Is there ‘fixing’ at the top of football?

[Groucho]

How could you possibly think that a game awash with money could possibly be corrupt in any way!

Quite

Am sure I read somewhere a while ago that the "formula" used for establishing the season's fixture includes something along the lines of - the "Sky 6" cannot play each other during the first 6 games of a season or the last 6. This is a means of giving them all the opportunity of a fast start, and then ensures they each have the best possible chance of winning games at the back end of the season to maintain interest!

Haven't got the time or incination to check it out historically myself but it would, to a degree at least, confirm @Groucho alleged suspicions/thoughts/questions allegedly!

Very interesting

 

[Simon Buttle]

There are defo situations that suit Sky/BT and their tv coverage, especially with the draws for some of the cup competitions. They have created this 'Sky 6' which is really only a '4' based on things won. Look at Wenger's last season at Arsenal, the crowds were depleting rapidly yet during games it would be announced that the game was 'sold out' even though you can see the stadium was half empty. It's all about making the 'Sky 6' look good like others have mentioned. We have a great product in this country but to a certain degree i do think the TV companies have destroyed an element of football and i would like to see the mythical 'Euro League' take shape finally so the 'Sky 6' can just do one tbh.

 

[aberonn]

Put 'Florentino Perez Ajax' into a Google search. There's stories breaking this afternoon that 5 days before the draw Perez asked UEFA for Madrid to be drawn against Ajax in the Champions League knockout stage, which happened.
Could be a coincidence of course

 

[Del-boy]

We have seen FIFA the worlds football governing body found to be totally corrupt.

Anyone who thinks the Premier League and the FA do not have elements of corruption within them is naive.

There is simply too much money involved. Since currency was invented their has always been corruption.

The Premier League is worth billions. I imagine there are people getting back handers now and again. I’m not saying referees but at the same time I wouldn’t be surprised.

As for cup draws I have certainly felt all does not appear to be as it seems. I’m sure certain teams are purposely kept from each other and likewise teams drawn together for viewing figures. Which of course probably dictate the monetary value of broadcasting revenues for competitions.

 

[Little Ralphy]

Derby’s falling together for me isn’t a biggie, although obviously when taken with everything else the media influence is sickening.

Influencing cup draws and referees is more henious in my mind.

But it shows that the fixtures aren't random and that something other than football is deciding them. If for instance someone was worried that a club like Everton with some big investment might break in to the top 6, then all it would need is for an horrendous run of fixtures right at the start of the season, to likely put a stop to it (for the time being).

 

[Groucho]

But it shows that the fixtures aren't random and that something other than football is deciding them. If for instance someone was worried that a club like Everton with some big investment might break in to the top 6, then all it would need is for an horrendous run of fixtures right at the start of the season, to likely put a stop to it (for the time being).

Fair point

 

[Simon Buttle]

Put 'Florentino Perez Ajax' into a Google search. There's stories breaking this afternoon that 5 days before the draw Perez asked UEFA for Madrid to be drawn against Ajax in the Champions League knockout stage, which happened.
Could be a coincidence of course

I just looked at this, be interesting if true, the whole CL will just be a shambles.

 

[wandyr79]

Am sure I read somewhere a while ago that the "formula" used for establishing the season's fixture includes something along the lines of - the "Sky 6" cannot play each other during the first 6 games of a season or the last 6. This is a means of giving them all the opportunity of a fast start, and then ensures they each have the best possible chance of winning games at the back end of the season to maintain interest!

Haven't got the time or incination to check it out historically myself but it would, to a degree at least, confirm @Groucho alleged suspicions/thoughts/questions allegedly!

Arsenals first 2 games this season were Man City & Chelsea. Man Utd & Spurs also played each other early on this season. Spurs vs Liverpool was in the middle of September and then we finish with Chelsea vs Liverpool concludes the top 6 playing each other before the end of September, this season

 

[Alanbileysfeathercut]

Manipulation is the correct term of phrase

 

[Khalekan]

Firstly I’d like to point out that I don’t mean corruption between clubs (I think that’d be too difficult and too obvious to execute)- I strictly mean between the media and regulatory bodies.

After Craig Bellamy’s sheer certainty that he’d seen the semi final draw before it’d “happened”, and now Sky doctoring crowd chants, and last years’ CL draw being pretty much the same situation as City v Burton, is it naive to think that parts of the media are controlling a narrative?

Are they trying to turn football into WWF?

Obviously please use the word “allegedly” liberally, along with ‘in my opinion’

In relation to the specific issue of last night’s semi final draw, there was no “fixing” of the draw IMO.

If Bellamy claims that he saw the draw before it happened, then I would suggest that what he saw was a “rehearsal” as they always have a dry run with these things......or possibly the draw was recorded a short while before being transmitted as “live”, though I think that latter possibility unlikely.

But the main reason I give no credence to that draw being fixed is the fact that the only possible reason for fixing it would have been to ensure Burton were drawn at home in the first leg.

There was always going to be a heavyweight clash in one tie.....Burton being drawn away in the first leg to any of those three teams probably means the tie being all but over before the second leg so not good for Sky.

What to you mean about “doctoring crowd chants”, Grouch?

I haven’t heard that one before.

And they sure don’t do it when the cameras are at Goodison lol

 

[anton66]

The organisers obviously didn't want Burton anywhere near the final and gave them the hardest task. Fixed like a lot of things in football, allegedly.

 

[Groucho]

What to you mean about “doctoring crowd chants”, Grouch?

There was the Forest v Derby game last week where anti-Sky chants were clearly edited out live.

 

[summerisle]

In relation to the specific issue of last night’s semi final draw, there was no “fixing” of the draw IMO.

If Bellamy claims that he saw the draw before it happened, then I would suggest that what he saw was a “rehearsal” as they always have a dry run with these things......or possibly the draw was recorded a short while before being transmitted as “live”, though I think that latter possibility unlikely.

But the main reason I give no credence to that draw being fixed is the fact that the only possible reason for fixing it would have been to ensure Burton were drawn at home in the first leg.

There was always going to be a heavyweight clash in one tie.....Burton being drawn away in the first leg to any of those three teams probably means the tie being all but over before the second leg so not good for Sky.

What to you mean about “doctoring crowd chants”, Grouch?

I haven’t heard that one before.

And they sure don’t do it when the cameras are at Goodison lol

Was in the today's football thread : crowd were chanting Sky are Shi*, then it suddenly stopped and crowd noise was played.

https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/news/derby-news/sky-admit-drowning-out-foul-2339853

 

[hallamblue]

I think Bellamy is just a bit thick and got confused tbh. There is actually less chance of fixing a draw these days. Back in the day it was done behind closed doors by men in blazers. They could quite easily have fiddled it and nobody would have known.

 

[canuckblue]

Collina says hello.