How to do it

First football games I remmber watching were in mid 80’s. I remember watching World Cup 1986 games from Mexico, especially game Italy-Bulgaria, and I think USSR-Belgium, maybe some other games, France probably. Later I remember EURO 88 in Germany, mighty Russians and Dutch, goalkeeper Dasaev, Van Basten, Gulit, Rijkaard, Koeman brothers, goalkeeper van Breukelen, Protasov... Ofcourse, I followed national championship of former Yugoslavia as a kid, I remember watching matches in my hometown Sarajevo when FK Sarajevo and FK Zeljeznicar were playing against Crvena Zvezda, Partizan, Dinamo Zagreb... and lower leagues. I remember FK Crvena Zvezda player called Marko Elzner having a corner kick in a front of northern terrace of FK Zeljeznicar’s Grbavica stadium where I was standing, I could not believe that I saw this player for real, that he was so close to me, I just saw him in newspapers before. Also I was following European Cup games, mostly in TV, because clubs from my city rarely qualified. I remember FK Crvena Zvezda (Red Star) from Belgrade becoming champions of Europe and World in 1991. And then country fell apart, war began, and Yugoslav football fell apart too.

I had chance to watch one league that gave European and World Club Champions falling apart, and that made me draw some conclusions on European clubs today.

Instead of football league of former Yugoslavia, that was quite decent league, now there are 6 national competitions. Seven if we count unrecognized Kosovo League.

None of those leagues can be compared with quality or succes with league of former Yugoslavia. Competitions are much weaker, attendance is much lower, matches are worse and interest is low. That reflects to revenues of clubs, creation of new players, national team strength, popularity of football in general.

It is often commented that TV broadcasts of best European leagues, now available in former Yugoslavia, are guilty for lower interest in domestic football. I doubt it is true, because, well, largest attendance in Europe is in stadiums of the best leagues! Noone can persuade me that Englishmen, Spanish or French have nothing better to do in their rich countries, and ie Serbs, Croats or Bulgarians have so much interesting activities so football games are not interesting to them. Difference is in quality of the game obviously.

But how Bulgarian A Professional Football Group or Bosnian Premier League could compete with English Premier league? There is no way. Most important things are ofcourse spectators and money. Bosnia has some 4 millions inhabitants, and GDP per capita of some 4000 USD (2007). England has population of 51 millions and GDP per capita of some 44000 USD. It is not strange that Bosnian Premier League matches most often have 200-500 spectators, rarely few thousands. English Premier League had average attendance of some 34000 in 2005-06. season.

Only solution for changing things in European club football is to enlarge footbal leagues, or in future, we will have 4-5 interesting leagues, and 40 small ones in which only families of players will go to stadiums.

Solution for European club football is creation of 10-15 leagues that would include teams from different countries. Each smaller European league has 2-5 stronger teams. Puting together present leagues would give much stronger ones. That will rise quality of football, so even clubs that would not enter those leagues would be in better position. I am sure of this, because for club in former Yugoslavia it was better to play in third league then it is for clubs in new national leagues.

Here is my concept of merging leagues, which is also based on politics but is also not. It is based on politics because I think that it would not be good to create joint leagues of countries that fought war recently. Also, people from nations that are friendly will be more interested in teams from each other then ie Danish would be interested in league with Belarussians. And it is not based on politics because new joint leagues should serve as way to make European nations closer, so countries with smaller problems among them can be in joint league.

New leagues would be corporation as it is English Premier League, under supervision of UEFA. National FAs should not have many influence on them. Relegation and promotion would be compulsory.

Lower levels of competitions should be on national base, and it is possible to have play offs of ie 4 best ranked teams from one country to determine national champions.

1^st region: Brittania, including:

1. England – population 51 millions

2. Scotland – 5,1 millions

3. Ireland – 4,2 millions

4. Wales – 3 millions

5. Northern Ireland – 1,7 million

Joint population: 65 million people.

England ofcourse has very strong Premier League, and it can only benefit by including great Scottish clubs like Rangers and Celtic. Those teams would also gain strength with playing in stronger league, now they are not match for most beter European clubs.

Brittania Premier League would be consisted of 20 teams. 16-17 teams should enter from EPL and 3-4 from SPL.

Ie: Arsenal, Aston Villa, Blackburn, Bolton, Chelsea, Everton, Fulham, Hull City, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Middlesbrough, Portsmouth, Sunderland, West Bromwich Albion, West Ham United, Wigan Athletic from England (2007, Oct table, Newcastle, Tottenham and Stoke City are 3 last teams)

Celtic FC, Glasgow Rangers FC, Kilmarnock FC and Hibernian FC from Scotland.

Four teams would be relegated each year, and promoted from second level competition ofcourse.

Second level of competition should also be joint, it would gain in strength with clubs from Scottish Premier League, and one or two clubs from Wales, Northern Ireland or Ireland could also emerge. Quality of competitions will sure help them gain in strength in way playing in national leagues never can. It would be consisted of 24 teams. In first season 5-6 Scottich teams should be added to English Championship, as 2 teams from Irish Premier League, and 1 team from Wales and Northern Ireland. 2 teams from Wales already play in English Championship.

Seven teams should be relegated each year.

Third level would be national competitions of England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Each year 3 teams from English National League would be promoted, 2 from Scottish, 1 from Irish, and winners of Wales and Northern Ireland leagues would have play off for remaining spot.

2^nd region: Iberia

1. Spain – 45 millions

2. Portugal – 10,4 millions

3. Andorra – 68.000

Joint population: 55,4 millions.

Portugal teams would gain from stronger competition, and already strong Spanish league would benefit from Portugal giants like Benfica, Porto, Sporting...

Iberia Primera Division would be consisted of 20 teams. First year it would have 15 Spanish and 5 Portugese teams, ie in October 2008:

Almeria, Athletic Bilbao, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Deportivo, Espanyol, Getafe, Malaga, Mallorca, Racing Santander, Real Madrid, Sevilla, Valencia, Valladolid, Villareal from Spain.

FC Porto, Nacional Funchal, Leixoes Matosinhos, Estrela Amadora, Benfica and Sporting Lisbon from Portugal.

Four lowest teams would get relegated.

Second level would be joint also. It would be comprised of 22 teams.

It would be consisted of 15 Spanish and 7 Portugese teams in first season.

Six teams would be relegated and promoted each year.

Third level would be national leagues of Spain and Protugal. Each year 4 teams would be promoted from Spanish and 2 from Portugese league.

Andoran teams would be allowed to enter joint Iberian competition at lower levels, accordig to quality of their football.

3^rd region would be France with it’s current league system. Population 60 million

4^th region would be Italy with it’s current league system. Population 83 million.

5^th region would be Germany with it’s current league system. Population 59 million.

Bundesliga is most attended football league in Europe.

6^th region Benelux

1. Netherlands – 16,3 millions

2. Belgium – 10,3

3. Luxemburg – 0,5 million

Joint population: 27,3 millions

Benelux First Division would be composed of 18 teams. In first season 7 would be from Dutch 1^st Division, 7 from Belgian 1^st Klass, and 4 more teams from each country would enter playoffs for 4 more places.

Ie (Oct 2008): Groningen, PSV Eindhoven, NAC Breda, Heerenven, AZ Alkmar, Heracles, NEC Nijmegeen, ADO Den Haag, Ajax from Netherlands.

Anderlecht, Standard Liege, Club Brugge, Excelsior Muscron, Genk, Westerlo, Kortrijk, Lokeren and Cercle Brugge from Belgium.

Second level competition would be composed in similar way, and would have 20 teams. One team from Luxemburg should be allowed and two more should enter playoffs.

Third level competition would be in national level. Belgium and Holland would have automatic promotions, while Luxemburg NL winner would have to play playoffs, unless there is not even one team from Luxemburg in Second League.

7^th region Scandinavia and Baltic

1. Sweden – population 9 millions

2. Denmark – 5,4 millions

3. Finland – 5,2 millions

4. Norway – 4,5

5. Lithuania – 3,6

6. Latvia – 2,4

7. Estonia – 1,4

8. Iceland – 0,3

Joint population: 31,8 millions

Scandinavia and Baltic Premier League would be consisted of 18 teams.

In first season it would be composed of 4 teams from Norway, 3 from Denmark Sweden and Finland, 2 teams from Lithuania and 1 from Latvia, Iceland and Estonia.

Four teams would be relegated and promoted each year.

Ie. (Oct 2008): Stabaek IF, Fredrikstad FK, Tromso IL and Rosenborg BK from Norway.

Odense BK, FC Copenhagen and Brondby IF from Denmark.

Kalmar FF, IF Elfsborg Boras and Helsingborgs IF from Sweden.

Inter Turku, FC Honka Espoo and HJK Helsinki from Finland.

Ekranas and FBK Kaunas from Lithuania.

Liepajas Metalurgs from Latvia.

FH Hafnarfjordur from Iceland and

Levadia Talinn from Estonia.

Second level of competition would be divided in two groups of 18 teams. Western one would include teams from Norway, Denmark and Iceland, 8+8+2.

Eastern one would include teams from Sweden, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, 6+4+4+2+2.

Two teams would enter Premier League from each Group.

Third level would be on national level in Norway, Denmark and Iceland.

Four teams would be relegated and promoted each year.

In Western Group winners of Denmark and Norway NLs would enter automatically, while winner of Icelands NL would enter playoffs with 2^nd and 3^rd placed teams from Denmark and Norway. If number of teams from Iceland would fall beneath 2, winner of Iceland NL would get automatic promotion.

Third level in Eastern Group would be NL’s of Sweden and Finland and joint league of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. Winner of each league would be promoted, plus 2^nd places teams would play playoffs for remaining place.

Second solution is five NLs, with 5 relegated and promoted teams each year. Winners of three NLs with best national UEFA coefficient would get automatic promotions, while winners of two remaining would enter playoffs with 2^nd places teams from 2 NLs with best UEFA coefficient. If number of teams from one country falls beneath 2, that country gets automatic promotion.

8^th region Poland-Belarus

1. Poland – 38,6 millions

2. Belarus – 10,3 millions

Joint population: 48,9 millions

Poland-Belarus First Division would be composed of 18 teams.

In first season it would be composed of 8 teams from Poland, 6 from Belarus and 4 next placed teams in table would enter playoffs for remaining 4 places.

Three teams would be relegated and promoted each year.

Second level competitions would be national leagues. Winner of each NL would be promoted, while 2^nd placed teams would play each other for third place.

9^th region Russia. Population 142 million people.

10^th region Turkey. Population 72 millions.

11^th region Ukraine. Population 46 million

12^th region Southern-Central

1. Switzerland – 7.7 millions

2. Austria – 8.3

3. Slovenia - 2

4. Croatia – 4.5

5. Federation BiH, Bosnia and Herzegovina – 2.8

6. Hungary - 10

7. Czech Republic – 10.4

8. Slovakia – 5.4

9. Liechtenstein – 35,000

Joint population: 51,1 millions

Southern-Central Premier League would be consisted of 18 teams.

In first season it would be consisted of 3 teams from Czech Republic and Switzerland and 2 from Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Federation BiH, Hungary and Slovakia. Liechtenstein would be promoted to national leagues of Switzerland or Austria.

Ie: (Feb 09): FC Zurich, FC Basel and BSC Youung Boys from Switzerland.

SK Slavia Praha, FK Mlada Boleslav and AC Sparta Praha from Czech Republic.

FC Salzburg and SK Rapid Wien from Austria.

NK Maribor and NK Celje from Slovenia.

NK Dinamo Zagreb and NK Hajduk Split from Croatia.

HŠК Zrinjski Mostar and FK Sarajevo from Federation BiH.

Debreceni VSC and Ujpest FC from Hungary.

ŠK Slovan Bratislava and MŠK Žilina from Slovakia.

Four teams would be promoted and relegated each year.

Second level of competition would be divided in two groups of 18 teams.

Western one would include teams from Switzerland, Czech Republic, Austria and Slovakia, 5+5+4+4.

Eastern one would include teams from Slovenia, Croatia, FBiH and Hungary.

Top two teams from Western group and winner of Eastern group would be automatically promoted. Third placed team of WG would enter play-offs with second placed team from EG to decide on fourth promoted team.

Third level of competition would be National Leagues of each country except Liechtenstein. Champion of each league would be promoted to 2^nd level.

13^th region South-Eastern

1. Romania – 22.2 millions

2. Greece – 11.2

3. Bulgaria – 7.6

4. Serbia (including Kosovo) – 8.8

5. Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina – 1.4

6. Moldova (including Transnistria) – 4.1

7. FYROM - 2

8. Albania – 4.2

9. Cyprus – 0,8

10. Montenegro – 0.7

Joint population: 63 millions

South-Eastern Premier League would be consisted of 20 teams.

In first season it would be consisted of 4 teams from Romania, 3 from Greece, Bulgaria and Serbia, and 1 team from Moldova, FYROM, Albania, Montenegro, Republic of Srpska, BiH and Kosovo, Serbia.

Ie (Feb 09): FC Steaua, FC Dinamo Bucuresti, FC Timisoara and CFR 1907 Cluj from Romania.

Olympiakos, PAOK Saloniki and Panathinaikos from Greece.

PFC CSKA Sofia, PFC Levski Sofia and PFC Lovech from Bulgaria.

Crvena Zvezda, Partizan and Vojvodina from Serbia.

FK Anorthosis from Cyprus

FC Sheriff Tiraspol from Moldova.

FK Vardar Skopje from FYROM.

KF Tirana from Albania.

FK Budućnost Podgorica from Montenegro.

FK Slavija from Republic of Srpska, BiH.

KF Prishtine from Kosovo, Serbia.

Four teams would be promoted and relegated each year.

Second level of competition would be divided in two groups of 18, northern and southern.

Northern one would include clubs from Romania, Serbia (without Kosovo), Moldova and Republic of Srpska-Bosnia, 7+6+3+2.

Southern one would include clubs from Greece, Bulgaria, Cyprus, FYROM, Albania, Montenegro and Kosovo-Serbia, 5+4+2+2+2+2+1.

First and second placed teams from NG and SG would be promoted to Premier League.

Four teams would be relegated from both groups.

Third level competition in Northern Group would be National Leagues. Winners of Romania and Serbia NL would enter 2^nd level. Second placed teams in Serbia and Romania would enter play-offs for 3^rd promotion place. Winners of Republic of Srpska-Bosnia and Moldova NL would enter play-offs for 4^th promotion place.

Third level competition in Southern Group would be National League of Bulgaria, Greco-Cypriot League and Southwestern Group consisted of clubs from FYROM, Albania, Montenegro and Kosovo-Serbia. Winners of GC-League and Bulgaria NL would enter 2^nd level. Second placed teams in GC-League and Bulgaria would enter play-offs for 3^rd promotion place. Winners of Southwestern Group would be promoted to 2^nd level league.

Fourth level competition would be consisted of National Leagues of FYROM, Albania, Montenegro and Kosovo-Serbia.

14^th region Israel – 7 million

Federations of Georgia and Armenia would retain theri National Leagues because of political situation in Caucasus. Same goes for Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, who could also form their joint league, or be included in Turkey league-system.

Federations of Faroe Islands, Malta and San Marino would be included in opted league-system near their countries and territories – British, Scandinavia and Baltic, Italian or South-Central or South-Eastern.

Because new regional leagues would be without influence of politics – uncrecognized federations could enter league-systems of their choice – Kosovo-Serbia, Monaco, Gibraltar, Northern Cyprus. Ie Gibraltar could enter Iberian league-system and Northern Cyprus could enter Turkish or Cypriot league system – without ambitions of that choices to influence future political solutions.

It would be also possible for two Bosnian federations to enter region of their choice due to specific situation of that country. Choice of federations would not have ambitions to challenge territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Промијенимо европски фудбал!!!

УЕФА и државни фудбалски савези блокирају развој фудбала у Европи тако што блокирају све идеје о Регионалним фудбалским лигама.

УЕФА и државни ФС немају појма како да знатније побољшају квалитет фудбала у лигама широм Европе. Све што знају је да троше паре на изградњу стадиона које после нико не посећује и граде скупе зграде државних ФС.

Већина европских државних фудбалских лига нема никаквог разлога да постоји. Квалитет фудбала је лош, посјета је мала, занимање јавности и спонзора је мало, а развој клубова је онемогућен због непостојања јаког такмичења.

Лиге Србије, Босне, Хрватске, Словеније, Македоније, Црне Горе, Бугарске, Албаније, Молдавије, Белорусије, Литваније, Латвије, Естоније, Финске, Мађарске, Чешке, Словачке, Кипра, Исланда, Шкотске, Ирске, Велса... никад неће имати квалитет енглеске Премијер лиге, шпанске Примере, италијанске Серије А или немачке Бундеслиге. Ни за милион година, ни близу.

Португал, Холандија, Белгија, Швајцарска, Аустрија, Грчка, Румунија, Пољска, Шведска, Данска, Норвешка... имају какве такве лиге, али њихов квалитет би се такође поправио кад би их ујединили с другим лигама. Рецимо, португалску са шпанском, белгијску са холандском, данску са шведском, норвешком, исландском и финском, швајцарску са аустријском, чешком, словеначком, хрватском...

Која је сврха две трећине европских фудбалских лига данас? За шта и за кога се играју, за неколико стотина гледалаца по утакмици?

Решење за бољи европски фудбал је мрежа Регионалних фудбалских лига, које би функционисале нпр. попут енглеске Премијер лиге. Свака лига би имала свој коефицијент лиге и представнике у Лиги Шампиона и Лиги УЕФА.

Да би свака држава имала своје представнике у евро куповима, национални представници и државни прваци би се добијали преко националних првенстава, која би се играла по куп систему и замениили садашња првенства и купове.
Победници тих лига купова, ако се нису квалификовали кроз Регионалну фудбалску лигу (РФЛ) би имали приступ ЛШ или ЛУЕФА на основу друге табеле коефицијената на којој би биле рангирани државни ФС.

Уместо 53 лиге, од којих 45 досадних и бесмислених, Европа би требало да има 12-14 много јачих РФЛ.

Зашо су УЕФА и државни ФС против регионалних лига? Нпр. скандинавске Ројал лиге? Зашто не дозвољавају приступ победницима регионалних лига у евро такмичења? Нема доброг објашњења. Можда је разлог то што би се смањило тржиште за западноевропске лиге, људи из средње, сјеверне, јужне и источне Европе би пратили своје лиге уместо Манчестера, Реала, Барселоне, Јувентуса, Бајерна... ? А државни ФС би изгубили много новца и власти, који би отишли клубовима?

УЕФА и државни ФС - престаните да кочите развој европског фудбала!

Reform European Football!!!

UEFA and national Football Associations bureaucrats are blocking development of football in Europe by blocking all ideas of Regional Football Leagues.
UEFA and national FAs have no idea how to significantly increase quality of football in leagues through Europe. All they know is to spend money on stadiums that stay without audience and build expensive buildings for national FAs.

Most European national footbal leagues have no excuse for their existance. Quality of football is low, attendance is low, interest in public for those leagues is small, interest of sponors is small, club development is halted because of lack of strong competitions.

Leagues of Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia, Slovenia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Albania, Moldavia, Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Czechia, Slovakia, Cyprus, Iceland, Scotland, Ireland, Wales... will never have quality of English Premiership, Spanish Primera, Italian Seria A or German Bundesliga. Not in a million years. Nothing even close.

Portugal, Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, Greece, Romania, Poland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway... have decent leagues, but their quality would also improve a lot if they would unite them with other leagues. In example, Portugal with Spain, Belgium with Holland, Denmark with Sweden, Norway, Iceland and Finland, Switzerland with Austria, Czechia, Slovenia, Croatia...

What is purpose of two thirds of European football leagues? What are they being played for? For few hundred of fans in each game?

Solution for better quality of European football is network of Regional Football Leagues, that would function like ie Premier League. Each league would have its own league coefficient and representatives in Champions League and UEFA League.

Present day national level leagues and cups would be replaced with National cup, that would determine national champions, runner-ups, third placed...

Winners of national cups if not qualified through Regional Football League (RFL) would have access to CL or UEFAL qualifiers, based on second coefficient table that would rank national FAs.

Instead of 53 leagues of which 45 boring and pointless, Europe should have 12-14 much stronger RFLs.

Why UEFA and national FAs are against regional leagues? Scandinavian Royal League for example? Why denying winners of RFLs access to UEFA competitions? There is no good explanation! Maybe reason is smaller market for western european leagues and larger interest of Central, North, South and East Europeans in their own leagues and clubs instead in Man Utd, Real, Barcelona, Juventus, Bayern... ? And national FAs would have less power and money, and clubs would have more?

UEFA and national FAs - stop blocking development of European football!