A pro-populist Prime Minister of the UK, Boris Johnson says the fan is “at the heart” of his inspection of island football. On the basis of the status report (“Fan-led Review”) published in November, the British government around Prime Minister Johnson approved the partially groundbreaking recommendations contained therein on Monday. This includes a tightening of the Premier League’s previously lax owner and director tests and the statutory introduction of a supervisory authority separate from football operations. This control body should even be authorized to issue instructions and sanctions to the clubs.
However, Johnson longs for the welcome step to curb the neo-capitalist excesses of professional football at least as much as the football audience. Because with this unprecedented state interference, the populist Johnson wants to ensure that a year after the attempted creation of a European Super League (with six English clubs as founding members) such a prank will not be repeated. A super league would endanger the existence of the Premier League far more than the existence of football. And a dwarfing of the English export hit would probably cost Johnson dearly – it would cost him votes.
We are looking for: Owners who stay out of the club’s politics and don’t want to earn money, just give
This calculation is now driving Johnson into an unplayed field, in that he obviously knows less what he wants than what he doesn’t want. After the fresh quarrels about Chelsea FC, whose oligarch owner Roman Abramovich was chased out of the country because of his connections to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the British government no longer wants club owners who have acquaintances with undesirable people. From now on, club owners like the Saudi sovereign wealth fund at Newcastle United, which are associated with so-called sportswashing, are apparently no longer welcome.
For all those mega-rich who have earned and paid tax on their wealth in a completely legal manner, their capital for elite players and coaches and new stadiums is gladly taken – but only as long as the horrendous sums of money do not endanger the balance of the league. In addition, the club owners would have to stay completely out of the business affairs of their clubs, honor the traditions that apply there and, in particular, promise that they do not want to earn anything from their investments. Only: Who corresponds to this requirement profile?
An owner who only gives money but takes nothing would probably have to be invented first. After all, Boris Johnson would later like to receive something in return (vote votes!) for his oh so selfless firefighting mission in football. Therefore, it could well be that Johnson will not find anything in his search for the super owner at first – and may even end up with the fans, for whom, according to his own statement, he launched the campaign in the first place. However, it is to be feared that, for historical reasons, supporters in England – unlike in Germany – have no fundamental interest in having a say in their clubs. Because the majority of Premier League fans still want one thing above all: sporting success. And unfortunately at any price.
