Interesting interview with Wenger about FFP (mentions Derby so sneeked it on this board)

[p.shilton]

[size=3][size=3] Wenger eyes level playing field

[size=2]July 19, 2012[/size][/size][/size]

• [size=1][url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/1125739?&cc=5739#]Email[/size]
  
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[size=1]By ESPN staff[/size]

[size=3]Arsene Wenger believes there is no defence for clubs spending money recklessly and hopes Financial Fair Play can bring a return to the days when the likes of Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa and Derby County won league titles.[/size]

[size=2]http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/images/2012/0719/arsenewenger20120505_275x155

PA PhotosArsene Wenger wants a level playing field in English football[/size]

[size=3]• [url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/1121315/west-ham-keen-to-cap-players%27-salaries?cc=5739]West Ham want wage cap

• [url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/1125512/premier-league-to-discuss-financial-fair-play?cc=5739]Coates: Clubs to discuss FFP[/size]

[size=3]Arsenal have long refused to pay the kind of exorbitant wages on offer at some of their rivals and, with the club having failed to win any silverware in recent years, criticism has followed. Indeed, [url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/1122853/arsenal%27s-kroenke-in-firing-line-over-rvp?cc=5739]Arsenal shareholders Alisher Usmanov and Farhad Moshiri recently wrote to owner Stan Kroenke to express their concern over the running of the club after Robin van Persie announced he would not sign a new contract due to a disagreement over the Gunners' direction.[/size]

[size=3]Wenger, though, has always stood firm in his belief that clubs should live within their means, and UEFA has introduced Financial Fair Play to prevent what has become known as 'financial doping'. In addition, the 20 Premier League clubs are to hold a meeting in September to discuss measures to ensure a self-sustainable approach becomes the norm.[/size]

[size=3]"We need first to see how effectively Financial Fair Play can be enforced before we can fully understand the impact but I believe it will make for a more exciting Premier League," Wenger told Time Out Hong Kong. "When you look at the history of England, there are Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa and Derby County who have all won championships. If that is possible again it will be even more interesting.[/size]

[size=3]"If the rules are well introduced, it will be a massive advantage to Arsenal Football Club, of course, and we will be well positioned for that. I don't want to go into excuses but you want a business to be run properly and I believe that, to lose £150 million a year, you don't deserve a lot of credit to win a competition.[/size]

[size=3]"I think that it is right that you balance your books, to accept the one basic principle for every company, and that's that you can spend the money which you make. That principle just seems to be a common sense and logical one."[/size]

[size=3]He added: "I have been in football for a long, long time and I don't think just spending money is a target that is defendable. To spend the money on a top player is defendable, but just to spend the money is like you are worried.[/size]

[size=3]"Our fans can be proud of the way we run this club, of the quality of the players we have and of the financial situation that is existing at the club. Rather than convicting this club, they have more reason to be proud of the whole situation here.[/size]

[size=3]"We have built a team and a stadium in such a short space of time, and have a strong financial situation - and we have always survived at the top level."[/size]

[size=3]Despite his frustrations, Wenger believes Arsenal are still able to compete with the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City on the field.[/size]

[size=3]"I must say that not being able to match the spending of the richest clubs does not mean that you can't compete with them on the pitch," he said. "When I first came to England, this question did not exist. Every club was run within its resources.[/size]

[size=3]"The Chelseas and the Man Citys are new problems, but with this new financial environment, what has not changed at all is our policy that we will be as ambitious as ever and spend the money that we have available, if possible in an intelligent and wise way.[/size]

[size=3]"We have always spent money because we are ambitious for top-class players and, if you look at the history of our last 15 years, we have always had top-class players. It does not mean you can't win the title if you can't compete financially.[/size]

[size=3][url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/1125739?&cc=5739#]http://soccernet.esp...25739?&cc=5739#[/size]

[networker1884]

You typed "derby county" into google news and clicked stories in the last hour, didn't you? DIDN'T YOU?

[Ghost of Clough]

I think it may have been on NewsNow.

[p.shilton]

News now, always news now!

[ramblur]

Whilst I'd echo Wenger's sentiments on this,I still don't think that the advent of Prem FFP would do anything for the chances of another provincial club winning the title.City were able to break into the CL gang of 4 by virtue of their massive spending power,applied before the rules started to bite.Nobody else will now be able to do this,and so you're left with spending related to earnings.

The big problem is that those currently entrenched in the top 4 will now take some shifting,as they are the ones getting the vast advantage of CL earnings and the consequent ability to buy the best players on the highest wages.I think it actually now makes it harder for others to break through

[top 6 finish]

Also Ramblur most of the other teams in the Premier league.They are well established have the sponsorship

and a profile.Not only that but 48m pounds should they get relegated in addition to the millions they make

per annum,with good management will make them difficult to shift.No wonder that this season championship

teams with ambition will invest heavily to get to the promised land.All to gain nothing much to lose.Lets face

it teams rarely,if ever,go out of business even in these difficult times.

[ramblur]

Also Ramblur most of the other teams in the Premier league.They are well established have the sponsorship

and a profile.Not only that but 48m pounds should they get relegated in addition to the millions they make

per annum,with good management will make them difficult to shift.No wonder that this season championship

teams with ambition will invest heavily to get to the promised land.All to gain nothing much to lose.Lets face

it teams rarely,if ever,go out of business even in these difficult times.

Indeed ,top 6 finish.Whilst I think FFP is admirable in many respects,it seems unfortunate that,rather than creating a level playing field,it probably ends up doing the opposite.There's nothing to say that the £48m won't increase substantially in the future (along with the core payments to Prem clubs).All empires eventually collapse,however.

[top 6 finish]

Trouble is mate at my old age i'll collapse first i'm not in it for the long term,unfortunately.

[ramblur]

Trouble is mate at my old age i'll collapse first i'm not in it for the long term,unfortunately.

Although I'm in the same boat,you might be surprised.Unless my eyes deceived me,Sky face a massive hike in their payments.With many feeling the pinch the world over,then I can't see a corresponding hike to the consumer being viewed favourably.Sky's business model appears to be geared to Prem coverage,and therein lies their achilles heel.

[uttoxram75]

Although I'm in the same boat,you might be surprised.Unless my eyes deceived me,Sky face a massive hike in their payments.With many feeling the pinch the world over,then I can't see a corresponding hike to the consumer being viewed favourably.Sky's business model appears to be geared to Prem coverage,and therein lies their achilles heel.

A up Ramb'

Are sky preparing to gamble all on European wide contracts to get round the Portsmouth landlady case? Think its gone to appeal?

Sky are also pushing their pay-as-you-go internet scheme.

[ramblur]

A up Ramb'

Are sky preparing to gamble all on European wide contracts to get round the Portsmouth landlady case? Think its gone to appeal?

Sky are also pushing their pay-as-you-go internet scheme.

A up Utch,haven't a clue about the above-been so lousy I can't keep up these days.What's this internet scheme?

Was searching in vain for one of your posts where you asked me about Appleby.Don't know how much he's invested because there's so much that isn't visible.

[Alph]

Argh, this FFP think is all good intentions but it's ******.

Man City, Man United etc will make the sort of money and find the funding we can only dream of.

United will love the FFP when they sell private TV rights like Real and Barca. You'll also eventually have "matchday 38" played in Dubai or some such nonsense. They'll be tapping into Asian and American markets asap.

Derby and Forest and Villa will not have those options.

Transfer fees might go down. Cristiano Ronaldo won't be £70m. He'll be £30m. Shackell won't be £1m. He'll be £200k. It'll all be relevant.

It'll hurt some clubs. But not the Man City's or whatever. Certainly not Man United.

The FFP can't break the cycle. Money = success = money = success = money.

We talk about clubs like Pompey going wrong. It might stop that happening. But the big draw will always be in the PL. And at the top of the PL I only see an even GREATER chance to get an advantage over the rest England

[EastKentRam]

Wenger p*sses me off over many things, but for standing by his principles and what he believes, i love the man.

[uttoxram75]

A up Utch,haven't a clue about the above-been so lousy I can't keep up these days.What's this internet scheme?

Was searching in vain for one of your posts where you asked me about Appleby.Don't know how much he's invested because there's so much that isn't visible.

Sky customers can access films, sport, etc on the internet (part of their monthly subscription). They are going to offer the internet bit on a pay as you go basis. Ultimately, you will be able to watch a film or match through your 'puter with a one off card payment without paying the full monthly fee.

Not sure if they will charge for repeats of fawlty towers yet though.