UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino has issued a blunt warning to clubs and associations to ensure that their finances are in order.
With Hearts players going unpaid and Rangers issuing unaudited accounts confirming that Craig Whyte served a seven year ban from being a director the message is clear to the SFA and Scottish football.
UEFA is the most profitable organisation in the world of sport thanks mainly to the commercial deals that the Champions League attracts but with many European economies is series trouble Infantino is determined to ensure that the integrity of the game isn’t compromised by clubs trying to short cut their way to success.
The UEFA Secretary said: “What do football supporters and financiers have in common? The euro is liable to give them both sleepless nights – from excitement in the case of the football EURO, but from anxiety where the currency is concerned. So should we sit back and count ourselves lucky?
“Absolutely not.
“While it is true that football is a source of refuge in times of crisis, the difficulties that European economies are facing will inevitably catch up with us in the end. It would therefore be wrong to bask in a false sense of security.
“After all, we must not forget that the public form the bedrock of our sport. That is why broadcasters buy our rights and companies allocate us a large chunk of their marketing budgets, because their investment ultimately pays off through its impact on the public, who end up buying their products.
“We can already see the negative effects of the crisis moving up the economic chain and affecting the world of football. Although these effects are not (yet) spectacular, they are nevertheless discernible.
“Players are going on strike, player unemployment is rising, some clubs are finding it hard to pay the wage bill, and so on. For now these signs may not be ubiquitous, but there is no denying they exist.
“UEFA is, of course, taking measures, but it must not be the only one to do so. The whole football family is affected. Everyone must assume their responsibilities and take action within their sphere of influence.
“Because an organism whose survival instincts – instead of being innate – must be instilled through rules and regulations will struggle on the evolutionary scale. Let us therefore make sure we all do whatever is needed to ensure that even the financiers can escape their anxieties on matchnight.”
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Times like this your glad our clubs well run well financially.
At the very least our grandchildren will have a club to support.
Albeit in possibly one of the worst leagues in the world. The sphell…. Is on it’s death bed.
A league being strangled by financial disaster. Clubs over spending, previously cheating their way to success, living on a shoestring budget, being hunted by the taxman.
The sfa have kept their heads in the sand watching scottish football plummet from the heady heights to complete obscurity……while allowing mis- management and cheating to go on.
There is no reserve league. No development. Too many cheap foreign players, crowds are dwindling. Living next door to the epl where they continue to overspend, becoming debt laden.
They are strangling the game financially, making it difficult for clubs like Celtic to compete. Our hands are tied being in the sphell.
We may be sitting pretty financially now but even Celtic need a shot in the arm. I fear for the long term future of Scottish football.
Can’t disagree with anything you say Stephenbhoy.
Personally I thought the north Atlantic league that was talked about a few years ago was the way forward.
Just now I would settle for some honest referees and complete change at the SFA/SPL.
To be honest Rangers financial situation is no way down to current economic problems!