'European Super League backlash shows fans are questioning role of money in football'
20 April 2021, 14:43 | Updated: 20 April 2021, 14:55
'People are questioning assumption money rules everything in football'
People are beginning to query the assumption that "money rules everything" in football as fans and players stand up against the European Super League, a former Premier League adviser has told LBC.
David Kogan, former Premier League and EFL chief media rights adviser, made the comment to LBC's Shelagh Fogarty.
His remark comes after the Government announced a fan-led review of football in the UK in response to the controversial plans for the breakaway European Super League.
Speaking of the reaction to the European Super League plan, Mr Kogan said: "Well, it's interesting...because there's a lot of outrage, a lot of heat [and] a lot of light.
"And in the last few minutes, I saw something I never thought I'd see, which is a Premier League chairman actually asking that there be an independent regulator set up to look into English football."
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"I mean that is something that I've never heard a Premier League chairman ever ask for in the past. So things are definitely changing."
He was referring to Burnley FC chairman Alan Pace, who has today has called for the establishment of an independent regulator for English football.
He also said that when the Premier League was first set up "nobody then really understood that when Sky came in and won the television rights exclusively for the first time, it was going to set off the revolution that took place".
"But it was also after an era in which English football had been going through massive decline in 1980s...and so everybody welcomed the change," he added.
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However, indirectly referring to the European Super League plan, Mr Kogan said that "this time...the assumption that money rules everything is now clearly something which people are beginning to query."
In response to the announcement of the breakaway league, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "Plans for a European Super League would be very damaging for football and we support football authorities in taking action.
"They would strike at the heart of the domestic game, and will concern fans across the country.
"The clubs involved must answer to their fans and the wider footballing community before taking any further steps."
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