The implosion of the European Super League (ESL) over the past 48 hours was more about the breakaway group losing out to the establishment and had little to do with the fans.
That’s the view of former Liverpool player and Jamaica national coach John Barnes, who believes the attempt to launch the ESL was no different from when England’s elite clubs broke away to form the English Premier League 29 years ago.
The outspoken Jamaican-born former Liverpool and Watford star was on TalkSport with hosts Ally McCoist and Laura Woods today responding to questions about Tuesday’s implosion and the subsequent apology issued by Liverpool’s owner John Henry, who is believed to be one of the principals of the now failed breakaway attempt.
“I want to apologise to all the fans and supporters of Liverpool Football Club for the disruption I caused over the past 48 hours,” said Liverpool's billionaire owner.
“It goes without saying but should be said that the project put forward was never going to stand without the support of the fans. No one ever thought differently in England. Over these 48 hours, you were very clear that it would not stand. We heard you. I heard you."
Notwithstanding the apology, Barnes said the move by the owners of the elite clubs was nothing new.
“It seemed to be heartfelt. How meaningful it is we don’t really know,” Barnes said of Henry's apology. “What’s been happening has been a power struggle between elite groups to exploit the fans, that’s all it was. It’s just a question of who is going to exploit them.
“So now that the ESL is not going to exploit them, it will be the same old guard, FIFA, UEFA, The Premier League, the big clubs because if the fans really won, how many of those Chelsea fans outside the ground, how many of them can get tickets for the game, how many can afford the 150-Pound shirts, how many can afford their Sky subscriptions?
“So it’s about still exploitation of the fans. This is what this is. It’s just about the question of who will exploit them, and they’ll be exploited by the same old faces.”
McCoist asked Barnes given the circumstances, whether there should be an attempt to do something to upend the current status quo and stop the exploitation of fans.
He replied: “By doing what? The status quo is now exactly the same. This was, in my opinion, an attempt by the big clubs to try and get more money from UEFA. Let’s not forget that this started in ’92 when an elite group, five clubs wanted to pull away. They enticed the other 15 in the Premier League to pull away from the Football League to the detriment of League One, League Two, grassroots football and the Championship because they wanted more money for themselves. That’s why the Premier League started and that was what this group (ESL) tried to do.”
McCoist then asked if the fans should keep going with their protests now that they have shown that they have the power.
“They didn’t do it,” Barnes replied. “Sky did it. UEFA did it. FIFA did it. That’s what happened.
“Keep going, don’t go to matches. We’ve had this before where fans said we won’t pay the tickets; we won’t go to watch the matches. We are trying to convince the fans that they are the ones who did it, but as much as they have done it, do you think now that all of a sudden that ticket prices are going to come down or the shirt prices are going to come down or Sky subscriptions are going to come down. That’s not going to happen.”
In the last 24 hours, all six English clubs have withdrawn from the ESL that was supposed to be a cash-rich league featuring some of the world’s biggest clubs including Manchester United, Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Juventus, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Overall, there was to be a 20 team league split into groups of two and matches would be played in midweek, with the clubs earning almost twice their annual match revenues earned from the Champions League.
However, UEFA and FIFA as well as the Premier League and fans resisted the move. UEFA and FIFA threatened to ban teams from their domestic competitions and players from participating in the World Cup.
Some teams also started to see sponsors withdraw their support. Subsequently, the breakaway teams began to withdraw from the ESL rendering the move by the end of business on Tuesday.
Leighton Levy is a journalist with 28 years’ experience covering crime, entertainment, and sports. He joined the staff at SportsMax.TV as a content editor two years ago and is enjoying the experience of developing sports content and new ideas. At SportsMax.tv he is pursuing his true passion - sports.
Maldon High makes history as daCosta Cup second round takes shape
Maldon High secured their first-ever spot in the second round of the ISSA/Wata daCosta Cup football competition after a dramatic 1-1 draw with Green Pond High on Saturday at the Granville Community Centre. The result marked a significant milestone for Maldon, who will now advance to the second round along with six other teams, leaving only the best third-placed teams to be decided on Monday.
In a thrilling conclusion to their Zone A return game, Garth-Dane Bromwell gave Green Pond the lead in the 85th minute, putting them on course for back-to-back wins and a place in the second round for the first time since 2019. However, Maldon struck late to level the game and secure their historic qualification.
Defending champions Clarendon College also advanced from Zone H despite a 1-2 loss to Denbigh High, who avenged their earlier defeat and joined Clarendon in the second round. Denbigh’s victory was only their second-ever win over the multiple-time champions, further shaking up the group standings. Central High took the lead in Zone H after a 3-2 win over Lennon High, with Clarendon College now in second and Denbigh following closely in third, all with one game remaining.
Former champions Frome Technical, Rusea’s High, and St. Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) also secured their places in the next round. Stevaughn Spence was the star for Frome, netting a hat-trick in their 3-0 win over Anchovy High, which moved them to 23 points in Zone B. Rusea’s joined them in advancing after a narrow 1-0 victory over Green Island High.
STETHS ended their Zone E campaign on a high note, defeating early qualifiers Munro College 2-1 at the STETHS Sports Complex to claim their spot in the round of 32.
Meanwhile, Glenmuir High, early qualifiers from Zone I who won their first eight games, stumbled with a second consecutive loss, falling 1-2 to Garvey Maceo High. This marked the first time in more than two seasons that Glenmuir has lost back-to-back matches.
In Zone D, Manning’s School continued their dominant form, winning their eighth straight game with a resounding 6-0 victory over Grange Hill High. Gregory Phillips led the way with four goals, while Keandre Ellis and Zachry Clarke added one each, completing a dominant performance.
As the daCosta Cup second round approaches, excitement continues to build, with several powerhouse teams and emerging contenders ready to battle it out for the coveted title.
Jamaica’s sports minister and JFF president express condolences on the passing of former football boss Heron Dale
Messages of condolence continue to pour in following the passing of Heron Dale, former president of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), who died on October 9. Dale, who served as JFF president from 1992 to 1994, is being remembered for his significant contributions to Jamaican football and the wider community.
Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment, and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, expressed her sadness at Dale’s passing, highlighting his leadership both in football and in the business community. “Heron Dale, whose firm, H.S. Dale and Company, gained a reputation for high-quality service in Port Antonio, gave equally distinguished service to football in Jamaica as president of the JFF,” Minister Grange said. She also acknowledged Dale's involvement in the Portland Chamber of Commerce, a further testament to his dedication to the development of his community.
Minister Grange extended her condolences to Dale’s family, friends, and associates, saying, “May his soul rest in peace.”
The Jamaica Football Federation also released a statement expressing deep sorrow over Dale's passing. Current JFF President Michael Ricketts noted the former president’s impact on the development of the organization. "Dale was an instrumental figure in shaping the JFF into the thriving organization it is today," Ricketts said. "His unwavering commitment to our sport and its community will be deeply missed. May his soul rest in eternal peace."
Sugar Boyz defeat BVI to stay on top in CONCACAF Nations League
The St. Kitts and Nevis Senior Men’s National team, known as the Sugar Boyz, solidified their position at the top of League C in the CONCACAF Nations League with a 3-1 victory over the British Virgin Islands (BVI) on Wednesday, October 9, at Warner Park.
Playing in front of a large home crowd, the Sugar Boyz took control early in the match. In the 25th minute, Malique Roberts opened the scoring with a powerful header, putting the hosts in the lead. Twelve minutes later, the advantage was doubled when Gvaune Amory unleashed a thunderous strike that rippled the back of the net, sending the crowd into a frenzy as the Sugar Boyz went into halftime with a commanding 2-0 lead.
BVI started the second half with renewed determination, pulling a goal back early on. However, despite their efforts, the Sugar Boyz put the game out of reach towards the end of the match, thanks to an own goal from BVI’s Ikyah Williams, sealing a 3-1 victory for the home side.
After the match, assistant coach Austin "Dico" Huggins praised the team for securing all three points but emphasized that there is still room for improvement. “We worked hard on possession, keeping the ball, and not making unnecessary turnovers. We have to be more patient. Today we saw them trying to pass the ball around, but we still need more movement going forward, breaking the lines, and attacking the goal,” Huggins said.
Team captain Julani Archibald echoed the sentiment, happy with the win but acknowledging that the team did not perform to their full potential. “I think we didn't play to the best of our ability. We could have played much better since we were at home. But nonetheless, we got the three points, and that's the most important,” Archibald said.
On the opposing side, BVI’s head coach Christopher Kiwomya and captain Troy Caesar expressed disappointment, feeling that their team could have taken more from the game.
With the victory, the Sugar Boyz remain in prime position to advance from their group. Their final group stage match will be against the Cayman Islands on Tuesday, October 15, at Warner Park. The match kicks off at 3:30 PM, with free admission as part of the SKNFA’s efforts to give back to football fans.
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