The Draft system is the answer to mid-table premierSHIT mediocrity.

[Seagull on the wing]

If it ain't broke...why fix it?

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

Didn't see the programme so don't know exactly what Sugar said, but he's being a bit naive picking on football. The problem is that ANY business can go bust and leave small suppliers stranded (I've been owed money by three different companies that have declared themselves insolvent and just carried on trading under another name), football clubs just exploit this. The PL and FL couldn't prevent this but they could be tougher on clubs that go into admin - the current points penalty is just pathetic.

You're right to highlight Sugar's part in this. It takes some chutzpah for a man partly responsible for the greed and inequality in modern football to complain about finances running out of control.

Personally, I'd like to see any club going into administration relegated at the end of that season (and if they're already going down - like Pompey - that go down two divisions). And if a club goes into admin again, within a ten year period, they get relegated two divisions. That would be a more appropriate penalty.

I think the problem is more than just finances, it's the dominance of the likes of Man U, Chelsea etc I'd like to see the top clubs bugger off to the European league that's been spoken about for so long and leave the rest of us to get on with a proper First Division.

It's not the club that goes into administration, it's the company/business. The club is often just one trading style/name and I don't see how you could apply a 10 year "administration rule", or anything similar to different legal entities. Quite understand the sentiment though.
Perhaps if non-payment of VAT, PAYE and NI were made a criminal offence for both company directors and the reponsible officers, then you might see some better financial discipline. The employer is acting as a collector for HMRC for all of these and the monies (except for employer's NI) never actually belong to the company. I would also make the football creditor's first rule illegal; this underpins the house of cards and perpetuates poor financial management imo.

 

[KZNSeagull]

The NFL is a closed shop anyway. The day the Premier League becomes that is the day English football really dies.

But there is hope - if you play Championship Manager 00-01 long enough, Man Utd end up at the bottom of the League 2 (or Division 3 as it was called then)!! Well, we can hope....

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

Draft system is the only way to go. Barnet FC winning the European Cup as Man Utd slum it in the fourth tier of English soccer.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

It would be funny, if only to see some jumped up, £50k per week 17 year old Next-Big-Thing told he's going not to United or Chelsea but to Stoke City or QPR.

Stick that up your Ferrari, son.

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

The one area they could try and even things out is in regards to clubs debts.

The problem is the likes of Man U, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal etc can be huge amounts of money in debt but held almost unaccountable for these debts while being allowed to continue on spending because some rich prick will always bail them out long before they attempt to repay the debts.

To reign such clubs and their spending in a sanction on signings should be put in place where by if you're in debt to a certain amount you are severely restricted by whom you can sign, similar to what happens to clubs under administration.

A draft won't restrict how much they can spend, but sanctions placed upon them can. Which hopefully could lead to a more even playing field.

 

[DerbyGull]

I concede that the draft system as is won't work. Perhaps a SUPER tax of 70% on players wages over £250,000 pa. Some of this tax money could go into a hardship pot for the players that don't get paid due to their club struggling to make ends meet, like 'Accrington Stanley'.

 

[Stat Brother]

I concede that the draft system as is won't work. Perhaps a SUPER tax of 70% on players wages over £250,000 pa. Some of this tax money could go into a hardship pot for the players that don't get paid due to their club struggling to make ends meet, like 'Accrington Stanley'.

Which happens more than you'd imagine through The PFA.

 

[beorhthelm]

I concede that the draft system as is won't work. Perhaps a SUPER tax of 70% on players wages over £250,000 pa.

what has the pay of a handfull of players got to do with the mediocrity of mid-table teams, or the financial problems of small lower league teams? seems to have gone off on a tangent to an issue about finances. i joke before, seriously what exactly is the question?

 

[bhaexpress]

What ever system is put in place to 'fix' the system it would have to be introduced across Europe but can you see Barca or Real taking part ? Would the big clubs in Italy play ball ? Can't see it personally. The fact is that TV generates so much more revenue which is the key. Most armchair fans would much rather watch Man U than West Brom and so on.

 

[DerbyGull]

what has the pay of a handfull of players got to do with the mediocrity of mid-table teams, or the financial problems of small lower league teams? seems to have gone off on a tangent to an issue about finances. i joke before, seriously what exactly is the question?

It hasn't, but pretty much every player in the prem is on over £250k p/a. It bridge the gap between the prem and lower leagues a little. THIS is a separate issue entirely I realise, but still an important one.

The REAL question related to this thread is that the prem as is will carry on being a place run by 3/4 teams and propped up by the other 16 until we have reforms. Admittedly their needs to be enough support from the OTHER teams fans in order to raise this as a pressing issue.

 

[beorhthelm]

It hasn't, but pretty much every player in the prem is on over £250k p/a. It bridge the gap between the prem and lower leagues a little. THIS is a separate issue entirely I realise, but still an important one.

The REAL question related to this thread is that the prem as is will carry on being a place run by 3/4 teams and propped up by the other 16 until we have reforms. Admittedly their needs to be enough support from the OTHER teams fans in order to raise this as a pressing issue.

apologies, i read 250k a week . most Championship players are probably on 250k per year.

as for the problem of the leauge dominated by 3/4 clubs, theres two reasons: money and success. the big clubs have reached critical mass financially nothing can be done about that. not sure how you stop the clubs with the best finances also becoming the best teams without an artificial limitation. i suppose your draft (obvious problems aside) would potentially do this. the success "problem" is also related and self perpetuating since it grants you Champions League and another £40m plus bigger draw for the players. do we want to penalise success somehow?

the big factor in the success thats missed has been the stability, particularly at ManU and Arsenal. i wonder how things will be mixed up when Wenger and Ferguson call it a day. Liverpool showed the potential for collapse when a long standing manager leaves, Man City have shown spending doesnt always get you into the top four. I reckon in the next few years this problem might well sort itself out. theres a good dozen or so clubs that can compete in the premiership if they only had some stablity and a little more money (Tottenham showed how you can break in, Everton just need the purse strings opened to make it imo)

 

[drew]

The one area they could try and even things out is in regards to clubs debts.

The problem is the likes of Man U, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal etc can be huge amounts of money in debt but held almost unaccountable for these debts while being allowed to continue on spending because some rich prick will always bail them out long before they attempt to repay the debts.

To reign such clubs and their spending in a sanction on signings should be put in place where by if you're in debt to a certain amount you are severely restricted by whom you can sign, similar to what happens to clubs under administration.

A draft won't restrict how much they can spend, but sanctions placed upon them can. Which hopefully could lead to a more even playing field.

It's not whether you have a debt but whether that debt is serviceable or not. If you can pay the interest and thrive as a business then there is no problem with the debt.