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View From The Churchill
Much has been written about the Premier League’s proposal to stage a 39th
game for each Premiership side. The instigators ended up with egg on their faces
and the proposals have, for now at least, been quietly dropped. So, is this the
end of the matter? Like buggery it is! There is money to be made and the Premier
League and it’s member clubs have already shown that they are out to make as
much cash as they possibly can for themselves and if the fans (i.e. their
customers) don’t like it they can lump it.
So
who is there to turn to drag the Premier League back from the brink? The FA? Do
me a favour. This was the same FA who pimped Wembley out to the NFL, turning the
pitch into a cow field and contributing to seeing the national team out of Euro
2008 in the process. They did come out with some mealy mouthed garbage about it
all being ok so long as teams put their full sides out for FA Cup ties which
would be taking place either side of the proposed extra fixtures. Aye, I’m sure
the sheiks and oligarchs who would be bankrolling the games would be delighted
if teams turned out a bunch of reserves. Make no mistake about it; it is they
and not the FA who would call the tune on this one.
Ok, so FIFA have made a few encouraging noises and the Americans have come out
and said ‘Now hang on a minute, we might not want you over here, we think your
game is rubbish and all soccer players are homosexuals’ or words to that effect,
but do you think the Premier League clubs will be put off their pursuit of the
dollar by the objections of the world governing body and the football
authorities of the potential host nations? Anyway, the Premier League themselves
may have been the instigators of the proposal, but in truth they are run without
regulation by the clubs themselves. The big clubs call the shots and if the
smaller ones can make a few bob along the way then they aren’t going to kick up
a stink. The EPL is a greedy corporate organisation manipulated by people like
Glazer and Gillette. Their minds are made up and make no mistake, they are not
going to let this one lie.
And where were the Government while our national game was being sold down the
river? Not interested. Corporate money men were involved and the Labour Party
wouldn’t want to upset them would they? They are happy enough to lecture us that
we’re getting too fat, smoking too much and generally not conforming to the
Master Race they seemingly want us all to fall into but money comes way ahead of
tradition.
The long and short of it is the opinion of the fans is irrelevant to the
organisations involved. If there is a chance of making a quick buck (or yen or
dinar), then that consideration outweighs all others. All aboard the football
special to Shanghai!
GK
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