Football of the rich

The new football season in Europe promises no sensation. The football grands have secured themselves from any unexpected turns, having poured tons of money onto the transfer market. The miracle of “Lester – a team sensationally winning a top league – is hardly to repeat.

The victories go to those who can afford them – this is the law of the modern football, not even to be disputed.

This is the explanation for the rocketing prices. Leroy Zahne left Schalke for Manchester City for 50 million euros, John Stones from Everton joined City for 55.6 million, GonsaloHiguain went from Napoli to Juventus for 90 millions, and PaulPogba was bought by United from Juventus for 105 millions.

Former Bavaria coach JuppHeinckes seems to be right saying that “football has gone mad and lost its soul, accessing the last transfer campaign. With access to unlimited finances you do not have to bring up young players and build up your team step by step. Just pay well and enjoy your dream team with eleven stars on the field, another eleven as substitutes, and as much in reserve – simply for the reason to not let the competitors buy them.

The division into rich and poor has been completed in football. The clubs like Ajax Amsterdam from now on are to serve as football nurseries and to sell young talents to the rich clubs in order to survive. Others, like PortugeseBenfica and Porto are to buy these young players, give them practice and wait till their market price reaches its maximum. And the big clubs, like United, Real Madrid, Barcelona FC or PSG will pay well for anyone capable of kicking the ball right. They can do it directly at the Amsterdam “nursery or from the Portugesego-betweens.

These rules are soon to become law. In the next season the Champions League is to change its format. The top four championships will have direct representation by four clubs each in the final round, which makes exactly a half of all participants. The fifth and the sixth places in the UEFA rating will be represented by two clubs each, leaving the rest of Europe with just twelve vacancies in the most prestigious and profitable tournament. Moreover are they are doomed to be the bit players there.

For the Serbian, Romanian or even more well to do Dutch clubs winning the Champions League becomes the dream never to be reached. Even if an Arab sheikh appears with all his money and tries to make StyauaBukharest the Champions League winner – as it happened 30 years ago – nothing will come out of it because of the financial fair-play rules, introduced under Michel Platini presidency, that do not let the clubs spend more than they earn. And here are no substantial money in the second rank championships with low attendance, lack of advertising and cheap TV rights (the main source of income in nowadays football).

Just compare the numbers to have a better understanding of the clubs possibilities. The English Premier Legue TV contract weighs 1,4 billion euros, the Dutch championship – 100 millions, the Romanian and Russian tournaments – 27 millions each, the Bulgarian – 4.5 millions.

With the introduction of the new rules even the clubs with long and glorious history that do not belong to the top championships have no chance.

But the ball still remains round. And there always will be a new Lester or Rostov FC to make the favorites life a bit more complicated.

“Justlookattheboomonthetransfermarket. Football has gone mad, losing its spirit. It is pure business now. You have to move on and on and on. Nobodyhaspatience. Justlikeinlife. No immediate result – and you get sacked. This is horrifying, Heinckes said

Published: 6.09.2016