In the aftermath of today’s Super League judgement, a lot of people went into overdrive making big predictions about the future of the game.
But it has not taken long for the first of the dominos to fall.
The English Premier League was one of the first leagues out in front of this story, with their absolute rejection of the whole Super League concept. In the absence of a clear and unequivocal statement from the league or the national body here in Scotland – what do you expect from leaders who have no interest in leading? – Celtic has gone first and its own statement is right to the point.
“Celtic Football Club has noted today’s judgement delivered by the European Court of Justice.
The resolution regarding the framework for prior authorization of other competitions refers to outdated UEFA statutes that were already amended in June 2022.
We must be clear that this does not in any way endorse or approve the so-called ‘Super League’ project.
Celtic plays an important, leading role within the European Club Association framework and as a club, we are fully committed to working through the ECA, alongside our fellow European clubs to uphold the values that define European football.
We can only achieve our objectives through the strong partnership ECA enjoys with UEFA.
The wider European football community is not supportive of the ESL, and Celtic, like many other clubs, will continue to promote the interests and protection of football’s broader family through the ECA and UEFA.”
The comments from people like the chairman of Aberdeen, which were already sounding the death knell for European football, with Celtic as one of the leading instigators, were as daft as they were wholly misinformed.
As I said in the earlier piece, if Dave Cormack wanted to know Celtic’s position, he could have just called us up … or engaged his brain for two seconds rather than reaching for the panic button.
His response was hysterical.
Other responses were focussed on whether or not we might make a quick buck. The ESL proposal is not about anything more than representing the interests of a handful of teams.
Everything about it reeks of the closed shop, the cartel, the private members club. Nothing in any of their public relations statements has answered the central charge, that any competition that is not available for entry by the winners of every national association – as the UEFA tournaments are – discriminates and essentially runs counter to every principle of sport we know.
Nothing about the idea is appealing for a club like us, except for the money, and it’s the money that all the ESL press statements have banged on about over and over again, and it’s the thought of the money that is supposed to prevent us from seriously examining the proposal and its wider implications. Everyone who has done so has come away from them seriously unimpressed.
The idea is dead, and it was dead the moment it was unveiled for the first time and all who weren’t invited to get around the table condemned it in the strongest terms.
Apart from the slavering, eye popping hacks and a handful of club chairman who had way too much coffee this morning the reaction of most people within the sport has been calm and steady and focussed on “business as usual.”
Cormack claimed Scottish football has sleepwalked into this without discussion; it was a fantasy and didn’t need a discussion because it was never something that was ever being seriously entertained.
Celtic’s statement has spelled it out; our commitment to working through UEFA is absolute.
Nothing changed here today as far as we are concerned, and that ought to end this daft story once for all, and let Cormack focus on the important stuff for him, like how he’s going to screw up his next managerial appointment.
Because PL is an active member (Emlpoyee) of uefa !!!
I wouldn’t blame cormack for his reaction, he’s seen his terrible decision making culminate in his team descending into mediocrity, and sees it slipping away further, lost the plot ages ago. Can’t wait to see ibrox sign up for the quick fix and it all fall to an arse. Cue Jim White and souness hyping how good an idea it is when the franchise signs
It’s Dave Cormack. FFS…
Most seasons the winners of our league have to play qualification games just to get into the Champions League si the way Uefa run it to suit the Big leagues,ie Spain ,Germany ,England, Italy who have 4 teams straight into the group stages is a Joke .
Saudis would be bankrolling this as they have done with golf, boxing and F1. To be pedantic, James, he is simply Dave Cormack. No Mc in front.
This court decision will revolutionise World and European football, whether for good or bad is the question.
As someone who has always looked forward to the day Celtic could leave the small Celtic hating World of Scottish Football, I welcome this judgement. I think it will force UEFA into planning for a European League of 3 or 4 divisions in a pyramid system.
The possibilities this judgement opens up are limitless, both positive and negative. The next 10 years will see big changes.
The big danger is the break up of the unity in World football administration such as what happened in the Boxing World and is in the process of happening in the Golf World.
I believe it will happen,after all like golf,F1 before it the dominoes will fall and greed will win
The more over the years I’ve considered this ESL proposal the more I move away from being under the undying control of the SFA and the orange order’s club of choice. We’re no big player in either of those organisations’ decision making. We’re a big club in a small league in spite of them, but in a big EUFA pond. EUFA is a different proposition but none the less aimed at the big leagues not ours. Given the size of our pitiful league though we do seem to hold an elevated status in EUFA relatively speaking so that continues to be welcome.
I’m more of the view that I’d be happy to stick two fingers to the SFA and their and their lodges’ club of choice, make a break from their influence, and join the ESL particularly if the rankers don’t. I’d stay under EUFA too if that truly is the option which I don’t think it is or will be.
I don’t see it moving to being a member of one or the other rather it being a member all three organisations, SFA, EUFA and the ESL. Join early. The Court has made it clear it’s not one or the other.
It’s not like we’re being invited to the world club rigged tournament so it’s clear where we really are in their footballing club thoughts.
As for the EPL, they have greedily grabbed as much as they can for themselves and in doing so want to protect that status so I wouldn’t be informed by their opinions or that of the English government’s protectionist laws.
Other big European leagues see the EPL as monopolising big finance, particularly via SKY deals and I can see the day when they will join the ESL.
However when push comes to shove the Celtic board will probably only hoard the money on offer and we’ll still be watching a lower grade of football than is necessary with only a higher level of football perhaps influencing the need for player squad improvement standards. HH