So I was reading this on Soccernet today http://soccernet.espn.go.com/headlinenews?id=256974&cc=5901 G-14 (but really 18) want fewer friendlies or money for allowing their players go. FIFA wants a World Club Cup that the big UEFA clubs will come to and take serious. Methinks a deal will be cut by the two parties sometime soon. Am I on the right track?
G14 complains about Brazil and demands new CL solution The European top team don't want to accept the national game plans of the World Champion any longer and obviously accepted on a common approach. The G14 clubs threaten the Brazilian soccer association with a boycott according to Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. "We will contact FIFA with this matter. We want to talk to President Joseph Blatter", announced the chairman of FC Bayern after a G14 meeting in Madrid. "This is the last warning before we are getting active" Reason for the trouble is the coming friendly of the Brazilians next Wednesday in China. "We are fed up with it. It can't be true that our players are sent across the continents just to make money with them", said Rummenigge. Brazil earns the record um of about 1.2 M Euro for appearing in China. According to their contract, the South Americans have to play with their European stars Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Roberto Carlos and Cafu. From Bundesliga Marcio Amoroso, Ze Roberto and Juan were called up. G14 thought anew about a financial participation of the clubs sending players to the associations. FIFA always refused such demands in the past. Brazil's Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira also sees himself on the side of the law "There are five dates each year determined by FIFA for a national game. There is nothing to talk about. We got the right to demand these players". Additionally the G14 demanded by UEFA to think anew about their Champions League reform. In the coming season the second group stage will be replaced by a round of the last 16. G14 now wants that UEFA develops modes that avoids games like Juventus vs Bayern or Milan vs Real
Two-time bridesmaid failure flexes his Euromuscle... Geez, Karlheinz couldn't win a World Cup as a player. Now he'd love to sabotage Brasil for '06. To what depths will UEFIFA sink? Seriously, this is the fault of the greedy Brasilians who play in Europe. They have no right to complain when they've sold their souls to UEFA clubs.
I think FIFA and UEFA need to tread carefully with matters such as this. If they keep upsetting the G-14 clubs, they may very well carry out their threat of breaking away and forming their own 'Super League' competition. I still think it is largely a hollow threat, but pushed far enough, I believe they could carry it out.