We’ve seen during this crisis that while the vast majority of the population are trying to look after each other, there will always be the self-serving who want to take advantage and shore up their own interests.
While certain business owners have rightfully been pilloried by many for their actions, it looks like this is now extending to football too.
The Daily Record has looked at the situation around Europe just now, and it’s feared that Juventus chief Andrea Agnelli will try to force through his idea of a “closed shop” when it comes to The Champions League.
Here’s some of his comments on the matter, and it’s not great reading if you don’t support one of the few “elite” clubs.
“We are all football executives responsible for the well-being and sustainability of the clubs we manage, which are faced with a real existential threat.”
“As football is now at a standstill, so are our revenue flows on which we are dependent to pay our players, staff and other operating costs.”
“No one is immune and timing is of the essence. Meeting our concerns will be the biggest challenge our game and industry has ever faced.”
It’s also stated that he heads up a committee who is looking at revamping the European competition model, and he’s well known for wanting the same old clubs in the Champions League every year.
Clearly he’s looking after his own club’s interest and that of the few, but perhaps there could be a few positives that come from this.
The Champions League has become beyond stale in the past few years with the same teams reaching the knockout rounds – yes Celtic can benefit financially from reaching the group stages, but there’s no realistic chance of winning it.
Looking back, plenty of Celtic fans will count the run to the UEFA Cup final as being better than reaching the first knockout rounds of the Champions League, and the Europa League is much more varied and exciting to watch.
If the big clubs want to protect themselves in the short term and take the money for now then that’s fine, but they continue to leave regular fans behind and the lack of variety will lead to boredom soon enough.
It almost sounds like the competition will follow a common trend when it’s clear they’ve run out of ideas – change it for the sake of it, then return it to normal and spin it as a “massive shake up”.
As long as the biggest clubs continue to get richer then it’s all okay though, right?
