You are missing the point. There are many clubs that are run properly, with either no loss or very little loss. In the case of City, we overspent way too much and needed pulling out of the mess by someone with money. Is it fair that we've gained success via a loophole (that is being fixed in the near future with FFP)? Let's not be hypocrites, lots of clubs do things to gain an advantage. I'd argue what Watford are doing is better because they're not risking the future of their club.
In finding a "loophole",Watford were able to do something no one else was,aware they could do. Therefore giving them a legal,but obviously unfair advantage. For me,staying within the law,is a different thing altogether than staying within the rules. That is what every other club,did this season. We stayed within the rules. There is no point in pointing out how many loan players,we used this season,as every club in the league knew they were allowed the same right. So i'm with Premier on this one,it was morally wrong. And Watford cheated.
I think the point James is making is that we spent beyond our means and therefore had players playing for us that we simply couldnt afford - so in some respects (regardless of say Ghilas and his questionable ability for the money paid) had a 'better standard' of player than our accounts show we could afford (hence the FFP reference). Had the Allams not come along and bailed us out (saving us from administration or worse) it could have been said that we were no better than say Portsmouth when they won the FA cup...although with no silverware
We only did what every club in the land "knew" they were allowed to do. That is what we,and many other clubs have done. Watford did something no one else "knew" they could. I don't know what you don't understand about that ? It's cheating
I think people knew it could be done, just no one has bothered to do it. It isn't like this is the first time it has happened, Udinese and Granada had the partnership before Watford got involved. Remember City have benefited a lot from a certain big club loaning us players.
What an embarrassing thread. The best team won on the day, that's all that really matters, though it wasn't the best of games.
James... you are missing the point completely. Yes we have dealt with Man-u A LOT over the last 5 years or so, BUT every player we went in for had the option to turn us down or sign for another club, FC for example.. Man-u did not exclusively send us players. What Watford have done is transferred players from one club to another without other clubs having a chance to sign/loan them. This is the point you seem to be missing. The loan market we used to get man-u players is the same loan market every other team has access to, Watford on the other hand had exclusive access to players because their owner also owns their clubs. It would be like if the Glazers also owned City and sent us Hernandez, Rafael, Cleverley etc.. these players would never normally come to a club like City but did so because both clubs have the same owner..... Something is wrong if you can not see their unfair advantage over every other club in the championship....
****ing Palace have cheated to get where they are, worse bunch of diving bastards in the football league. Now will be the same in the PL. At least Watford played football. Tell me they didn't win it on a penalty.
I went today -or at last took my daughters boyfriend, who's a palarse fan, down there - watched the game in the Green Man opposite Wembley Stadium - their supporters are a very strange breed - give me northerners any day of the week.
I'm with olm, this is an embarrassing thread. Watford did not exploit any loophole. The rules specifically say overseas loans are classed as transfers. There is no loophole. Ipswich did exactly the same as Watford, but nobody bangs on about it. Have the rules been changed? The last I heard all clubs chairmen were going to vote on it, and they were expectting them to vote in favour of keeping the rule as it is.
Just to clarify my view... Watford did not cheat. They played within the rules. Palace spent the entire season cheating. They dive and try, successfully mostly, to fool the officials. This thread is no more embarrassing than the Leicester ones that sprout up every other day or the "political" threads.
From what I have read, now that Watford have missed promotion, they will retain some of them, but most will probably return to the former club. Also, the loan rules have already been changed.
The rules haven't been changed yet, the clubs have to vote on it at the league clubs annual meeting later in the summer, though it is expected that they will vote to change the loan rules.
I know that it was initially expected that clubs would vote in favour of changing the rule, but from what I heard last month, a lot of clubs have changed their minds, and it is now anticipated that they will vote in favour of keeping the rule as it is
I get the impression that the Championship clubs generally think it should be changed, but the League One/Two teams couldn't really give a ****.
