The Bojan Krkic column: 'We want our cold nights in Stoke'
It has been a frenetic week. Debates have been carried out in every meeting, bar or media outlet and for good reason, too. The future of football on the continent could be modified forever and no one wants to miss the chance to give their opinion on the controversial European Super League. Personally, I would like to say that I am openly against the proposals. I don't like the idea of separating football, creating a zone reserved for a privileged few or for those that want to take advantage of this wonderful sport for their own benefit.
Last Saturday, after losing the Copa del Rey final, Athletic Club's Dani Garcia said, holding back the tears, that he may never get the chance to play in Europe. His words forced me to reflect this week. If one day this project comes to fruition, how many dreams will be stolen? How many players will see their ambitions frustrated? Teams like Athletic have shown they can compete against the big sides and even beat them, as we saw in the Supercopa in January. That should be the only yardstick to follow. But there is one thing that I do agree with: the football world must evolve. But to do so, it must be based on the essence of merit and values. Evolve united, with everyone integrated, from professional sides to amateur teams. That's how we truly grow or make a project great. The rest is just a case of people telling tall tales and coming up with marketing slogans to justify millionaire profits for a select few.
Although that said, unfortunately, I also don't know why we are surprised. The problem comes not from the Super League in itself but the conflict behind it. We all know that attempts to seize the game like this come from years of cultivation. It's also known that the people steering football are less romantic all the time; that there's less stability for players every year; that every year it's more urgent to play with younger players: and that there are more and more intermediaries all the time wanting to get involved in the business exclusively to make a quick buck. In short, all of this has led to a non-conformist situation in the sector, people always wanting more and, for that reason, none of this is a coincidence.
Whether it happens eventually or not, the simple fact that they have planned it is already damaging for clubs and fans, and let's not forget that the supporters are a fundamental part of the business. It cannot be the case the decisions are made without them. They're the ones that renew season tickets year after year, that buy TV packages and shirts and that pay the salaries of many people at these clubs. In England, streams of people hit the streets to protest against the Super League but, curiously, it was a message from the Chelsea fans that convinced me that I was against this project: 'We want our cold nights in Stoke,' they said. And that doesn't surprise me, because it's in these types of places and stadiums where magic usually occurs.
