In his ninth exclusive column for CaughtOffside, Jon Smith, one of football’s first-ever agents and a man who was an integral figure in the forming of the Premier League, discusses how important football is going to be to society during the cost of living crisis, why talk of a European Super League has never died and why Qatar may want more than just a World Cup.
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UK Government know how important football is going to be…
The Premier League’s summer spending has been well documented. The English league is miles ahead of the other European leagues. However, for as wealthy as the Premier League is, unfortunately, its fans are facing a monumental financial crisis.
I had a meeting with Liz Truss three weeks ago where we discussed sport and football in particular. I made it very clear that football is going to be what the public turn to when things in life, especially the cost of living crisis, get even harder.
Years ago, during hard times, people would go to church, nowadays, they either flick their TV on or go to a stadium and get lost in a good game of football. Football is going to become even more important to people’s mental wellbeing as time goes on, but the biggest worry as we all face this massive financial uncertainty is not just going to be ‘heat or eat’, it is going to be ‘heat, eat and can I keep my seat?’.
The British government should really do all it can to nurture sport because it is what the people are going to turn to to get through. I really hope Truss and her cabinet can appreciate how important sport is to our society.
Why the European leagues need a European Super League…
Moving on to the state football, especially the Premier League, finds itself in. I am actually very bullish. I think England’s top-flight is in great shape but I do really worry for the Football League. The EFL is facing huge problems. It is very possible that the EFL will need to reform and change its current structure.
I have also noticed that talk of a European Super League (ESL) has recently made a comeback. The interesting thing about the prospect of an ESL is that an ESL is the only way European football can possibly wrestle the high ground back from England’s Premier League.
The Premier League is by far the best footballing product on the market – by far.
I watched Manchester United’s home game against Arsenal on Sunday – what a game it was by the way. But the product on offer just outdoes every single one of its rivals. The glitz, the glamour, the marketing, even the pundits. Every single aspect of the Premier League’s product allows it to stand head and shoulders above the chasing pack.
Aside from its commercial power, from a more competitive point of view, the whole league, particularly this season, is fascinating. I know it is still early days but you have so many different narratives shaping up already. There are teams you didn’t expect to do so well absolutely flying and equally as intriguing, there are also teams who you expected to be running away with it who have yet to really start performing.
The big European leagues know just how much coverage the Premier League gets and how many eyes it pulls in, so although UEFA have tried to strengthen European football’s position by expanding the Champions League still, the Premier League’s commercial and competitive muscle prevails. Billions are continuing to pour in from broadcasters and rights holders, so I do believe that the only way the European leagues can compete is to give the fans something they do not currently have. That being said, even I am not quite sure what that is today.
However, I just don’t know if an ESL would work. There just doesn’t seem to be the desire there. Aside from the fans themselves, take the Lazio’s of this world, for example, why on earth would they want to break up Serie A?
I am also not convinced the big banks, the real big players, such as JP Morgan, considering the backlash they received last time, will want to back this horse again – certainly not anytime soon anyway.
What a successful World Cup could mean for European football…
Interestingly, I think that if Qatar have a great World Cup, they will want to become more involved with European football.
I am not sure what they may look to do, but of course, they have the money to rival European football. They know that as things stand, they do not have the fanbase, the competitiveness, or the history to compete with European football, but one thing they do have a shed load of is money. So what’s to say that Qatar, Saudi Arabia or the UAE won’t try to succeed where the Chinese Super League failed? – However, given the climate issues that would appear to be a whole new ball game!