Martin Samuel tells it again..

[Prestwich_Blue]

The first threats to the structure of the league came during the 80’s. Threats from ‘the big five’: Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Everton and Arsenal to form a breakaway ‘Super League’ lead to concessions being given by the smaller clubs with more money and voting rights given to bigger clubs. The gate levy was also reduced to 3% with home clubs allowed to keep gate receipts.

If Gill is so concerned about the state of the game's finances then no doubt he'll be admitting their mistake.

 

[Ancient Citizen]

Good football journalism is good football journalism and the fact that writers move around in order to get better wages adds a bit of irony to the mix. So Martin Samuel can write and there are only so many football writers needed by decent papers (Indy & Guardian). It's not their fault that the rest of the newspaper industry are owned by a bunch of people you'd cross the street to avoid.

And at least he isn't Ian Ladyman - who is a poor researcher and natural shit-stirrer.

Lol at your examples of decent papers.

The lowest readership of all the daily's, less than 350,000 combined, the Indy's circulation is rapidly dwindling to levels that make it's existence very precarious.

 

[LongsightM13]

Martin Samuel is quite simply the best football writer out there, bar none. No-one tells it like it is just like he does, no one.

If only each paper had at least one football writer committed to painting things in the same light as he.

A top fella, met him a couple of times. He's not even a blue, he's a big West Ham fan in every sense of the word

I wouldnt say that big
When he was on the supplement last season he was saying he had only been a handful of times in the last few seasons

Great journo though.

I think the fact he is reporting on other games limits his chances to see his own team. He was also very critical of the previous regimes at Upton Park so he might not be particularly welcome

 

[Eags]

For my money Gill can do what he likes, he'll just end up getting told to shut the F**k up by the Government, the Premier league and the TV companies.

In these austere times when our government are desperate for outside investment are the government really going to put up a "Closed for Business" sign to Russia, the Abu Dhabi Royal Family and others...???

Are the Premier League and the TV companies going to be content with a league where the teams with the biggest stadiums are dominant, year after year and the smaller clubs can't aspire to win something or sign that foreign player on elevated wages who might give them and their fans something a bit better..?

I think Gill might be getting involved in things which are above his pay grade here, whats in it for the government, the league and the tv companies....they don't benefit one bit from a staid league where the only benefit is that a Portsmouth or a Leeds won't happen again.

Our government spend a lot of time and money attracting foreign investment from other countries and Sovereign Wealth Funds....and there aren't many bigger than Abu Dhabi......surely the government would be curious as to what Sheikh Mansour would say and do with regard to the redevelopment of East Manchester should they back Gills protectionist proposals and effectively side with chiselling LBO yanks rather than a cash rich Sovereign wealth fund who want to invest millions into our economy over at least a 15 year period.

 

[JoeMercer'sWay]

I'm certainly no expert on the workings of the Premier League TCM, but I believe a change like this would require the approval of two thirds of the members, that is to say 14 clubs.

Cheers

Why would scudamore and the prem want this
If there was a wage cap over here and restrictions on clubs spending in the prem,surely world class players would go elsewhere for the bigger bucks

And that would make the prem less attractive.

I'm pretty sure that a wage cap will not be amongst Gill's proposals

Scudamore doesn't, but his hands may be tied.

 

[cleavers]

I don't know why people worry so much about financial fair play, we've already beaten it imho.

This is very short-sighted for several reasons including the need for a competitive league, the imperative to prevent united lording it over the rest of football and the wider interests of the game.

It may be short sighted, however with the direct FFP argument I'm only concerned with City, and the effect on us, and for that reason I think whatever they try and do now it is too late to stop us, so I'm not concerned how many barriers they try and place in front of us. united won't be able to lord it over us any more no matter what gill try's to do (in my opinion).

The competetive league argument is a whole different subject to me, and whilst I agree, in an ideal world it would be great to have a totally competetive league, but for me we're about 20 years too late on that argument, and I can't see anyway we'll be going back to the time when 20 (22 at the time) teams would start August thinking "this is our year". I'd love football to return to those ideals but I'm afraid the money involved now is far too great for that.

Personally (and again I seperate the subject) I'd like FFP stoped, if only to allow other clubs/fans to experience what we have in the last 5 years, going from no hope, to what we have now. Its only 13 1/2 years since I was worried I might not even see my team play again, never mind play at the level we are now.

 

[cleavers]

if I were City I would not be lobbying against it, but proposing our own alternative version, which would give the small town johnnies what they want, but also insist that the writing up of debt against a club be a consideration as well.

This is also what I'd be doing, I'd be saying we agree in principle but we'd also like x, y, and z included, and I'm sure we are doing just that, and that whatever comes out in the end (as in europe) we will be fully included in it, and it won't jeapordise or position too greatly. The people running our club are far from stupid, and I doubt they will beaten by a few football politicians.

 

[Anonymous]

Says it all .......

Various proposals are being considered and some club owners favour salary curbs. Not United. They can afford big salaries and want to keep it that way. City can match them, too, and more. It is this power that frightens their rivals. There was NO talk of curbs when United were the Premier League’s biggest beasts, unopposed.

 

[cleavers]

I'm pretty sure that a wage cap will not be amongst Gill's proposals

It will be, but only for everyone else.

He won't get what he wants.

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

It's really as simple as this, with regards a choice, going forward.

I am sure the Premier League and Scudamore will paint the picture.

The new record TV deal is built on what transpired last season, our dramatic title win.

The increase is also based on the best players continuing to come to this country.

Stop paying the piper, every club in the league will be forced to dance to a much cheaper tune.