Martin Samuel

[Rag_hater]

As the jug eared cunt (Gary Lineker) once said football is a game the Germans always win.

Seems like we should give up without putting up any kind of fight because the old guard have everything.

[Foreverinbluedreams]

As the jug eared cunt (Gary Lineker) once said football is a game the Germans always win.

Seems like we should give up without putting up any kind of fight because the old guard have everything.

That would make us French.

[Slim]

As the jug eared cunt (Gary Lineker) once said football is a game the Germans always win.

Seems like we should give up without putting up any kind of fight because the old guard have everything.

That would make us French.

Merci Joey.

[john68]

I am amazed that some of you are surprised by some of this.

Platini's big face off with the G14 came some years ago and he lost. It was the time when KHR categorically told him that if he stood in the way of the big clubs and fought them, the G14 would "Shut the UeFA Shop."

UeFA have NEVER had any power themselves, Platini is only an administrator. The power within UeFA has always rested in the hands of the many and various committees. Those committees are loaded by representatives from the major clubs. It is where the like of Gill (the rags) and Gadzidis (Arsenal) get their power from.

On top of that...FIFA is similarily structured and controlled by committees and representatives from the continental bodies like UeFA. Funnily enough, the UeFA representatives at FIFA are loaded by the the G14 clubs or their acolytes.

Check out the construction of the ECA. Without checking, I don't believe that City have yet qualified for full membership.

Platini is and has been only a puppet for a very long time.

I just had a look at ECA site. City are a member.

It seems to me that the real power in football in Europe is now with the ECA. I don't know too much about them apart from the references I see in these articles relating to FFP. Do you know how Rummenige became chairman, I assume he was democratically elected? If this is the case who got a vote?

Check that membership again mate...City are an "Associated Member" not an ordinary member. The organisation has 2 levels of membership and we don't yet qualify for Ordinary membership. Fulham are keeping us out...though that may change over the next few weeks.

[ELB]

http://thepremierleagueowl.com/the-dark ... fair-play/
This article is an interesting slant on the effects of FFP and I wonder if City will be the forerunner in turning world-wide football into a corporate branding exercise in order to comply with the rules on expenditure

"To remain competitive in the future, and to preserve the financial resources that these clubs have become accustomed to utilising, they must all now fight each other for the false loyalties of fans worldwide".

"Within ten years, we’ll be watching teams who have adopted corporate branding into their names – there are no limits to how far these clubs will go to retain a competitive advantage, and the dark side of FFP is that it’s encouraging them to go to those depths. Before long, you won’t have favourite team, you’ll have a preferred franchise – crest alterations, ridiculously touring schedules, and an ever more diverse list of ‘official club partners’ are just the start of this process".

A recent email survey from City: -

Dear Ken
We would like your help in answering a few questions about a new product that is being considered. Manchester City would like to find a way to let its fans worldwide feel part of a global community of supporters. To do this, we are planning to create a new membership programme that would really put you at the heart of the club.

Is this the start of it? Manchester Etihad FC?

[Moonchesteri]

http://thepremierleagueowl.com/the-dark ... fair-play/
This article is an interesting slant on the effects of FFP and I wonder if City will be the forerunner in turning world-wide football into a corporate branding exercise in order to comply with the rules on expenditure

"To remain competitive in the future, and to preserve the financial resources that these clubs have become accustomed to utilising, they must all now fight each other for the false loyalties of fans worldwide".

"Within ten years, we’ll be watching teams who have adopted corporate branding into their names – there are no limits to how far these clubs will go to retain a competitive advantage, and the dark side of FFP is that it’s encouraging them to go to those depths. Before long, you won’t have favourite team, you’ll have a preferred franchise – crest alterations, ridiculously touring schedules, and an ever more diverse list of ‘official club partners’ are just the start of this process".

A recent email survey from City: -

Dear Ken
We would like your help in answering a few questions about a new product that is being considered. Manchester City would like to find a way to let its fans worldwide feel part of a global community of supporters. To do this, we are planning to create a new membership programme that would really put you at the heart of the club.

Is this the start of it? Manchester Etihad FC?

ugh. AWFUL idea. makes me cringe to even think about that. it's MANCHESTER CITY FOOTBALL CLUB, keep that in mind sheikh!

[kinkylola]

I think they should really just shoot everyone not from Manchester ... I mean everyone.

[patrickblue]

Check that membership again mate...City are an "Associated Member" not an ordinary member. The organisation has 2 levels of membership and we don't yet qualify for Ordinary membership. Fulham are keeping us out...though that may change over the next few weeks.

Help me out a bit here John. I can see that re-election is due around now, and I can see that England are going to be ranked in the top three, and therefore will have five ordinary members. What I can't see is how those five are chosen, and why Fulham are standing in our way.

[john68]

Check that membership again mate...City are an "Associated Member" not an ordinary member. The organisation has 2 levels of membership and we don't yet qualify for Ordinary membership. Fulham are keeping us out...though that may change over the next few weeks.

Help me out a bit here John. I can see that re-election is due around now, and I can see that England are going to be ranked in the top three, and therefore will have five ordinary members. What I can't see is how those five are chosen, and why Fulham are standing in our way.

To the best of my knowledge, it is solely based on the "European Coefficient" of the member clubs from each country.

Here's the fun bit.
Each individual club gets points awarded for their own individual performances in European competition.
They then get points awarded for their national sides performances.
They then get even more points if another individual club from their country is successful.

eg...when Chelsea won the CL, all the English clubs had extra points awarded...at this point you are either laughing uncontrollably or shaking your head in despair.
It is all designed to assist the clubs from the major countries (England, Germany, Italy and Spain) to rise up to the top. It is further designed to ensure that the larger clubs in those particular countries rise to the top domestically and because it is measured over 5 years, it allows for a major elite club to fucl up and not be punished too harshly by dropping down the coefficient league.

This system is the bedrock of the CL seeding.....NOW YOU'RE CRYING

[Rag_hater]

What I find encouraging is that Samuel used the word Holistic.Thats cool.

[Ted Hughes]

http://thepremierleagueowl.com/the-dark ... fair-play/
This article is an interesting slant on the effects of FFP and I wonder if City will be the forerunner in turning world-wide football into a corporate branding exercise in order to comply with the rules on expenditure

"To remain competitive in the future, and to preserve the financial resources that these clubs have become accustomed to utilising, they must all now fight each other for the false loyalties of fans worldwide".

"Within ten years, we’ll be watching teams who have adopted corporate branding into their names – there are no limits to how far these clubs will go to retain a competitive advantage, and the dark side of FFP is that it’s encouraging them to go to those depths. Before long, you won’t have favourite team, you’ll have a preferred franchise – crest alterations, ridiculously touring schedules, and an ever more diverse list of ‘official club partners’ are just the start of this process".

A recent email survey from City: -

Dear Ken
We would like your help in answering a few questions about a new product that is being considered. Manchester City would like to find a way to let its fans worldwide feel part of a global community of supporters. To do this, we are planning to create a new membership programme that would really put you at the heart of the club.

Is this the start of it? Manchester Etihad FC?

ugh. AWFUL idea. makes me cringe to even think about that. it's MANCHESTER CITY FOOTBALL CLUB, keep that in mind sheikh!

There is no mention whatsoever of 'Etihad' branding of City in that email.

It sounds to me like an idea of signing up 'members' from all around the world, probably selling them some kind of membership 'package' etc with certain benefits & imo sounds like an absolutely fucking brilliant idea which would be very difficult for Mr Platini to police & could have advertising implications & bring in millions in revenue.

[Nigels Tackle]

http://thepremierleagueowl.com/the-dark ... fair-play/
This article is an interesting slant on the effects of FFP and I wonder if City will be the forerunner in turning world-wide football into a corporate branding exercise in order to comply with the rules on expenditure

"To remain competitive in the future, and to preserve the financial resources that these clubs have become accustomed to utilising, they must all now fight each other for the false loyalties of fans worldwide".

"Within ten years, we’ll be watching teams who have adopted corporate branding into their names – there are no limits to how far these clubs will go to retain a competitive advantage, and the dark side of FFP is that it’s encouraging them to go to those depths. Before long, you won’t have favourite team, you’ll have a preferred franchise – crest alterations, ridiculously touring schedules, and an ever more diverse list of ‘official club partners’ are just the start of this process".

A recent email survey from City: -

Dear Ken
How's Julie? You know that she was doing the dirty behind your back in the 70s.....
A right goer by all accounts.

[Foreverinbluedreams]

I am amazed that some of you are surprised by some of this.

Platini's big face off with the G14 came some years ago and he lost. It was the time when KHR categorically told him that if he stood in the way of the big clubs and fought them, the G14 would "Shut the UeFA Shop."

UeFA have NEVER had any power themselves, Platini is only an administrator. The power within UeFA has always rested in the hands of the many and various committees. Those committees are loaded by representatives from the major clubs. It is where the like of Gill (the rags) and Gadzidis (Arsenal) get their power from.

On top of that...FIFA is similarily structured and controlled by committees and representatives from the continental bodies like UeFA. Funnily enough, the UeFA representatives at FIFA are loaded by the the G14 clubs or their acolytes.

Check out the construction of the ECA. Without checking, I don't believe that City have yet qualified for full membership.

Platini is and has been only a puppet for a very long time.

I just had a look at ECA site. City are a member.

It seems to me that the real power in football in Europe is now with the ECA. I don't know too much about them apart from the references I see in these articles relating to FFP. Do you know how Rummenige became chairman, I assume he was democratically elected? If this is the case who got a vote?

Check that membership again mate...City are an "Associated Member" not an ordinary member. The organisation has 2 levels of membership and we don't yet qualify for Ordinary membership. Fulham are keeping us out...though that may change over the next few weeks.

See, I told you I don't know much about them. ;-)

Do you know how Rummenige became chairman? Did he just rock up in his panzer and say 'right! I'm having this'? or was he elected?

[john68]

TBH, I don't know the exact machinations of KHR's rise to power but he's been a prime mover in the football political stakes since the 1980s and seems to have been well involved in moves by the elite clubs from well before the G14 was actually formalised.

He was certainly at the centre of the moves to coerce UeFA when the setting up of a breakaway European League was planned and was powerful enough at that time to face off with Platini and threaten to "Close the UeFA shop" if UeFA didn't cow to the G14's demands of restructuring the European Cup into the CL, in the manner that the G14 clubs wanted.

With regard to the setting up of the ECA, It was the end product of another face off between the G14 and UeFA. With KHR at the centre, they demanded that UeFA negotiate directly with the G14. Platini intially refused saying UeFA represented ALL European Clubs. A face saving compromise was made with the G14 being disabanded and the ECA with a Europeanwide remit being set up.

On the face of it, the ECA has representatives from just about all the European FAs but closer scrutiny seems to show that dual membership allows the more powerful clubs to be remain in a more powerful position within the organisation.

I do believe he was elected but think it was almost a formality.

Now you know all that, you are as clever as me...but I still retain my genius status...:-)

[Foreverinbluedreams]

Thanks John, so what to do? Fight them on the beaches etc. or 'if you can't beat them, join them'?

[john68]

Thanks John, so what to do? Fight them on the beaches etc. or 'if you can't beat them, join them'?

TBH, I think they have been allowed far too long to embed themselves into the fabric of global football to be stopped, other than by an equally powerful group. My take for the future is that Platini will eventually take the FIFA job and the European clubs will exert global power from behind the throne.

Though it is another issue entirely, I believe that will be a bad thing for global football, focusing the power with the big money men behind the clubs at the expense of the emerging and poorer nations.

in time, opposition will emerge, but I think it depends from where. The USA, China or maybe from the new money men who seem to be being sidelined at present.

[ELB]

http://thepremierleagueowl.com/the-dark ... fair-play/
This article is an interesting slant on the effects of FFP and I wonder if City will be the forerunner in turning world-wide football into a corporate branding exercise in order to comply with the rules on expenditure

"To remain competitive in the future, and to preserve the financial resources that these clubs have become accustomed to utilising, they must all now fight each other for the false loyalties of fans worldwide".

"Within ten years, we’ll be watching teams who have adopted corporate branding into their names – there are no limits to how far these clubs will go to retain a competitive advantage, and the dark side of FFP is that it’s encouraging them to go to those depths. Before long, you won’t have favourite team, you’ll have a preferred franchise – crest alterations, ridiculously touring schedules, and an ever more diverse list of ‘official club partners’ are just the start of this process".

A recent email survey from City: -

Dear Ken
How's Julie? You know that she was doing the dirty behind your back in the 70s.....
A right goer by all accounts.

Sorry Nigel - wrong Ken

[zuricity]

What I find encouraging is that Samuel used the word Holistic.Thats cool.

Whilst it is laudable that Samuel writes this article. I still wonder why it took him or any other journalist so long to point out the obvious. Many of us have been saying for ages that CL and Europa cup profits should go to the league and not just those that enter the comps. Also that , other factors than just turnover are important.

[Im_Spartacus]

Whilst it is laudable that Samuel writes this article. I still wonder why it took him or any other journalist so long to point out the obvious. Many of us have been saying for ages that CL and Europa cup profits should go to the league and not just those that enter the comps. Also that , other factors than just turnover are important.

To be fair, I think he has penned a number of scathing attacks on the logic and strategy of ffp over the last few years.

But he can realistically only write about it every now and again at the risk of sounding like a stuck record

[zuricity]

To be fair, I think he has penned a number of scathing attacks on the logic and strategy of ffp over the last few years.

But he can realistically only write about it every now and again at the risk of sounding like a stuck record

I can't recall if he has or not. Certainly the enthusiasm he gave to this article is to be complemented.

Having the french taunter in his own backyard certainly helped though.