‘I don’t believe their words for one second’: Furious Joe Cole slams the European Super League rebels and insists football authorities must ‘stamp out’ any future bid by clubs seeking to join a breakaway competition
- Joe Cole has called on football authorities to ‘stamp out’ any breakaway bid
- Football was rocked by an attempt to drastically change the game’s landscape
- However, the £4.6bn plot was foiled just 48 hours after it was first mooted
- Now, Cole says governing bodies must prevent any similar super league plot
Joe Cole has called on the football authorities to clamp down on any future bids to form breakaway leagues amid the fallout of the disastrous European Super League.
Football was rocked this week after twelve European heavyweights pledged to join the competition – described as a ‘closed shop’ – that threatened the existence of the Premier League and UEFA competitions.
Amid huge backlash from fans, clubs and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the six English clubs involved in the £4.6bn, JP Morgan-backed scheme backed down just 48 hours after airing the plans in a great victory for the football community.
But Cole has warned that the billionaire owners responsible for the controversial plot must be held accountable in order to prevent any future threat of a breakaway.
‘I can’t believe they could have been that stupid,’ Cole said on BT Sport. ‘Maybe it was an opening gambit let the world know what they want to do and two, three years down the line they are still going to want to implement this.
Joe Cole has called on football authorities to ‘stamp out’ any future breakaway league bid
Twelve European clubs, including United, announced a breakaway tournament on Sunday
‘They aren’t going to go away and get back in their box. This is something they are going to want… they want to make sure all their shareholders get value for their money, that is all they are concerned with and I can’t see it going away.
‘The only thing we can do in my opinion is we know what they want to do and we have to hold them accountable for their actions.
‘If they insinuate they are going to do it again you have to stamp it out there and then. I thought the promises were quite empty. As men you hold them accountable to their actions and not just their word. Because I don’t believe their words for one second.’
However, six English clubs pulled out just 48 hours later amid a furious backlash from fans
Chris Sutton concurred with the former Chelsea star, arguing that the rebel clubs should be hit with a 12-point deduction and a ban from European competitions for their actions.
‘I’d give them a 12-point deduction immediately and I’d give them a European ban for a couple of years,’ he said.
‘Aleksander Ceferin called them snakes, well take the venom out of the snakes. Give them a European ban, let other teams come up and compete. Otherwise what is the deterrent?
‘If you expel them from the Premier League they can go and set up their own other league. I think there are things which can be done.
‘How do you punish a billionaire? I think we can fine the billionaires heavily and put the money into grasroots football, say £50m per club.
And Cole says football’s governing bodies must ensure no similar breakaway happens again
‘What we have to do is take away the power from these billionaires. Don’t let them become anywhere near the decision making process. These six clubs didn’t think about the other clubs. Take the power away from them.’
As of yet, those clubs involved in the breakaway league have not been hit with sanctions, with UEFA president Ceferin on Tuesday insisting that the rebel clubs that backout will be permitted in the Champions League.
Sportsmail reported on Wednesday that those clubs that have elected to withdraw from the ESL will have to pay a fine. Arsenal chief Vinai Venkatesham said the Gunners’ fine will be paid by owner Stan Kroenke.