Welcoming back the 6 English Super League clubs with open arms is very risky

They say all good things have to come to an end and in the case of the Super League that statement is absolutely irrelevant.

It was never a good thing, it offered absolutely nothing to anybody bar a group of billionaires with an insatiable appetite for buying multi-million pound yachts. Ultimately sense prevailed as all six Premier League clubs withdrew their intention to feature in the closed-off competition.

The Premier League has to protect its future | Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images

With Chelsea, Tottenham, Arsenal, Liverpool and the two Manchester clubs all scurrying back with their tails between their legs, the governing body of English football have got a bit of dilemma on their hands; what do they do about their wretched little runaways?

Naturally, there'll be the temptation to welcome them back in from the cold, throw a blanket over them and stick the kettle on, but is that really a wise move?

There's no denying that the aforementioned clubs are the 'golden geese' of English football and ultimately the FA need them as much as they need the FA, but the premise of an elite, breakaway event has been floated for some time now and they'd be foolish and naive to believe this is the last they'll hear of it.

Put it like this: if your partner threatened to run off with the good looking, younger, fitter bloke from next door, she packed her bags and had one foot out of the door before you threatened to take her name off the mortgage if she left, while you'd be relieved when she changed her mind, wouldn't you still feel betrayed and annoyed that she'd threatened it in the first place?

Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola's sides could and should face punishment | Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

And what's worse, chances are she's going to pull the same stunt again as soon as a better offer comes around, knowing fine well you'll stick the kettle on as soon as the better offer goes t*ts up.

The only way to stop it happening again is to impose proper sanctions to remove the temptation (we've moved away from the relationship analogy here by the way, we're not advocating dishing out points deductions to your partner).

Handing out fines to billionaires who could lose their Ferrari in a car park and just go and buy another one because they couldn't be bothered looking for it is absolutely pointless.

Ultimately, they only backed down from the Super League idea because of fan pressure, and unfortunately the fans are going to be caught in the crossfire of any punishment that actually acts as a deterrent in the future.

The Premier League have some big decisions to make | James Baylis - AMA/Getty Images

Of course it's not fair that the players, the managers and the fans should suffer points deductions off the back of a decision that they not only had no part in but also actively voiced their displeasure at, but that's the beast of football these days.

Wigan Athletic's players absolutely pulled up trees to give themselves a shot at staying in the Championship last season - losing just one of their final 15 league games of the season - yet they were let down by their owners and dropped into League One following a 12-point deduction.

Going into administration had nothing to do with the fans or players, but unfortunately they're the ones that suffer the consequences.

Back in 1997, Middlesbrough were docked three points for failing to fulfil their duties in the league after their entire squad was struck down with an illness and they didn't attend their away game at Blackburn. Boro were docked three points and said punishment ultimately caused them to be relegated.

It remains to be seen whether UEFA will take any action against the 12 breakaway clubs | Catherine Ivill/Getty Images

If not attending one game leads to a three-point deduction, how can risking the future of an entire football pyramid be swept under the carpet?

Sometimes football isn't fair, and if you've not learnt that yet then you've not be following your team for long enough, but unfortunately the governing bodies of the game have a duty to ensure the game is in good health moving forward, and the only way for them to do that is to impose harsh sanctions on the English Super League contingent.


Source : 90min