The future of football?

[pineapple stu]

Given the Premiership's notion of a 39th league game to be played abroad, I think a thread about where football will be in 20 years' time would be interesting.

I'd like to think there'll be a few more FC Uniteds in England anyways as proper fans get sick of being pushed around. I think the premiership may well go global - there's simply far too many idiots out there with money to hold it back. They may well be joined by some of the other big clubs - Real, Barca, AC, Inter, Juve, etc. International football - will it have any relevance? Probably less than today anyway. There's no sign of any budging on terracing bar a couple of comments in parliament quickly rebuffed. The eL will probably still be looking for a quick fix. The gap between the big and the small will presumably grow to even larger proportions. Don't know how much effect Platini's proposals will have. May even be ignored and see the top clubs break away from UEFA entirely, although they're onside for now with the disbanding of the G14.

Thoughts?

[Poor Student]

How does this 39th round work? You play one team three times?:confused:

Japanese FA seems to oppose the idea (http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=506214&cc=5739):
However, JFA vice-president Junji Ogura was quick to play down the possibility of the Premier League staging fixtures in Japan.

'It sounds problematic,' Ogura said.

'We are, in principle, opposed to having their [Premier League] games in Japan as we have to protect our league and clubs.

'In Japan, we don't allow anyone to play a match that involves only foreign clubs and no Japanese clubs.'

[pineapple stu]

Have you been on Mars the last few days? (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/7232390.stm)

Good to hear that from Japan anyway. Problem is, of course, that there's so many countries in the world obsessed with English football, that finding ten would be easy enough.

[Greenforever]

From RTE Aertel Platini's views on this idea

http://www.rte.ie/aertel/images/232-01.gif

Really sums up English football, money is the only God and not even winning is as important as making £££profits,

[sonofstan]

I think the idea of a continuity between all football -from sunday leagues all the way up to national premier divisions and on to European competition, allied to national associations and national teams will be broken; instead a European wide Franchise, probably growing from the prem will decisively break from UEFA/ FIFA and organise competitions without relegation or promotion from vestigial national leagues. These clubs will probably withdraw their players from national teams, leaving smaller nations and non- European ones stronger, but even the World cup will probably mean less; instead a nearly year round super- prem, featuring teams with possible multiple 'homes', inside and outside europe, will dominate the media.

[rambler14]

A 39th game ain't the future. The future is Garlic Bread at every premiership match.

[Poor Student]

Have you been on Mars the last few days? (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/7232390.stm)

Just hadn't read the finer details. A 39th round makes a mockery of even competition. What if Man U get the 20th placed team and hockey them and Arsenal get the 11th placed team and draw leaving Man U to win the title by a point?


Good to hear that from Japan anyway. Problem is, of course, that there's so many countries in the world obsessed with English football, that finding ten would be easy enough.

The English Sunday Times says the Dublin is a target city for the first year. The GAA is reported to be hostile to the idea and says Croke Park will not be made available.;) The FAI said their only interest is in promoting the LOI and the only game they want at Landsdowne in 2011 is the UEFA Cup final.

[osarusan]

A 39th round makes a mockery of even competition. What if Man U get the 20th placed team and hockey them and Arsenal get the 11th placed team and draw leaving Man U to win the title by a point?
Absolutely. Even Keane, who seemed somewhat enthusiastic, said something along the lines of "if we play one of the top four, I might think differently".



The English Sunday Times says the Dublin is a target city for the first year. The GAA is reported to be hostile to the idea and says Croke Park will not be made available.;) The FAI said their only interest is in promoting the LOI and the only game they want at Landsdowne in 2011 is the UEFA Cup final.

I don't really see why Dublin would be a popular city for it. The idea behind it seems to be to give more exposure to the league in areas where the league can make more money than it is now. Asia, the Middle East, for example.

I'd imagine that Ireland has reached saturation in terms of the EPL.

[Poor Student]

I don't really see why Dublin would be a popular city for it.

Maybe it's seen as a safe bet to pilot the idea? A guaranteed sellout.

[pineapple stu]

My thoughts too. But there's nowhere to play the game as the GAA will mots definitely not let them in. Maybe we should be thankful to them for once!

Also, from what I've read, they're looking to be able to play ten games one after the other, so they want a roughly even spread of games over the various time zones. Given a good chunk of Europe would probably be out, Ireland would be a handy one (along with South Africa) in the GMT time zone to host a game.

[superfrank]

My thoughts too. But there's nowhere to play the game as the GAA will mots definitely not let them in.
They gave in to the "foreign sports" when the money was enough. I don't think the GAA would be as big an obstacle as people may believe, or like to.

Surely Lansdowne Road will be done up by 2011.

On a global scale, I can see football becoming even more of a big business and losing touch with it's local fans. Club football will probably become international if G-14 have their way. Hopefully the genuine fans who care about their team, not the quality, will stay local.

[jebus]

European Superleague is still the wave of the future, but I think they will take it to a global audience, Man Utd vs Real Madrid from Tokyo, Inter Milan vs Bayern Munich from London, Barcelona vs Chelsea from New York etc. and the National leagues will become feeder clubs for this league, something akin to what happened with AIL in rugby once the Magniers league and the European Cup kicked in.

International football is on the outs, I think thats fairly obvious, it may be kept on in the underage form, but senior international football isn't worth a damn anymore.

Also I think the popularity of football in Europe is going to dramatically decline, I already know a lot of former hardcore football fans who aren't all that interested anymore, but it will increase in Asia, Africa and the US, with South America staying as is for the time being

[reder]

I cant see the PL bothering coming here. As everyone knows, interest in the PL here is massive and they are looking for new markets.

I presume Lansdowne road will be finished by 2011. In the very unlikely event that a game is played here, I would prefer to see it being played in Lansdowne as it is the proper home of irish football. Ditto for any european final.

However, if the ground isnt ready, I have zero doubt that they will let the PL in after receiving a nice big pay-off.

[micls]

I cant see the PL bothering coming here. As everyone knows, interest in the PL here is massive and they are looking for new markets.

I presume Lansdowne road will be finished by 2011. In the very unlikely event that a game is played here, I would prefer to see it being played in Lansdowne as it is the proper home of irish football. Ditto for any european final.

However, if the ground isnt ready, I have zero doubt that they will let the PL in after receiving a nice big pay-off.

Key words in that post.

The FAI shouldn't even consider letting this happen.

[pineapple stu]

They gave in to the "foreign sports" when the money was enough. I don't think the GAA would be as big an obstacle as people may believe, or like to.

Surely Lansdowne Road will be done up by 2011.
For English football, I'd say they'd still complain. The two things the GAA hate the most combined.

But you're right about Lansdowne. Forgot about that being back.

[DaveyCakes]

On a global scale, I can see football becoming even more of a big business and losing touch with it's local fans. Club football will probably become international if G-14 have their way. Hopefully the genuine fans who care about their team, not the quality, will stay local.

The G-14 has disbanded.

[jebus]

After America said they don't want Premier League games played there Asia has now followed suit according to the Beeb website. Given that Europe, South America and Russia will be a no-go area given the standard of their own leagues that just leaves Australia and Africa to pull out to leave this farce of an idea dead in the water