Only after 48 hours from the announcement of the European Super League it is on the verge of collapse. After strong protest from fans worldwide, Manchester City and Chelsea were the first clubs to pull out from the ESL, followed by the other Premier League clubs, Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.
Inter Milan, AC Milan, Juventus and Atletico Madrid have all followed the Premier League clubs, and now only Barcelona and Real Madrid are yet to make their withdrawal official.
Manchester United has also officially announced that executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward will step down from his role at the end of 2021. Woodward joined United in 2005 and became executive vice-chairman in 2012.
This comes after Manchester United decided to join the other European clubs to form the Super League but after protest from the fans, the BIG SIX Premier League clubs withdrew from the Super League.
And, now Manchester United owner Joel Glazer issues an open letter to all the United fans. Here’s what he had to say:
To all Manchester United supporters,
Over the past few days, we have all witnessed the great passion which football generates, and the deep loyalty our fans have for this great club.
You made very clear your opposition to the European Super League, and we have listened. We got it wrong, and we want to show that we can put things right.
Although the wounds are raw and I understand that it will take time for the scars to heal, I am personally committed to rebuilding trust with our fans and learning from the message you delivered with such conviction.
We continue to believe that European football needs to become more sustainable throughout the pyramid for the long-term. However, we fully accept that the Super League was not the right way to go about it.
In seeking to create a more stable foundation for the game, we failed to show enough respect for its deep-rooted traditions –promotion, relegation, the pyramid – and for that we are sorry.
This is the world’s greatest football club and we apologise unreservedly for the unrest caused during these past few days.
It is important for us to put that right.
Manchester United has a rich heritage and we recognise our responsibility to live up to its great traditions and values.
The pandemic has thrown up so many unique challenges and we are proud of the way Manchester United and its fans from Manchester and around the world have reacted to the enormous pressures during this period.
We also realise that we need to better communicate with you, our fans, because you will always be at the heart of the club.
In the background, you can be sure that we will be taking the necessary steps to rebuild relationships with other stakeholders across the game, with a view to working together on solutions to the long-term challenges facing the football pyramid.
Right now, our priority is to continue to support all of our teams as they push for the strongest possible finish to the season.
In closing, I would like to recognise that it is your support which makes this club so great, and we thank you for that.
With best regards,
Joel Glazer
