The world of football is always full of changes and controversies, and one topic that has been of particular interest to me lately has been the discussion of club ownership. Former Everton chief executive Keith Winnis, who recently offered his views on a podcast, believes UEFA needs to take a more restrictive stance on the situation where multiple clubs under the City Football Group are competing in European competition at the same time. Think about it, what would it mean for the world of football if Manchester City's 'brother' club Girona were to also squeeze into the Champions League?
First of all, this situation seems a bit of a double-edged sword for us ordinary fans. On the one hand, seeing different clubs with the same strong backing behind them does give a sense of an emerging force in the world of football. For example, if Girona can enter the Champions League, it will undoubtedly be a huge achievement for them and can also bring a fresh experience to the fans.
But on the other hand, Winnis's concerns are not unfounded. If a group can control multiple clubs to play at the top of Europe's competitions at the same time, will that undermine the fairness of the competition? After all, the charm of the game of football lies in its inadmissibility and fair play. When the same group owns more than one club, there is a real possibility of a conflict of interest situation.
Winness said on the podcast that he is not entirely against one group having ownership of multiple clubs. In some ways, this practice has really helped the club grow and develop. For example, through the sharing of resources and the exchange of management experience, small clubs can grow faster. But he stressed that the key lies in the strengthening and enforcement of the rules to ensure that all clubs compete on fair conditions.
Now, Girona have the potential to enter the Champions League as another team from the City Football Group outside of Manchester City. This makes me wonder, what will UEFA do? Will they reject City Football Group's multi-club model?
Seeing Winneth mention that Red Bull held two teams through other means made me think that the world of football is indeed constantly changing, with all sorts of new operating models and business models being experimented with. But in any case, maintaining the fairness of the game and the spirit of football itself should be the primary concern of all of us, whether it is the administrators, the players or us ordinary fans.
I believe that the world of football needs such discussions and challenges, which prompt us to constantly reflect and evaluate to ensure that the world's most beloved sport can develop healthily and fairly. I look forward to seeing how UEFA responds to the situation of City Football Group, and I hope that all clubs, big and small, will be able to play fairly on this stage so that we, the fans, can enjoy the joy and passion that comes with every game.