LAST UPDATE | 14 Sep 2022
JURGEN KLOPP WAS less-than-impressed with Chelsea’s new American owner Todd Boehly’s suggestion that the Premier League should introduce a US-style All-Star game between teams in the north and south of England.
The Blues’ new co-controlling owner, who also owns shares of Los Angeles teams the Dodgers in Major League Baseball and the Lakers in the NBA, told a New York conference he has already floated the idea with Premier League counterparts.
“Ultimately I hope the Premier League takes a little bit of a lesson from American sports,” said Boehly. “And really starts to figure out, why don’t we do a tournament with the bottom four sports teams, why isn’t there an All-Star game?
“People are talking about more money for the pyramid, in the MLB All-Star game this year we made 200 million dollars from a Monday and a Tuesday. So we’re thinking we could do a North versus South All-Star game for the Premier League, for whatever the pyramid needed quite easily.”
Boehly was talking at the SALT thought leaders conference in New York, lifting the lid on Chelsea’s sacking of Thomas Tuchel as well as revealing bold plans for the Blues’ future.
And Klopp, speaking after Liverpool’s Champions League win over Ajax last night, was surprised by Boehly’s suggestion when asked about it during his post-match press conference.
“He doesn’t wait long. When he finds a date for that he can call me,” he said. “In American sports these players have four-month breaks. Does he want to bring the Harlem Globetrotters as well?
Maybe he can explain that. I’m not sure people want to see that – United players, Liverpool players, City players, Everton players all together. It is not the national team. Did he really say it?”
Meanwhile, Klopp admitted the last-gasp 2-1 win over Ajax is only the first step on the road to regaining their form.
Mohamed Salah’s first goal in eight European matches was cancelled out by Mohammed Kudus in the first half and it needed an 89th-minute Joel Matip header to register Liverpool’s first points in Group A after last week’s 4-1 defeat in Naples.
It has been a mixed season so far and, with no match now for three weeks – Sunday’s match at Chelsea has been postponed because of policing issues associated with the Queen’s funeral – Klopp has time to regroup ready for their return after the international break.
“I think if we put the two games, Napoli and tonight, next to each other, you don’t recognise properly that it’s the same sport,” he said.
“It was all different. The start was different. The middle was different. The finish was different. The way we played, the way we defend, everything was different. Much higher intensity, much more aggression, braver, more ready, everything was better.
“The story of the game is typical, not for our season so far because normally we are 1-0 down, more for the situation we are in.
We did a lot of good stuff and played a really good game, we had something like 25 shots, which is good against a strong side full of confidence, absolutely convinced about the way they play, and we caused them a lot of problems.
“And then, 1-0 up, you concede with the first chance of the opponent the equaliser. The reaction was OK – not perfect but OK – and at half-time we told the boys that after the goal our pressing was not as convincing as before.
“I think nobody was surprised it was a set-piece (for the winner) because our set-pieces were really good tonight and I have no idea why we didn’t score earlier from them because pretty much each set-piece was a threat.
“The face of Joel showed exactly how we all felt in this moment. It’s the first step, nothing else, not more.”
Sunday’s postponement, coming on the back of the wholesale postponement of the football calendar last weekend, means Liverpool have two matches to fit into an already-crowded schedule with a World Cup in the middle.
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So in theory once, and if, Ireland have scored four tries they can (kinda) decide who they want to play in the quarter finals (and to eliminate SA from the competition)….. However, that’s not what this team is about. They’ll have the simple goal to beat Scotland off the park.
@Thomas Patton: Technically correct, but great motivation for whichever team was ‘picked’ to be the lesser of two evils
@Brian Donohoe: you’d imagine intentionally losing a world cup game by 20+ PTS would have serious consequences
@Ciaran Kennedy: Yeah. If Scotland score 4 tries against us, we’re not going to be winning a QF
@Kevin Ryan: meanwhile on against the head, Donal Lenihan says that Scotland need 4 tries to progress and nobody corrects him. Punditry sucks.
It is quite simple lads… please just win – dont care how or by how much. My heart would not be able to take the stress of it. The closer it gets the more nervous I feel.
Ireland will be 100% focussed as always , everyone knows their roles and the game plan . The goal is to win against Scotland and then prepare for the next team we are drawn against. That’s it . This being the tougher side of the draw we were always going to have to do this the hard way.
Ireland lose by 4 or fewer : top group.
Lose by 5, 6 or 7, top group if no Scotland bonus point.
Lose by 5 and Scotland bonus: top group if same or more tries against Scotland (or 2 bonus points).
Lose by 6 or 7 and Scotland bonus : through only if 2 bonus points.
Lose by 8-19 : Ireland out.
Lose by > 20 : Ireland second if 4 try bonus
Lose by 20. Ireland second if 4 try bonus, only if Scotland score at least 3 more tries than Ireland!
@Graham Glendinning: Any of those later options will mean a steward’s inquiry
@Graham Glendinning: Corrections.
Note – lreland lose with try bonus, and no Scotland bonus: Ireland through
Ireland lose by 4 or fewer : top group.
Lose by 5, 6 or 7, top group if no Scotland bonus point (or 2 Ireland bonus points).
Lose by 5 and Scotland bonus: top group if same or more tries against Scotland (or 2 bonus points).
Lose by 6 or 7 and Scotland bonus : through only if 2 bonus points.
Lose by 8-19 : Ireland out (unless try bonus and no Scotland try bonus)
Lose by 20. Ireland second if 4 try bonus, only if Scotland score at least 3 more tries than Ireland!
Lose by > 20 : Ireland second if 4 try bonus for Ireland and Scotland
Would it be better to play France? Unfortunately, I feel we’ve eliminated that opportunity now with our success so far. Maybe Italy could do us a favour…
@Sam Bingham: Why would it be better to play France?
@Kevin Liston: hi Kevin, I’ve used the punctuation known as a question mark to indicate I’m asking a question. You actually nailed it first time in your response buddy, so you should get to grips with it pretty quickly.
@Sam Bingham: did u watch new zealand v italy oh boy
In that final scenario, wouldn’t SA’s better head-to-head have them ahead of Scotland?
@John Dooney: forget that
@John Dooney: ya my head wrecked even reading that post from murray haha
@John Dooney: The odd thing is that in a 3-way tie where each beat one of the others, it is points difference to decide the winner, but head to head for second-third. I think in the Heineken cups it is points difference for all 3.