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Club websites vs. the burning world of football | Super League

As the football world begins to digest the ramifications of the so-called Super League, club webs...



Club websites vs. the burning...
Soccer

Club websites vs. the burning world of football | Super League

As the football world begins to digest the ramifications of the so-called Super League, club websites are presenting an... unusual version of events.

On Tuesday afternoon, Pep Guardiola came out with the most stinging criticism yet by a sitting manager of one of the breakaway clubs.

Pep Guardiola, Manchester City & Super League

"It is not a sport where the relation between effort and success does not exist," Guardiola said.

"It is not a sport where success is already guaranteed, it is not a sport where it doesn't matter when you lose.

"I have said many times I want the best competition, as strong as possible, especially the Premier League, and not just one team fight, fight, fight and arrives at the top but cannot be qualified, because it is just for a few clubs.

"These teams have been selected, I don’t know the reason why is going to play this competition in the future.

"It is not a sport where success is already guaranteed or it doesn’t matter where you lose. I said many times, I want the best competition.

"I don’t know if the statement will change and four or five teams will be able to go up."

One might expect such pointed comments to feature on the Manchester City website, but alas not.

In an article entitled 'Guardiola responds to ESL development', City's site reports the blander elements of the press conference.

“We are not the right people to answer the questions. The presidents can speak more clearly about where football is going to go. It is uncomfortable for us because we don't have all the information," the site quotes Guardiola.

Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool

It was hard not to feel for Jurgen Klopp on Monday Night Football, where he was asked whether his opinions on a Super League had changed since stinging criticism of the plans in 2019.

"My opinions didn't change," Klopp said.

"I heard for the first time about it yesterday and when you try and prepare for a very difficult game like Leeds United and then so far we got some information, not a lot to be honest - most of the things you can read.

"It's a tough one people are not happy with that, I can understand that but I can't say a lot about it to be honest. We were not involved in any processes: me, nor the players we didn't know about it. We'll have to wait and see how it develops.

"I'm 53 years old since I was first a professional, the Champions League was there. As a manager it was my aim to coach a team there.

"I like the Champions League, the competitive factor of football. I like the fact that West Ham might play the Champions League next year. I don't want them to because we want to do that. But they have a chance like that.

"What can I say: Liverpool is much more than some decisions and the most important things in football is the supporters and the teams and we have to make sure nothing comes between them."

Funny, then, that only the most anodyne quotes on the draw with Leeds appear on the website under the headline 'Jurgen Klopp's assessment of the draw with Leeds United.'

No mention whatsoever of the quotes above, which made headlines across the world.

Manchester United

Manchester United's silence on social media has been absolutely deafening.

While Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's last media appearance was before the announcement on Sunday night, United's lack of activity online has served only to increase ire towards them.

Look closely, and you'll notice the most anodyne announcement tucked away just underneath a banner announcement of a podcast with Paul McShane.

As this story develops, it is going to be very interesting to see how players and managers may feel about taking centre stage to questions that they are not yet qualified to answer.

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