ESL: Tuchel reaction, Chelsea 'had major reservations' about joining, Fan protests, UEFA ban players from internationals
All the latest reactions and fallouts from the disgusting decision for us to join the ESL
Today, Chelsea fans will descend on Stamford Bridge to voice their discontent and anger towards the clubs plans to join the breakaway European Super League.
At 5.30pm today (Tuesday), fans will head to Stamford Bridge to get their voices heard in the absence of being inside the ground in a protest aimed entirely at the board and their terrible decision.
Fans are being encouraged by to take banners and signs but to remain socially distant and wear a face coverings to honour Coronavirus restrictions.
I’ve also been told that fans will be requesting the removal of fan made banners inside Stamford Bridge before the Brighton game tomorrow, which by the way surely becomes entirely pointless now if we are joining this new league?
The more I’ve thought about the Super League during the day the more angrier and deflated I have felt about it.
Fans MAKE clubs, without fans, there will be no clubs. For Chelsea to simply just ignore fans this easily and focus on making millions and millions in the face of a pandemic, without even sparing a thought for what the fans want, is disgusting and disgraceful.
PLEASE use your voice as a fan to get your views on this out there, head to the Bridge, put your tweets out there, use your platform, do all you can. Of course, it won’t change the boards plans here, we know that. They only think of themselves and making profit, but at least you are getting your voice heard, it’s all we can do.
Chelsea though, 'had major reservations' about joining European Super League, so says Sky Sports.
But apparently they decided they could not afford to be left behind playing in a weakened Premier League and a weakened Champions League.
IF this is true, so bloody what? Whether they had reservations or not, they would have been respected and loved by fans so much more if they decided to reject the offer to join the league, like other clubs have done.
But to them they feel they had no choice, and I am sure that is the line of PR we will see from the club.
Thomas Tuchel was very diplomatic in his press conference yesterday, and I actually felt bad for him. It was unfair of the club to let him face the media first, knowing exactly what all the questions would be about. A spokesperson from the board MUST come out and speak ASAP.
"I knew since yesterday (about the ESL),” Tuchel said.
“I'm here to be in the hardest competitions. I trust my club to make the right decisions. My role is to be a coach and focus on our games.
"There are a lot of comments, arguments, and opinions (on ESL). I don't want to get involved, I don't know the details. I haven't see the players yet, we train later today. The thing is to stay calm and focus on our match, which is maybe a little bit different now.
"I am an employee of this club and my job is very clear. I don't know the full details, I was not involved in the decision making. Maybe it's a good thing to step back and not give our opinions, and fight for the goals we still have this season.”
Good luck to Chelsea trying to find football players who are happy to not play for their countries in World Cups and major tournaments by the way…
“The players that will play in the Super League will be banned from playing in the World Cup and Euros,” UEFA’s Alexander Ceferin confirms.
“They will not be allowed play for their national teams.”
Incredible, and fair play to them. Will this be enough to make clubs think twice? Will they even be able to get players anymore if they cannot play for their countries? I certainly don’t think they would.
I will still be shocked if this league goes ahead, as I have said. I feel the battle will ensue and get very heated. I can see it being blocked legally.
But to sum it up, I’ve been left with a bitter taste in my mouth and feel thoroughly let down by our club. I am always a fan first and foremost, and a reporter second. So this cuts deep to real fans.
I’ll always follow and support Chelsea, my blood is blue. But if this thing goes ahead, I will find it all a hell of a lot harder and I am unsure whether the connection I feel with the club will ever be real, or will ever be the same.
It’s a dark day for football.
Written By Simon Phillips (@siphillipssport)
Too much emotion. Dan has a more reasoned pitch. The unfortunate reality is that major football clubs are large businesses ot playthings which want almost high guaranteed revenues to attract the best of talent and pay high wages - that that has always been the case (last 20 years at least). Fans are just "nice adornment" to provide atmosphere and buy merchandise - match going fans "like" to be exploited by paying for expensive tickets to support their team but the owners frankly treat them with disdain in all the important matters. Sad but the reality of economic relations in this late stage exploitative "feudal capitalism". greedy owners, players, even fans and media. Who does one blame?