I have no problems with rules governing what owners do with clubs. But those rules should be set and enforced by the body that the sport has set up to run itself.
I couldn't give a shit if every rugby league and rugby union club went out of business tomorrow. But a lot of communities up and down the country would be devastated. It is a matter for the communities and the organizations running those sports to deal with the issue. Not central government.
And therein lies the problem.
In Germany, that body is the DFB, the German Football Association. It runs everything from TV rights negotiation and distribution, club licensing (including mandatory academy investment) down to the grass roots.
Now tell me please, which is the equivalent English body?
The thing is I cannot see any feasible way Charlton fans can put any meaningful pressure on those involved in the decision making process over West Ham's tenancy of the new stadium:
- we can't pressure the owners of our club because they have no input - we can't pressure our local councillors because they have no input - we can't pressure the national government because no party seems to have this on their radar and people generally vote for a party for much more important reasons than how much West Ham are charging for season tickets
I suppose the only possible route is via the London Assembly/Mayoral office, but since I don't live in London I don't really have a clue on this front.
The pressure will come when a wider group of citizens and taxpayers see it as a problem too. Then Charlton fans become just one particularly interested group within a wider..err…coalition, if that's not a dirty word to use. As a result of those Guardian articles, that coalition became a lot more concrete and connected. On top of that, West Ham have just committed what looks to me like a big communications gaff (which I'd prefer not to elaborate on here, for now).
It is not, and was never going to be a national election issue, however after the election I believe the pressure can be ramped up quite a lot, especially if Boris Johnson's role in the whole tawdry deal becomes clearer.
It's over two years since I submitted a complaint to the EC about unfair State Aid to West Ham, which frankly I did out of curiosity, because it was quite easy to do. I've never been more confident than I am today that we can really get substantial changes made to this deal.
sounds interesting, will have to 'wait and see' I guess
Watching the debate on the daily politics show. There seems to be more mud thrown in Yvette Cooper & the Labour parties direction than any of the other parties. For a party that is not actually in office, I find that pretty telling.
But I always thought that the BBC was always accused of left wing bias. Both Farage and Johnson have used this line already during the campaign .Are you saying this is not the case ?
Watching the debate on the daily politics show. There seems to be more mud thrown in Yvette Cooper & the Labour parties direction than any of the other parties. For a party that is not actually in office, I find that pretty telling.
But I always thought that the BBC was always accused of left wing bias. Both Farage and Johnson have used this line already during the campaign .Are you saying this is not the case ?
Not at all. It was an open debate with members from all parties. There was no 'selective' audience. I remember similar debates at the last election and Labour, some might say justly, got bombarded with stick from the way they had run the country for the previous 5 years. Every man and his dog were looking to have a pop. The Tories have not faced the same sort of flak this time around in my opinion.
Watching the debate on the daily politics show. There seems to be more mud thrown in Yvette Cooper & the Labour parties direction than any of the other parties. For a party that is not actually in office, I find that pretty telling.
But I always thought that the BBC was always accused of left wing bias. Both Farage and Johnson have used this line already during the campaign .Are you saying this is not the case ?
Not at all. It was an open debate with members from all parties. There was no 'selective' audience. I remember similar debates at the last election and Labour, some might say justly, got bombarded with stick from the way they had run the country for the previous 5 years. Every man and his dog were looking to have a pop. The Tories have not faced the same sort of flak this time around in my opinion.
But Farrage felt the audience was biased against him in the recent debate. It is refreshing to see this is not the case.
Karen Brady telling people to vote Conservative can only win votes for Labour. She has worked for/aligned herself with porn barons from the start of her business life.
Brogib - If the UK pulled out of the EU what would happen to British citizens currently living in the EU?
Oh, I never thought of that......
Actually can you even vote from France? How does that work? And CA has a point there are 700'000 brits every year that emigrate or make the most of the free movement in the EU.
...but now you come to mention it; personally, if I wanted to stay in France, I'd try to meet all the requirements that France demanded for non EU migrants to stay. If not, I'd move back to the UK.
Brogib - If the UK pulled out of the EU what would happen to British citizens currently living in the EU?
Oh, I never thought of that......
Actually can you even vote from France? How does that work? And CA has a point there are 700'000 brits every year that emigrate or make the most of the free movement in the EU.
Europe is far from perfect but we are still better off in it. And we are better fixing the issues from the inside rather than the outside. A while back Cameron re-defined the meaning of the word Veto. He used it and rather than stopping anything, the other countries carried on but simply locked him out! Looked good to the Eurosceptic loonies in his party, but made no sense whatsoever to any right thinking person. Like the kid who takes his ball away in a sulk, only to find that the kids he was playing with have their own ball. Cameron knew they had their own ball though. The Tories are playing a dangerous game with Europe, it will be a needless distraction and is a stupid vote. Farage says we can build new markets - nobody has explained why we don't build them first before leaving. Companies that invest in this country like Nissan do it to access the European Market.
What anti Europeans don't legislate for either is that if we left Europe, they would do their best to disuade any other country from doing the same and Europe would use its might against us. May not be fair, but that is what would happen.
...but now you come to mention it; personally, if I wanted to stay in France, I'd try to meet all the requirements that France demanded for non EU migrants to stay. If not, I'd move back to the UK.
Brogib - If the UK pulled out of the EU what would happen to British citizens currently living in the EU?
Oh, I never thought of that......
Actually can you even vote from France? How does that work? And CA has a point there are 700'000 brits every year that emigrate or make the most of the free movement in the EU.
This is what I find ridiculous .. Britons living permanently overseas, presumably not paying UK taxes and having a vote in UK elections ?
Comments
In Germany, that body is the DFB, the German Football Association. It runs everything from TV rights negotiation and distribution, club licensing (including mandatory academy investment) down to the grass roots.
Now tell me please, which is the equivalent English body?
But I always thought that the BBC was always accused of left wing bias. Both Farage and Johnson have used this line already during the campaign .Are you saying this is not the case ?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karren_Brady
No connection to WHU getting a very nice stadium decision of course.
That and David Gold attending the Conservative fundraising white and black ball. Absolutely nothing to see here, move along.
I remember similar debates at the last election and Labour, some might say justly, got bombarded with stick from the way they had run the country for the previous 5 years. Every man and his dog were looking to have a pop.
The Tories have not faced the same sort of flak this time around in my opinion.
Pity really.
What anti Europeans don't legislate for either is that if we left Europe, they would do their best to disuade any other country from doing the same and Europe would use its might against us. May not be fair, but that is what would happen.
Obviously wasted my time there then.
;-)
Sounds like a Party Political Broadcast for the Wanker Society.
Imagine being sacked for not reaching your targets.
'Zero hours' or 'some hours' - you choose.