By Yusuf Mutiu Olaitan
The European Super League looked something feasible to every football lover from the onset, but it took a new twist when fans across the world gathered to propagate a negative response to the league. A large chunk of us believe those clubs that earlier declared their intentions to participate were selfish. I do not know if I thought of those clubs to be selfish or if I belonged to those who feel the ESL should have been a success. I’m stuck in between these reasonings. In all, I feel we shouldn’t blame those teams. Should we?
Listen to me! I know we all remember how Covid-19 terrorized our world? Maybe it extended its dangerous and cruel hands to the other worlds, I wouldn’t know. This has been the only world I have been since over two decades and half. OK? Wait, if you haven’t been following football last year, I’d veg you to tune your TV set and service providers to any football channel and you would see the havoc Covid-19 wrecked on us. Alas!
Now, you won’t find fans in football stadiums. Tell me what’s sadder. That has been one of the beatings we received from Covid-19. Thank God we now have football back. At least, our game is back. But do I need to remind us of how football was put on a stall for months? May we not witness days like that again. Now, here’s my point: during those torrid days, did you know how many million of pounds football clubs across the world lost? I’m sure you won’t pray for such miserable lost. During that period, some footballers cut off their pays just to cushion the effect of the novel virus, but can we say it was enough for the team’s revenues? They were only expending, there was no income. Imagine a situation like that.
Till now, revenue generation for football clubs hasn’t returned to how they used to have it. How would they have got themselves back on track when fans haven’t returned to the stands? It’s sad. While all these are happening, A J.P Morgan showed an interest to rescue the financial strengths of those suffering teams. Right about now, put yourself in the position of a Glazers family or a Florebtino Perez – wouldn’t you have embraced the gesture, too? After all, they have nothing to lose! This is a case for all the twelve clubs that showed interest to participate in ESL – and they were Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool, Tottenham, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus, AC Milan, International.
Like I said earlier, I’m stuck in between if I should be for or against the league. Again, let me tell you this, imagine an Arsenal side that haven’t been to UEFA Champions league in almost five years was presented with an opportunity to rough shoulders with the “big boys” across Europe once more, Imagine you’re a Stan Kroenke, would you not grab your “copy”?
Not that they were going to return to the “big men” league they always were, they are going to be returning to North London with at least €350 million if they participate. They do not even need to Wob the ESL. Anyways, Arsenal isn’t going to win anything amongst those clubs before. But imagine a €350 million in Arsenal purse! Booming. Isn’t it? To every other clubs too who we all know they are stable financially, no one would underestimate what the pumping of €350 million would do to their financial strengths. And the sweet thing about this “baba Ijebu” type of money is that the clubs are going to get it for twenty good years since they are “foundational members” – that’s what they called them.
These and many more I believe the reasons why these clubs agreed to be a part of ESL. On the part of JP Morgan, he’s a capitalist. He knew he had nothing to lose. He’s only investing at the initial stage, after which he’ll get what he’s aiming to invest in multi-folds.
On the flip side, ESL was only going to hurt football, it will hurt its pride, honor and passion. Like the submission from former Arsenal midfielder, I won’t be able to quote him verbatim but the insinuation was that “ESL will only hurt football, it will only kill the dream of kids who are aiming of winning the UEFA Champions league one day. It will hurt the passion” (apologies to Mesut).
A glance through this prism, I believe, was the only reason fans across the world stood to their feet to challenge ESL – and I couldn’t but be forced to align with that narratives. The prestige of football needs be protected and that was why football powerhouse in Europe had listened to the yearnings of football fans across the world. And this is still a vestige of confirmation that fans across world football are still respected!
But should we blame those teams for showing interests to be part of ESL? I wouldn’t know!
