The G14 Looks to Expand
By: Bob | May 17th, 2007
As far as stories go, this one is far from sexy, but it could have a major impact on the future of European football. The rich kids club known as the G14 – a group of 18 mondo wealthy football clubs in Europe – announced Thursday that it is now accepting applications for membership. In fact, it wants to double the size of its country club membership by the end of this year.
Some of the teams that are rumored to be in the running for membership include Chelsea, Celtic, Rangers, Red Star Belgrade and Galatasary, although Manchester United and Arsenal are said to be “uncomfortable with the idea” of Chelsea joining. High school clicks never die.
Why does any of this matter? It might not. To this point the G14 has done a lot of bitching and moaning and threatening, but it has been little more than a thorn in the side of FIFA and the country federations.
But when it starts adding teams and starts adding even more money and more influence in other countries, one can’t help but think it will add to its say in European football. This just seems to me like it is another step in the direction of a European Super League, something that I am starting to think is both unfortunate and inevitable.
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Comments
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Capitalist leaches who prey upon the lives of the people! ALL of the associations and federations are now completely on my nerves. I could send a list if you want, but it would be the same as everyone else’s. Although…I can’t get the “booking for being happy” rule out of my mind…not our biggest problem but so representative of just Not Getting It and generally trying to suck the fun out!
Posted from
United States
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…and, yeah, obviously the whole creating hierarchies that grind down every club aside from the top four, and influence style of play across the league as a side effect. OK, I don’t need to send more of my list…and I’m actually leaving the building so can’t be tempted. I am nothing if not the absolute picture of restraint…
Posted from
United States -
“We will outline the criteria in the coming months, one of which is already agreed and that is in sporting excellence. But this will be a balanced and geographical expansion and nobody will be excluded,”
Sporting excellence, my heinie. How does one achieve “sporting excellence”? Couldn’t have anything at all to do with money, could it? Does anybody think for a second that the smaller, lower-budget clubs will meet the criteria to even be considered for membership? Ever?
I shudder to think how this will corrupt both club and international football as the balance of power shifts even more to the bigger, moneyed clubs. Goodbye to international friendlies, for one thing, because who will be able to afford to take the risk of having a player get injured and having to pay the club compensation?
This offends me on any number of levels.
Posted from
United States -
I piss on the G-14. With all my might.
Posted from
Canada -
While the idea of the G-14 is repulsive on a moral level, it’s the way of the future, and at this point, it’s more prudent to look into how to balance clubs versus country as opposed to wishing that we could go back to the days when football was just about pride and the love of the game.
Players want lots of money from their clubs, so I understand why clubs get annoyed when they get injured on international duty and are forced to sit out for several months at a time.
Take Cisse, for example – he got hurt during a friendly against China, but it was Liverpool and Marseille paying him a 4+ million Euro salary to get better. So I don’t think you can blame the clubs for wanting something in return unless you impose some kind of salary cap on the players first (which will never happen in Europe).
Maybe they could have some kind of player’s insurance, or something kind of cap placed on compensation?
Money shouldn’t matter, but it does, not just to the clubs, but also to the players and the fans. After all, we like it when our clubs have star players, the best stadiums, etc. Clubs on a budget just aren’t fashionable.
And the national teams benefit from a club’s money as well because after all, these are the best players in the world, and besides their skill and talent, they are lending their country media exposure and image.
It’s a vicious circle, but as with any other big sport, football is a business as well as a pleasure.
Posted from
United States
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