Europe's top football teams in plot to go it alone

[T_i_B]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1733692,00.html

Eighteen of Europe's richest football powers have launched an attempt to kill off the Champions League in its present form and take ownership of the game's most prestigious club competition from the governing body, Uefa.

In an internal policy document obtained by the Guardian, the G14 group - whose members include Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal, but not Chelsea - outlines its intention to guarantee the dominance of its 18 clubs in European football.

The organisation has long been suspected of seeking to form a breakaway organisation. However, having hitherto depicted itself as being merely a pressure group, the document, G14 Vision Europe, makes plain its desire to take control of elements of the game's governance and represents a clear escalation of its ambitions.

In it G14, which formed in 2000 and took in four more members two years later without changing its name, concedes that member clubs should continue to play in domestic leagues. However, it demands guarantees for their year-on-year participation in the continent's elite club competition and does not rule out a complete breakaway from traditional structures to form a European Super League.

[Jack Rabbit]

1. Sounds a little like what our baseball ought to do

In your case, the owners want to fire the league.

What should happen here is that the players should fire the owners.

[Zech Marquis]

2. hmmm

First time I've heard of the G14..a European Super League does sound interesting, but I love the Champions league as it is right now..I hope the superclubs don't destroy what's been working so well for so long..

[Renew Deal]

3. Fifa should strip their membership in the federation.

They want to go it alone, fine. No Fifa governance.

[HuckleB]

5. They should have all left FIFA years ago.

FIFA's history is unworthy of the sport. It ought to be tossed away as soon as possible.

[Ganja Ninja]

4. Sounds like they're trying to form an NFL style league.

They can put themselves at the top by buying up all the best players and relegate everyone else to minor league status. They can charge hundreds of millions to anyone that wants to join their league and they'll control the television rights worth billions. No wonder Malcolm Glazer spent so much for Manchester United.

[T_i_B]

6. Hate to say this....

but they already have "put themselves at the top by buying up all the best players". Teams such as Chelsea and Real Madrid have become successful by buying up all the best players.