The depression from down south
Public squabbles over Cesc Fabregas, Luka Modric, Wesley Sneijder and Carlos Tevez have dominated the headlines will little thought given to the old business of putting the ball in the net.
Three quarters of ‘the greatest league in the world’ will be planning how to scratch their way to the magical 40 point mark to avoid the final day misery suffered by Birmingham City, Blackpool and West Ham as the gravy train came to a halt.
David Clinton of Football Fancast looks beyond the hype to preview ‘the big kick-off’ for the clubs hanging onto the coat-tails of those trying to find a way around UEFA’s Financial Fair Play Policy.
“Determination, passion, drive and honour are words I would use to describe what I saw on that pitch on a cold, wet Saturday afternoon, week in week out many years ago.
Now the game that millions of people love seems to have been savaged by greedy, egotistical, selfish footballers who instead are just chasing a wage packet rather than gracefully going through their career making a positive impact on and off the pitch! Why did it all go so wrong?
Agents, Billionaire owners, the massive influx of foreign players and managers, or is it a case of if someone is going to offer me the money why should I turn it down?
I think it is a massive clutter of all these elements which are all so rife in the beautiful game that millions of people spend their hard earned money to watch.
With the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea throwing money around like it’s going out of fashion, this trend does not seem to be hitting a wall anytime soon.
I like many others thought with UEFA’s financial fair play policy that they have been working hard on for years things were about to change! Then we all got a reality check when Manchester City slap that ruling in the face with their newest sponsorship deal with Eithad Airways who is part owned by the club’s owners.
In a deal worth 400 million over the next ten years. This allows the club to carry on with their astronomical transfer deals and contract offers which gives them a clear advantage. But UEFA seem to feel this is in order with their “financial fair play policy”
The Premier League has lost of grip of what is the most important thing and that is the football, football is the colossal worldwide brand. And if agents, managers, owners, board members and most of all players, keep acting in a selfish manner, this can only be the start of a swinging wrecking ball that will reduce to rubble the game that is much part of the culture in many people’s lives.
Is there a way back? Yes. A salary cap is a probable scenario. The scrutinizing debt that clubs manage to conger up through wages from top to bottom of their club is not a realistic business model to be running a football club from.
So it is inevitable that more and more clubs will go into administration putting more strain on the reputation of people involved in football and football itself. Investment in youth is also something that would benefit clubs and equally important the national team.
Will the Premier League change? No. The amount of money involved seems to be a good enough motivation for everyone to carry on with their seemingly unmoral behaviour.
We can only hope as true fans that our clubs that we take pride in, that we talk about on a daily basis, that we all have an opinion on and that we give a part of our short lives to, will not drag themselves into a pit of debt and desperation and that they are able to keep their heads held high and breath through the fundamentals of what started our club many years ago.”
What do you think of David’s depressing view on the Premiership?
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