The Super League needs English clubs

In his exclusive column for CaughtOffside, former Liverpool attacker Stan Collymore discusses some of football’s biggest talking points, including The Super League, Steve Cooper’s sacking and Liverpool vs Arsenal. 

No English clubs = No Super League

The European Super League is Barcelona and Real Madrid’s golden ticket to try and take on the Premier League, it is that simple. From their point of view, I get it, likewise with some of the other clubs who could join it.

What needs to happen, from the English perspective; if any of the English clubs blink and don’t come out in the next 24/48 hours and say ‘we are committed to the pyramid in England and UEFA competitions’, then in my opinion, they should be kicked out of English football for good after what happened originally in 2021 – with no comeback.

I think the punishment has to be a proper punishment. With the money said to be involved in this Super League, they will all be thinking ‘how much can we get out of this?’.

Let’s be honest, the ridiculous sums of money they are already getting through UEFA and the extra sums of cash they are now going to get with an expanded FIFA Club World Cup, in addition to what they receive from the Premier League; it needs to be said that if one English club blinks, they don’t deserve to take part in an English tournament again due to their greed.

These “big six” clubs don’t care about the pyramid in England. Football has been in this country since the late 19th century and tearing up that covenant is unforgivable; only a permanent ban would suffice as punishment.

Without the English clubs, there will be no Super League. Real Madrid vs PSV or whoever, that ain’t going to sell.

I worry that if one of the clubs in England do join this Super League, then it is a possibility that the rest could follow as seen in 2021.

If people reading this make the mistake of thinking that this isn’t something being explored across the “big six” sides, they certainly will be thinking about it and the numbers that will be involved in a Super League.

As I have already said, the Super League cannot survive without the English teams as they not only need the finances they bring but the supporters and history of football in the country. I don’t think any will blink and join it but like I’ve said, if they do, they should be banned forever and I would give them until 1 January to state their position.

Nottingham Forest fans…