City & FFP | 2020/21 Accounts released | Revenues of £569.8m, £2.4m profit (p 2395)

[BluessinceHydeRoad]

Re: City & FFP (continued)

I think we had better stop bothering about "other small clubs" getting away with things that we were allowed to "get away with", such a non-related party sponsorship deals in our case, and look at what is actually going on in this window.

UEFA were brutally clear on why they were imposing this (unlawful) break even rule: it was to put an end to the inflation of wages and transfer fees in the game and to encourage clubs to rely on youth schemes and academies rather than transfers to build teams. The courts will, I think, have a few questions about the competence of UEFA to pronounce on these matters, but are the new rules showing any sign of fulfilling these aims at all. Clearly the answer is no, and the rules are obviously not fit for purpose, even if the purpose is desirable.

Already we have seen Suarez pack his bags and decamp to Barcelona - for £75 million give or take a few add ons. This is more than Barcelona have ever forked out before, and £20 million more than they paid for Neymar. They didn't really pay anything for Messi, Xavi, Iniesta and so on, relying in those days on their academy, which was the academy of all academies. Those were the days! Then we saw another £70+ million deal to take James to Real. They have form for this, what with Ronaldo and Bale, but they don't seem to be taking to the inflation busting role Michel has cast them in. Indeed three of the clubs involved in these deals, Real, Barca and Liverpool (at least until UEFA get round to looking at Liverpool's accounts) are supposed to be clubs who "do things the right way". The fourth is one of those upstart clubs that FFPR intends to clobber?

Then we have all looked on as Southampton have been picked clean, though the discussion as to whether what's left should be devoured, and who should devour that, goes on. Southampton, those objects of praise for doing it so much "the right way" that they were stupid. Picked clean by those pillars of "doing it the right way". Manchester United, who exist only to develop young, English talent, indulging their Dutch manager by splashing £30 million (more that Fellaini is worth!) on an 18 year old full back, who, it seems, isn't fit! No inflation there then! And what are his wages? Then we have the arch-apostle of hypocrisy, St Arsene Wenger, drooling at the mouth now that he can spend the money brought in by bleeding the Arsenal public through the ground he and Stan bled them to build. And finally, Liverpool, safe in the hands of the Americans who admit they would never have bought the club had they not been promised regulations that meant they'd never have to spend any of their own money. Still, they'll pay for everything with the money the club generates, just like United and Arsenal, because they too have promised the Liverpool public that the redeveloped Anfield is to make the Henrys money, not to make it cheaper for the Liverpool public to watch the team.

Rules working well, Michel? You may think so, the courts......will almost certainly comment.

Good post, just shows hoe corrupt Financial Fuax Pas is

Great post but you're suggesting an agenda Shirley

Or is it bias(sey)

Don't call me Shirley! Interesting question that of Platini's agenda! Yes, he certainly has one, it's essential when you want to get to the upper echelons of UEFA, but I think Platini's is more complex, and yet a great deal simpler, than we think!

Platini was lauded for organising the world cup of 1998, which was a resounding financial success. He didn't win many plaudits with French fans because he achieved this by selling out to the sponsors, many of whom were big American companies. He sold blocs of tickets to American sponsors rather than football fans. The French radio was flooded with calls wanting to know why none of the fans at France's games waved tricolores, wore national costume or painted their faces. As the tournament progressed it became clear that increasing numbers of "spectators" were "suits" with no particular allegiance, and the jibe then was that McDonald's were entitled to more tickets to the final than French fans. The French TV managed to focus in on one couple at the final who had painted their faces, put on beret and smock and were wearing strings of onions round their necks!The view was that Platini saw the world cup in purely financial terms and his reputation grew enormously with other football bureaucrats because he delivered a tidy profit. He was genuinely Mr McDonald's 1998!

Now Platini's tournament is the CL, which has proved a real earner for UEFA, as has the world cup for FIFA. I don't think he cares about any country's domestic competitions. Platini seems to believe that a handful of clubs have helped drive the success of the CL and thus bring in enormous TV revenues and sponsorship for UEFA. Back in 2006 they were dissatisfied with their share of the profits, so these increased to a level which threatened to make most domestic leagues uncompetitive, but, incidentally, held out all kinds of prospects to truly super rich investors, such as Abramovitch. FFPR is the bargain between UEFA and the clubs so that the CL isn't damaged by any breakaway. City weren't a target in 2006 but the Sheikh immediately made them one since his wealth threatened at least one resident of the CL at a time when Arsenal were struggling to pay off the loans (debt??!!) taken out to build their new stadium. Funnily enough I think the Sheikh is the kind of man Platini would gladly "do business with" and I think the sanctions of May 2014 are so tame as to show that he will increasingly see the Sheikh as the hope of football in the future. But at the moment he sees the "elite" as his most pressing problem for his CL- so stuff everyone else.

 

[Bodicoteblue]

Re: City & FFP (continued)

Good post, just shows hoe corrupt Financial Fuax Pas is

Great post but you're suggesting an agenda Shirley

Or is it bias(sey)

Don't call me Shirley! Interesting question that of Platini's agenda! Yes, he certainly has one, it's essential when you want to get to the upper echelons of UEFA, but I think Platini's is more complex, and yet a great deal simpler, than we think!

Platini was lauded for organising the world cup of 1998, which was a resounding financial success. He didn't win many plaudits with French fans because he achieved this by selling out to the sponsors, many of whom were big American companies. He sold blocs of tickets to American sponsors rather than football fans. The French radio was flooded with calls wanting to know why none of the fans at France's games waved tricolores, wore national costume or painted their faces. As the tournament progressed it became clear that increasing numbers of "spectators" were "suits" with no particular allegiance, and the jibe then was that McDonald's were entitled to more tickets to the final than French fans. The French TV managed to focus in on one couple at the final who had painted their faces, put on beret and smock and were wearing strings of onions round their necks!The view was that Platini saw the world cup in purely financial terms and his reputation grew enormously with other football bureaucrats because he delivered a tidy profit. He was genuinely Mr McDonald's 1998!

Now Platini's tournament is the CL, which has proved a real earner for UEFA, as has the world cup for FIFA. I don't think he cares about any country's domestic competitions. Platini seems to believe that a handful of clubs have helped drive the success of the CL and thus bring in enormous TV revenues and sponsorship for UEFA. Back in 2006 they were dissatisfied with their share of the profits, so these increased to a level which threatened to make most domestic leagues uncompetitive, but, incidentally, held out all kinds of prospects to truly super rich investors, such as Abramovitch. FFPR is the bargain between UEFA and the clubs so that the CL isn't damaged by any breakaway. City weren't a target in 2006 but the Sheikh immediately made them one since his wealth threatened at least one resident of the CL at a time when Arsenal were struggling to pay off the loans (debt??!!) taken out to build their new stadium. Funnily enough I think the Sheikh is the kind of man Platini would gladly "do business with" and I think the sanctions of May 2014 are so tame as to show that he will increasingly see the Sheikh as the hope of football in the future. But at the moment he sees the "elite" as his most pressing problem for his CL- so stuff everyone else.

This could present quite a quandary for the little Frenchman .
As you say, at the moment , I get the feeling that he really doesn't like being dictated to by the old G14 clubs but since they hold the purse strings he has no choice.
If the courts rule in favour of scrapping FFP then he will suddenly be faced with the possibility of a whole raft of Middle East and oligarch style investors who will be able to blow the existing elite out of the water.
When the "sanctions" on City turned out to be so relatively feeble, it struck me that platini was bearing in mind the old adage about being nice to people on the way up , because you may meet them again on the way down .
He is not a stupid man and I get the feeling he knows which way the wind is blowing on this one ,and he knows he may be free from the foul stench of gill, wenger , abramovich et al.

 

[fbloke]

Re: City & FFP (continued)

I'm reading tonight that La Liga want all the best players and to compete financially with the PL.

So if that is to happen then surely it means that Barca and Real M are the ones to do it as the rest of that league are skint.

Even with the more equitable spread of TV monies most La Liga clubs won't get big names in.

 

[SilverFox2]

Re: City & FFP (continued)

I'm reading tonight that La Liga want all the best players and to compete financially with the PL.

So if that is to happen then surely it means that Barca and Real M are the ones to do it as the rest of that league are skint.

Even with the more equitable spread of TV monies most La Liga clubs won't get big names in.

Do you think it may be linked to the recent takeover of Sky Italia and Sky Deutschland by BSkyB ? Maybe Sky have an Agenda to spread their European operations more and Spain is preparing for this possibility.

Sky Sports 5 seems to be their way to bring European audience to the UK.

 

[adrianr]

Re: City & FFP (continued)

I'm reading tonight that La Liga want all the best players and to compete financially with the PL.

So if that is to happen then surely it means that Barca and Real M are the ones to do it as the rest of that league are skint.

Even with the more equitable spread of TV monies most La Liga clubs won't get big names in.

But they've always had the best players between those two clubs, and yet year after year the Premier league has still grown and grown.

Whilst it's amusing to imagine the Spanish solution to the problem is buy yet more marquee signings, until they tear down the current model and rebuild with a fairer one they're going nowhere. No-one is going to pay Premier league TV rights money for 2 El classicos and a few matches against Atletico Madrid.

 

[waspish]

Re: City & FFP (continued)

I'm reading tonight that La Liga want all the best players and to compete financially with the PL.

So if that is to happen then surely it means that Barca and Real M are the ones to do it as the rest of that league are skint.

Even with the more equitable spread of TV monies most La Liga clubs won't get big names in.

Do you think it may be linked to the recent takeover of Sky Italia and Sky Deutschland by BSkyB ? Maybe Sky have an Agenda to spread their European operations more and Spain is preparing for this possibility.

Sky Sports 5 seems to be their way to bring European audience to the UK.

Bt has champs league football after next season

 

[Ancient Citizen]

Re: City & FFP (continued)

I'm reading tonight that La Liga want all the best players and to compete financially with the PL.

So if that is to happen then surely it means that Barca and Real M are the ones to do it as the rest of that league are skint.

Even with the more equitable spread of TV monies most La Liga clubs won't get big names in.

But they've always had the best players between those two clubs, and yet year after year the Premier league has still grown and grown.

Whilst it's amusing to imagine the Spanish solution to the problem is buy yet more marquee signings, until they tear down the current model and rebuild with a fairer one they're going nowhere. No-one is going to pay Premier league TV rights money for 2 El classicos and a few matches against Atletico Madrid.

La Liga is now the same as the Jock SPL, with a slight nod to Atletico. Real and Barca, are only interesing when the CL is playing and their league will never match the PL in it's present format, so for the league president to suggest hoovering up all the worlds talent will make it more watchable is laughable, really.

 

[City Raider]

Re: City & FFP (continued)

Even though ffp is a joke, I'm not sure we'd be doing anything differently if it didn't exist. We clearly have a strategy we're following.

In fact I wouldn't be surprised if the Sheikh new something was coming when he bought the club. It's been mooted for years.

 

[Marvin]

Re: City & FFP (continued)

I'm reading tonight that La Liga want all the best players and to compete financially with the PL.

So if that is to happen then surely it means that Barca and Real M are the ones to do it as the rest of that league are skint.

Even with the more equitable spread of TV monies most La Liga clubs won't get big names in.

But they've always had the best players between those two clubs, and yet year after year the Premier league has still grown and grown.

Whilst it's amusing to imagine the Spanish solution to the problem is buy yet more marquee signings, until they tear down the current model and rebuild with a fairer one they're going nowhere. No-one is going to pay Premier league TV rights money for 2 El classicos and a few matches against Atletico Madrid.

La Liga is now the same as the Jock SPL, with a slight nod to Atletico. Real and Barca, are only interesing when the CL is playing and their league will never match the PL in it's present format, so for the league president to suggest hoovering up all the worlds talent will make it more watchable is laughable, really.

Barca and Real Madrid may well buy the best players, but for every player they buy, they have to let one go. And the other Spanish clubs are not financially strong enough because they are starved of TV money which is monopolised by FCB & Real Madrid

 

[Bodicoteblue]

Re: City & FFP (continued)

Even though ffp is a joke, I'm not sure we'd be doing anything differently if it didn't exist. We clearly have a strategy we're following.

In fact I wouldn't be surprised if the Sheikh new something was coming when he bought the club. It's been mooted for years.

I think the sheikh pulled a flanker on this one .
He did nothing to disabuse the "elite " of the notion that he was a "sugar daddy" prepared to pump any sort of silly money into the club just to win things , and then walk away when bored yadda yadda , being secure in the knowledge that the panic stricken elite would come up with a half assed ill-conceived plan to stop that eventuality. They of course , did exactly that , and came up withFFP which in the will actually protect his interests , rather than hinder them in the long term ,because in their haste , none of them spotted the actual plan for sustainability and growth that he was actually going to pursue.
He's cleverer than they are , as if we didn't know.