European Super League? No Thanks! – Poll Results & Other Miscellaneous Goodness

Hello one and all and how are things on this fine Tuesday? It’s international week at the moment, which is usually a week in which I tend to switch off from football because I often find international friendlies and qualifiers rather dull, but I’m enjoying the international calender this time around. With World Cup qualification getting to the business end nations are finally starting to see the wood from the trees and as such there have been some crucial games taking place around the world, with a spot at South Africa 2010 the prize.

I watched a ridiculous, probably unhealthy amount of football over the weekend. Charlton v Brentford, Scotland v Macedonia, England v Slovenia, Denmark v Portugal, Gabon v Cameroon, the second half of Rwanda v Egypt, Peru v Uruguay, the second half of Paraguay v Bolivia, Argentina v Brazil, Nigeria v Tunisia and, finally, as if all that wasn’t enough – Atlante v PUMAS from the Mexican first division. Geek I hear you cry. You’re most certainly right. But it has given me a flavour of what’s to come at South Africa in 2010 and I’m now really beginning to look forward to the World Cup. With about 275 days left to go, I’m already anticipating what should be a superb tournament on the African tournament.

Anyway enough about the World Cup, you’re here for poll results. Over the last week or so, in light of Arsene Wenger’s comments that he can see a European Super League forming ‘within 10 years’, we ran a poll asking readers if you would be in favour of such a creation. Well, results were as follows:

90% would be against the formation of a European Super League, while
10% are in favour of seeing a Super League created.

We witnessed an overwhelming rejection of the plans for such a ’super league’ with only 1 in 10 readers favouring it’s formation. I am not surprised by this. While on the one hand the opportunity to watch the best club teams around Europe going head-to-head in a straight up league campaign may appeal to some, surely the UEFA Champions League already scratches that particular itch, pitting Europe’s finest against each other in a far more exciting format – a cup competition.

Do we really need to forsake our domestic leagues and the Champions League as we know it just for former members of the G14 to pick up their ball and take it to a more financially lucrative, but inevitably dull closed shop? Personally I think it’s a rubbish idea. But I’m interested to hear arguments in favour of a European Super League in fact, so if anyone wants to try and put a case forward for it please do so in the comments section.

Anyway, onto some miscellaneous announcements and a couple of links.

Tonight your humble editor will be taking his dulcet tones to the airwaves, as I will be appearing on the Twofootedtackle podcast with Gary Andrews and Chris Nee from twofootedtackle. I am very much looking forward to the show – legendary football journalist Tim Vickery was on there a few weeks ago, so the challenge is there for me to follow in the footsteps of a quite illustrious guest. No pressure! We will be discussing, amongst other things, the Chelsea/Gael Kakuta case, internationals and the situation at Portsmouth. I’ll let you know when it is released for those who fancy a listen.

I will also be attending the Socrates meetup on Wednesday. The world’s finest bloggers are all linking up on the day to basically drink beer and watch England qualify for the World Cup, and so naturally Just-Football was invited to the party! It should be good to meet some of the guys who keep the football blogosphere ticking along nicely, and again I’m looking forward to it. Can anyone see England not winning?

While I’m away, a few links for your reading pleasure. These are some good articles that I’ve enjoyed over the last few days:

UnitedYouth writes on the Chelsea/Kakuta case, bringing in Manchester United’s own potential case involving Le Havre and Paul Pogba, and discusses how the FA should be coming under more scrutiny for their role in all this.

This is something I also touched on in the very first ever article on Just-Football.com, in the aftermath of England’s elimination in EURO 2008 qualifying.

Liverpool Kop sticks the boot in on John Terry and Steven Gerrard for their ="http://www.liverpool-kop.com/2009/09/john-terry-and-steven-gerrard-england.html"> ‘xenophobic comments about diving’.

And finally, Twohundredpercent on one of the scourges of the modern game – music after a goal. I totally agree with them.

That’s it for now. Like I said earlier, anyone wanting to argue in favour (or indeed against) a European Super League, please do so in the comments field below. Thankyou and good day .

Announcements, Arsene Wenger, Europe, Polls, World Cup 2010