Player wages....Toure, Walcott et al

[MK Gould]

I'm sure that Citeh fans will be delighted that Yaya Toure has signed a new contract.... But his wages alone will account for at least 50% of their total income from gate receipts every season for the next 4 years!

On a smaller scale we are in much the same position with Walcott.

I don't feel envy of either the club, fans or player. I just feel anger that anyone could think this is good news/something to celebrate at a time of recession, benefit cuts and demands to reduce ticket prices...

Probably not going to happen but I would love to see the bubble burst, the Sky deal fall apart, a big club going bust.

It's the only way this madness is going to end!!

[augie]

I understand where you are coming from and I agree with what you are saying BUT if we are to accept that huge wages are a part of the modern game then at least you can argue some sort of value for money with yaya as opposed to deals that have been given out to wally, greedybayor, petit pute etc.
Re the wish that a big club goes bust to make a point about the foolishness of these deals, can I just say that I am already sick of hearing c.unts defending our lack of transfer spending by pointing to the likes of pompey, leeds etc so the thought of giving these d.ickheads another excuse for non spending has me reaching for the shotgun

[QuartzGooner]

I have no problem with Walcott's wages.
Having a few performing players on high wages has not been our main problem.

Our problems include:

A) Having a number of fringe players (Squillachi, Bendtner etc) on medium wages that is more of a problem.

B) Not spending on key areas.

C) Coaching, especially defence.

Yes it is a savage recession, but Arsenal are a business, not the government's welfare department.
We cannot sit here and moan about our players not being good enough and then moan that we do not spend the going rate to buy good players.
I actually want us to go out and buy four good players this summer.

[MK Gould]

I've no problem with anyone paying high wages for players capable of high performance.....but something is wrong when the market rate for one player (and probably not the highest paid player at the club!) equates to the entire gate receipt from 14 home games in a season! That has got to be unsustainable for any club and the FA and Premier League need to get a grip.

Ok, so by all means allow clubs to fund one off transfer fees out of potentially volatile marketing, prize money and TV income (volatile over the long term that is). But it makes perfect sense to me that a clubs wage bill shouldn't be allowed to exceed a set percentage of the more stable revenue generated by ticket sales. And when I say a percentage, I do mean under 100%....

[LDB]

I have no problem with Walcott's wages.
Having a few performing players on high wages has not been our main problem.

Our problems include:

A) Having a number of fringe players (Squillachi, Bendtner etc) on medium wages that is more of a problem.

B) Not spending on key areas.

C) Coaching, especially defence.

Yes it is a savage recession, but Arsenal are a business, not the government's welfare department.
We cannot sit here and moan about our players not being good enough and then moan that we do not spend the going rate to buy good players.
I actually want us to go out and buy four good players this summer.

The real problem quartz is that the manager and chief exec don't seem to view any of those problems as problems. In the next couple of years the next round of long term contracts will be going out and then we will be well and truly lumped with mediocrity for the foreseeable future.

[supergeorgegraham]

I think I read somewhere that our wage bill is a staggering £150,000,000 a year. Is that a problem ? Hell yes in my opinion as finishing 4th place is no achievement for a club of Arsenal standing.
With a wage bill like that for the quality of players we have is pure and utter madness but since Chelsea and City have endless pots of gold there is greed.
Yes Walcott was greedy but he is not alone. Van Persie is another who is paid a mad amount of money, Rooney wage is shocking.
Our fringe players get £60,000 a year and they are seriously crap. The core affect of this is that I dont enjoy football as much as I used too.

[spendsum4uckingmoney]

I read somewhere that compared to Spurs we are massively underachieving in terms of wages and position. Spurs atm are a better run club than we are. I don't have a problem with cott's wages but like the above said. We have the following players still on our books who aren't playing or aren't even at the club!

Squillachi
Park
Santos
Bendtner
Chamack
Arshavin
Djourou
Denilson

+ to a certain degree: Diaby and Rosicky

That is an absurd amount of players, and a lot of Winstone Bogardes'. The combined wages of these players alone must be anywhere near 500k -600k a week!

They are costing us at least 24m for doing eff all. Hell we can't even get Arshavin to fuck off on a free.

Hopefully a number of those players will leave, as their contracts run down in the summer but it is still an absurd amount.


As for Toure. Strange. I thought Toure wouldn't be offered a new deal because it wouldn't be excluded from the FFP rules. Probably found a loop hole or are confident UEFA will drop the ball.

[northbank123]

I read somewhere that compared to Spurs we are massively underachieving in terms of wages and position. Spurs atm are a better run club than we are. I don't have a problem with cott's wages but like the above said. We have the following players still on our books who aren't playing or aren't even at the club!

Squillachi
Park
Santos
Bendtner
Chamack
Arshavin
Djourou
Denilson

+ to a certain degree: Diaby and Rosicky

That is an absurd amount of players, and a lot of Winstone Bogardes'. The combined wages of these players alone must be anywhere near 500k -600k a week!

They are costing us at least 24m for doing eff all. Hell we can't even get Arshavin to fuck off on a free.

Hopefully a number of those players will leave, as their contracts run down in the summer but it is still an absurd amount.


As for Toure. Strange. I thought Toure wouldn't be offered a new deal because it wouldn't be excluded from the FFP rules. Probably found a loop hole or are confident UEFA will drop the ball.

I wrote an article on this a few weeks ago - basically saying that the cycle will continue because although a few contracts will expire we will then give unwarranted increases to current squad members. Why did Ox and Jenkinson get new deals only a year after signing long-term deals (especially considering that neither has got near establishing themselves as a regular)? And why oh why has Aaron Ramsey signed a 4th contract with the club???? Consider the fact that Wilshere and Walcott (although more justifiable) and Gibbs (another long-term straw-man) have signed new deals and I expect our wage bill to rise yet again next season.

And basically the FFP rules don't really apply to Citeh by virtue of their dirty sponsorship deal which UEFA refused to investigate.

[StuartL]

I read somewhere that compared to Spurs we are massively underachieving in terms of wages and position. Spurs atm are a better run club than we are. I don't have a problem with cott's wages but like the above said. We have the following players still on our books who aren't playing or aren't even at the club!

Squillachi
Park
Santos
Bendtner
Chamack
Arshavin
Djourou
Denilson

+ to a certain degree: Diaby and Rosicky

That is an absurd amount of players, and a lot of Winstone Bogardes'. The combined wages of these players alone must be anywhere near 500k -600k a week!

They are costing us at least 24m for doing eff all. Hell we can't even get Arshavin to fuck off on a free.

Hopefully a number of those players will leave, as their contracts run down in the summer but it is still an absurd amount.


As for Toure. Strange. I thought Toure wouldn't be offered a new deal because it wouldn't be excluded from the FFP rules. Probably found a loop hole or are confident UEFA will drop the ball.

I wrote an article on this a few weeks ago - basically saying that the cycle will continue because although a few contracts will expire we will then give unwarranted increases to current squad members. Why did Ox and Jenkinson get new deals only a year after signing long-term deals (especially considering that neither has got near establishing themselves as a regular)? And why oh why has Aaron Ramsey signed a 4th contract with the club???? Consider the fact that Wilshere and Walcott (although more justifiable) and Gibbs (another long-term straw-man) have signed new deals and I expect our wage bill to rise yet again next season.

And basically the FFP rules don't really apply to Citeh by virtue of their dirty sponsorship deal which UEFA refused to investigate.

Could well be a clause in their previous contract that said renegotiate if get England call up ?? As otherwise they were certainly not in line to get new deals just yet.

Is there any player in the premiership who is on a pay as you play contract as Diaby, Rosicky and Gibbs would all be stand out candidates to be put on them too. (not always their fault that they are injured, but not the clubs either)

[spendsum4uckingmoney]

I'm not opposed to Oxlade getting a new long term deal. It wasn't long ago somebody, a pundit (forget name), said to do so for Ox. The only players that I felt were unjustified were Jenko and Ramsey. There's no way that 3-4 games = 32k a week. I'm pretty sure Kyle Walker of spurs is on similar money. Ramsey shouldn't be at the club. Even before injury we were calling him Average Aaron. He doesn't do anything special. He isn't mobile. He isn't particularly strong. Not greatly technical, although he gives the illusion he is because he does a huge amount of sideways passes. He doesn't create chances or have much tactical know-how. The policy ATM is costing us dearly.

[northbank123]

Chamberlain is a player I'd like to keep at the club and could turn out to be quality - but given that he signed a long-term deal that would undoubtedly be very generous for a player of his experience and age barely 12 months before what was the need in giving him another? He had a good deal and we had good security - but our 'socialist' wage policy dictated that seeing as Walcott and Wilshere needed new deals we had to give them to Jenkinson, Gibbs, Ramsey and Chamberlain too out of some warped notion of equality that has no place in a successful football club. I can't imagine any of those players banging down Wenger's door threatening to leave if they didn't get a new contract.

Give a young player a new deal every year or so like Ramsey and you'll end up grossly over-investing and unwilling to cut the cord.

[Rugby Gooner]

I have no problem with Walcott's wages.
Having a few performing players on high wages has not been our main problem.

Our problems include:

A) Having a number of fringe players (Squillachi, Bendtner etc) on medium wages that is more of a problem.

B) Not spending on key areas.

C) Coaching, especially defence.

Yes it is a savage recession, but Arsenal are a business, not the government's welfare department.
We cannot sit here and moan about our players not being good enough and then moan that we do not spend the going rate to buy good players.
I actually want us to go out and buy four good players this summer.

What Quartz says!!!!!

[hugh jardon]

The money's there in the game so salaries don't shock me. If my employers profits go up I expect a payrise so why not footballers.

Gate receipts are yesterday's yard stick and paltry in comparison with other commercial incomes. The PL enjoys global demand in terms of TV coverage and merchandising.

The bubble will never burst and the money in football will only ever increase. Fan groups are trying o issues such as ticket prices but the reality is the stadiums are continuing to sell out at current extortionate prices so the overall prices will not come down.

[MK Gould]

The money's there in the game so salaries don't shock me. If my employers profits go up I expect a payrise so why not footballers.

Gate receipts are yesterday's yard stick and paltry in comparison with other commercial incomes. The PL enjoys global demand in terms of TV coverage and merchandising.

The bubble will never burst and the money in football will only ever increase. Fan groups are trying o issues such as ticket prices but the reality is the stadiums are continuing to sell out at current extortionate prices so the overall prices will not come down.

There is no guarantee that commercial incomes will continue to rise and we're already seeing ticket demand reduce. Lots of empty seats at Arsenal this season and at many other grounds. Some clubs are signing players on massively expensive contracts for time periods well beyond the point at which they can guarantee income. The Premier League balloon payments will help the like of QPR, but even then there is no guarantee... The Premier League clubs were lucky this season that the threat of Al Jazeera and BT forced Sky's hand. If there is less of a threat next time around then that income stream could well collapse.

For me, this is a little like the banking collapse. Banks giving out 7x salary and 120% mortgages because they all thought past house price rises would naturally continue. To me, if you look at the model and it doesn't make sense then the chances are that it really doesn't make sense... I'm surely not alone in predicting the collapse of the Irish economy years before it happened. And I'm surely not alone now in predicting the implosion of the Premier League within the next 10 years....

[hugh jardon]

The money's there in the game so salaries don't shock me. If my employers profits go up I expect a payrise so why not footballers.

Gate receipts are yesterday's yard stick and paltry in comparison with other commercial incomes. The PL enjoys global demand in terms of TV coverage and merchandising.

The bubble will never burst and the money in football will only ever increase. Fan groups are trying o issues such as ticket prices but the reality is the stadiums are continuing to sell out at current extortionate prices so the overall prices will not come down.

There is no guarantee that commercial incomes will continue to rise and we're already seeing ticket demand reduce. Lots of empty seats at Arsenal this season and at many other grounds. Some clubs are signing players on massively expensive contracts for time periods well beyond the point at which they can guarantee income. The Premier League balloon payments will help the like of QPR, but even then there is no guarantee... The Premier League clubs were lucky this season that the threat of Al Jazeera and BT forced Sky's hand. If there is less of a threat next time around then that income stream could well collapse.

For me, this is a little like the banking collapse. Banks giving out 7x salary and 120% mortgages because they all thought past house price rises would naturally continue. To me, if you look at the model and it doesn't make sense then the chances are that it really doesn't make sense... I'm surely not alone in predicting the collapse of the Irish economy years before it happened. And I'm surely not alone now in predicting the implosion of the Premier League within the next 10 years....

I have to disagree, the fact that Al Jazeera and BT were forcing Sky to raise their offer shows the strength of interest, these TV companies can make huge numbers on selling subscriptions and advertising.

The day will one day come when the PL is sold via authorised online streams around the world and this will only add to the money being pumped into the game.

Sky have just launched a pay as you view deal via NOWTV, in the near future pay as you view will be available on a game by game basis on TV and online, the boom will get even bigger.