UEFA admit that Champions League 'is killing football'

[patsh]

To all those who thought that anyone worried about $hels possible domination of our league was being stupid, read this.
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THE Champions League has created, in almost every country in Europe, an elite of rich clubs whose increasing dominance is turning their domestic title races into predictable turn-offs for fans, UEFA are warning.

England's Premiership is one of the least open because the 'competitive imbalance' between the richest three - Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United - and their 17 rivals has become so acute on and off the pitch, say UEFA. Urgent measures are needed to bridge the widening financial gap or clubs such as former European trophy-winners Ipswich Town and Nottingham Forest could disappear within 20 years, said William Gaillard, communications chief with European football's governing body.

UEFA is alarmed that the fight to become the champion from England and Scotland to Italy, Portugal, Norway and Latvia is increasingly being contested by small numbers of clubs who have used Champions League revenue to outstrip the rest.

"It's a serious concern for us that in many European countries only a small number of teams can win the domestic league title," said Gaillard. "This competitive imbalance is not unique in England, but it is quite pronounced."

UEFA president Lennart Johansson privately blames the Champions League's financial rewards to clubs for ruining domestic football. "He feels that UEFA created this fantastic competition in 1992 but that it has now become also a monster that has produced this unequal struggle between haves and have-nots in countries across Europe," said a source.

Gaillard added: "Before you could play for or support Ipswich Town, Nottingham Forest or Derby County and have a chance that in your lifetime they will win the league or FA Cup, but today that chance is becoming more remote. These mid-size teams have made the history of European football. There are a lot of glorious names today that if nothing is done, in 20 years' time will be threatened with extinction because they have no possibility of getting to the top eight or 10 in their countries because they are cut off from the extra income that comes from playing in the Champions League and UEFA Cup."

UEFA's alarm comes as a new report by The Sports Nexus today warns that Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle are becoming a perpetual elite whose financial firepower sets them apart because between them they always win the league and claim Champions League places.

The total amount of the Premiership's revenue earned by these five has grown from 26.8% in 1993 to over 47% now.

From http://www.unison.ie/sportsdesk/stories.php3?ca=12&si=1283415

[aka Dus]

Is this supposed to be 'news'? It's as new as unison telling us that the Berlin Wall is coming down.

[eoinh]

I actually think that article is trying to raise alarm bells that really arent there.

For instance Portugal before the champions league was introduced was actually more of a closed shop than it is now.

Belenenses (who had only won the trophy once), Sporting, Porto and Benfica were the only winners of the Portugese Super Liga. Boavista won the league a few years ago and a glance at the table in recent seasons would show a much more tight race.

The italian league was never a hugely open championnship with loads of teams competing for the title. There have always been four or five teams main teams. This years championship is quite open with a lot of small "teams" competing. Messina and Lecce are hardly big boys.

Rosenbourg are not the team they once were and are slowly losing their grip. Their success in europe has opened two champions league spots for norway and increased investment in a country that previously had little interest in football.

Stadiums like Branns can be traced back to Rosenbourgs success who are a fading force. (Witness their very very lucky win this season on the last day).

Think of europes leagues


Albania
Andorra
Armenia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Belarus
Belgium
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
England
Estonia
FYR Macedonia
Faroe Islands
Finland
France
Georgia
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Israel
Italy
Kazakhstan
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Moldova
Netherlands
Northern Ireland
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Rep. of Ireland
Romania
Russia
San Marino
Scotland
Serbia-Montenegro
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
Ukraine
Wales


How many of those leagues can you honestly say have had their title races affected by the champions league? I would say three (Norway, Latvia and England). Scotland like Holland for instance has a limited number of dominant clubs but this was happening before the campions league came in the scene.
Dont mistake dominance as being a product of the champions league if the symptom was already there. You cant blames celtics 10 in a row in the 60's/70s on the champions league for instance.

[Scout]

When there was no Champions league there was always the hope that the Irish teams would draw a big name like Liverpool, United or Real Madrid. Now all that's guaranteed is a trip to Eastern Europe!!

Any money that UEFA give for making the competition is eroded by the costs of travelling there and Europe ends as soon as it begins.

Go back to the old system and make every club equal - Open draw could pit Shels or Cork City against Man Utd or Celtic and supporters from all over would travel to the home leg guaranteeing a bumper pay day and no travel to the far reaches of Europe!!

[Poor Student]

How many of those leagues can you honestly say have had their title races affected by the champions league? I would say three (Norway, Latvia and England). Scotland like Holland for instance has a limited number of dominant clubs but this was happening before the campions league came in the scene.
Dont mistake dominance as being a product of the champions league if the symptom was already there. You cant blames celtics 10 in a row in the 60's/70s on the champions league for instance.

Don't you think the CL money only compounds these factors which existed prior to the creation of the CL? Boavista are not a good example as they have not had the same sustained degree of European success as Porto who have heavily dominated domestic football since the CL began. I know NK Maribor in Slovenia were able to use the CL money they got from getting into the group stages one year to help achieve a 7 year title run. They were nobodies in Yugoslav football pre independence whereas their rivals Olimpija were actually in the Yugoslav Premier Division at times but the CL cash enabled them to totally dominate the bigger club continuously. As far as I know Rosenborg have no real tradition before the CL of winning things. Yes their power is waning but then again they haven't been doing as well as they used to due to the co-efficient system weighing them down. Nevermind how Messina and Lecce are doing now. Where will they be come the season's end? Who outside of the big clubs in italy has ever qualified for the CL? It's undoubtable that the CL has widened the gap between rich and poor. Getting into it gives you cash. The cash that gives you an advantage over others to get there again and get more cash and so on.

[eoinh]

Don't you think the CL money only compounds these factors which existed prior to the creation of the CL? Boavista are not a good example as they have not had the same sustained degree of European success as Porto who have heavily dominated domestic football since the CL began. I know NK Maribor in Slovenia were able to use the CL money they got from getting into the group stages one year to help achieve a 7 year title run. They were nobodies in Yugoslav football pre independence whereas their rivals Olimpija were actually in the Yugoslav Premier Division at times but the CL cash enabled them to totally dominate the bigger club continuously. As far as I know Rosenborg have no real tradition before the CL of winning things. Yes their power is waning but then again they haven't been doing as well as they used to due to the co-efficient system weighing them down. Nevermind how Messina and Lecce are doing now. Where will they be come the season's end? Who outside of the big clubs in italy has ever qualified for the CL? It's undoubtable that the CL has widened the gap between rich and poor. Getting into it gives you cash. The cash that gives you an advantage over others to get there again and get more cash and so on.

well, Olimpija Ljubljana won the league four times in a row in slovenia since independence and Gorica won the league last year.

I dont doubt that champions league money helps clubs. I just think its over emphasised. The clubs that tended to dominate leagues before the champions league still do. Thats my only point really.

Quote scout
When there was no Champions league there was always the hope that the Irish teams would draw a big name like Liverpool, United or Real Madrid. Now all that's guaranteed is a trip to Eastern Europe!!

Uefa changed the draw last year in the UEFA Cup and regionalised the draw. Eastern European trips in the main now will be gone. They didnt do it in the Champions league.

This year Shels played Deportiva La Coruna from Europes greatest league - not to be sneezed at. Lille and Nantes also played here.
Both teams from a quality league. All it takes is for a small improvement like this season and you will get those teams.

[Slash/ED]

When there was no Champions league there was always the hope that the Irish teams would draw a big name like Liverpool, United or Real Madrid. Now all that's guaranteed is a trip to Eastern Europe!!


No, the new European system is far better for EL clubs, we have something to aim for now. One off draws achieve nothing, you get a good day out and that's it. Now we can aim for the group stages of the CL, that's when we'll know we've made it and when these one off matches wont be one offs anymore.

[CollegeTillIDie]

There should only be one team per country allowed into the Champions League.... the bloody Champions....
The present competition is the biggest misnomer since the Trade Descriptions Act was passed.

The way to reward the so called Stronger nations is to seed their Champions directly into the League Group phase and everyone else has to qualify via Qualification rounds as the likes of Shelbourne had to play in this year.

There should be one team from each of the 50+ UEFA members allowed into the Champions League and the strongest Nations , Spain, France, Germany, Italy,Portugal, England, should have seeded teams direct to the group stage.
As regards the G14 teams that do not win their Leagues PHUCK them. They can be seeded in the UEFA Cup instead!