Talking about the situation of many clubs in Spain spending beyond their means got me thinking a bit about clubs in our country that have had their financial difficulties recently - I should say this is not going to be an article explicitly about financial fair play, as the targets of those measure generally seems to be the top clubs who have revenue's great enough to sustain them through other difficulties, although obviously everything is related.
I'm thinking more about clubs like Portsmouth, on the verge of relegation to the 4th tier of English football having so recently been in the premier league, or potentially QPR (this article isn't necessarily a dig at Harry either). It looks as though QPR are set to be relegated, into a league where their income, parachute payments or not, will not be able to sustain their players wages, especially given their small ground - some contracts may have a contingency in the case relegation, but I very much doubt most do. If Tony Fernandes pulls out (something that his tweets don't suggest is impossible), then they could enter the same sort of financial free-fall that Portsmouth are currently experiencing (although if I'm missing something feel free to correct me).
Now the question is do we just accept this as the negative consequences of poor management and a gamble that hasn't paid off, or should there be regulation put in place to prevent clubs getting in this sort of situation. Should there be a flat wage cap, or one linked to a club's income, or some other kind of measure to prevent this sort of thing, or would this just serve to maintain the monopoly power of those clubs already at the top of the financial tree with huge revenues?
The thing is, in the long run the victims in these cases are always the fans - owners will pull out when the going get tough and players can always go and earn exorbitant wages at another club, but as a fan you are stuck with your club, whatever happens.
Just wanted to know what people think of this issue.
Wage Cap or related ideas?
posted on 18/3/13
No need for a wage cap, just follow the German model.
Job basically done.
Look at the end of the day though if a club lives by the sword it dies by it an all.
Pompey got effed, clubs like city didnt. I don't feel sorry for clubs it has back fired on, it was there choice to do what they did.
Leeds exactly the same.
I personally am all for rich bloke ownership, withou it currently utd would have no completion.
posted on 18/3/13
The new Premier League FFP caps wage increases to turnover. Its not a cap on individual wages, but it does in essence put a cap on expansion of the overall wage bill.
posted on 18/3/13
A wage cap would be wonderful but to enforce it would be to totally revolutionise and dismantle the whole game and start afresh. Thats just my opinion
posted on 18/3/13
Clubs spending billions is perfectly fine if they have an owner like Abramovich or Mansour to cover it.
Unless you're a Man Utd fan then you'd have to say that the Premier League would be much poorer had Abramovich and Mansour not come along: United would just stroll the league every year like they have this year.
I think FFP kills aspiration. Certain safe-guards should be in place though to protect clubs from what happened to Portsmouth.
posted on 18/3/13
Clubs can set their own wage caps.
posted on 18/3/13
Slightly missing the point?
posted on 18/3/13
That is a distressing stat, TUX.
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'Someday'.......................absolutely bud. Should a player wish to earn more then he should pursue his sponsors...................not the fans! And yeah, i agree with the above comment
posted on 18/3/13
Unless you're a Man Utd fan then you'd have to say that the Premier League would be much poorer had Abramovich and Mansour not come along: United would just stroll the league every year like they have this year.
I think FFP kills aspiration. Certain safe-guards should be in place though to protect clubs from what happened to Portsmouth.
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Absolute hogwash.
Before the days of Roman and the sheik, we were still successful but there was usually only a point or a couple in it between us and Arsenal. In fact they won it 3 times. Blackburn even won it once.
Sheik Mansour and Abramovich haven't dragged the rest up. They have only dragged their own clubs up.
They haven't been good for the league at all. Only for City and Chelsea fans.
See, it works both ways.
posted on 18/3/13
City stole all of arsenals players. Chelsea took Cole too.
I am sure if arsenal still had most of their old players rvp would have stayed there.
swings and roundabouts
posted on 19/3/13
"Before the days of Roman and the sheik, we were still successful but there was usually only a point or a couple in it between us and Arsenal. In fact they won it 3 times. Blackburn even won it once."
Who both were only able to do it due to investment from Danny Fizsman and Jack Walker. It is still the same premise, investment is needed.