Citeh can attract big name stars...Although £220K a week helps.

[Matt Damon]

I deal with the Man City owner types regularly.

Qatar for instance. 1.3 million nationals and almost 15% of the worlds natural gas.

They don't pay tax and are all wadded.

They also in these countries don't have things like the "Monopolies and Mergers Commission" (Competition Commission) or an "Office of Fair Trading" to prevent one (team) company getting too big and monopolising the market.

Let alone, a national state (which is what's happening at Man City) financing a football club...


They're trying it on here. Eventually the authorities are going to have to do something.

They've put those new UEFA financing rules in (over the next three years theres a phase in)... but if I were Plattini reading this over breakfast I'd spit out my cornflakes.......

Massive distortion of the market. A market that's been distorted by Chelsea, and the dominance of the "Sky4" and the CL money as it is.

...

In short. Man City (the Arabs) doing crazy stuff like this - may break football.

 

[Goat]

I disagree, its their money, they should be able to spend as much of it as they want.

 

[Matt Damon]

I disagree, its their money, they should be able to spend as much of it as they want.

This isn't the middle east and China though. We can apply regulations just as mentioned previously as one set of self interested idiots distorting the market to that extent can have a massive damaging effect on football.

i.e. another round of salary increases leading to ticket price increases and requests for more money from SKY which passes it on to joe bloggs.

Ticket price increases and media rights payments are as bloated as they're going to get domestically. Internationally there is a fickle audience that could jump if the media pricing is too high.


But you would disagree wouldn't you.

 

[Ara]

Whats most annoying is 55m to them is like 1p to us. Every time petrol goes up by 1p they make 500million. Only way this will change is if we all stop using petrol and use something else, then there money will run out.

 

[Goat]

This isn't the middle east and China though. We can apply regulations just as mentioned previously as one set of self interested idiots distorting the market to that extent can have a massive damaging effect on football.

i.e. another round of salary increases leading to ticket price increases and requests for more money from SKY which passes it on to joe bloggs.

Ticket price increases and media rights payments are as bloated as they're going to get domestically. Internationally there is a fickle audience that could jump if the media pricing is too high.


But you would disagree wouldn't you.

Nobody tells you how to spend your money, why should anybody be able to tell them?

If they wanna spunk £20020002 trillion on yard dogs, its up to them, just like if you wanna go large with your Big Mac meal its up to you.

When the price becomes too much, poor people like me wont be able to afford to go, well thats just tough on me, im sure I will get over it.

 

[Matt Damon]

Nobody tells you how to spend your money, why should anybody be able to tell them?

If they wanna spunk £20020002 trillion on yard dogs, its up to them, just like if you wanna go large with your Big Mac meal its up to you.

When the price becomes too much, poor people like me wont be able to afford to go, well thats just tough on me, im sure I will get over it.

It's called "regulated markets". The government in best interests of the people can regulate markets.

That is to prevent market failure or damaging effects of markets on societies.

We have free-market economics, within limits in the EU and US and most of the world.

There's a huge difference.

UEFA have imposed the regulations as the entity within the EU that regulates the football "market":

So that shower of [Poor language removed] are spluging it before it comes in. Its still unsustainable though - after it comes in £200k a week? Joke it is.


Manchester City prepare two-year spree after Uefa’s cash ultimatum
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_city/article7138597.ece

Manchester City are preparing a £34 million bid to sign Edin Dzeko, the Wolfsburg forward, as they look to build before Sheikh Mansour’s spending power is curtailed in 2012 by new financial regulations.

Uefa, European football’s governing body, announced last night that its executive committee had voted unanimously in favour of “financial fair play” regulations, which will severely restrict the influence of super-rich owners such as Sheikh Mansour at City, Roman Abramovich at Chelsea and even Mohamed Al Fayed at Fulham.

The regulations will require all clubs to break even from 2012 onwards if they are to compete in European competition, with owners restricted to covering losses of about £40 million over an initial three-year transitional period.

In the case of City, who have spent huge sums on transfer fees and wages under Sheikh Mansour’s ownership, it effectively means that they have two years to assemble a team and to secure the additional commercial and broadcast revenue and prize money that would be required to sustain the club as a dominant force.

The new regulations, as laid out by The Times in March, are a factor in City’s player-acquisition strategy as they look to build rapidly over the next two years.

Roberto Mancini, the manager, and the board have discussed a wideranging transfer policy in which they are trying to sign players such as Dzeko and Marek Hamsik, the Napoli midfield player, in addition to James Milner, of Aston Villa, and Mikel Arteta, of Everton.

Reports of a firm bid to sign Dzeko emerged last night and, while no formal contact has yet been established with Wolfsburg, an offer is thought to be imminent.

City are fully aware that the Bosnia-Herzegovina forward has only three days remaining on a release clause in his contract with Wolfsburg, which would allow him to speak to any club offering €40 million (about £34 million) for his services before the end of May. Thereafter, Wolfsburg’s asking price is certain to rise.

Dzeko, 24, has been monitored extensively by Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United, as well as AC Milan and Real Madrid, over the past two years. His preference has been to join Milan or to move to Spain, but, unless José Mourinho tries to sign him upon taking charge of Real, City would appear favourites to acquire him.

Wolfsburg are under the management of Steve McClaren, the former England head coach, who has admitted that the German club will be powerless to prevent Dzeko’s departure if a £34 million bid arrives before Tuesday.

“We’re not really in control of the situation because of the clause in his contract,” McClaren said. “Hopefully after Monday we can dictate things. We would do everything to keep him because he’s one of the top players around. He’s a world-class striker.”

It is in expectation of a bid that McClaren identified at least two City players as potential signings for Wolfsburg. These include Micah Richards, to whom he awarded 11 caps while in charge of England, and Craig Bellamy, the Wales forward. Both are unsettled under Mancini at City, but likely to regard Tottenham Hotspur as a more attractive destination.

City’s pursuit of Milner, the subject of an unsuccessful £20 million bid a week ago, is on hold while he prepares to discuss his future with Villa next week. A meeting between Milner and Martin O’Neill, the Villa manager, did not take place as planned on Tuesday, but the pair are due to get together on Monday or Tuesday before the England squad flies to South Africa for the World Cup, with the player said to be open-minded as Villa look to extend his contract.

Uefa’s announcement on financial fair play — described by Michel Platini, the president, as “the start of an important journey”, was given a cautious welcome by the FA and the Premier League in a joint statement.

“The FA and the Premier League are fully supportive of the principle of sustainability and of football clubs living within their means,” the statement read. “The vast majority of what has been agreed by Uefa is in line with current domestic regulations and English football will respect any rules put in place for clubs competing in Europe.

“We recognise the difficult task undertaken by Uefa in this process and we have asked that certain issues be monitored so as to ensure these rules do not create unintended consequences such as preventing smaller clubs from having the opportunity to invest the resources required to compete at a higher level.”

 

[Goat]

Yeah, good for them, im sure if Everton had a pot to piss in you would think different.

/waits for the "I like it that Everton are skint and make their own money" replys.

 

[best little spaniard]

So i'm the only person worries about City then?


They'll be ****ed after 2012 anyway, no way will they break even

 

[Goat]

So i'm the only person worries about City then?


They'll be ****ed after 2012 anyway, no way will they break even

City are a force now, no doubt, their main worry will be keeping all those egos in check, I personally think they need a bigger man than that scarf wearing weapon, so lets see how it all turns out.

Basically they have take the RS place in the "top 4".

 

[chicoazul]

So i'm the only person worries about City then?


They'll be ****ed after 2012 anyway, no way will they break even

I'm more worried of Arteta and Pienaar going than what they're doing mate, because if we keep them two then we'll take six points off them again next season.

 

[Neiler]

Massive blerts that is all!

*Another 6 points next season.

 

[kenada_blue]

Dont usual agree with matt on much but i agree with him here.
Its got to be looked on how it effects the markets. Players are over priced because of it. Foreign players come over to make as much money as possible. Has been for seasons since chelseas mega power came in. But that was gradually. Citeh are uppin the prices on everything season to season very quickly that the markets will get to the point when only citeh can buy class players and no one else, not even united, can buy anyone. Thats happenin now cos theyre all in debt tryin to keep up and they cant
The premiership is not the best league in the world anymore. The minute viewin figures and tv sales go down. Mass panic

 

[Cena]

Dont usual agree with matt on much but i agree with him here.
Its got to be looked on how it effects the markets. Players are over priced because of it. Foreign players come over to make as much money as possible. Has been for seasons since chelseas mega power came in. But that was gradually. Citeh are uppin the prices on everything season to season very quickly that the markets will get to the point when only citeh can buy class players and no one else, not even united, can buy anyone. Thats happenin now cos theyre all in debt tryin to keep up and they cant
The premiership is not the best league in the world anymore. The minute viewin figures and tv sales go down. Mass panic

I can't see that happening though mate, soccer is always going to be popular, it is the national sport

 

[kenada_blue]

I can't see that happening though mate, soccer is always going to be popular, it is the national sport

True but its gonna which league is the most popular. Theres already a lack of world class talent in the prem cos theyre all in spain or italy. The mass global audience could switch and want more la liga and seiria a than premiership. Tv money then get lower for all english clubs, market is over inflated but theres not much money comin in....it could get that way at some point

 

[Rook]

As Germany have proven, big names mean nothing. It's all about playing well as a team.

I wish this was true. However, Man City is going to win the league sooner than later our only hope is that they dont get into the C-league for the next 3 years and the owners get bored of flushing money down the commode. Liverpool is looking more and more like a midtable side (not that I'm complaining). We are on the verge of losing Arteta (not this year but next) and perhaps Fellani and Rodwell in a couple years. Villa has a thin squad is maxed out money wise and Spurs are going to find out how difficult playing in Europe and the prem is so I can't see Man City not getting in the C-league. In football Money trumps competence any day of the week. Chelsea and Man U win every year because they can spend 30M on strikers who sit on the bench and money is no object for them if they have a hole that needs plugged. Meanwhile our transfer budget is 30M over 4 years (I hope).