22 Apr 2021 15:50:14
Now that the dust has settled a little and my anger has abated somewhat I have had a change of mind. My demands for a large points deduction would hurt the people not responsible for the ESB. Coaches, players, supporters etc.
I hope the people who have been planning this for years are weeded out. Rules/ laws are made at football and even government level so that this does not happen again.
Perez at Real Madrid says we cannot afford the big name players without the ESB and that the project is not dead. Fairly obvious where he is coming from!
22 Apr 2021 17:49:12
Hit them in the pocket. that's where it will hurt most.
22 Apr 2021 18:15:40
Which is exactly why punishment of these clubs must be severe. Any punishment the owners could receive would be financial, which isn't going to hurt them.
If the clubs are punished which affects the management, employees, players and their fans just think how hard these owners have got to work to regain trust, probably never will.
Far worse punishment than a fine of a few million which is pocket money to these people.
23 Apr 2021 13:15:21
The six traitor clubs must be punished as they broke the PL rule L9 about entering another league. Trouble is, an appropriately severe punishment would hurt the PL and lower the value of TV rights, so the PL could be shooting itself in the foot. My suggestion is to dock the clubs six points each next season and fine them six million each. It's more than a slap on the wrist but not so much that would be counter-productive. The six clubs have already wasted six million euros each in setting up the Super League structure.
23 Apr 2021 16:16:40
I've been giving this a lot of thought because something HAS to change to stop this happening again next year! What if club owners when taking charge of a club had to aquire a license and maintaining said lisences was contingent on factors. Much like a pub they have to re-apply every say 4/ 5 years and if there are serious transgressions (like floating FFP or trying to start your own league) then (much like a pub license) it triggers an early automatic inspection? Also much like a pub license if the club fails the license tests then the person at the top can not get a license in their name for a set number of years. When a club fails the lisences test the clubs put under a transfer embargo and made to change ownership within a set period (say 2 years)?
I just think we have to be very careful with anything that punishes the team cause it shouldn't be forgtotten that amongst all the Super League nonsense some of those managers and players at those clubs did speak out! Whatever we may think of Pep or Klopp to pubically disagree with your pay masters took guts (just ask Ole he was silent throughout)! And have no doubt if those that did speak out feel they've been punished they will stay quiet next time (and there will be a next time)!
If you really want to hurt the owners then don't let them continue enjoying the prestige their position grants them. The league should say that as all trust has been broken then the peronel at the head of those clubs that did all this should pay the price! It seems ridicolous to me that this mostly came down to just six greedy owners, so they are the ones that should now lose out!
{Ed001's Note - I think licenses is a good idea, clubs shouldn't be owned in the first place, it is against the FA's original laws to float on the stock exchange and be owned by anyone other than fans. And there were a number of clubs blocked from doing so, until Spurs decided they wanted to do it and the FA has always favoured them and so allowed them to do so. The rules were not changed then, they just didn't bother to apply them. I wonder if they have been changed since then, or if it would be possible to just revive that rule? I don't know but it would certainly be a start towards ending any of this crap.}
23 Apr 2021 21:18:44
Fines and points deduction is not going to remedy the huge advantage these clubs have with the FFP rules which has always favoured these teams . The rules need to address this unfair advantage so to make the premier league more competitive.