Financial Fair Play

[Geoff Parkstone]

Highest paid player on Luton squad £8500 a week. Lowest paid player on Man City squad £20000 a week.

Discuss

[Trickytreesreds]

You're best hope of losing the 11 point millstone.

You pay peanuts, you get monkeys.

[ramAnag]

Firstly, I wouldn’t call £38k plus per month ‘peanuts’.

Personally I find the amount top footballers earn now quite obscene.
Having said that, it doesn’t seem unreasonable that there should be some sort of link between fan generated income and expenditure so well supported clubs are likely to be able to afford more.
If the never ending circle of the title, and virtually everything else, being shared between the half dozen or so wealthiest club is ever to be broken, then I’d favour some sort of salary cap.
This would also prevent the concept of very decent players being bought up by the wealthiest just to prevent them signing for their slightly less wealthy rivals.

[MadAmster]

I'd go further. Although they have morphed into businesses, they are still sports clubs. They should be forced to live within their means. The bigger clubs would still attract larger crowds, more sponsorship, more advertising revenue and TV money but the difference would be more like it was pre Premier League. Back then more, different clubs were finishing top 3, more were winning the title. More clubs had a chance. It was better sport. There was an advantage to the Man Us, Liverpools, Arsenals etc but less of one than that enjoyed by the current "top 6".

[macstheman]

Unfortunately it will never change because the big clubs wield too much power. The sponsors TV etc only want the best with the rest an unfortunate necessity but who only get scraps. Any attempt to curb that power is met with 'we'll set up a super league and take the money with us'! Some clubs try to muscle in like Newcastle and Brighton but even they can only nibble round the edges with the creme of players wanting to be at Liverpool, City, Utd and Chelsea. Even Spurs are finding it hard to join this cartel.
Personally they can duck off for me.

[macstheman]

NB I ommitted Arsenal from that list of big turds. Never did like the Gooners!

[ramAnag]

Unfortunately it will never change because the big clubs wield too much power. The sponsors TV etc only want the best with the rest an unfortunate necessity but who only get scraps. Any attempt to curb that power is met with 'we'll set up a super league and take the money with us'! Some clubs try to muscle in like Newcastle and Brighton but even they can only nibble round the edges with the creme of players wanting to be at Liverpool, City, Utd and Chelsea. Even Spurs are finding it hard to join this cartel.
Personally they can duck off for me.

Of those I’ve got more time for Brighton. They at least are not a Saudi/US plaything and seem to specialise in attracting talent, developing it and selling it on. Be surprised if Newcastle don’t now become residents amongst any big 6 or 7 but then how, honestly, would we all feel if Clowes sold to or joined forces with a ‘big fish’?

[Ramshank72]

I'd like to see a top 4 PL side go pop (I don't in reality due to the impact on the people / businesses who rely on it for their income), but until it happens at the top I can't see the juggernaut stopping.
I don't have any love for the top flight game anymore, the players and league are boring and the money is ridiculous.

[Trickytreesreds]

Firstly, I wouldn’t call £38k plus per month ‘peanuts’.

Personally I find the amount top footballers earn now quite obscene.
Having said that, it doesn’t seem unreasonable that there should be some sort of link between fan generated income and expenditure so well supported clubs are likely to be able to afford more.
If the never ending circle of the title, and virtually everything else, being shared between the half dozen or so wealthiest club is ever to be broken, then I’d favour some sort of salary cap.
This would also prevent the concept of very decent players being bought up by the wealthiest just to prevent them signing for their slightly less wealthy rivals.

Whether or not you think its peanuts or obscene is irrelevent.
The wages in that league are that, because they can be. That means, even average players from the Champs, (getting wages above their ability) get a rise. We know, we've still got some we can't get rid of.

Want a good player? You have to prise him away with a huge transfer, then pay a fortune in wages.
It's also why Luton have cannon fodder written all over them. They will play trash / long ball, because no way in hell will they compete on the floor.

Have a salary cap? Then you will never attract players from around the world either. They go where they will earn.
I'd have thought that if you are that offended, then the Saudi's should be infuriating you more. Buying up everyone they can, to go in a league with no credentials/prestige/competition/credibility. That is obscene and wasted on a country with naff all football roots.

[ramAnag]

Hang on TTR...it was you that referred to £38k pm as ‘peanuts’ and I know my opinion on the morality of what top pros earn is ‘irrelevant’...it was just an opinion.

If having a salary cap means the best ‘players from around the world’ don’t come here I don’t really care...my preference (just my opinion) would be for a more level playing field where home grown talent can be developed.

At the moment the Saudi’s are ‘cherry picking’ all the (older) talent. Where that leads I really don’t know but in the same way as I struggle to get into the IPL gravy train in cricket, I’m unlikely to tune in to some soulless Saudi Premier League.