In the first part of my football special, I demonstrated how football reflects society. German engineering spirit and the British focus on money can also be found in the respective football cultures. But there are also differences between football and society. Great Britain is a crisis-ridden country, whereas the English Premier League is the most successful football league in the world, both economically and in sporting terms. Where does this difference come from?
As described, the success of the Premier League is massively based on the influx of foreign resources and know-how. Whether foreign players, coaches, decision-makers or money, without them the league's boom would not be possible. And for me, the recovery of the state and society would also be inconceivable without a massive influx of resources and know-how from abroad.
Due to the poor English education system, there is a lack of skilled workers at almost all levels. Without outside investors, there will hardly be enough money to pay attractive salaries to attract these from abroad, or to solve the substantial debt crisis of the government and all the related dilemmas, such as the decaying infrastructure. (And the educational crisis, to close the loop.)
As described in an earlier post, previous British governments actually relied on immigration to solve the nation’s problems. But unlike the Premier League, British society has to deal with two problems that are of less or even no concern to the league… or the league just doesn’t care.
Problem #1: The vote to leave the EU was fed in large part by fear of even more immigration. Actually leaving the EU has made immigration more complicated (and less attractive), at least for Europeans. And the running government is trying to capture votes by agitating against foreigners, especially asylum seekers. Summarised: Unlike the Premier League, the UK government and society have put a massive stop to the potential influx of competent foreigners.
Problem #2: There is a danger that the British themselves will barely benefit from a possible boom initiated by foreign resources. And even more threatening: The British might become a pawn of foreign interests or could even lose control of their country.
In the league, foreign investors and sponsors pay foreign employees. Yes, a small group of English players also benefits and so does the national team, but the vast majority of English players have to settle playing in the lower leagues, if at all.
The British already know the dilemma: London has risen to become perhaps the most important financial centre in the world. The City of London is world-famous and admired. Again, some locals benefit, but due to Britain's transformation into a neoliberal showcase, many have lost their jobs and identities. (And there will be more to say about how the financial industry controls politics).
Moreover, foreigners are not investing out of charity, but to increase their profits or for other interests. In addition to Manchester City, there is now a second club that is virtually owned by a state, presumably in order to use it for sportswashing.
In 2021, Newcastle United was sold to a consortium whose largest shareholder is a Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund. The sale, which had to be reviewed and confirmed by the EPL, dragged on for several reasons and almost failed (but only almost). The takeover might be a good case study of the dangers of too much foreign influence… and naïve British motivations.
One reason: beIN opposed the change of ownership. The state-owned company from Qatar holds the broadcasting rights for the Arab region. At the time, relations between Saudi Arabia and Qatar were aptly described as a "cold war". beIN was not allowed to broadcast in Saudi Arabia. Instead, EPL matches were shown in the country and elsewhere via the pirate channel beoutQ. The Saudi broadcaster massively damaged the actual rights holder and beIN accused the Saudi government of not doing enough to stop the abuse.
Human rights groups also criticised the takeover. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is not only chairman of the fund, but is also suspected of being involved in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The involvement, as well as the fear of strengthening a competitor with Saudi money, is said to have led to resistance to the change of ownership among other clubs.
Because of the delays, the consortium withdrew from the sales process for some time. This, in turn, provoked the supporters of the deals. Fans of the club collected signatures in several petitions to have the government and parliament launch an enquiry into the reasons for the delay. One petition had more than 110,000 signatures [1].
Eventually, the deal did go through. There were spontaneous celebrations by supporters outside the club's stadium. During games, fans dressed up in traditional Saudi clothing, and "We're richer than you" became a popular chant among Newcastle fans.... Leaving aside the fact that such takeovers are not possible in the Bundesliga, I don't think owners with suspicions of murder would be celebrated by German supporters. In Germany, other factors are more important than money...
This is just one small example of how British institutions are sold to foreign powers for the sake of money and become a pawn of their interests. What happens when American companies dominate the health sector and want to increase their profits? Does the much-loved NHS fade into the history books? What happens when a couple of not-so-democratic-countries buy into the infrastructure to gain influence over a leading NATO country?
Looking at the Premier League, one might wave it off. After the war in Ukraine began, Roman Abramovich had to sell his beloved Chelsea FC and Russian influence was pushed back. In the end, the British act and put an end foreign interference, right?
But here again there is a difference between football and society. The beautiful game may be embedded in the hearts of many Britons, but hardly any country can be influenced via football clubs. The biggest casualty of any turbulence is the mood of the fans and a handful of jobs. The new owners of proud Chelsea FC have raged like maniacs in their first season, wearing out four coaches and spending an unprecedented €616 million on transfers only to finish 12th in the league. Bad mood among supporters, big laughter among everyone else. Turbulence in the health and energy sectors would be a different calibre. Turbulence in critical infrastructure could have deadly consequences…
I believe the fate of Britain in the next decades depends on successfully walking a thin line. The country needs to open (even more) to foreign resources and know-how, just as the Premier League did. In my opinion, there is almost no alternative to solve the many problems facing British society. However, the people must be convinced of all aspects of this turnaround. And in turn, Britain must not give up too much power and influence. To walk that thin line, the UK will need smart policies that manage change in the best possible way. Britain will need governments that for decades(!) will make many good decisions and a few bad ones.
Will the UK succeed? Considering the politicians of recent years, I have my doubts...
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