The Problem With Chelsea's Sanctions & Why Your Club Could Be Next

The response to Roman Abramovich having his assets frozen, and Chelsea therefore being hit with some very heavy sanctions, has been mixed.
Chelsea fans are gutted, some opposition supporters are gleeful, meanwhile others have pointed out the obvious absurdity of Chelsea being sanctioned during the exact same season that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia acquired Newcastle United.
In this video, HITC Sevens takes a look at why Chelsea's crisis might not be unique to the Champions League winners, how football and the Premier League in particular has become so fragile, and what - if anything - can be done about it.

[@micahkiyimba8641]

"To their eternal credit, the Premier League have been consistent about their ethics in regard to morality about money, THEY DON'T HAVE ANY" Nailed it right there

[@JoshuaC923]

Spot on

[@andyelgrand0]

I wish VAR was as consistent...

[@73737371]

Alfie, you once again are the bright light for football youtube. Doing a critical analysis in a serious issue, giving the bigger picture and not staying in these micro-political cliches!

[@johnwhittaker311]

I’ve been thinking about the rising prices in football a lot recently. It’s becoming harder and harder to support the top clubs for most fans. Yet, your local non-league club likely has little money spare. If you are becoming disenchanted with the money involved in the top levels of football, get down to your local non league and show them support, you’ll get a great sense of community for a decent price. You don’t have to stop supporting the professional teams to support your local

[@curtisdoe3726]

Couldn’t put it any better myself, I frequently go and watch my local non league club notts county to support them and when I go to Spain I love to go and watch Malaga because of all the problems they have, as a Leicester fan I feel very lucky with our owners and how the club is run but I understand how greedy and corrupt some of the clubs owners are around europes top leagues, I back up all your views and people will find that the quality of football is not that bad and that the atmosphere is 10x better! I don’t want to see any club dissolve or be removed from the leagues and when Derby county were looking very likely to go bankrupt i was hoping very much against it, even though they are local “rivals” to us. I hope everyone can support whatever team they like and that money doesn’t make the working man’s game change to something only for the rich

[@Rhys423]

@@curtisdoe3726 same here mate I like watching county just because of the atmosphere round the stadium . It’s a great team with good history and I’m always routing for them in the national league

[@weetabixyeah]

I live in an American city, and the only team in my city is a second division side. I bought a season ticket for this season and it’s the highlight of my week. I think everyone should support their local no matter what level.

[@HelloThere-uh3ll]

But then you’re watching shit football. Doesn’t really fix the issue

[@curtisdoe3726]

@@HelloThere-uh3ll it’s really not that bad, some of the teams have some great footballing philosophies in the national league, Notts county who I watch are a very good ball playing teams and they have a lot of creativity

[@someoneelse1011]

I have no love for Chelsea but the double standards are staggering

[@colinhoward2064]

You can't claim that "all fans are powerless" regarding their owners, when over 100.000 Newcastle fans actively petitioned Parliament for the Saudi takeover to go ahead. DESPITE the atrocities in Yemen and Saudi in general being common knowledge.

[@richardfinlayson1524]

Yeah that's pretty disturbing, if I was a Newcastle fan iwould have moved to Sunderland

[@exsandgrounder]

@@richardfinlayson1524 I'd prefer Gateshead if I were a Geordie. Or start FC United of Newcastle instead.

[@Linesjointspenaltypoints]

More because we wanted rid of Ashley than us wanting to be mega oil rich.. would’ve made a petition to get Adam Johnson on board if it meant rid of Ashley. Just keep him away from the u16s 😬

[@mitch9225]

Depends on the owners. Considering the UK is in bed with Saudi governments and helps to fund their wars, letting that go ahead was an easy way of sportswashing people and glossing over truths by giving sports fans what they want and letting tribalism cover the tracks

[@shawklan27]

@@richardfinlayson1524 fuck Newcastle to the moon then!

[@DetectiveMangoSauce]

I'm a Norwich fan and there are a growing portion of our fans desperate for Delia to sell the club, but to who? The likelihood would be another shady businessmen using the club to clean dirty money. We are probably the only club in the prem that runs as a sustainable business and we get punished competitively for running ethically. We are running a club properly and we get talksport saying we should be banned from the league because we don't spend as much and thus can't compete with the oil giants and human rights abusers. We should be the example of how to run a club, but we get laughed out of the room by the rest of the prem for it. That's the state of football and it's only getting worse.

[@peterdawson2645]

Good point. When our club Swansea City were promoted we were owned by a group with local connections and the Supporters' Trust had a 25% stake. We eventually couldn't afford it, the owners fell out (as people do), then took US money and walked off smiling to the bank. Sadly the US owners turned out not to be sugar daddies after all and there we are marooned below mid table in the championship. Stick with Delia!

[@HarryWessex]

I'm a Millwall fan, I'd happily take how Norwich does. I'm sure a lot of fans of the lower leagues would. We're fortunately owned by an American who isn't a crook.

[@dapablo3498]

the sad truth is all extra rich people are shady crooks. it’s impossible to be rich without being shady

[@DJMavis]

Keep the club as it is. Everton used to be owned by a relatively poor local person. And even before this disastrous season I've seen the soul ripped out of the club. You don't want to be just another rich person's toy. When if (when) you go down, you can fight to come back up and you'll know you're stable enough that you're going to still exist. I envy your ownership. Though I think she's a shit cook.

[@DetectiveMangoSauce]

@@dapablo3498 very true. Football is a perfect case study into the failures of capitalism and corporate greed

[@tommym1966]

The German model seems to be the only one that protects fans from the whims of owners. They might forego the riches of having a sugardaddy owner but they look to avoid most of the pitfalls of that too. So many Premier League clubs these days seem to be a vehicle for the sportwashing of individual or nation state reputations.

[@kevinluby4783]

The German football and television model, is subsidized by the porn industry.

[@uyuman1]

@@kevinluby4783 How? Can you please clarify I am curious.

[@santiagoch2451]

@@kevinluby4783 is that really true?

[@matthiasstaudt298]

@@santiagoch2451 😂🤣 seriously

[@theNicholas2756]

@@matthiasstaudt298 lmao

[@cackhanded]

Then German Bundesliga model 50+1 seems more and more sensible each time we see on of the issues.

[@GamingBeFly]

Yeah, we could definitely learn from them

[@finbarobruadair2761]

Leipzig renders that rule obsolete, no?

[@mitch9225]

Far from flawless, but anything is better than the current situation I suppose

[@chromex21]

It always been man, it's the only way football clubs should be administrated in my opinion. I heard someone say one time that football clubs should be treated as some kind of religion, since it really is like that for many many people, and you wouldn't even think of selling your church os mosque or whatever to "private investment"

[@KEN-tf9sr]

@@finbarobruadair2761 but they do it in a fair way they never spend over 100M on a transfer window

[@batdude4339]

Full disclosure/warning Chelsea Fan commenting. Just wanted to say this is easily the best football video thats not actually about the on pitch part of the game that I've ever seen. I think your points are well formed and presented and I love the sarcastic overtone around double standards of the ruling elite. I have no illusions on who Abramovich really is, but my problem comes from the hypocrisy of it only being a problem now and not at any other point. Or that one of the top bidders to buy us comes from a state with a worse record but thats fine as they fill the Uk Govs pockets. It's better to turn the working class and as such football fans on each other than explain why you are sucking them dry to make your mates rich. Keep making videos mate.

[@neilwhitaker6284]

am a Liverpool fan and hate what is happening to the club you support. I wish we could go back in time when I hated you and called you "plastics" and it was sporting banter. But now I'm rooting for you (except when you play Liverpool). As you write "the hypocrisy of it", makes me feel sick. Its a dark time in our society/culture.

[@batdude4339]

@@neilwhitaker6284 you know the worlds gone to shit when Chelsea and Scouse fans agree 🤣. But you're 100% right, the biggest thing in our game should be banter. Those days seem to have slipped away like Gerrard but we can hope they'll be back.

[@neilwhitaker6284]

@@batdude4339 That is right the world has gone to shit! I'm not mad at you remembering Stevie Gs slip, that was tragic. Fantastic player though. Do you remember when we sold you Nando for 50 million pounds and his legs had already gone? His strike rate per match is still better than Timo Werner's! You had some great players back in those days, John Terry, Michael Essien, Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba he was frightening. Didn't you replace him with Shevchenko? What was the thinking there? I like when you had Morata too he was class :)

[@batdude4339]

@@neilwhitaker6284 cant argue, you made more points there than you got in the whole of the 2000's 🤣 Gerrard was a class player, and spme real talen went through the doors. Was never sold on Carrigher though as a player or pundit. I was proud that Abramovichs money could go towards buying Andy Carroll. Could be worse though, you could've bought Diouf, Benteke or Piechnik.......oh wait! Well at least you didnt ruin Litmanens career..........oh wait 🤣

[@neilwhitaker6284]

@@batdude4339 Andy Carroll would be fun to go on a pub crawl with. Diouf not so much... (Litmanen was about 40 when he came to Liverpool and did pretty well).

[@railrunners]

I think as a Wimbledon fan, our club knows exactly how spineless owners can be

[@KylieWilson]

As a United fan I wish we could get rid of the Glazers somehow, the PL needs the 50+1 rule

[@ericvance2859]

Arsenal here an I cannot possibly agree more. ✌️❤️🥂

[@MGEX8206]

Good vid. As an MUFC fan who always hates it when sport and politics mixes, my thoughts are the following: 1. Governments should not run football clubs under any circumstances and Tory governments in particularly are not known to be friends of sport. Unless Westminster loosens it's grip on Chelsea, I can see the club going under at the end of the season. 2. It is fairly obvious that both the government and a large chunk of British society as a whole sees Chelsea FC as acceptable collateral damage in the Ukraine-Russia war. As you said, this move is all about politics. The UK government(supported by a large chunk of British society) doesn't want to be involved militarilly...does want to support and be seen to support Ukraine though and taking over Chelsea is the ultimate in symbolism given that there are richer oligarchs that Abramovich in the UK but half of those are Tory donors. Hmmmmm.... 3. Furthermore, whatever else Abramovich is...he does appear to genuinely care about Chelsea. Problem is, he's clearly not willing to risk a fallout with Putin either. So he was genuinely trying to make sure the club didn't go down with him. Westminster took that decision out of his hands. Chelsea fans have every right to be angry. 4. Having said that, some Chelsea fans appear to think that they can save Abramovich in some way. These individuals are living in cloud cuckoo land. I appreciate that in their mind what Abramovich did for their club redeems his involvement with Putin but politics DOES get involved with sport nowadays, rightly or wrongly and they're trying to fight a tidal wave! They'd be better off getting behind a prospective new owner, preferably with clean money as that is the only way their club will have a long term future at this point.

[@ryomawashere4032]

Personally, Abramovich's success at Chelsea whitewashed his involvement in Russia's politic. Deny it as he may but you won't be a billionaire in your 30's in Russia without political connection.

[@cage94123567890]

Only difference between him and our wealthy nationals is he used the fall of the USSR instead of the inevitable recession we get every ten years to suck up all his wealth from places he didn't deserve. Unless you're against all oligarchic vampires, this is selective outrage.

[@theboomletgroup8436]

The Brits must also discuss their own bloody hands from all the wars they were involved in and how the British empire wouldn't be much today was it not for their colonisation Conquests overseas. We waiting for that conversation too

[@Luke-xr2ig]

@@theboomletgroup8436 it’s all anyones ever talking about and every country that was strong at some point did the sams

[@NephilimHunter1959]

@@theboomletgroup8436 Yes lets bring up things that Britain did a 100 years ago while ignoring the fact that pretty much every powerful country did exactly the same things including France, Germany, Belgium, the netherlands, Spain and Portugal. Lets also ignore the many illegal wars America has conducted over the last few decades. It's only Britain which is bad.

[@shay65]

Its not even just the west. China did it, Japan did it, the USSR did it. Countries in Africa and Asia are still doing it right now.

[@mullswithmo494]

The video I’ve been waiting for. You’re an incredibly reasonable person, and your takes are always measured. Full credit Alfie. You’re one of the good ones as far as I’m concerned, and there aren’t too many.

[@Pikaling3408]

Luckily in Germany we don’t have to deal with this due to the 50+1 rule

[@richardfinlayson1524]

A fantastic idea too

[@BM_destroyers]

What’s the 50+1 rule ?

[@kindmulberry7196]

@@BM_destroyers The fans own a majority of the club preventing external investors getting too much control

[@neonjaystones1992]

@@BM_destroyers just looked it up and apparently it means that only half of the club can be owned by private investors, and the other half of it is club-owned. So investors can’t make all of the financial decisions on the club

[@noeldown1952]

You don't have to deal with it because your complete dependence on Russian gas and oil means that any meaningful sanctions aren't very likely.

[@CaminoAir]

I'm a Liverpool fan. I don't mean to sound complacent, but this is Chelsea. One of the world's most successful football teams and a major 'sports' brand. The club will come through this, because even the British government could not allow any lasting damage to occur to the club. Football clubs this size and this famous have all kinds of roots in society, the economy, even the national prestige, etc.

[@R3NEGADE7]

I support Norwich, I don’t see anyone sanctioning delia any time soon tbh

[@adamwilson8750]

I had the same thought, we may be the only ones safe on this topic

[@AZR-ms7id]

I don't know. Some of her recipes haven't aged very well

[@whywhy6055]

True, I think anyone saying “where are you? Let’s be havin’ you” would scare a lot of people away.

[@Aled1976]

Just don't burn any cakes! 😂

[@supersts7628]

@@AZR-ms7id lol is she fuckin Sweeney Todd now

[@MarcosLCoco]

As an American, I love how he calls out of our dirty money! I'm tired of my countrymen acting like we don't do the same messed up stuff like Russia

[@Exalted_Wolfe]

well ur country was born ou tof people not wanting to pay tax, and since then has geared to shitting on its people for t he sake of making a select few mega rich, i mean imagine having to chose between dying and keeping ur house, or living and being in debt for the rest of you rlife

[@ChrisWynneR]

This “8% of Russian Oil” line is, though true, very misleading. There seems to be this belief that fuel prices will just go up by 8% to compensate, but that’s not how fuel works. Fuel is a very inelastic cost, meaning that an increase in price doesn’t automatically mean a similar decrease in sales. Think of it this way, how much would Fuel have to go up for you to drive 8% less or, the better question, how much would fuel have to go down to for you to drive 8% more? I agree with the fact that there’s a massive issue with the UK economy as a whole relying on international unsavoury individuals and companies, but can we please stop spreading the lie the 8% isn’t that bad.

[@HITCSevens]

Hi Chris. I wasn't saying it isn't that bad, it is very bad, and very consequential, for all of the reasons that you describe. My point was that the idea that the cost of living crisis in the U.K. is a consequence of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and Russia's invasion of Ukraine alone, is untrue. These price rises, across the board from food to fuel, were already the case before Russia's invasion. It has exacerbated the problem rather than being the sole cause.

[@ChrisWynneR]

@@HITCSevens Hi back to you! Very much agreed with your point, the price of electricity and gas actually has incredibly little to do with the Ukrainian crisis, and the food crisis is due to the lack of production through COVID, absolutely nothing to do with Ukraine. I just believe that putting oil in that category is misleading, as it’s the most noticeable at the moment (as you pointed out by putting up a picture of fuel prices), but is the only one that is heavily impacted by the crisis, even if just speculatively.

[@korygrey6170]

“I would sooner expect consistency from Nicholas Pepe than the British state” is a bar on par with the best of them

[@Littlemagpie2487]

One thing to consider is how much of this debate is based upon uk and western ethnocentrism. The assumption that it is ok for the US and UK to send troops to Afghanistan or Iraq etc is perfectly fine because we were “morally superior” in those conflicts is a perfect example. But just look at the way those countries were left? One man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter is a well known phrase that applies here! We believe we are so morally superior that our culture and values should never be questioned yet we have no right to question or make moral or cultural assumptions about other countries. Particularly those whose culture is very different to ours such as those in the Middle East. To us some of their political differences and cultural differences are inferior cos they do not perfectly align with our own. This also explains why we are more outraged by what has happened in Ukraine than we are about Yemen or to the Uighur people in china! Simply put, their values, politics, customs are quite closely aligned to those of the west. Therefore this war is too close to comfort both geographically and in terms of cultural values.

[@neilwhitaker6284]

well said. I hate what "we" in the west have become, invading others but then acting horrified when others do it.

[@mantosh56]

Finally least someone understands!!!!

[@MexicanMata]

"They are who we thought they were and we let em' off the hook!" Not sure how many here will recognize an old American football quote but it fits here lol

[@calico57]

poor jets

[@neilwhitaker6284]

coach for the Arizona Cardinals! Forget his name, last name Green I think?

[@MexicanMata]

@@neilwhitaker6284 yeah Dennis Green

[@tdyerwestfield]

Alfie is always spot on when it comes to politics in sport.

[@thomaskendell8146]

Definitely not stopping drinking the koolaid

[@hieubuiminh4739]

Would love to see an additional video somewhat relating to this video about the 50+1 rule in Germany in regard to fan ownership and having a voice heard

[@cmenomore8119]

No my club couldn’t be next… because I’m an Eintracht Frankfurt supporter ⚫️⚪️❤️ My club will never become rich and probably will never become a champion again but my club has something that money can’t buy… pride integrity and pure masses of the loudest and most loyal diehard supporters you could imagine. Everywhere we go if we win or lose we show our colors and celebrate ourselves. That’s what football should be all about ladies and gentlemen. Die Eintracht gibt die Eintracht nimmt. 🦅

[@dejankulusexy4472]

I’m a Mainz fan!

[@canderson7776]

You say that but all it takes is for a company sponsor to funnel money into the club for 20 years and they now have the 50+1 in their favour. Please lobby and change the rules so that cannot happen any longer. Much love from another supporter run club country, Sweden. Long live the 51 percent rule.

[@AMo23486]

One of my favorite clubs i played as in Fifa. Hope they are doing well. I should really follow the Bundesliga more closely but I just haven't.

[@facundoriesco1369]

Frankfurt still owes River Plate money for Borre

[@cmenomore8119]

@@facundoriesco1369 Borre was a free transfer bro 😂

[@danielthomlinson3052]

A fantastic analysis of the situation. Well done for articulating so well what huge numbers of fans and people in this country are thinking. The only power that fans have is to stop supporting this racket which used to be our treasured national game.

[@gothestags09]

Newcastle fan here - it's a hollow fanship now. I'd rather be in League 2 funded by a local then this current bullshit. I'm actually a Kiwi to be fair and lived in Newcastle, then at one point lived in Leamington, and Leamington games were much more fun of 10 pound tickets and a great view. I live in Hamburg now - So after the Wellington Phoenix it's fair to say that I'm incredibly proud to be a FC St Pauli supporter and all that they stand for (since the 1980s...ignore WWII days, apparently Hitler was a fan)

[@user-sx4zi8ux6s]

I have eagerly waiting for this video since everyone has been brushing off this topic, from other youtubers to media

[@jameeswoodhouse2887]

I’ve never really understood the whole idea/ joke people say about Chelsea not existing before before 2003. If you genuinely think that it just proves you don’t know much about football frankly.

[@dominicbarden4436]

I know, and it's not as if Chelsea just came up from obscurity when Abramovich bought them either as those ideas/jokes seem to imply. In the five years before he bought them (so 1998-99 to 2002-03) they'd finished the league in 3rd, 5th, 6th, 6th and 4th and won an FA Cup (1999-00), a UEFA Super Cup (1998) and a Community Shield (2000) into the bargain as well as reaching another FA Cup final (2001-02, which they lost to Arsenal) and a run to the quarter finals of their maiden Champions League campaign (1999-00; that QF vs Barca makes for fairly grim reading to be honest: a 3-1 win at home in the 1st leg and a 5-1 aet defeat at the Nou Camp in the 2nd, losing 6-4 on aggregate!). Not to mention that in the two seasons prior to that stretch they won an FA Cup (1996-97), a League Cup (1997-98) and a Cup Winners Cup (1997-98) and finished 6th and 4th in the league. That's not too shabby, is it?

[@aks99-4]

Pre Roman Chelsea had won 1 league title in their entire history in the 50s. They weren’t a big club at all

[@jameeswoodhouse2887]

@@aks99-4 they weren’t one of the massive clubs like a arsenal , United or Everton (very few clubs are btw ) but we’re still a regular top flight team with great players and in the decade before Roman where one of the best teams in the country

[@Bluesfed]

It is outrageous the way the government, football organisations, football bodies, and the media outlets (including ex-footballer media pundits) are constantly going after and vilifying Chelsea FC. In my view, the sanctions were complete when the government took away Roman Abramovich’s ability to benefit financially from the club. This is understandable and justifiable. But how is it right to place all these restrictions on Chelsea FC as a club, upon its players and its staff? Do the players and staff have any involvement in supporting Putin and his war against Ukraine? No they don’t…! It’s time the government, football organisations, football bodies and media outlets stopped treating Chelsea FC, the football club like villains. The club have hardworking people working for it who have no say or influence over Roman Abramovich, where he came from or how he made his money. These innocent people have families and have bills to pay and need certainty. They certainly don’t need to be punished for who, or what, Roman Abramovich is or alleged to have done…! The sanctions have achieved their goals, Abramovich CANNOT benefit financially from the club in anyway. Instead, the government are now punishing innocent people. This is a microcosm of what’s going on with the wider sanctions strategy the government has employed against Russia… gas prices and food prices have gone up here in the UK… ordinary people in the UK are suffering because of the government’s decisions against Russia. DON’T BE FOOLED. The government doesn’t care one iota about ordinary people in the UK. Now it’s time for the government to take their foot off Chelsea FC’s neck and allow them to get back to being a viable working football club. Last point: Millions of people in the UK enjoy engaging with football here in the UK, which is an essential part of our cultural heritage. Football is family entertainment. Millions of people go around the UK and Europe to support their football team both and away. They buy merchandise, enjoy food, travelling, meeting up together. For some people, particularly the elderly, going to see their football team may be all the social contact they have each week. Football is at the heart of our social fabric, which why, what has happened to Chelsea FC, its players, its staff and its fans is a complete outrage. Be aware Premiership clubs… football is under threat. No longer is football a free enterprise with the right to run itself as a private business. No, the government can now intervene at will, and takeover any private business venture if they feel like it. The government can now use any pretext they want to prevent your football club from operating. If this is allowed to continue, this will have a devastating effect upon UK culture, jobs within football, the fan base and what we enjoy as part of our culture here in the UK. What the government have done to Chelsea FC is nothing more than disgraceful. It is a totalitarian dictatorial takeover of a private business, dressed up as acceptable because they have tried to give it a moral veneer. Shame on the Prime Minister and his cronies in government. PS: Tell this to Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville… they seem to have lost sight of reality…!

[@schimmelpunker4452]

Brilliant and highly entertaining analysis, well done, Sir!

[@narcolonarcolo]

This is one of the best videos ever on this channel. Well done

[@barry4649]

Great video mate, and I find it shocking that the likes of Sky and TalkSport still haven’t mentioned the hypocrisy of the Saudis not being sanctioned for being the greater of 2 evils

[@p10rambo]

They also only talk about the American bids, they dont talk about the saudi and turkish bidders

[@barry4649]

@@p10rambo sadly, something tells me that Chelsea aren’t even considering those bids and want to give it to someone squeaky clean from the west but I hope I’m wrong

[@Fisher1874]

Very good video as always. As a Newcastle fan (for my English team) I feel you are very accurate with what you are saying and we as fans need to question things more often. As a side note would be interesting to get your take on how my home team is doing as I feel we already been through everything in this video and came out the other side as Britain’s largest fan owned team, heart of Midlothian ❤️

[@JosephKFundi]

What a brilliant, logical, non-emotional and objective take on the situation. If I could subscribe twice I would. You're headed for great things Alfie!👏🏾👏🏾

[@EisernRob]

The state of ‘English’ football makes me glad I’m German. At least fans still own and contribute to the running of their clubs in the Bundesliga thanks to the 50+1 rule.

[@matthewcoombs3282]

Germany must stick to the 50 plus rule. I can understand why fans are upset at RB Leipzig and their model of goverence. I am a Chelsea fan but never felt comfortable with a Russian Gangster owning the club however good he was as an owner. English football is now a cesspit. Selling Newcastle to a country behaving as bad as Russia is in the Ukraine is in the Yemen is a low point.

[@akshadchavan5528]

Day 12: Make a video about 1st division B teams competing in lower divisions, for example Bayern Munich II or Barcelona B playing in their respective lower divisions. Whether this is good for player development or it completely destroys the fun of lower divisions.

[@MrRonald2796]

Most fans of the teams affected are against B teams playing in lower divisions, as they feel a B team steals a place of a proper city team, alongside having an unfair advantage in terms of budget.

[@gothestags09]

@FT I live in Hamburg, around Altona 93 and Teutonia Ottensen - it's fantastic keeping up with those clubs and Altona tend to yo-yo between the Regionalliga and whatever is below that, as did Teutonia but now Teutonia is having a real crack and could be promotion candidates if they keep the momentum. In the meantime in reality I'm a St Pauli fan and could not give a rats arse about the second team in the same division. It's a tricky one because there is the romance of someone coming through the system and doing good, but at the same time there's the problems of say, a Bundesliga club having 50 professional footballers and sure they are better off being in a big club system for those in the second team, but at the same time the strength of the leagues in general would be much greater if all that talent around the second teams was spread around all the other clubs. Personally I advocate for a youth system and a reserve system whereby anyone playing for a reserve team operates outside the system - for example an U23s league, much like in England where the Newcastle 2nd team plays as an U23/injury rehab team against other teams similarly. In the youth system obviously are different levels up to U18, after which point a club has three choices: 1) Sign the player to the first team; 2) Sign the player to the reserve team; 3) Sell the player or 4) release the player (with structures in place that during Academy times the players undertake Ausbildung's/have access to workplace training etc etc)

[@shawklan27]

@@MrRonald2796 greed ruins everything

[@ak3dog]

To me this seems to raise 2 questions: first, does the root of the situation lie at the point where football in the UK was clearly made into a business, I mean the founding of the Premier League in 1991-92? and second, do supporters in the UK think it was better prior to that time?

[@Ghengiskhansmum]

Murdochism of football.

[@Ghengiskhansmum]

It was the same..11 a side and a round thing to kick towards a goal with a net. Before that football was used by the conservatives to have a dig at the working class supporter. On Murdochs orders to parliament and media it suddenly became acceptable and more fashionable for the middle class.

[@MCMickG]

That bit about 3 at the start just had me thinking of the ‘values of carphone warehouse’ routine from Stewart Lee

[@davidpalin1790]

Well said 👏 You have described the issue really well

[@OsofoGriot]

“I would sooner expect consistency from Nicolas Pepe” - now that is a BURN

[@DJMavis]

I argued long ago, when Everton fans were adamant that we needed a billionaire owner, that what we needed was a sustainable club. Which we had. Because all it took was Abramovich to call in his 1bn loan and Chelsea are done. Luckily when everton got a rich owner we've gone on to do really well.

[@Alan-xxxxxx]

Getting Lampard as manager should help to make you a mid table Championship side though

[@prakash10]

If it is an American owner UK would accept.

[@athdasaeed3677]

You going down love

[@DJMavis]

@@athdasaeed3677 thanks for your considered response. It was very insightful

[@eddy4688]

@@DJMavis Usually I'd take that last sentence to be a joke but with Everton fans it's genuinely hard to tell.

[@pedrocastillo890]

Hey, thanks for the videos. I watch them a lot. Maybe a video about sports brands that are sadly gone (or not what they used to be) for football? Like Reebok, or Fila, or Lotto, etc.

[@sp4cem4n70]

"They're are powerless. Practically said, all football fans are powerless" Hurt always accompanies the truth

[@Hilversumborn]

I believe the worst thing from all of this, is that people can no longer deny that football and politics don’t mix. They in fact do.

[@mitch9225]

It’s incredibly ignorant, wholly concerning and rather damaging when people continue to ignore the politics in sport, music, culture. At best, it’s a showcase of severe privilege.

[@samuelcutts2589]

@@mitch9225 it’s a job for some

[@kristi4113]

The Premier League needs to do some self-reflection. I mean, they won’t, but it’s a nice thought. Also, that tortoise lost its chance to be a Whistleblower. How disappointing.☹️

[@DJMavis]

That's not disappointing, that's complicity. May his lettuce leaves forever be soggy

[@rjbride]

Superb video. Terrific journalism.

[@jsp5544]

Your tweet is probably the best piece of common sense anybody tweeted this year. Keep doing your eye opening work in football and related analysis !!

[@WERTYUIO821]

Now, if you have time and like the subject of course, make research and a video about the new Hull City owner. I would love to watch what you will find. From the point of view of a supporter of a club, it would even be interesting to see how one would react to any negative news about the history of the person behind the club they support.

[@alr68]

You hit me hard with Labour's 2019 election loss and my bills having trippled in that time.

[@stephengold4474]

I had so much hope back then lol

[@Jim-so3zm]

They would've probably gone up even more under Labour tbh. Corbyn's ethos was all about higher spending then you throw Covid into the mix too.

[@alr68]

@@Jim-so3zm No, the price cap would have looked more like France's than the absolute gouging we've got going on here. Please stop voting Tory.

[@neilwhitaker6284]

Boris is the worst but to be honest all the political parties serve the same masters. Our bills in Canada are going through the roof and we have a Liberal government (not too different from your moderate Labour and way to the left of our Conservatives). The inflation is coming from the debt which increases the money supply. All the parties are spending like drunken sailors (although the money rarely seems to come down the common man).

[@Rybo4]

@@Jim-so3zm spending is not a bad thing. People need to get this tory myth out of their brain. Spending as a state is a good thing. It's not the same as paying your household bills. If you invest in infrastructure, education, you will see your returns. A educated workforce pays for itself economically, and infrastructure pays itself off over time. Think of it like a mortgage on a grand scale but you can use income to help. I. E. Build railways and use ticket incomes to pay it off over years. It is fine to do that. Debt as a state is inevitable. China and the US are trillions in debt and thriving. Even republicans in the US spend big on infrastructure.

[@prakash10]

We used to hear "sports and politics should not be mixed" but in reality it is the other way round.

[@ydkman]

Thank you so much for this video HITC and bringing attention to the Yemen conflict

[@YetAnotherGeorgeth]

This is the problem with too much money in football. The only way teams can even compete these days is if they have somewhere suspect owner/source of income. Even as a wolves fan I have my doubts about being owned by a Chinese conglomerate. There needs to be a total overhaul of the EPL and the football league, but unfortunately that’s never going to happen because of greed. Football died years ago, but it came back blinged out and with sunglasses on!

[@imascrew6218]

FFP exists, Newcastle can't just compete it will take years

[@mantosh56]

@@imascrew6218 ya we can clearly see how FFP prevented clubs like Manchester city and Manchester United and the big 6 from spending too much money.....

[@mikevarga2058]

Great video as always. You are the thinking man’s football ‘KZbinr’. Smart lad.

[@kindmulberry7196]

Why is KZbinr in quotes?

[@mikevarga2058]

@@kindmulberry7196 well I don’t recognise that as a profession. But I don’t know what else he’d be classified as.

[@kindmulberry7196]

@@mikevarga2058 Being a KZbinr is arguably even more hard work than a 9-5 job, KZbinrs are more prone to burning out as well as having to spend hours on research and put everything together

[@mikevarga2058]

@@kindmulberry7196 really? Wow. You know, you’re very perceptive. Well done. Keep it up

[@kindmulberry7196]

@@mikevarga2058 Idk what you're thinking tbh, it takes HITC Sevens ages just to pull out one vid, it's far from easy to make a video like that

[@Louisejames23]

Good to see lots of Chelsea fans ditching Three. Your analysis is spot on 😬

[@surfersir3388]

Class video once again!

[@lucaslonchampt613]

As a Stade Brestois supporter, I think I'll be fine

[@3dsaulgoodman43]

Bevet Breizh!

[@lucaslonchampt613]

@@3dsaulgoodman43 Fellow Breton?

[@3dsaulgoodman43]

@@lucaslonchampt613 Nope, just love Breton culture and language

[@Jack-cq9pv]

I mean, Li Cashing's name literally has 'cash' in it, we know he's rich af.

[@scozander]

Great commentary on this video, you can feel the disgust and contempt very clearly.

[@aristideswade2046]

Love it and your shade is brutal at all levels

[@ac14cmpunk25]

The entire Premiere League doesn't care aslong as the money is coming in

[@davycrockett8886]

Except when it comes to Chelsea. Double standards.

[@chrisnieto5547]

Worth mentioning that while Boris was having cheese and wine parties in Downing Street , Ambramovich was opening up the Chelsea hotel for NHS staff and donating millions to covid charities. Oh and we've been selling arms to Russia forever, but apparently steel for tanks is a no no.

[@eoinf2773]

I re-subbed just because you made this video! Thanks for doing what you can.

[@JohnDelimaPR]

Awesome vid bro 😎

[@donegaldan102]

Iv been a chelsea supporter since I first saw them play when I was a kid. It's so hard to know how to be annoyed at this. Your Club is about to fall a part and you can't really blame anyone because of what's happened in Ukraine. It's such a upsetting limbo place to be in.

[@titofernandez1500]

You can blame Putin, Zelensky or Biden. Its pretty much all of their faults.

[@jackbrownio3]

How about the Premier League? They let Chelsea be bought by a dodgy bloke and now Chelsea are fucked by it. It’s the same problem with the EFL and Derby where they failed to stop the owner overspending and then retroactively punished them on top of their financial issues

[@molybdomancer195]

@@titofernandez1500 how is it Zelensky's fault? Do you blame beaten women for upsetting their husbands and "making them do it"?

[@shay65]

@@molybdomancer195 what tf has biden done as well that guy is crazy

[@titofernandez1500]

@@molybdomancer195 lol, because he is being tossed around with the NATO issue and trying to get Western help. And your argument about beaten women from abusive husbands make 0 sense, as you are indicating every beaten woman arent in an abusive relationship that comes with abuse from both parties. You are probably a person that read the Rihanna and Chris Brown situation and took everything from Rihannas perspective and didnt listen once to Chris Browns stupid decision. A war is not fought by one politician, it is started by historically bad calls from two politicians.

[@GeneralEIC]

Everyone should watch this video , not only football fans. Thanks my brother for your content.

[@RandomUsername1995blah]

Another really good video Alfie. It genuinely shocks me how quick to forget our society is. The sense of anxiety is overwhelming. Turkey, Saudi, Russia, the faces change but the villain always seems to escape without issue

[@derickl436]

Absolutely nailed it Alfie. Superb!

[@benculley4707]

Nothing like a Monday morning with a new HITC Sevens video 👍👌

[@dennishengst9162]

Maybe you could consider making a video ranking all premier league owners on the morality in which they acquired their wealth.

[@jjryan1352]

It's like they think there should be a Communist model where every club works with the exact same amount of money. But they don't even do that in the league in Communist China. Meanwhile clubs in EPL: Happy Chinese New Year!

[@williamcross210]

Every great fortune began with a great crime that was not prosecuted

[@jamesmatthews768]

Oh no. I'd hate for man utd to be randomly sanctioned, taken from the Glazers, be allowed to continue to run as normal and forced to be sold to different owners and get off relatively untouched with no major long-term consequences. I sure hope I don't jinx it for that to happen to us. Anyone know a shop who deal with mirrors, umbrellas, painters with outside ladders, black cats, magpies and other inconspicuously random objects?

[@nellie5206]

Great video, Great tweets, Great takes.

[@chargey911]

As a Newcastle fan let us win at least 1 Cup then we can go back to being prem strugglers again I'd take that..... Course this will happen after we finally get someone who are willing to splash the cash, City and Chelsea will have all the memories... Maybe this is what football needs all clubs fan owned like in Germany and be completely self sufficient and no more crazy wages

[@anon131]

what your learn in life and from history is them that point their fingers at others for wrong doings are pointing the attention away from themselves to hide what they have done wrong in their own past

[@bradleytaylor8228]

The line about being cheaper to fly from Birmingham to London via Dubai really made me laugh! Brilliant video Alfie!

[@yusufkassim8236]

Hey Alfie, I just thought of a cracking idea for a video you could do on the turbulent recent history of Goztepe in the Super Lig. They’re one of the Super Lig’s most well supported clubs (a bit like a Newcastle United, Sunderland or Strasbourg if you may). In the 2001/02 season, they finished seventh in the top flight, however from 2002 to 2008, they were relegated five times in six seasons, due to their inability to reduce their outstanding debt which resulted in the football club being banned from signing new players during that time. In August of 2007, a business based in Istanbul, vowed to take them back to the top flight making them one of the top five clubs in the country, but they were met with lots of suspicions from the fan base, and then they handed over the ownership to another bloke called Mehmet Sepil in 2014. Anyway, they’re back in the Super Lig as a solid mid table/weaker top half team. Why am I bringing all this up? Because apparently Abramovich is looking to possibly buy the club himself, after being sanctioned from the UK. It’s a crazy crazy story and may you could look into this, not to mention, they are not only a rare example of a club that is considered a neighbourhood club, as well as the fact that they’ve played in 3 different stadiums since 2011, but also in 1969, they became the first Turkish football team to play a semi-final of a European competition.

[@niksv4165]

Day 392: Ways to fix VAR with your suggestions

[@plainnan]

Was certain that Alfie's stand would be this. much respect. But, lack of criticism about the American owners just because they are Americans (and America's always right about the places they invade) has left a slight bad taste.

[@lewisbarrett5651]

Bad comparison. The American owners in the premier league (FSG, Glazers etc) have no ties to the US government. Nobody is criticising Abramovich for his passport, rather who he is connected to.

[@jordan_roadhouse4798]

And that's a great way to show your own anti American bigotry Arjun. Good show! Clueless! 😂

[@dan5974]

@@jordan_roadhouse4798 is it anti American to hate American war mongerers and the American elite?

[@jordan_roadhouse4798]

@@dan5974 It is if you equate private citizens with the state just because they are a citizen of the states.

[@mrman2415]

@@jordan_roadhouse4798 which is what our media and government are doing to the Russians.

[@billyoneill7381]

Thanks for mentioning 1974 as not many people in the UK seem to know about it. My gran's youngest brother was killed in the conflict and her family (not her as moved to London long before) had to flee their homes.

[@rajoosamy201]

Your best video yet 🙏🏻

[@jordza2k11]

If i were Newcastle I’d be shitting myself but would be karma for the deluded fanbase they’ll be wishing they didn’t tell Mike Ashley to do one quick if the UK government has enough bottle to sanction the Saudis

[@leikfroakies]

The UK government supports the Saudis. We're literally the reason they're in power in the first place and why there are no middle eastern democracies. The sanctions against Abramovic arent out of morality. They're intended to trick people into thinking the Kremlin funded government is supporting NATO in it's efforts to financially cripple the Russian war effort. Mile Ashley was still a dick, as is pretty much anyone rich enough to own a club

[@DBSG1976]

I'm a Bournemouth Supporter and I am terrified because their owner is Russian!

[@evanstanislas898]

Yeah, me too

[@yrkie4785]

@@evanstanislas898 He’s not an oligarch and he’s a British citizen

[@louisbeerreviews8964]

@@yrkie4785 wrong

[@yrkie4785]

@@louisbeerreviews8964 wanna expand?

[@macjames3289]

Brilliant work, excellent!!!

[@hectorae86]

As a Dutch man (Netherlands/Holland), the fact that billionairs have thrown truckloads of cash into artificially propping up the clubs (and with that the competition). i mean be honest, are there Brittish people who like PSG?

[@mafiousbj]

Imagine if they started applying this to the Arab monarchy owned clubs....the Premier League would have some issues

[@depekthegreat359]

You have spoken the fact about Chelsea of the 19 years since their takeover,good friend Alfie Potts Hammer!!!You have earned my vote on this topic and next up about Manchester City,just like them,good friend!!!👌

[@xenon__47]

City are owned by owners from UAE, UAE are friends with the west unlike Qatar. So we won't be receiving any sanctions any time soon.

[@depekthegreat359]

@@xenon__47 I do agree but there are many controversies,mainly the way the club became too big too quickly and breaching the FFP rules of the signings that they have made since their takeover,good friend!!!Do you remember the human rights over there in UAE,mainly the construction workers who have been suffering under their consortium,good friend?

[@EdGalvinPFC]

That is literally the point of the video...

[@SM-kc5zw]

If this is the case then British Empire should be at the pinnacle of the reasons causing bloodshed and slavery.

[@nicknackpaddywhack2159]

That was the most sensible and balanced account of he whole wide aspect of this situation as a whole, not just NUFC and Chelsea. As an Arsenal fan who isn't wild about the Kroenke's, I shamefully admit at the time I was cheering an Usmanov takeover. How things can open your eyes to what you've got once butterfly effect moments such as these occur!

[@luistong3814]

I thought I was the only one against the sanctions who didn’t support chelsea

[@danielarroy4853]

I’m from the US and I believe it’s bs

[@ThreeRunHomer]

He’s not against the sanctions.

[@luistong3814]

@@ThreeRunHomer Im talking about the others in the comments not alfie

[@SpotlessLeopard]

Huge swathes of money coming out of football would be the best thing that's ever happened to it in the long term.

[@yurhomi4478]

You’re being sarcastic right?

[@SpotlessLeopard]

@@yurhomi4478 No. The game has become so awash with money that it's all that *some* players care about, and a lot of owners couldn't care less if a club actually dies as long as they make their profit.

[@alexisflores7066]

Great video 💪

[@kaylanbuyukcetin5274]

I'd definitely agree that your tweet has blown up based on the metrics. Great video! An important one at that.

[@zainkhalid9704]

Alfie, I admire you alot while your points are valid and all dictators have done cruel works but the west have done equal or more damage and most instances (especially Ukraine) are derived from western politics. It doesn't condemn any of the terrible acts by these states ( I have been affected a lot by them) But we should also look at the other side of the the coin

[@olivermorrison2342]

100%

[@OthelloPanda]

I don't think you can really say Abramovich 'stole' from the Russian people. He bought Sibneft for $200m above its share price value ($150m) and this was in 1995 Russia where that was still considered quite a lot of money. Was it bought at its theoretical 'correct' value? No, but that's not how stock-based acquisitions work in any market.

[@jjryan1352]

people really seem to have an irrational deep hatred of "oil money" even though BP has its own sordid history in Iran and elsewhere. Selective outrage. "From Persia to Nigeria (which in the 1930s was a British colony that gave BP and Shell a concession covering the whole country) to modern Iraq, the company pursued a basically imperial model. BP’s Persian concession had been huge, around twice the size of France, and highly economically advantageous. As a logical extension of the imperial model, the industry has also enjoyed an intimate connection with the military. The armed forces have been part of the production system and also one of its most important customers. It was a single military contract with the Royal Navy, after all, that brought BP into being, and war played a significant part in the company’s growth. The British Army came to protect its production facilities in Persia from attack by angry local Bedouin people."

[@archstanton6102]

He bought it way below market value. Where did his initial funds come from? He then sold it for $13Bn back to the state. Who runs the state - his good friend.

[@OthelloPanda]

@@archstanton6102 The 'market value' is the share value, which he paid, +$200m. Things are ultimately worth what people are willing to pay for them. This was 90s Russia, the state had collapsed, there was a huge recession (hence the privatisation), it was not modern-day Saudi Arabia or Silicon Valley where you can throw a stone and hit a billionaire. As for how he made his money; commodities trading, making dolls in his flat, setting up and selling small businesses - all from the starting point of being orphaned at the age of 3. In another timeline, Disney would be making movies about him. He sold Sibneft 10 years later. Assets appreciate in value, Russia's circumstances also improved. There was obviously an element of 'right-place-right-time' about his story and it certainly wasn't all 100% 'clean', but nor was the environment he was working in. Pick up a rock in any society and you'd be surprised to find what's under it. Maybe take a look at how the current US President made his money, and the Speaker of the House for that matter - then tell me if you think RA deserves to be viewed any worse. People in the west seem to think that our sh*t doesn't stink. We are not the moral puritans people seem to think we are, we are certainly not in a position to judge anyone else on that level.

[@jeb-zf4un]

Loved the video and have exactly no issue with your views. It just scratches the surface.

[@JiggyMiggytv]

You spoke straight facts from start to finish, I applaud you!!

[@exaltedleopard]

I don't know how old you are but over the last 30years I recommend you have a look at the political actions of Ukraine against Russia, US and the collective EU... For sports to stay Apolitical when it suits is disgusting no matter where the money came from, just because you or don't like how things happen in their conception doesn't make it illegal, it just doesn't aligned with an individual's morals and better yet who created YOUR moral compass given the type of country we both live in and are certainly a world apart just via our difference in visual race dictating the formation of

[@aarn700]

Imagine if the UK the EU and US all went green energy independent and we could slowly root these oligarchs out

[@HarryGillard]

I feel it would be a good video in which you explore the other side of football ownership in England and look into fan owned clubs such as the club I support Exeter City. After a further look into them you will find how well run as a club it is and how it prioritises youth development as a way to earn money for the club and also a way to give young players a chance in the modern game.

[@robwalkerletthemusicplay]

Great video👍 I agree 100%