Sun 26 Mar 06
1 on 1 with G14 in MP3
Today BBC Sportsweek interviewed Man U chief exec David Gill. Other guests were Rick Parry of Liverpool and Keith Wyness of Everton.
Listen for yourself, of course, but let me venture two observations from the interviews:
- G14 needs UEFA much more than they care to admit: UEFA adds vital legitimacy to what Gill concedes would otherwise be just a footie cash cow.
- It is vastly easier to become a Freemason than a member of G14, Keith Wyness’ aside notwithstanding. As a Freemason with Grand Chapter rank, I can vouch for the former. At least there are consistent rules and processes for entering the Craft.
Paul Canniff
I’ve posted about this on my site but I’ll say something with a little more tact here.
The G14 is a hinderence to the entire game of football.
It’s existence, while totally understandable, is just for the interest of a select group of clubs and their ‘ideas’ are nearly always to the detriment of every other club in Europe.
They are currently trying to put pressure on individual FA’s to take out insurance against injuries to players while on international duty, and supporting a non-G14 club’s legal action regarding this matter.
While their standpoint is understandable, there’s not many cases where employers would ‘lend’ an employee out and then not complain if they could work for them when they were returned.
Now for rich FA’s like the English FA, this insurance would be no problem BUT what about the developing nations? They wouldn’t be able to pay it, therefore they would have to use lesser known players, hindering their chances in tournaments like the World Cup and also limiting the shopping window for clubs (including those in the G14) to look at players they may not have seen play against top quality players.
It’s just a part of the game that the best players will be playing for their countries, the clubs know this when they sign them so surely they are as responsible to foot the cost… If you buy a car and the salesman says it could breakdown in 2 months, surely it’s a risk you take should you decide to buy the car, I don’t see how buying international players is any different.
The fact Chelsea aren’t allowed into the G14 makes an even better case against the organisation. It claims to represent the interests of the wealthiest clubs in Europe, well they don’t come much wealthier than Chelsea.
It’s the old guard of European football trying to keep some sort of strangle hold over their ’success’ and at any cost to the development of football as a whole throughout the world.
The sooner it’s disbanded the better for all clubs and the game.
That’s not to say UEFA and FIFA are perfect, far from it, but if pressure is to be put on them it should be done via an inclusive organisation where every club from Runcorn to Barcalona are able to express their opinion.