European Leagues and ECA Criticize Super League Ground Saying No Consultation; and no EPL teams either

By Andrew Warshaw

February 12 - Europe's major league governing body is the latest to denounce the resurrection of the Super League concept which has grabbed global headlines but is not so great, seemingly devoid of any club English Premier League.< /p>

In a statement, European leagues said they were "very surprised" by the announcement from A22, the company set up to promote the Super League concept, that there had been an open consultation process .

A22 claim to have engaged in an "intensive dialogue with stakeholders across Europe on the future of club football".

But European leagues, representing the interests of 40 domestic leagues from 34 countries and 1,092 clubs, said they had 'never met the A22 and had not been consulted'.

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“The leagues fully support the current model of European club football, which is based on an open pyramid structure with promotion and relegation of grassroots football to professional level at national level, and where qualification for UEFA club competitions is based on annual performance in national competitions.”

Bernd Reichart, managing director of A22, said on Thursday that "the foundations of European football were in danger of collapsing".

But European leagues responded, "This model is far from broken and doesn't need fixing."

A22 claims the tournament will now be "open" with no permanent members, plus promotion and relegation between divisions and a merit system for entry.

The revamped version would see 60-80 teams compete in a multi-divisional structure, but looks like a deliberate approach to attacking the wealth of the English elite whose clubs have branded the proposals 'reverse Brexit'.

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An insider told The Sun newspaper: 'We're talking about a closed league trying to justify itself by pitting Europe against England.

To have a credible Super League that holds the attention of fans, it goes without saying that the participation of English clubs would be essential. But asked if the project should include Premier League teams, Reichart told Sky: "This project is not dependent on any specific territory to join."

The European Club Association has previously claimed that the decision was "a deliberately distorted and misleading attempt to destabilize the real stakeholders of football".

"In the real world, this revamped idea has already been proposed, discussed, and largely rejected by all."

"From 2024, more clubs from more countries will participate in European men's club competitions every season, developing the passion for European football and significantly increasing the amount of revenue shared.

"Significant progress can be seen in other aspects of football, from women's football, youth and academy development, finance and regulation to sustainability and social impact. This is what it looks like the real change. We moved on, when is A22?"

Seasoned watchers think the timing of the new Super League format is important.

In December, UEFA and FIFA received strong backing in their bid to block any dissenting leagues in the European Court of Justice, whose Advocate General said UEFA's current rules were "compatible with EU competition law".

A final decision will be made by a 15-member Grand Chamber in the spring, when supporters of the revamped format hope for a more sympathetic response. However, it is likely that they are clinging to straws.

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