If FFP didn't exist, would you like to see the Albion "go for it"?

[Bozza]

A number of people talk about FFP as being some sort of barrier to success for the club and that, if FFP hadn't been brought into play, they would like to see Tony Bloom go on the type of player spending spree that would dramatically enhance the Albion's promotion hopes. Is that you?

Or, perhaps, you recognise that even if FFP didn't exist, running up operating losses of c£15m year is not a sustainable model for a football club and sooner or later Bloom will get fed up of pumping in the cash, he'll run out of money or the club will enter a Pompey-style debt death spiral.

What's it to be?

 

[Napper]

Not fussed . Decent exciting football in the championship is up there with anything the prem has to offer IMO. Need an element of going for it to achieve even this though

 

[warmleyseagull]

Heart says go for it, head says no. There is now a likely unsustainable trend towards common sense that will reduce player wages/transfer fees and encourage more youth. It will take time but has to be right.

The implications of that are not just better football club management but more local talent instead of the rush to find players anywhere in the world. Long run we might even have a half decent England team.

 

[glasfryn]

what ever happened to being "premiership ready" or was that just PR ........oops I just saw what I did there .

 

[drew]

Heart says go for it, head says no. There is now a likely unsustainable trend towards common sense that will reduce player wages/transfer fees and encourage more youth. It will take time but has to be right.

The implications of that are not just better football club management but more local talent instead of the rush to find players anywhere in the world. Long run we might even have a half decent England team.

Are you sure that's what you meant to write? Unsustainable trend would suggest you think FFP won't last!

 

[Rookie]

Not for me, build slowly, invest in youth and the 'premier league dream' will come (not that I would call it a dream but that's just me)

 

[knocky1]

More options. Too simplistic. Put up the price of Harveys.

 

[dwayne]

A number of people talk about FFP as being some sort of barrier to success for the club and that, if FFP hadn't been brought into play, they would like to see Tony Bloom go on the type of player spending spree that would dramatically enhance the Albion's promotion hopes. Is that you?

Or, perhaps, you recognise that even if FFP didn't exist, running up operating losses of c£15m year is not a sustainable model for a football club and sooner or later Bloom will get fed up of pumping in the cash, he'll run out of money or the club will enter a Pompey-style debt death spiral.

What's it to be?

We have to go for it, we need premiership money. It's as simple as that.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

I'd like the chairman of each football club to be free to make these sort of decisions without the need for draconian rules imposed upon them.

Yes, I'm fully aware that this opens the door for another Portsmouth or Palace to overspend and risk the future of the club on a massive gamble, but if for example (not that I think for a second there's any truth in the rumours) Tony Bloom brings others onto the board who are willing to bankroll a push for promotion, with no strings attached (i.e. Money is not loaned) then why not?

The combination of tight FFP rules and the ever increasing number of teams with ever increasing Parachute payments is squeezing the rest of The Championship into a very tight corner, even those which are run in an exemplary way.

 

[Rugrat]

I'd like the chairman of each football club to be free to make these sort of decisions without the need for draconian rules imposed upon them.

Yes, I'm fully aware that this opens the door for another Portsmouth or Palace to overspend and risk the future of the club on a massive gamble, but if for example (not that I think for a second there's any truth in the rumours) Tony Bloom brings others onto the board who are willing to bankroll a push for promotion, with no strings attached (i.e. Money is not loaned) then why not?

The combination of tight FFP rules and the ever increasing number of teams with ever increasing Parachute payments is squeezing the rest of The Championship into a very tight corner, even those which are run in an exemplary way.

Very well put

FFP is way too restrictive. Fine to try and introduce some fiscal governance that prevents a club racking up debt that it can't service, but to choke all other "investment" has or will make this league very much two tier

 

[el punal]

Best summed up by a decent, sensible Pompey fan I met before their situation was resolved :

" I don't care where we play, I don't care if we're in Rymans Div.8. I just want to support the football club I've followed all my life."

Careful what you wish for. I'm sure no Albion fan wants to go through all that again.

 

[KZNSeagull]

It's a no from me.

The lure of PL money is one thing, but look how many clubs still make a loss with all that cash flying around. Some of those with parachute payments also make enormous losses (Bolton - 50m!). All that happens in the PL is that average players suddenly get an enormous pay rise that does not correspond to their increase in performance. Paying 20k a week+ for someone to keep his arse warm on a bench - ridiculous.

We are already in a 2 tier league and the PL is even worse. We need to be savvy in the transfer market (picking up 2m quid players for nothing for example), bring on the youth and in time, I am sure we will get there. Once there we need to consolidate without going mad.

 

[Marshy]

We already "Went for it" under Mr Poyet in my opinion.

 

[Postman Pat]

It seems a bizarre state of affairs when a company is stopped spending money or investing, which is effectively what FFP is doing, but unless the penalties for going into administration are more harsh, i.e. league expulsion, then something needs to be done to protect football clubs from rubbish chairmen.

We would need to invest £20m-£30m to make that leap and I'm not sure the long-term risk to the club is worth it if we fail.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

We have to go for it, we need premiership money. It's as simple as that.

This. As OP says 'running up operating losses of c£15m year is not a sustainable model for a football club'. Stadium is operating at near enough capacity, hard to see where enough money could come from to start operating at a profit except from the premiership.

 

[portlock seagull]

Very easy to spend other peoples money.

It's a massive no from me - I lived and breathed the Albion during the 90s and it nearly killed me as it did many others!

Besides, what would we actually do in the Premiership apart from get stuffed and hang on every year? Like a taste of it for sure, but not at the expense of my clubs future. We must be patient and get lucky too! Prefer that approach to reckless spending. That way only lies madness.

 

[cattlin'srockshop]

I'd like to see us play some more exciting football, otherwise I'm more than happy where we are.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Very easy to spend other peoples money.

Equally easy to let other people run up £15M year-on-year operating losses tho eh?

 

[beorhthelm]

FFP is way too restrictive. Fine to try and introduce some fiscal governance that prevents a club racking up debt that it can't service, but to choke all other "investment" has or will make this league very much two tier

but it expressly doesn't choke investment, you can spend as much as you like in infrastructure, like new stadiums, training facilities etc.

i take the view that not only are £15m losses not sustainable, but that Bloom may not have a unlimited funds to "go for it". no one know his wealth but assumes he has untold riches. there's no evidence for this, other than that which he has put into the club, from which people extrapolate arbitrary measures of how wealthy he must be.

 

[portlock seagull]

Equally easy to let other people run up £15M year-on-year operating losses tho eh?

Sorry, don't understand your point in reply to mine?