Barber on FFP

[fosters headband]

I never make any friends when I say this but I sincerely hope the profligate clubs go bust, get kicked out of the League, reform and start again at the bottom.

I'm with you all the way, financial mismanagement has been going on too long. If you are prepared to take the risk then prepare for the ultimate sanction if it goes wrong. It might not be the fan's fault but perhaps this might give the fans a bit of a stake in ensuring their clubs are run properly rather than demanding instant success and big money transfers. I have no sympathy for clubs that sell their souls to foreign investment and then expect sympthy when their large foreign backers withdraw the money. We clawed our way out of the sh*t and paid our way when we were there, it's a lesson a few others could heed.

And that punishment if they cannot pay their debts and go into administration, should mean relegation maybe by up to three divisions. That depending on them reaching an acceptable agreement with their creditors, allowing them to continue.

 

[Guy Fawkes]

Given the fines will be minimal when compared to the treasure of ending up in the PL maybe the league should give a suspended sentence of minus 15 points to the cheaters and it will be enacted when they next fall into the league ?

My reading of the situation is that only the clubs that are promoted will be fined. Clubs that break the ffp rules but don't go up only face a transfer embargo / inability to extend contracts until they can demonstrate that they are on course for ffp again next season.

I'm sure Crawley were subjected to this transfer embargo in the summer as they had over spent, and it took them a few weeks to resolve

 

[AZ Gull]

My reading of the situation is that only the clubs that are promoted will be fined. Clubs that break the ffp rules but don't go up only face a transfer embargo / inability to extend contracts until they can demonstrate that they are on course for ffp again next season.

I'm sure Crawley were subjected to this transfer embargo in the summer as they had over spent, and it took them a few weeks to resolve

League One and Two have different financial regulation, but yes, you are correct.

 

[West Hoathly Seagull]

The more I hear about FFP the more I think it amounts to a massive opportunity for lawyers.

All kinds of loopholes already seem possible, and more will doubtless emerge as the "details" become clearer.

Then there are all the various legal challenges that will emerge: some all at once, some made by representatives of clubs, some representating players, some representing others.

I think the principles behind FFP are sound and the club is right to comply, but I suspect we'll end up with a messy compromise within a few years, by which time certain clubs will have driven a coach and horses through the regulations and probably benefited.

I suspect FFP will be, and any wage cap would be challenged in the European courts on restraint of trade grounds. No idea what the outcome will be. Not a reason for the Albion to try and comply though. Got to be a good discipline to try and cut our losses even if that means disappointment (and I include myself in this) in the transfer market.

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/feb/26/financial-fair-play-clubs-threat-football-league

There is a good article in the Guardian today about FFP - I was going to start a new thread about it, but couldn't find the "start new thread" button, and then there will be enough threads on the subject anyway.

The article in the paper is longer than on the website, and Mr Barber gets a mention. It also talks about the penalties to be imposed. Transfer embargoes and pretty big fines.

 

[drew]

So no need to sign any more players as they have all the decent players in the first place.

Would be interesting to see which players at Forest have contracts due to expire in June 2015 as, assuming Forest don't get promoted, they can't renew those contracts and the players leave. Whether they can get around that by negotiating extensions before December 2014 I don't know but that in itself yet another gamble.

I suspect FFP will be, and any wage cap would be challenged in the European courts on restraint of trade grounds. No idea what the outcome will be. Not a reason for the Albion to try and comply though. Got to be a good discipline to try and cut our losses even if that means disappointment (and I include myself in this) in the transfer market.

A wage cap is not restraint of trade as it is effective in several other sports. Remember a salary cap doesn't apply to an individual person but to the whole squad so the club have to work out how to allocate it their players. If one were introduced, it would probably have to be with a 3 or 4 year lead in time so that existing contracts can run down and as and when they renew, the new limits can be written into them.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

I get the feeling a few clubs voted for FFP in the belief it wouldn't affect them because they would be promoted if they gambled on spending big. If they do miss out on promotion there is always the option of taking legal action against the Football League in a test case.

The Guardian article seems to bear this premise out.