Prince Rupert's Tower
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European league would be bad for Everton

By Matt Townsend

Liverpool's Senegalese striker Sadio Mane (L) vies with Everton's Colombian midfielder James Rodriguez during the English Premier League football match between Everton and Liverpool at Goodison Park in Liverpool, north west England on October 17, 2020. - 19 (Photo by Laurence Griffiths / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by LAURENCE GRIFFITHS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Liverpool's Senegalese striker Sadio Mane (L) vies with Everton's Colombian midfielder James Rodriguez during the English Premier League football match between Everton and Liverpool at Goodison Park in Liverpool, north west England on October 17, 2020. - 19 (Photo by Laurence Griffiths / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by LAURENCE GRIFFITHS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) /
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What does all this proposed change and potential upheaval mean for the future of the domestic game and for the prospects of clubs like Everton?

As a result of that impasse, the idea of a new ‘European Premier League’ of sorts is apparently being floated once more by those usual suspects; Liverpool and Manchester United.

We’ve heard all this before of course, many times. At first glance it seems like an attempt to push the other Premier League clubs to reconsider their opposition to the original plans.

Actually there is a sort of European super-league already in existence and that’s the Champions League. This competition is largely populated and almost completely dominated by the biggest clubs on the continent.

It would seem to be difficult to actually create a new super-league in practice. Apart from strong opposition from all the other clubs around Europe who aren’t included, I think there would be a real backlash from fans and not just from the smaller clubs. Games that have huge historic appeal, like the Merseyside derby, might never be played again.

Another point is that presumably it would be based on something like the top 20 European clubs in terms of revenue, otherwise how else would you define who should and shouldn’t be included?

That would leave anomalies such as West Ham United being in and historically great clubs such as AC Milan and Ajax not making the cut. No one in their right mind could argue that the Hammers are a bigger club than the Rossineri!

And than there’s the question of would there be promotion from and relegation to, the individual national leagues each season?

In addition what about UEFA’s potential opposition because a European league would I assume, make the Champions League redundant and that is the governing body’s big money-maker.

If all the biggest revenue-generating clubs like Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Man United were playing in their own league, far fewer fans would watch the Champions League, especially in crucial overseas markets.

All this would also destroy the traditional basis of European football with it’s long-established local rivalries and make it even harder for any clubs but the richest to ever achieve real success.

If such a league was to materalise, it could be a real problem for the Blues. Everton are just perhaps beginning to recover a prominent position in the game with the revival on the pitch under Carlo Ancelotti matched by a much improved commercial reach due to new high-profile signings like James Rodriguez.

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This season has begun superbly well and the Toffees are still leading the Premier League. That is despite a derby draw against Liverpool on Saturday where they had to come from behind twice, which ended their 100% record.

If the Blues were to succeed in securing a trophy and perhaps a top-four place this season, then they would be in a position to restore this great club’s status. Qualifying for the Champions League is the big one of course bringing with it massive additional revenue and raising the club’s profile even more.

Were Europe’s self-styled elite to abandon that competition as well as the Premier League and go their own way without a club like Everton, then the Toffees would be left in a rump domestic league. That would have scant commercial value and little prospect of them ever regaining a position befitting their great history.

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Of course all this is speculation, but with the money involved in football it seems that such ideas and plans are not going away. Clubs like the Blues who are not considered part of the elite by the other clubs, the sporting media and governing bodies, would probably be excluded from such plans and need to be wary of them.

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