Salary Cap

[Bundy]

Does the english game need this? Would it be workable? Australian Rugby League and AFL use it to great effect, evening out the competition, but they do not have the same competition from overseas based leagues for players.

 

[Andriy.EFC]

it would be fantastic but it will never happen.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

No, no and no again.

 

[Bundy]

No, no and no again.

3 x no's

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Yep. It's in place in English rugby league and is generally quite hopeless. The only regulation I can possibly conceive that would be fair would be to limit clubs spending on wages to a % of turnover as this would at least stop sugar daddies propping up clubs. Frankly though I'm inclined to think that this is just the way of things, even if it would perhaps encourage Everton to give more than a fleeting interest to proper commercial running of the club.

 

[monty]

Yep. It's in place in English rugby league and is generally quite hopeless. The only regulation I can possibly conceive that would be fair would be to limit clubs spending on wages to a % of turnover as this would at least stop sugar daddies propping up clubs. Frankly though I'm inclined to think that this is just the way of things, even if it would perhaps encourage Everton to give more than a fleeting interest to proper commercial running of the club.

All we are saying
is give Bruce a job

 

[Sim]

I think something clearly needs to be done to control finance in football. I'm not saying something simple as a salary cap would do it, but there needs to be something done to re-introduce more competition and to stop the prices continually becoming inflated.

Right now we're in a booming market with the introduction of new money, but as in any industry, with a boom there is inevitable the posibility of a bust, and somewhere down the line another "Leeds" situation will happen. We saw the collapse of ITV digital almost take down the lower leagues so I wouldnt like to see what would happen to the premiership should a disaster occur. Unfortunately it would be clubs like ourselves who would probably suffer the most.

We will hit a breaking point eventually, its inevitable at this rate, so yes something to help control matters would definitely be welcome from my point of view.

 

[monty]

I think something clearly needs to be done to control finance in football. I'm not saying something simple as a salary cap would do it, but there needs to be something done to re-introduce more competition and to stop the prices continually becoming inflated.

Right now we're in a booming market with the introduction of new money, but as in any industry, with a boom there is inevitable the posibility of a bust, and somewhere down the line another "Leeds" situation will happen. We saw the collapse of ITV digital almost take down the lower leagues so I wouldnt like to see what would happen to the premiership should a disaster occur. Unfortunately it would be clubs like ourselves who would probably suffer the most.

We will hit a breaking point eventually, its inevitable at this rate, so yes something to help control matters would definitely be welcome from my point of view.

I fully understand your sentiment mate and at heart agree with you but in reality it won't happen because those running the clubs are free market ecconomists. The future of football lies in firstly a European followed by a world league. The W/L will be based on a franchise basis and existing clubs will send their better players to that league with domestic leagues taking second spot, not nice but I think it will happen

 

[Sim]

Oh yeah almost certainly. Its a free market as you say and they will never put things in place like that. Unfortunately all the people that make money out of the game (obviously apart from the playing side) generally have little interest in it, its all financial and anything that gets a better return for their investment will happen.

The problem is free markets are great to start with when there is plenty of competition, but inevitably the business at the top get so big and dominant that they become super businesses and there is very little competition. Thats the stage we're entering right now. So yes I agree with you, their plan (the rich) is to have as big a stage where they get to charge the best price as possible, which will run for a little while making them even more money before every ounce of money is exhausted from it and then the business will collapse. The rich will move onto their next financial projects and football will be left in ruin. Its not nice, and not everyone sees it that way but im certain thats what will happen.

 

[SuitsBlue]

we might see the english/british game fall to its knees, but to kill football throughout the world i just dont see it possible.

fortunately there are people like kenwright who had enough cash (just) and cared enough to step into the breach when the club closest to his heart needed him. there are others out there that are similar, didnt ken bates rescue chelsea?

although englands international hopes are in tatters (rightfully) the world cup will continue to be the world tournament with the most prestige. the european championships will keep international football ticking over in between. and coca cola, mcdonalds, nike and some car company will continue to pour money into each respectively so as to bask in the reflected glory of world sport.

 

[TheDevils2001]

It would probably never happen, if that ever come into place it would only help the us and smaller club and the people running it would never allow a rule that would help team outside Top 4.

 

[Sim]

we might see the english/british game fall to its knees, but to kill football throughout the world i just dont see it possible.

Yes your right, football on a world scale cannot be compared to the premiership. Football in england has become very much a big business and is very different to moust countries, so I dont see the english football and world football sharing the same fate. Is it any coincidence that even though the England squad is supposedly blessed with some of the finest talent ever, yet their displays leave much to be desired?

I’m not predicting all doom and gloom and this aint gonna blow up over night, but can anyone say that the premiership feels healthy right now?

 

[SuitsBlue]

certainly more competative at both ends of the table, it appears the title, the europe spots and the relegation scrap could well go to the wire.

im not sure thats an indication of the health of the actual league, but with espn making noises about rivaling sky in 2009 for the new prem rights, it could well mean an even greater influx of TV revenue is on the horizon.

couple that with the secondary package as well as heightened sponsorship and players, agents, and club owners sense the kind of windfall not even dreamed about 5 years ago.

 

[Sim]

certainly more competative at both ends of the table, it appears the title, the europe spots and the relegation scrap could well go to the wire.

im not sure thats an indication of the health of the actual league, but with espn making noises about rivaling sky in 2009 for the new prem rights, it could well mean an even greater influx of TV revenue is on the horizon.

couple that with the secondary package as well as heightened sponsorship and players, agents, and club owners sense the kind of windfall not even dreamed about 5 years ago.

I hadnt heard about espn rivalling sky, bloody hell thats the last thing we need. The buildings on fire and along comes someone to douse it with a bucket of petrol. Great. OK, who's gonna be the first million pound a week footballer?

As I said earlier, I dont predict this will stop anytime soon, I think there's way too much juice left to be squeezed before this ends. Just my personal optimism for the future of premiership football is bleak, and the morality of watching these guys who are on obscene money for what they do does cause worry me.

My childlike enthusiasm for loving Everton and football is still there, but sometimes the harsh reality of watching these millionaires who are getting further and further away from understanding the people they were and the fans they entertain, hits me right in the face and I find it difficult to love football in its current form and where its going.

I would love it so much if we could forget about the money for a while and more about the football, the rivalries, the banter between the fans. Basically, footie as a game, instead of footie as a mega business.

 

[monty]

we might see the english/british game fall to its knees, but to kill football throughout the world i just dont see it possible.

fortunately there are people like kenwright who had enough cash (just) and cared enough to step into the breach when the club closest to his heart needed him. there are others out there that are similar, didnt ken bates rescue chelsea?
although englands international hopes are in tatters (rightfully) the world cup will continue to be the world tournament with the most prestige. the european championships will keep international football ticking over in between. and coca cola, mcdonalds, nike and some car company will continue to pour money into each respectively so as to bask in the reflected glory of world sport.

What you say is true mate but it was the late Matthew Harding who saved Chelsea, Bates had less money than Billy K