Football Armageddon

[Since452]

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Before Covid the Dutch and Belgians were already looking into a possible merger. TV already influences the format of football, the Champions league is a direct result of intervention by European TV companies who were fed up paying big money up front only to see some big 'TV worthy' clubs knocked out of the European cup early doors.

That's why I think it isn't outwith the bounds of possibility that TV companies may well get behind the idea of a British league if the worst case scenario were to pan out on both sides of the border. If you were SKY, BT or even the BBC who would you want replacing the clubs who have folded?

The top 5 clubs in the English 5th tier in alphabetical order are:

Aldershot Town
Barnet
Barrow
Boreham Wood
Bromley

The top supported clubs in Scotland are:

Celtic
The Rangers
Hibs
Hearts
Aberdeen

If you think purely of TV audience, potential for growth and stadium facilities which 5 would you want to see in the leagues you want to cover?

England have their own product. They don't need half a dozen Scottish clubs to make it more appealing. Folk already (even up here) cream themselves over Huddersfield v Brighton. Can almost see the logic in Holland and Belgium doing it.

[Phil MaGlass]

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Ajax and Lyon been CL semi finalist recently, it really isn't that bad. Ajax really should've made the final but buggered it up.


The big teams and leagues made smart business decisions to take themselves forward. Others stood still. Its pretty difficult to blame businesses for taking the course that makes them the most money IMO.

Not to nitpick, Ajax have recently made more than 450 million in the last 18 months from Champs league and sale of players.

[Billy Whizz]

Lots of football clubs for years, have lived above their means
There’s got to be some correction on this, as banks etc won’t continue to give them credit, so they’ll have to cut costs to survive

[MWHIBBIES]

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It's about context.

£600k would pay for around 20 NHS nurses for a year and Gareth Bale will have 'earned' it by this time next week. For playing football. Given the hardship many people in this country and around the world are suffering at the moment I don't think 'obscene' is too harsh a term.

The 2 things aren't related. Its not like Real Madrid are taking money out of the NHS and giving it to Bale.

If you get paid 30 odd million a year by a business, but you make them 100 million a year, its quite reasonable really.

The tax contributions of football clubs and players will do plenty for the NHS.

[NAE NOOKIE]

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Celtic, The Rangers, Hibs, Aberdeen and Boreham Wood.

[NAE NOOKIE]

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England have their own product. They don't need half a dozen Scottish clubs to make it more appealing. Folk already (even up here) cream themselves over Huddersfield v Brighton. Can almost see the logic in Holland and Belgium doing it.

In normal circumstances I would agree, but we wouldn't be talking about normal circumstances.

The perspective I am coming from is a scenario where Scotland has lost a number of clubs and others have gone part time. In our league that could easily extend to half the premier league. Even now it's a head scratcher how clubs like Hamilton, St Johnstone and Livingston can run full time professional football. It could be a case of Scotland's 5 or 6 biggest clubs approaching the Football League and putting a proposal to them that they be incorporated into the English system, with the backing of the likes of SKY.

There would be room for them if enough clubs have folded and don't tell me that in a game were money counts more than anything else the prospect of two of Europe's best supported clubs and the TV interest they generate wouldn't be tempting, along with the addition of the worlds oldest derby match contested by two well supported clubs from one of the UK's fastest growing cities and a club who have won a European trophy and have the potential to grow bigger than they are.

[Torto7]

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The 2 things aren't related. Its not like Real Madrid are taking money out of the NHS and giving it to Bale.

If you get paid 30 odd million a year by a business, but you make them 100 million a year, its quite reasonable really.

The tax contributions of football clubs and players will do plenty for the NHS.

They are related. We have a system just now that rewards the few and penalises the many. Football is just following suit. The money isn't created from thin air. It comes from people's pockets. We're in a similar situation on the high street, Amazon vs the local store. If money travels in one direction it's unhealthy.

Tax contributions yeah good one. That's the typical apologists answer. Most of them will have access to tax avoidance experts. I wonder how much cash is stored overseas. Personally it gives me the dry boak watching these primadonnas getting what they do and the fawning drooling groupies on the internet trying to justify it at the same time our key workers are paid a pittance to keep the country running.

Football at the top end gives poor people the same titillation as crap like the kardashians. The groupies get more excited for the transfer window than they do for the regular season.

[Caversham Green]

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The 2 things aren't related. Its not like Real Madrid are taking money out of the NHS and giving it to Bale.

If you get paid 30 odd million a year by a business, but you make them 100 million a year, its quite reasonable really.

The tax contributions of football clubs and players will do plenty for the NHS.

I disagree. One man being paid more in a week for playing football than 20 nurses are paid in a year is obscene. You're describing the ugly side of capitalism.

[MWHIBBIES]

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They are related. We have a system just now that rewards the few and penalises the many. Football is just following suit. The money isn't created from thin air. It comes from people's pockets. We're in a similar situation on the high street, Amazon vs the local store. If money travels in one direction it's unhealthy.

Tax contributions yeah good one. That's the typical apologists answer. Most of them will have access to tax avoidance experts. I wonder how much cash is stored overseas. Personally it gives me the dry boak watching these primadonnas getting what they do and the fawning drooling groupies on the internet trying to justify it at the same time our key workers are paid a pittance to keep the country running.

Football at the top end gives poor people the same titillation as crap like the kardashians. The groupies get more excited for the transfer window than they do for the regular season.

Think you need to calm yourself down a bit mate.

The money isn't created from thin air, no. It is given to them by punters, in one way or another, who chose to spend their hard earned cash on tickets, shirts, tv subscriptions etc. As is their right.

I'm not an apologist. I am just not daft enough to think Gareth Bale is taking money from a nurses pocket. You can get the dry boak all you want, someone who generates a business hundreds of millions is always going to be paid tens of millions. Film star, Sportsman, CEO etc.

Again, footballers avoiding tax is hardly something that stops and starts with them. The loopholes should be shut or it will happen.

Amazon vs the local store is just not comparable. Amazon are a big business with everything you could need, that can be delivered the next day. It is always going to be preferred over going out, searching about various shops, paying silly money for parking, maybe not even finding what you want etc. Blockbuster died because Netflix moved with the times. Amazon is moving with the times, the highstreet cant.

Footballers have done more than most during this pandemic, with many making big charitable donations, helping out in their communities, fighting the government on issues etc. They should be applauded.

[MWHIBBIES]

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I disagree. One man being paid more in a week for playing football than 20 nurses are paid in a year is obscene. You're describing the ugly side of capitalism.

You keep going back to him just playing football. As if anyone can do that at a world class level. They cant, his ability generates his employer a lot of money, hence why he is handsomly rewarded. Same for other jobs of that type, like film stars etc.

Its not nice, I'm not saying it is. But its the truth. We all have the chance to do something about the wages of NHS workers when we get the chance to vote. Its not Gareth Bales fault we chose people who prioritise different things.

I think people love to pick and chose who they get at for this. Never heard a bad word about Andy Murray, someone with career winnings (so not including any sponsors, image rights, merch etc) of over 60 million. It is happening at the top levels of all sports. ****ing youtubers make six figures, same with twitch streamers etc.

[Caversham Green]

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You keep going back to him just playing football. As if anyone can do that at a world class level. They cant, his ability generates his employer a lot of money, hence why he is handsomly rewarded. Same for other jobs of that type, like film stars etc.

Its not nice, I'm not saying it is. But its the truth. We all have the chance to do something about the wages of NHS workers when we get the chance to vote. Its not Gareth Bales fault we chose people who prioritise different things.

The bit in bold is the whole point I'm making, except I'd go further than saying it's "not nice".

[Hibernia&Alba]

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Its obviously a shame when people lose their jobs, especially the non playing staff, but ive no sympathy for a lot of them.

For years English teams have been living beyond their means and outbidding us for players. Not to mention tempting our players away on crazy salaries we cant match, all while pundits, fans and players down there call us a pub league.

The money has all been sucked to the top; many of the smaller clubs in Leagues 1 and 2 are surviving on pennies, with players on a few hundred quid per wek.

[Yorkshire HFC]

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I disagree. One man being paid more in a week for playing football than 20 nurses are paid in a year is obscene. You're describing the ugly side of capitalism.

What do you think the wage of a Hibs player should be?

[Caversham Green]

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What do you think the wage of a Hibs player should be?

A lot less than £600k per week. Why do you ask?

[Viva_Palmeiras]

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I disagree. One man being paid more in a week for playing football than 20 nurses are paid in a year is obscene. You're describing the ugly side of capitalism.

Yup just goes to show how de-based we’ve become. In times of austerity and the hardship we are enduring and it will get worse than it gets better it’s mind boggling that folks are not more concerned.

[WhileTheChief..]

I don’t think for one minute any club in Scotland will go out of business in the next few years.

Wishful thinking by Budge and her followers, nothing else.

[Viva_Palmeiras]

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I disagree. One man being paid more in a week for playing football than 20 nurses are paid in a year is obscene. You're describing the ugly side of capitalism.

Yup just goes to show how de-based we’ve become. In times of austerity and the hardship we are enduring and it will get worse than it gets better it’s mind boggling that folks are not more concerned.

[ben johnson]

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I disagree. One man being paid more in a week for playing football than 20 nurses are paid in a year is obscene. You're describing the ugly side of capitalism.

A peek into the wages paid in the City of London might put this wage into perspective
Or a senior member of the Royal Family being lauded for becoming a billionaire What does he need with a billion

[Caversham Green]

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A peek into the wages paid in the City of London might put this wage into perspective
Or a senior member of the Royal Family being lauded for becoming a billionaire What does he need with a billion

Yes, the excesses of the City and some of the Royal Family could also be described as obscene. That doesn't make Gareth Bale's wage any less so.

[ekhibee]

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You keep going back to him just playing football. As if anyone can do that at a world class level. They cant, his ability generates his employer a lot of money, hence why he is handsomly rewarded. Same for other jobs of that type, like film stars etc.

Its not nice, I'm not saying it is. But its the truth. We all have the chance to do something about the wages of NHS workers when we get the chance to vote. Its not Gareth Bales fault we chose people who prioritise different things.

I think people love to pick and chose who they get at for this. Never heard a bad word about Andy Murray, someone with career winnings (so not including any sponsors, image rights, merch etc) of over 60 million. It is happening at the top levels of all sports. ****ing youtubers make six figures, same with twitch streamers etc.

Rubbish, it's nothing like most other employers. Why couldn't he get a quarter of that, would that not be enough? Even that is far too much. There's thousands of people who have as much if not more skill in the particular job they do, make their employers wealthier, and get paid nothing like what he's getting. And you're trying to justify his wage.

[Billy Whizz]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54698345

Hurting Celtic now too

[jacomo]

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Rubbish, it's nothing like most other employers. Why couldn't he get a quarter of that, would that not be enough? Even that is far too much. There's thousands of people who have as much if not more skill in the particular job they do, make their employers wealthier, and get paid nothing like what he's getting. And you're trying to justify his wage.

There’s two things going on here - a system that’s so unequal and so unfair it is preposterous, and a player who wants to be paid on the same level as his peers.

When Bale left Spurs for Madrid, and then when he signed his extension, he could genuinely be described as a world class player. He wanted to be paid like a world class player.

You could make an argument that no footballer could possibly be worth more than £100k a year, and there is merit in that. However, as MW says, people continually vote for inequality.

[ScottB]

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There’s two things going on here - a system that’s so unequal and so unfair it is preposterous, and a player who wants to be paid on the same level as his peers.

When Bale left Spurs for Madrid, and then when he signed his extension, he could genuinely be described as a world class player. He wanted to be paid like a world class player.

You could make an argument that no footballer could possibly be worth more than £100k a year, and there is merit in that. However, as MW says, people continually vote for inequality.

He got what Real were willing to offer. Bale, like anyone else, is perfectly justified in asking for whatever he wanted, and his employer obviously agreed that he was, and paid up.

How ridiculous that is compared to any other footballer, or any other industry, is essentially irrelevant really. I would argue, personally, that what is needed is making sure people on such exorbitant wages are properly taxed in line with it, rather than complaining about such wages existing in the first place.

[Keith_M]

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54698345

Hurting Celtic now too

Bound to affect every club.

Though I'm surprised that their spending on transfer fees actually went up, but that was probably before the Covid situation.

[Jones28]

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54698345

Hurting Celtic now too

My heart bleeds, poor celtic

[KeithTheHibby]

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My heart bleeds, poor celtic

Exactly. Still made a profit despite revenue dropping 13m.

They have pots of cash, been banking it for years whilst their neighbours were rubbish. Won't be many tears shed for that club losing money.

[danhibees1875]

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Exactly. Still made a profit despite revenue dropping 13m.

They have pots of cash, been banking it for years whilst their neighbours were rubbish. Won't be many tears shed for that club losing money.

I guess it depends if they were on course for a drop in revenue as it was, but that's quite a drop considering it was only for the period from mid-March to end of June impacted by Covid.

I don't expect anyone to have much sympathy for them but it's indicative of what other clubs will be seeing and Hibs aren't going to be an exception when we get round to announcing results.

[allmodcons]

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54698345

Hurting Celtic now too

The concern has to be if it is hurting them what impact will the coronavirus pandemic have on other clubs.

Celtic have a serious amount of cash so could even afford to make a loss during this difficult time.

Many others will not have that luxury. Very concerning for Clubs, especially those who were mismanaging their finances before the pandemic hit.

[Billy Whizz]

Did anyone hear Sportsound pre match today
Chick Young (I know) was at Dunfermline v Morton today, and said Morton have severe financial problems. He then went onto say that Robbie Nielson’s salary, was more than the full Morton team budget

Then had the Inverness Caley CEO on, and you could hear in his voice that they are in real serious financial bother, and are desperate for these grants to be handed out urgently

[tamig]

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Did anyone hear Sportsound pre match today
Chick Young (I know) was at Dunfermline v Morton today, and said Morton have severe financial problems. He then went onto say that Robbie Nielson’s salary, was more than the full Morton team budget

Then had the Inverness Caley CEO on, and you could hear in his voice that they are in real serious financial bother, and are desperate for these grants to be handed out urgently

The Neilsom salary thing was soon shot down. They are toiling though. Only one young keeper on the books amongst other things.