Gary Neville has torn into the European Super League proposals in an extraordinary rant where he branded the plans a ‘criminal act against fans’.
On Sunday, it was reported that Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester City have signed up to the breakaway plan, which would see teams compete in one 36-team league instead of the current system.
The United icon had earlier lambasted the plans and called for the Premier League’s big six to be deducted points for signing up.
And after the Red Devils’ 3-1 victory over Burnley, Neville delivered another passionate attack on the proposals, and even suggested that the title should be awarded to Burnley as a result of the ‘greed’ of the big six clubs.
“The reaction to it is that it’s been damned, and rightly so,” he began. “I’m a Manchester United fan and have been for 40 years of my life, but I’m disgusted.
“I’m disgusted by Manchester United and Liverpool most. Liverpool, they pretend that you’ll never walk alone, they’re the peoples club, the fans club.
“Manchester United, 100 years born out of workers here and they’re breaking away to a league without competition that they can’t be relegated from.
“It’s an absolute disgrace. Honestly, we have to wrestle back the power in this country from the clubs at the top of this league and that includes my club.
“I’ve been calling for 12 months as part of an independent regulator to bring checks and balances in place to stop this from happening. It’s been pure greed. They’re imposters.
“The owners of this club, the owners of Liverpool, the owners of Chelsea, the owners of Manchester City. They are nothing to do with football in this country.
“There are 100 odd years of history in this country from fans who have loved these clubs and they need protecting, the fans need protecting.
“I’ve benefitted from football hugely, I’ve made money out of football, I invest money to a football club. I’m not against money in football, but the principles and ethos of fair competition are part of the game so if Leicester win the league they go into the Champions League.
“Manchester United aren’t even in the Champions League. Arsenal aren’t in the Champions League, you watched them earlier today and they were a shambles of a football club at the moment.
“Tottenham aren’t in the Champions League and they want a god-given right to be in there? It’s an absolute joke and the time has come now for an independent regulator to stop these clubs having a power base. Enough is enough.”
Neville added: “You know what the motivation is, it’s greed. My reaction earlier one wasn’t an emotional one.
“Dock them points. Put them bottom of the league and take the money off them. You have got to stamp on this.
“It’s criminal. It’s a criminal act against football fans in this country. Make no mistake about it, this is the biggest sport in the world, this is the biggest sport in this country and it’s a criminal act against the fans as simple as that.
“Dock points, take their money and punish them.
“They are bottle merchants. You never hear from the owners of the clubs. Absolute bottle merchants. They’ve got no voice and they’ll probably hide in a few weeks and say it was nothing to do with them and they were just talking about it.
“In the midst of a pandemic and crisis, football clubs at National League level have gone bust nearly, furloughing players, clubs on the edge of League One and Two and these lot are having Zoom calls about breaking away and creating more greed… joke.”
“They’ve got no loyalty to this country and these leagues. Enough is enough. You’ve just hit the nail on the head there. Enough is enough.
“There isn’t a football fan in this country that won’t be seething and shouldn’t be seething listening to this conversation and these announcements.
“Manchester United fans, Roy loves United, Micah loves Manchester City, this is disowning your own club stuff.
“Seriously? How could you even come to watch a Super League game here when you’ve left 14 clubs behind in the Premier League to play each other?
Getty - Pool
“You’re Championship clubs dead, Leagues One and Two clubs dead. Your National League and pyramid system gone because of six clubs.
“Absolutely embarrassing and it’s never going to happen. Let them break away.
Neville finished: “Punish them straight away. If they announce a letter of intent has been signed, they should be punished heavily. Massive fines, massive deductions, take titles off them. Who cares? Give the title to Burnley, let Fulham stay up. Relegate United, Liverpool and Arsenal. To be fair those clubs are the history of football in this country and the ones who should suffer most.
“Yes, Chelsea, City are new money in the game, I’m not happy with them either, Tottenham I’m not that bothered about.
“Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal should know better. The history and tradition that runs through these clubs is enormous. I absolutely value it.
“They leave a lot to be desired at this moment in time. Liverpool Football Club… I mean seriously? You go on the streets of Liverpool, I don’t have a great relationship with them, I don’t like them and they don’t like me, but I always thought they were honest and had integrity and would look after their people and their own. That’s gone, forget that.
“If they sign that letter of intent they are as bad as the rest of them.”
from Football - news, transfers, fixtures, scores, pictures https://ift.tt/3dqHmhQ
via IFTTT
No Comment