By now most football fans are aware of the some of the big European clubs’ intention to form a new competition, and while we are seriously against the idea the reality is it will be inevitable that this will happen at some stage, so trying to combat what will eventually come anyway, we offer up another Gurgler Big Idea with our European Super League Alternative.
You know it’s a big piece of football news when Jose Mourinho’s sacking isn’t the top football story, but here we are.
FIFA and UEFA are threatening bans, there’s talk of players involved missing Euros and World Cups, points deductions, exclusions from national competitions. Football fans are as irate as they should be with the game trying to take another step towards being played inside Uncle Scrooge’s vault with all the coins.
As an Ipswich Town fan the European Super League isn’t as important as it is to others, as we would required the European Super League to have 40+ English teams before Ipswich could get something out of it.
Back to our European Super League Alternative….
Once again we state that we are against it, but believe it is inevitable. So why not suggest a way of making awful slightly less awful.
EUROPEAN SUPER LEAGUE ALTERNATIVE SUMMARY
Here is our overview of how we think an alternative could be found. Allowing some of the principles of the greed but turning it more into a football competition than currently planned. And creating a European pathway for others clubs who aspire to be as successful.
Further explnations are bwlow.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE / EUROPEAN SUPER LEAGUE
We haven’t altered the format of 20 teams in two league, or that these will be set teams with the most money, nor the way the eight team knockout and qualifying for that final part. That it seems will always be how it is.
Where we have made changes is down the bottom.
What would happen if you could involve relegation/promotion through tiers.
So we say that the bottom team from each pool is automatically relegated into the Europa League. For all the money in the world, any football team that finishes last in a table should be relegated. These clubs can play in the Europa League the next season and depending on their performances quickly bounce back or fall into obscurity.
Next then are the two second worst teams in each pool, while they shouldn’t be automatically relegated, their mediocrity shouldn’t be rewarded. So we say throw them into a promotion/relegation dogfight.
EUROPA LEAGUE PATHWAY
So if two must go down that means two teams must go up from somewhere, so why not give that honour to the two finalists of the Europa League.
Then the six teams who made the quarter finals but didn’t make the big final can join the two worst sides in an eight team knockout competition where the sides all play in one ground over a week. Games drawn out of a hat, with the two finalist gaining/retaining top level status.
The six losing teams from the above group are guaranteed Europa League status for the next season.
To double down on the European football pathway, a second Europa League 2 will take place, and the four teams that make the semi final get automatically promoted to Europa League.
That leaves 20 teams to qualify as is to make 32 and the competition structure remains as is.
EUROPA LEAGUE TWO
The final rung in our European Super League is the Europa League 2 that no one really wants, but if it were part of a pathway for other clubs it may be more tolerated.
Make entry into it by winning the national cup like the olden days for some European tournaments, and in the likelihood that the same teams win that too, add another place for that country from the league.
But with four teams guaranteed promotion in the Europa League there’s still a pathway for some minnows to punch above their weight.
You could make this 24 / 32 teams or whatever the bosses decide makes more money. Probably 128 teams.
Play it on a Thursday night along with Europa League
