If you are interested in soccer, you should know there is an association in each country. But do you know there is association in each continent? 6 continent make their own association and operate it. Europe’s association is called ‘UEFA(Union of European Football Associations)’. All world’s soccer fans have huge interest in Europe soccer because there’s so many authoritative league in Europe. And this interest toward the association is not only to the players and teams. Fans can know easily UEFA’s news and their plan about how they operate Europe’s soccer through SNS or article. But fans start to complain UEFA’s system these days. Then let’s find out what make them upset.
First problem is ‘FFP(Financial Fair Play)’. In 2009, UEFA did investigation of 655 European club’s finance. Through this investigation, UEFA discovered more than a half of the clubs showed deficit than last year and among 20% get in dangerous to bankruptcy. Because of this, UEFA enact ‘FFP’ in 2010. ‘FFP’ is a rule that means you spend as you earn. If some club did not follow this rule, UEFA reclaim the prize money and broadcasting fee, also block the participate in UEFA’s competition like Champions league, Europa league. Definitely, purpose of this was right and it did work well but still there are some fans who don’t like this rule. Because they think that FFP brings polarization. These days, European clubs spend astronomical money. Especially, England’s EPL which is the most popular league in the world spent the most money. In 2018 summer transfer window, 20 clubs who participate in EPL spent €1.447.300.000. But In Spain’s La Liga which is popular in Europe spent €924.270.000. There’s no huge popularity gap between EPL and La Liga but EPL spent about €516.000.000 more than La Liga. What this phenomenon means? Popular league or teams earn money based on their popularity through ticket and sponsor’s support. But non-popular league or teams earn less money than popular league or teams. Thus popular teams have no difficult to sign new great player but non-popular teams has so many difficulties. That means popular team gets stronger but non-popular team gets weaker. That is why some fans do not like FFP. It makes soccer unfair. Nevertheless, FFP is still working now. Clearly, FFP have a problem to be equal in every Europe team. It seems there is a need of change such as making a new standard and apply each teams.
Second problem is about ‘Nations League’. ‘Nations league’ is an international competition which started in 2018 and supervised by UEFA. 55 country who belong in UEFA must participate in this competition. This competition hold in international A match period such as September, October, November, March, June. UEFA has been planning for revival of A match and national team’s development through this competition. And also broadcasting this match all around the world to earn the money. Until now, Nations League progression was okay. There were so many interesting match because UEFA determine the ranking in each country and make them to have a game with similar rank. Ryan Giggs who is the manager of Wales national team said, he is satisfied about this competition because it is very competitive and it will be a good experience as a manager, too.
While some people like this competition, some people do not like this competition. They are mainly cheer for club team more than the nation team. They hate competition because it is too fierce so that it will cause stamina exhaustion and possibility to get injured is high. Before the start of Nations League, A match was not fierce because it was just friendly match. Nevertheless some people hate A match, because it is held during the season. For example, Jurgen Klopp who is the manager of Liverpool F.C said “Nations League is the most senseless competition in the world football.” Nations League affected negatively to other continent national football team like Korea. These days, Korea national football team cannot have a match with European team because of Nations League. So when Korea wants to play with other great team to test their strength, option is decreased. On this account Nations League is not helpful for Korea national football team’s growth.
Final problem is about suspicion that UEFA has a close relationship with some club. In November 2018, ‘Football Leaks’ which is supported by German major media ‘Der Speigel’ exposed Manchester city and Paris Saint German(PSG) have a close relationship with UEFA. It reveals two clubs floated FFP rule, but UEFA extenuate or overlook their punishment. Manchester city and PSG strongly denied it. But ‘Football Leaks’ disputed to them it is fact because the source is from whistleblower. Public opinion incline to ‘Football Leaks’. Because Mancester city and PSG spent a lot of money to sign new player but, UEFA argued that they did not flotted FFP rule in every year. After the expose, manager of ‘Football Leaks’ got caught. He transpired that the source was not from whistleblower. He could know that information by hacking the computer. Information by hack can’t be a formal proof so close relationship between clubs and UEFA did not unapproved officially. But most fans think about that is fact. There was so many corruption in FIFA and associations. When chairman of FIFA got shift, soccer fans expected the end of corruption. But shockingly, it did not end. Soccer is a sport and culture. It is not a method to earn the money.
Soccer is growing into a worldwide culture. We can watch that other nationality fans are being united because of soccer. It can happen thanks to the soccer associations. We cannot ignore their effort. But as I mentioned before, UEFA is a administrator of the teams which have fans all around the world. If UEFA be integrity, teams will be integrity, too. Complement fan’s complain, fix the wrong things and make a situation that players and fans can enjoy the soccer more than now.
