Month: April 2021

Arteta: Fan outrage at Super League gives ‘the strongest message’

Mikel Arteta says supporters gave ‘the strongest message’ in the history of football by opposing plans for a breakaway European Super League.

Arsenal were one of the six Premier League sides who agreed to join on Sunday evening.

But following intense backlash from pretty much everyone involved in the game, the proposals were shelved on Tuesday.

MEDIAWATCH: How Jurgen Klopp saved us from the Super League

Arsenal, alongside the rest of the ‘Big Six’, opted to leave and quickly sent out a statement to their fans.

The Gunners’ statement was praised for acknowledging their misjudgement and for apologising to supporters.

When asked if he had received an apology from owner Stan Kroenke, Arteta said: “Yes, absolutely.

“They [the owners] have the maximum responsibility to run the football club and what they said was: ‘apologies for disturbing the team, we did it without the capacity to communicate in a different way earlier and pass on my message to the players’ – that is all you can ask for.

“I found out just a little bit before the news was leaked. And then everything was completely out of control and the world reacted in a really unified manner.

“There was not really time to think about it, reflect and evaluate or anything because by the time that was out, a big tsunami already came onto it and basically killed it.

“Vinai [Venkatesham, chief executive] spoke to me and explained a little bit what was happening. He was very clear and transparent with me. I understand the reasons why we could not know. We were not involved in the decision.”

Arteta thinks the speedy backtracking from Premier League clubs shows how important football is to the fans.

He continued: “I think this has given big lessons and it shows the importance of football in the world.

“And it shows that the soul of this sport belongs to the fans – and that’s it. During this pandemic, for a year, we have been trying to sustain this industry with no fans in the stadium.

“But, when the fans have to come out and talk, they’ve done it really loud and clear, and they sent probably the strongest message that has ever been sent in the football world.

“And every club, leaving their interests apart, has done the right thing – which is, they are the ones [the fans], we have to listen to them, we put it aside and in 24 hours we kill the project.

“So that is a massive statement for the history of football.”

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Butt: Man Utd apology ‘irrelevant’ after ‘worst case of bullying’

Former Manchester United midfielder Nicky Butt, who left his role as the club’s head of first-team development last month, described the way the Super League concoction as “the worst case of bullying”.

Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Tottenham, Arsenal and Chelsea announced their intention to join the Super League on Sunday night, but have already withdrawn from the competition.

FEATURE: Ranking the Big Six’s humiliating Super League climbdowns

The outrage of the fans, pundits, players, managers, other clubs and stakeholders is thought to have been a major factor in their decision to back out and Liverpool owner John W Henry has accepted full responsibility for the decision in an apology to Liverpool fans.

But Butt says any apology will fall on deaf ears, with the breakaway decision unforgivable.

Butt told Sky Sports News: “I don’t think apologies are too great anyway, if I’m honest. I think what happened should never have happened.

“What happened is the worst case of bullying, in my opinion, from powerful people, so whether they apologise or not is irrelevant to me, really.”

And Graeme Souness says those that have made the decisions need to be held to account and that Ed Woodward’s decision to resign from Manchester United is just the first of what he thinks will be many departures from the six English clubs.

“This is just the beginning,” he said on Sky Sports. “The supporters will not forgive the people who decided to go for this idea. They talk a good game, they tell us how much they love their football clubs, how they are behind it – but they have been shown to sell their soul basically.

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“They were going to sell the souls of our major institutions. They were selling their souls for quick money. Our supporters will not forgive them. We are not America. Britain is a proper country. Yes we are not perfect, we are a proper country filled with proper people.

“I don’t know how these clubs will manage to get them onside and this is just the tip of the iceberg. I expect to see more people resign.

“The damage, if you imagine what has been going on, this has been on the go for months and months. These chairman have been going to Premier League meetings knowing their intention was to pull out. They have been so underhanded and this will be a relationship that will need some mending.

“The decision has been made in America, they have no idea how we view football in our country. They have got it wrong at every level. Is there a chance of it being revitalised? I don’t think so.

“You wouldn’t want to go nowhere near it. Man City money is not a problem for them. Roman Abramovich wont be hoping for a quick buck, but the rest of them might have been.

“Some of the Americans may have looked at this and wanted to get out in two years but they have been found out. How will the scousers take to John Henry after this? I don’t think he comes back after this.

“They will not forgive John Henry for this. It’s different for Abramovich, it seems like he has been dragged in, City have been dragged in by the Americans and the clubs in Spain who are by all accounts absolutely skint. The relationship between the fans and board will be damaged forever.”

 

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Chelsea fan group calls for complicit board members to resign

The Chelsea Supporters’ Trust has called for the board members who were complicit in the European Super League saga to resign.

On Tuesday, the Blues reversed their decision to join a new European competition.

They were soon joined by the rest of the ‘Big Six’, as well as Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan.

OPINION: Sterling’s Manchester City drought is his most worrying yet

Chelsea’s goalless draw with Brighton was affected by fan protests outside Stamford Bridge.

Technical advisor and former player Petr Cech called for patience, predicting the club would soon depart the ESL.

They did so hours afterwards, but the Chelsea Supporters’ Trust thinks more action needs to be taken.

A statement read: “It has been confirmed that CFC is officially withdrawing their intention to join the European Super League.

“Whilst this is a huge win for supporters worldwide, our fight to secure the proper future of the club will continue.

“The CST is appalled with the tone and insincerity of the statement issued by CFC today. We request a full and in-depth explanation as to why the board took the decision to turn their back on the European competition and for CFC to explain why they signed up to the Super League without prior consultation with their loyal supporters.

“We are disappointed that an apology has not been included in the statement.

“The legacy of our club was put at risk for what appears to have been solely for financial gain.

“The CST presently have little or no confidence in our current leadership at board level.

“On Monday [club chairman] Bruce Buck extensively defended CFC’s plan to remain in the Super League at a fan’s forum meeting.

“Buck alongside [CEO] Guy Laurence appears to have given no consideration towards the loyal supporters, so their positions would seem untenable moving forward.”

All six Premier League sides have issued statements regarding their involvement and subsequent withdrawal from the ESL.

Liverpool owner John W Henry has appeared publicly to apologise to Reds fans.

More apologies, alongside genuine change, are needed if fans are to regain some trust in the people who run their beloved clubs.

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Agnelli admits Super League defeat despite ‘beauty of project’

Breakaway European Super League founder and Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli admits defeat but “remains convinced of the beauty of that project”.

Plans were announced on Sunday for a midweek European Super League featuring 12 names founding members and had crumbled by Tuesday night following the withdrawal of the six English clubs.

Asked whether the plan could still go ahead on Wednesday, Agnelli said: “To be frank and honest no, evidently that is not the case.”

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OPINION: UEFA and Premier League still self-serving greed merchants

But he maintains the proposals represented change that is needed in European football.

“I remain convinced of the beauty of that project,” said Agnelli.

“But admittedly, I don’t think that the project is now still up and running.”

Manchester United’s executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward announced he will be leaving the club in the wake of the failed Super League plans and John W Henry has apologised to Liverpool fans.

But Graeme Souness says Woodward’s departure will be “just the beginning” as he criticised Henry’s attempt to Americanise a “proper country”.

“This is just the beginning,” he said on Sky Sports. “The supporters will not forgive the people who decided to go for this idea. They talk a good game, they tell us how much they love their football clubs, how they are behind it – but they have been shown to sell their soul basically.

“They were going to sell the souls of our major institutions. They were selling their souls for quick money. Our supporters will not forgive them. We are not America. Britain is a proper country. Yes we are not perfect, we are a proper country filled with proper people.

“I don’t know how these clubs will manage to get them onside and this is just the tip of the iceberg. I expect to see more people resign.

“The damage, if you imagine what has been going on, this has been on the go for months and months. These chairman have been going to Premier League meetings knowing their intention was to pull out. They have been so underhanded and this will be a relationship that will need some mending.

“The decision has been made in America, they have no idea how we view football in our country. They have got it wrong at every level. Is there a chance of it being revitalised? I don’t think so.

“You wouldn’t want to go nowhere near it. Man City money is not a problem for them. Roman Abramovich wont be hoping for a quick buck, but the rest of them might have been.

“Some of the Americans may have looked at this and wanted to get out in two years but they have been found out. How will the scousers take to John Henry after this? I don’t think he comes back after this.

“They will not forgive John Henry for this. It’s different for Abramovich, it seems like he has been dragged in, City have been dragged in by the Americans and the clubs in Spain who are by all accounts absolutely skint. The relationship between the fans and board will be damaged forever.”

 

‘The winner is the status quo’ – Barnes sends warning over ESL

John Barnes has warned that the European Super League exit is not a victory for the fans, but a victory for the ‘status quo of football exploitation’.

The Premier League’s ‘Big Six’ have now left the ESL after widespread condemnation from fans.

It’s thought that the proposed European competition will now collapse without half of its founding members.

FEATURE: Ten Spursiest moments of Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham reign

The news has led to a celebration amongst all those involved in sport. It shows that fans do have a voice and that club owners will listen to them.

But Barnes has warned that our beautiful game has been exploited since long before the ESL plans were announced.

He said: “This has been a power struggle. Let’s not be fooled, the fans have got nothing to do with this.

“This is a power struggle between elite groups – UEFA, FIFA, Sky – everybody who runs football now, and a new group wanting to come in and take over and it’s right to exploit football and exploit the masses.

“So now that the fans have won, are the ticket prices going to be less? Infact, are they going to be able to get tickets? Are the share prices going to go down?

“I don’t know how they [the fans] have won. They may feel they have won, but the winner is the status quo, which has been that football has been exploited for years.”

Liverpool owner John W Henry publicly apologised to Reds fans after they withdrew from the ESL.

#FSGOut and #HenryOut have been trending on Twitter as fans try to make more significant change.

However, Barnes thinks any new owner would act in a similar way to Henry.

He continued: “If Liverpool fans are unhappy and they say they want to get rid of John Henry and want him to sell the club, who do they want him to sell the club to? Somebody with more money than him?

“If somebody comes in with the same amount of money, how do you think they got that money? By making decisions based on finance without regard [for the fans].”

Barnes put forward his ideas to make football fairer: “The only way it will work is if we can control football by bringing a salary cap in, controlling it, reviewing it, being better audited, so that it’s a level playing field for every team in the Premier League. So they can all spend the same amount of money.”

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Callihan vs. Miguel, eight-man tag match added to Impact Rebellion

Two new matches have been added to the Impact Wrestling Rebellion pay-per-view, set for Sunday, April 25th.

Sami Callihan will face Trey Miguel in a last man standing match. The two have been at odds for more than a month as Callihan has been trying to get Miguel to raise his game and unleash more violence. On Thursday’s show, he asked Miguel to join him, but Miguel refused. The two brawled and Callihan left Miguel laying after hitting an exploder on a chair.

In an eight-man tag team match, Violent By Design (Eric Young, Joe Doering, Rhino, Deaner) will face James Storm, Chris Sabin, Eddie Edwards and Willie Mack. This was born out of the Hardcore War eight-man match at last Saturday’s Hardcore Justice with all eight men brawling on Thursday’s show to set this up.

Here’s the full card for Rebellion as of now:

Impact World Champion Rich Swann vs. AEW World Champion Kenny Omega in a title vs. title match
Tag Team Champions FinJuice (David Finlay and Juice Robinson) vs. The Good Brothers in a title match
X-Division Champion Ace Austin vs. Josh Alexander vs. TJP
Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo vs. Tenille Dashwood
Matt Cardona vs. Brian Myers
Sami Callihan vs. Trey Miguel last man standing match
Violence By Design vs. James Storm, Chris Sabin, Eddie Edwards and Willie Mack