Interesting article on G14

**gogs67** · 04-06-2006 02:17 PM

Taken from Red Issue fanzine, well worth a read:

Editorial

The biggest story of recent weeks has to be the revelations emanating from the leaked internal policy document of the ludicrous G14 group of clubs, of which United are a member. Contained within are plans to take ownership of the European Cup competition away from UEFA into the hands of this self-appointed elite, thus guaranteeing them ever increasing riches. G14, containing seventeen of the leading clubs in Europe and Bayer Leverkusen, are motivated by nothing other than greed and what greater riches they can siphon off for their own ends. The likes of David Gill have since come out and claimed a breakaway is not on the group’s agenda, but when a man of his questionable integrity speaks people may hear what he says but his words carry no meaning. The group’s website pays lip service to the maintenance of the status quo but its list of “three key things which have to be addressed” are all issues which have the potential to blow apart football as we know it.

When the idea of the Premier League was being sold numerous promises were being made about the benefits it would bring, and how the greater riches would be for the members’ good. Oh how founder members such as Oldham, QPR and Sheffield Wednesday must regret their complicity today, feeding on scraps in the lower divisions as the Premier League fat cats gorge at Sky’s invitation only banquet. The big clubs are already far too powerful and while the groups’ ‘general manager’ Thomas Kurth talks of an “attack on G14” by UEFA, the truth is that the group’s aims represent an attack on football and it sums up everything that is wrong with the game.

G14’s arrogance was summed up only two months ago as the whinged about losing their cheap African labour to the “meaningless” Nations Cup in Egypt. That the competition preceded the birth of G14 by 44 years was irrelevant, as are the interests of anyone outside their cabal as they seek proper compensation for losing players to international federations. It’s baffling how many of the clubs in the group even ‘qualified’ for membership. The presence of Leverkusen is a bad joke, and why exactly are United included? It’s certainly not on the basis of achievement in European competition where the club’s record barely stands up to scrutiny against the likes of Gill and his ilk would dismiss with contempt. Benfica, conquerors of United in December, can boast 7 EC finals to United’s meagre 2; lowly Nottingham Forest lay claim to as many victories in the competition; and even Tottenham Hotspur have more European finals to their name than United.

Still, to many who’ve resided in the directors box at Old Trafford over the years, adding to the honours’ list has always been secondary to adding to the bottom line. The fans keep coming – fleecing them all the more means more money to enrich those on the gravy train like Kurth; more money for the likes of Gill; and attracts parasites like Glazer. How ironic that one of G14s’ core demands as laid out on their jazzy website is ‘direct representation in the decision making process’ for their members. Needless to say, there’s not mention anywhere of such for supporters, without whom a club like United wouldn’t get anywhere near the elite, self-appointed or otherwise.