Olsson: G14 Still Want Breakaway Superleague

Filed in archive Champions League on April 6, 2006

source: UEFA.com

UEFA Chief Executive Lars-Christer Olsson says he doesn't believe the G14 clubs claim that they don't want to form a breakaway Superleague. Olsson said:

I believe they are creating a smokescreen to hide their real ambitions and we should not underestimate that some of their clubs would like an alternative competition, perhaps similar to the NFL franchise in the USA with guaranteed participation.

They can do so of course if they want to - but it means they would not be allowed to take part in the domestic competitions organised by their national associations.

Some are excited by the prospect of an NFL style Superleague but it would remove the best thing about football, that theoretically there is no limit to what a team can achieve. Fans of Grimsby or Hartlepool can dream that one day their team will be European Champions, but a G14 Superleague competition would be inaccessible to them.