FFP

[Olneythelonely]

As others have said, there is a very simple solution to this. The Premier League imposes a salary cap (e.g £300m). This will do nothing to dilute the competitiveness of the game versus our European friends as it is way above what most of them can afford.

It wouldn’t disadvantage any poorer clubs in the league either, as they are already paying way below the big clubs. So they should vote for it to stop the gap growing.

The only people who would object are the current Sky6 who would see the gap between them and us shrink.

If it can’t get 14 votes then clubs are idiots.

Wouldn’t that still only benefit any rich clubs trying to break into that 6? I don’t see how it would get the 14 votes.

It’s also £100m more than any club paid last year.

[Gareth]

As others have said, there is a very simple solution to this. The Premier League imposes a salary cap (e.g £300m). This will do nothing to dilute the competitiveness of the game versus our European friends as it is way above what most of them can afford.

It wouldn’t disadvantage any poorer clubs in the league either, as they are already paying way below the big clubs. So they should vote for it to stop the gap growing.

The only people who would object are the current Sky6 who would see the gap between them and us shrink.

If it can’t get 14 votes then clubs are idiots.

The theory is good but the cartel get their own way on these things because of the amount of clubs ie Fulham / Wolves / Palace / Bournemouth who have absolutely no ambition to be a challenger but love being in the league and milking it £’s wise.  They always vote with what the cartel want.

A good Liverpool / Chelsea etc keeps the broadcast contracts etc maximised so those non competitive clubs just have to focus on staying on the gravy train every year.

[LeeS]

As others have said, there is a very simple solution to this. The Premier League imposes a salary cap (e.g £300m). This will do nothing to dilute the competitiveness of the game versus our European friends as it is way above what most of them can afford.

It wouldn’t disadvantage any poorer clubs in the league either, as they are already paying way below the big clubs. So they should vote for it to stop the gap growing.

The only people who would object are the current Sky6 who would see the gap between them and us shrink.

If it can’t get 14 votes then clubs are idiots.

Wouldn’t that still only benefit any rich clubs trying to break into that 6? I don’t see how it would get the 14 votes.

It’s also £100m more than any club paid last year.

Ok, I went too high with the 300m. But I don’t see why a Bournemouth or Palace should object. At the moment they are playing in a different league to 6 other clubs. A cap at least stops the gap growing ever bigger. And a cap would mean teams couldn’t poach and hoard players. So you’d get to keep your youngsters who you’ve developed

[Dave]

As others have said, there is a very simple solution to this. The Premier League imposes a salary cap (e.g £300m). This will do nothing to dilute the competitiveness of the game versus our European friends as it is way above what most of them can afford.

It wouldn’t disadvantage any poorer clubs in the league either, as they are already paying way below the big clubs. So they should vote for it to stop the gap growing.

The only people who would object are the current Sky6 who would see the gap between them and us shrink.

If it can’t get 14 votes then clubs are idiots.

But you're talking like it's universally accepted that there is a problem that needs a solution. We think it's a problem and Newcastle think it's a problem.

But why would the wider Premier League see there as being a problem to fix?

It's more popular than ever before and the zeros at the end of all the numbers keep going up. Even if someone were to raise the possible issue of competition stifling, they can easily point to the fact that there have been different title winners, competitive title races and (I think I'm right in saying) more different teams qualifying for the Champions League and Europa League in the last three or four seasons than at any other time since the Premier League started.

I imagine most teams look at the current setup and think it's working just fine.

[Richard]

Good points Dave. We might not like it but with the current financial restrictions maybe the likes of us and Newcastle have to accept regularly qualifying for Europe, winning a cup occasionally (please let it be our turn!), but never seriously threatening the current top 4 in particular on a long term basis.

I accept some on here will think me defeatist but the last 2 months have been very sobering.

[Toronto Villa]

We’ve clearly been forced to reposition our transfer policy caused by our revenues not being sufficient to outpace growth in a variety of player related expenses, mostly in wages. Maybe it’s not a bad thing. It was a bit bonkers last season. I’d sooner we kept the core together, protect our best players, add a player or two via loan and go again next summer when hopefully we are in the CL again. Newcastle and Liverpool didn’t do much last summer and came out of it very well. And as Newcastle have shown this summer, being a CL club doesn’t stop the nonsense around top players wanting to go, or enable spending beyond the rules. This summer will force us to take a longer term approach to creating a sustainable financial model.

[Beard82]

Yeah - but there are also plenty of warning signs. Newly promoted teams stuggle to compete, games are less and less entertaining.  I never watch none villa games anymore. 

The england team still wins nothing, fewer and fewer english players playing at the top level.  Clubs overall debt is continuing to rise.  Ticket prices are getting ridiclous

[Beard82]

Yeah - but there are also plenty of warning signs. Newly promoted teams stuggle to compete, games are less and less entertaining.  I never watch none villa games anymore. 

The england team still wins nothing, fewer and fewer english players playing at the top level.  Clubs overall debt is continuing to rise.  Ticket prices are getting ridiclous

Plus the reason that it has been more competitive is because despite having the hand stacked in their favour, Man Utd, Spurs and to a lesser exctent Chelsea have been rubbish. 

[Dave]

Yeah - but there are also plenty of warning signs. Newly promoted teams stuggle to compete, games are less and less entertaining.  I never watch none villa games anymore. 

The england team still wins nothing, fewer and fewer english players playing at the top level.  Clubs overall debt is continuing to rise.  Ticket prices are getting ridiclous

You reckon? I'd bet there's loads more than there were ten / fifteen years ago.

[Drummond]

A lot of the smaller clubs won't want a massive salary cap because it would mean clubs like Villa and Newcastle, who can afford the losses would spend to catch up. Those clubs meanwhile, couldn't afford (or just wouldn't want) to.

See the likes of Bournemouth, Brentford, Palace, Burnley, Leeds 😉 . All small clubs who aren't particularly rich (outside of the obscene income generated by the Premier League) and who don't have anywhere near the ability of clubs such as Villa, Newcastle, Everton and West Ham (the latter two from their shiny stadiums and location amongst other things) to make up the difference.

[john2710]

Over the next few seasons we need a batch of the U18 / U21 / £5m young players coming through to supplement our first team squad.

In the last 25 years how many home grown players have been anywhere near top 6 players? I can think of 3 or 4 at most.

[Dave]

Over the next few seasons we need a batch of the U18 / U21 / £5m young players coming through to supplement our first team squad.

In the last 25 years how many home grown players have been anywhere near top 6 players? I can think of 3 or 4 at most.

Grealish, Gabby, Albrighton, Cahill, Ramsey.

Daniel Sturridge depending on your criteria.

[VillaTim]

once they allowed sovereign states to buy clubs the playing field changed. Game is in ruins.

[pauliewalnuts]

Maybe it’s not a bad thing. It was a bit bonkers last season. I’d sooner we kept the core together, protect our best players, add a player or two via loan and go again next summer when hopefully we are in the CL again.l.

Oh, please, what rubbish.

You’d rather we didn’t significantly strengthen the squad and would prefer to wait till the season after until we have a go?

Why do you feel like you have to cobble together an argument to make it look like we are doing the sensible thing (ie not much) rather than strengthening?

[PaulWinch again]

Yeah I’ll be honest having to be ultra pragmatic and playing the season with one hand behind our back doesn’t seem like a particularly good thing. Liverpool can do what they’ve done because they have massive revenue stream.