Most, ourselves on here included, well know the game is going to the dogs. Playersâ vastly inflated wages being the overwhelming reason for burgeoning club debt and thereby eventual financial collapse. What to do about it? Reset the financial pyramid so itâs back on its base with the apex pointing upwards, thatâs what. Footballâs all about winning matches, silverware, respect and position for club and/or country. Success is invariably driven and achieved by one person: the manager. Chairmen, directors, players, fans and anyone else who may think theyâre involved, take a step back and acknowledge the facts. If your gaffer hasnât got the wherewithall, youâre going nowhere good. Whilst managers inevitably do their bit, there is still too much âluckâ factor in a sport that should be all about competing skills. Games must be decided on what actually happens in them, not what one mere mortal thinks he/she sees at the time. We fans deserve the best referees supported by technology to ensure accurate decision making at all times. There must be hundreds of potentially excellent refs out there who wouldnât dream of doing it professionally given the comparatively small incomes and constant public (and media) abuse. Sooner or later someoneâs going to have to bite the bullet and say weâve got this whole thing arse about face; enoughâs enough. EUFAâs beginning to push in that direction. Player wage caps will happen in the end. When it does, two things also need to happen to correct the financial balance in the game: managers and referees must be paid more than players to underpin their authority and status at all levels. What say you?
I agree! things have now gone to far. Lets face it all that they do is kick a ball around. Most of us have done that way back from our school days! And just for fun, and played better just for a drink!!
Like this thread Brix. Was reading a great article a few weeks back about how bankrupt football actually is and that things like wage caps are closer than we think. I think it has to happen and it will in the short to medium term. Football clubs should not be allowed to run at a loss, simple as. The problem is the likes of Man ****ty who will just get their shirt sponsorship to match their debts thus making it look like to are running the club properly. Things have to change in football. I look at what rugby players earn and its only a fraction of what football players get and you don't see those boys prancing around the pitch diving the minute anybody even looks at them.
All prem players paid equally: £5k pwk plus playing fee of £10k and win bonus of £5k (no signing on fees). Managers minimum £20k pwk and win bonus of £5k should make interesting competition and respect for authority. Refs £20k per match plus £10k bonus for 'specials' e.g. cup finals etc.. All clubs to pay proportionate 'sport tax' to fund selected national sports 'acceleration schemes' (track, field and other 'olympic' and parylmpic sports, tennis, cricket, rugby etc.).
Full circle, back to the maximum wage where the 'investors' take all the profit. Bernie & Flav would've loved that!...
That's the point (motivation) of investment though, isn't it? However, one of the by-products of this kind of redistribution initiative would be to facilitate the less lucrative but equally success-craving sports mentioned - so it's not simply an investor profit vehicle. Might not happen in this way BUT there'll come a day we'll wish it had imho.
This would undoubtedly be a breach of the players' human rights. However, I sincerely doubt that Jimmy Hill thought that things would ever get this far when he campaigned to have the wage cap removed. I think I'm right in saying that in some American sports they have a wage cap for the team, so the squad as a whole cannot earn over $whatever. Maybe that would have a great likelihood of success, but would not really achieve your objective.
Basketball has gone into a lock-out this season because the players have refused to accept an offer of 47% maximum of turnover as the wage-cap. Amazingly, the owners biggest driving-force to exact this concession was none other than Michael Jordan, probably the biggest earner in the NBA history and now an owner himself. They've finally agreed a 50% cap but that's the problem with caps, the owners will always want more... http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2011/nov/30/nba-lockout-michael-jordan-owners-players
I shouldn't worry about it Brix, football has eaten itself. Have any of you read the article on bbc sport website about inland revenue legal challenge on football's 'special' tax status? If they win that then it will massively curb the free spending