block the Super League plan will be a vote winner. Failure to do so would be a vote loser.

Not so fast after that! Which goalkeeper said he'd give his right arm to play for his country - or something like that?

Carlo could move between 4-5-0 and 4-4-1.

Not as daft an idea as it sounds Barry!

Now I've never been a big international follower or England supporter, but I'm a product of this unique nation in that I'm British not English. I don't have a British team to follow!!

But you're right, due to our approach to the International game (generalising again), a lot of Brits / English won't see that as punishment for our players in comparison to those of other countries where playing for their country is still the pinnacle. That is a very powerful threat that UEFA and FIFA have at their disposal.

Interesting language on the injunctions. UEFA / FIFA / national leagues "must not" punish the clubs until the plans are finalised.

Get out of jail / gaol with the last part of that sentence.

"I'll tell you. None of them. Not one."

How could you know that?

Agreed. Can't imagine any of our American boys OK with being banned as long as the money's good.

I think they have said it already.
Clubs from both countries have rejected the idea

Fuck off rs

Very proud to be a blue and to have such a fantastic owner.

UTFT

If the price is right it will be a question of "Come on down"

BTW; we did'nt march with the lodge, but we sneaked on the train with them to go to southport for the piss up...Half of Scottie was there.

No point in letting insignificant differences get in the way of a good shindig

Some concrete action still needs to be taken against the recalcitrant clubs, the less of them the better. But be under no illusion, the likes of Liverpool, United, Arsenal will be back again. And again.

Dont tell me nan

Exactly, Chris. As earlier, having to withdraw from this leaves them seriously weakened in their bargaining power.

Well done Everton for firing the first counter shots today and formally setting the tone of the universal response from English football.

This withdrawal talk isn't related to the previous comment about playing with themselves I hope?

Despite my roots, I'm no raving socialist, but power to the people's game today.

I still think there's a lot of negotiating to be had but this is feeling like a victory for the fans.

"Having listened to our fans, who are the lifeblood of this club, and in memory of great managers who formed the history of the club we have decided to not join this league.
We look forward to bringing the 12th man the succes they deserve."

Guess the club

Points deductions need to be issued as a minimum regardless. I would start by deducting 10 points from Chelsea. Then tell the others that punishment will be increased, effective tomorrow, at the rate of 10 points per day until the deadline date is reached. Give them until Friday to decide.

It's going to be interesting to see how the genuine fans of these clubs position themselves now having been embarrassed by these forever tarnished clubs that they support.

One thing I do feel quite strongly about is that Government should not be getting involved in this. It is for football to sort out.

Perez is clearly the most desperate here.

Fingers crossed the rest of them follow-suit and that twat Perez from Real Madrid winds his horrible greedy neck in. I never thought I would be able to dislike Madrid more than I already do, but...

Ha ha ha ha.

Looks like they're gonna be the last ones standing.

Especially after Lewis and Levy get off the phone with Boris.

Also I hope that the Premier league impose a points deduction on all the clubs whether they leave now or later. Because this is not the end of this and unless a points deduction is imposed these same clubs will be meeting again to alter the rules in future. A fine just wont cut it I am afraid.

Like the injunction earlier "once plans are finalised".

At the moment all they have signed up to is a proposal as I understand.

Not holding my breath though.

Athletico £840 million
Barca £1. 030 billion
Real £651 milliion
Arsenal £405 million
Chelsea £224 million
liverpool £386 milliion
Man City £202 million
Man Utd £771 million
Spurs £1.177 billion
Inter £757 million
Juve £752 million
Milan £247 million.

Good luck clearing that boys 😁

Where do the Liverpool owners go now to salvage their leveraged asset? Their share price will plummet.

I really hope that UEFA do not go ahead with their proposed discretionary places in the revamped Champions League. That would be an equally absurd notion and one worth fighting against as it has nothing to do with merit. That's an argument for another day, I suppose.