UEFA and the EPL set up their own Financial Fair Play (FFP) laws after the shambles that was Leeds United and Deportivo La Coruña in the early noughties. Both clubs got into massive debt problems which saw them relegated and desperate to sell off top players at bargain prices to ward off the debt collectors. This intervention was all more than welcome.
Too many unscrupulous investors got into football for money and glory, borrowed a small fortune and lost it all and more. The outcome is always that the real supporters suffer the most. Everton have over spent by £19m in the last 3 year period and so have to take their punishment. If ever there was a good year to lose 10 points it is this one, as there are 3 awful clubs in the league who will almost certainly finish as the bottom three.
As soon as the Everton news broke, the pundits were anticipating the punishment that Man City will get, if and when they are found guilty of their alleged breach of FFP rules. Liverpool, Man U and Arsenal all want City relegated, as they say any fine would be meaningless and point deductions would not cause any jeopardy.
But City’s case highlights the flaw at the heart of FFP which makes it such a dubious set of rules. The world and his wife knows that FFP was waved through as it helped to preserve the domination of the “big clubs”. Essentially Real, Bayern and Man U were worried about the rise of PSG and Chelsea then City. We can argue all day long about whether Abu Dhabi are fit and proper owners of an EPL team, or who precisely should be able to own a British football team, but what can not be argued about is their commitment to City and to the community in East Manchester in general. They have invested heavily in Man City, created unparalleled facilities and opportunities for kids’ and women’s football in the area. They have not mortgaged the club and let the stadium rot like our neighbours. City have reported revenue of £713m for last year, the biggest ever in the EPL.
I staunchly believe that clubs should not be able to borrow beyond their means, and that fit and proper persons laws should be strict and powerful, but tell me please, how exactly what City has done is bad for football or for East Manchester? City haven’t gambled borrowed money nor mortgaged the club to line their own pockets, just taken league titles off Man U, Liverpool and Arsenal. Maybe City have broken the law, but the law’s an ass in this case.
Too many unscrupulous investors got into football for money and glory, borrowed a small fortune and lost it all and more. The outcome is always that the real supporters suffer the most. Everton have over spent by £19m in the last 3 year period and so have to take their punishment. If ever there was a good year to lose 10 points it is this one, as there are 3 awful clubs in the league who will almost certainly finish as the bottom three.
As soon as the Everton news broke, the pundits were anticipating the punishment that Man City will get, if and when they are found guilty of their alleged breach of FFP rules. Liverpool, Man U and Arsenal all want City relegated, as they say any fine would be meaningless and point deductions would not cause any jeopardy.
But City’s case highlights the flaw at the heart of FFP which makes it such a dubious set of rules. The world and his wife knows that FFP was waved through as it helped to preserve the domination of the “big clubs”. Essentially Real, Bayern and Man U were worried about the rise of PSG and Chelsea then City. We can argue all day long about whether Abu Dhabi are fit and proper owners of an EPL team, or who precisely should be able to own a British football team, but what can not be argued about is their commitment to City and to the community in East Manchester in general. They have invested heavily in Man City, created unparalleled facilities and opportunities for kids’ and women’s football in the area. They have not mortgaged the club and let the stadium rot like our neighbours. City have reported revenue of £713m for last year, the biggest ever in the EPL.
I staunchly believe that clubs should not be able to borrow beyond their means, and that fit and proper persons laws should be strict and powerful, but tell me please, how exactly what City has done is bad for football or for East Manchester? City haven’t gambled borrowed money nor mortgaged the club to line their own pockets, just taken league titles off Man U, Liverpool and Arsenal. Maybe City have broken the law, but the law’s an ass in this case.
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| Peter Anderson is a Unionist with a keen interest in sports |
Peter - might they face being stripped of some of their titles? I would hope not.
ReplyDeleteCity and us, along with the big clubs will bog down any investigations with legalese warfare knowing that the PL has no stomach to lose these clubs. Everton aren't so fortunate. Can't blame the clubs relegated in their place for pushing this, and to be honest I half expected Everton to go down in the past few years. It'll be a shame though, they've been top league side since I can remember.
ReplyDeleteApparently the EPL think that stripping titles would be the wrong move. I doubt they will do it, it'd open a can of worms.
ReplyDelete