Just a quick post to answer some questions I have been asked in the last 48 hours by Canadian friends and family.
With the announcement of the European Super League on Sunday, there was dismay across the soccer/football world and many of my North American friends couldn't understand what the fuss was about. So I wanted to explain.
Remember back in 1996 when The Winnipeg Jets left Winnipeg to become the Phoenix Coyotes?
Well, Winnipeg lost the Jets - a team that had been part of your life for 24 years. The franchise model allowed the team owners to sell and move the entire 'business' 2000 miles away. The fans had no say. Kids brought up on Hockey were gutted and the city died a little.
Well, times that 24-year history by 5, take the 6 biggest teams and take them all away - That is basically what was threatened in Football over the last few days.
The team owners, who know nothing about the pride, history and pure beauty of competitive football decided to create a closed league, where there was never a threat of losing their place at the table.
The money would roll in and they would be able to buy gold plated space rockets and shove diamonds and pearls up each others arses whilst burning $4000 notes to light their big fat cigars made the skin of tiny helpless moles just because its makes their tiny penises feel slightly longer. Wankers.
But, the condemnation from absolutely everyone in the entire football world made them cave in and give up after less than 48 hours.
Gary Neville, ex-man united defender put it brilliantly...
I could post any number of videos or sound bites of hundreds of commentators, players and even politicians talking about how this is just wrong. The entire country is saying this is wrong. Just search the internet and you will find thousands of quotes from everyone!
Football is not a sport in the UK like NBA, NFL or NHL is a sport here in North America.
Football is a religion.
You don't choose a club - you are born into a club. It is life.
Once you have stood on the Kop, or seen the crowd go wild when United score a wonder goal or the absolute trauma of losing the Premier league title to your local rivals in the last literal second of the season you cant just give up that feeling.
That title loss actually happened. United lost the title to city in the last minute of the last game of the season in 2012 .
Here is a video that does a really good job of explaining this season finale, why it was so important and what it meant to the fans..It was unbelievable and is EXACTLY why this is the greatest game on earth.
Even though City won - this is what we want from football. This is why we watch. This is what dreams are about.
Lots of people follow other sports in the UK and around the world, but no other sport is like it. When you are kids and you kick a can around or put coats down as goalposts, it just happens, It's like an extension of your body and mind to just 'play', the game. It's almost natural It was meant to be.
With the football pyramid in place in British football, it is entirely possible that small league clubs can build their way to the top with hard work and a little bit of investment.
This means that anyone - ANYONE - can win a trophy. It doesn't happen often, but just a few years ago tiny Leicester City beat the huge teams and won the premier league. It was a fairy tale and the kind of story that just doesn't happen in other sports. It is the greatest sport in the world.
The fa cup had 736 teams enter it this last year - the first round having teams from tier 9 and 10 of the football pyramid - playing in tiny stadiums with 50 or 100 seats.
If they won a few games, they might get lucky and play United, Liverpool or any other big club - live on TV and in front of 75000 spectators. It really is a dream that does come true. That chance and those dreams would be gone - forever.
I am a United supporter because my nan was a united supporter, and the whole family are United supporters - we were lucky enough to live in Manchester and as a teenager, I was able to go to games every week. There is no feeling like it. Walking towards old Trafford, into the ground, pushing through the crowds - men women and children with a tense nervousness and anticipation of hope but never knowing or expecting to win every game. The final few seconds as you enter the ground and find the entrance which takes you up the steps - that then opens into the greenest grass you have ever seen - the crowd noise - the family of supporters around you.
Here's me and Buffy taking in that exact scenario a couple of years ago.
It is one of the greatest feelings you can have and I cannot wait to take Hannah and Oliver to their first game at Old Trafford. It literally gives you goosebumps when you enter the stadium.
With the super league, that would be gone. There would be no anticipation because the games wouldn't matter, There is no risk of losing because you would just play eth same teams week in and week out and if you didn't win the crap trophy, well you just play for it again next year.
I am so deeply overjoyed and relieved, as are my family and friends back in the UK and around the world, that in the past 48 hours the whole goddam super league idea has been blown away - (for the time being and English clubs at least)
The faceless and weak millionaires and billionaires do not get the passion involved and we wish they would just fuck right off.
Everyone from all clubs - hated rivals included - have banded together, players, fans and managers have stood up and been counted and these businessmen have relented and given in.
The fight for control of football is just beginning, but this proves the supporters hold immense power - as they should.
Ex England manager the late Bobby Robson was one of the greatest managers ever - and a top bloke too - one of his most famous quotes has been passed around a lot in eth last few days.
This is what football is and why it is so important for us...Football is love.
"What is a club in any case?
Not the buildings or the directors or the people who are paid to represent it.
It’s not the television contracts, get-out clauses, marketing departments or executive boxes.
“It’s the noise, the passion, the feeling of belonging, the pride in your city.
It’s a small boy clambering up the stadium steps for the very first time, gripping his father’s hand, gawping at that hallowed stretch of turf beneath him, and without being able to do a thing about it, falling in love.”
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