FFP to be abolished !

[defleppardisking]

Poor Wenger. If you need a hug, call me.

[rodders999]

The only people from any football club I ever heard getting the horn about FFP was dear old Ivan and Arsene. Selling the future based on a rule that was never going to work or be properly enforceable was idiotic from both of them, especially Mr. Economics himself. Wonder what the back up plan is?

[SteveO 35]

As anyone with half a brain realised it was legally unenforceable from the start and I'm sure a little word from PSG's lawyers together with Man City's and numerous others have sent UEFA running to the hills

At least it will allow TO1AW to continue to justify the beloved 4th fourth place trophy as those nasty rich kids from the Bridge and the Etihad buy up all the best players, boo hoo

[Herd]

Usmanov isnt getting anywhere near the board table . For a start he advocated having a rights issue to raise money to buy players , Silent Stan aint having any of that !
Stan paid a lot of wonga to take control and now that Gazidis got the FA to amend the rules by saying u need 50 pct in order to see the books (contrary to company law ) he will gently syphon off profits and continue with the cash build up.
We will continue to rummage in the bargain basement with and sign a big name very now and then.
The current status quo ,ie qualify for the cl is the base business plan for Arsenal .
If everton villa or sland get a sugar daddy our pants will turn brown because at the moment spurs and liverpool aren't quite up to the mark !
Similarly if the number of cl places drops to three we will be up the swanee !
Winning the FA Cup becomes then the best option ,funny when I was younger even the league cup was a huge thing especially 87 Liverpool !

[rodders999]

As anyone with half a brain realised it was legally unenforceable from the start and I'm sure a little word from PSG's lawyers together with Man City's and numerous others have sent UEFA running to the hills

And guess who works as a lawyer in an advisory role at PSG - Michel Platin's son. The whole thing's a farce.

[SPUDMASHER]

I would love to see a club like everton get a sugar daddy owner - they are a big club in a football mad city, that just need that decent investment to make them real challengers. Football in england is dying a bit every season with the lack of real competition and new challengers to the table, and if clubs like everton, sunderland and (god forbid) villa got wealthy owners willing to invest substantial money, then the league would become all the better for it imo

I agree, in principle, but as soon as the 'sugar daddy' takes over, it feels as though the club loses a massive part of its identity.

It would be fun to see new clubs pushing for the title in their current business model (much like when Southampton were still up there at Christmas), but when you know a billionaire is taking over and that they are just going to throw money at the title, it takes all the fun out of it - because it's an inevitably, and the culture of the club changes.

To me, Man City feels sterile and completely soulless since their takeover. Formerly in United's shadow, they felt like the plucky underdog, and I often found myself empathising with their fans. But since the Sheikh took over, it just feels like a brand new club (much like New York City FC, which they've also just invented). The players aren't there because it's Man City, they're there because it's a good payday and they might challenge for the title. All fine and dandy as a business model, but it's clearly not the same Man City that it used to be. The club essentially reinvented itself and started over again in 2008, and it just so happens to have the same name as the club that used to play at Maine Road.

So yes, by all means let's have Everton and Sunderland (or anyone else) challenging for the title to freshen things up, but if it's just going to be 20 clubs throwing money all over the place and forfeiting their identity, then I'd rather just keep things as they are.

The problem with "keeping things as they are" is that it is a system that isn't working because the chavs and citeeh are blowing everyone else out of the water with their financial muscle - if you rid ALL clubs of sugar daddy's then I would totally support your idea because it might bring the game back to the people, but if we are to have two mega wealthy clubs then I think that we should have all 20 that way

Yeah, what he said ^^^

I don't particularly want Ushmanov running the club in the way that the arabs do with Citeh or Abramovic at Chelsea, but I do think that it ia wrong that such a large shareholder has no say in the club at all. They could easily let him through the door and use some of his cash to help us compete without signing over their souls.

[officepest]

As anyone with half a brain realised it was legally unenforceable from the start and I'm sure a little word from PSG's lawyers together with Man City's and numerous others have sent UEFA running to the hills

At least it will allow TO1AW to continue to justify the beloved 4th fourth place trophy as those nasty rich kids from the Bridge and the Etihad buy up all the best players, boo hoo

The biggest shock since George Michael came out or water was found to be wet. What a total fuck-pouch Wenger looks now after years of banging this particular drum.

Ready-made excuses at the ready for the next decade at least now.

[markyp]

can someone remind Le Cock that we moved to a bigger stadium to compete with the worlds best,we have £140m in the bank more than 99% of other clubs worldwide,why the fuck does he always plead poverty,its a fucking joke,whats more if it really is 'breadline britain' at the emirares take a pay cut and inject it back into the team.it annoys the fuck out of me because we are in a privelidged position compared to most yet Wenkerr still insists on living on rations,we can be a Chelsea or city and beat FFP,the war is over Arsene,spend some money!!!!

[Perryashburtongroves]

This was a daft idea that was half-heartedly put in place by UEFA because they had to be seen to be doing something. They didn't give a shit about it, neither did the clubs and now they have abandoned it. The Arsenal board and Wanker were the only people who kept going on about it because it was the perfect cover for their utter stupidity, complete mismanagement, totally dereliction of duty in the transfer market and all round idiocy. If they truly believed in it and based a whole long-term plan around it, then they should all be sacked for gross incompetence.

[VoiceOfReason]

I would love to see a club like everton get a sugar daddy owner - they are a big club in a football mad city, that just need that decent investment to make them real challengers. Football in england is dying a bit every season with the lack of real competition and new challengers to the table, and if clubs like everton, sunderland and (god forbid) villa got wealthy owners willing to invest substantial money, then the league would become all the better for it imo

I agree, in principle, but as soon as the 'sugar daddy' takes over, it feels as though the club loses a massive part of its identity.

It would be fun to see new clubs pushing for the title in their current business model (much like when Southampton were still up there at Christmas), but when you know a billionaire is taking over and that they are just going to throw money at the title, it takes all the fun out of it - because it's an inevitably, and the culture of the club changes.

To me, Man City feels sterile and completely soulless since their takeover. Formerly in United's shadow, they felt like the plucky underdog, and I often found myself empathising with their fans. But since the Sheikh took over, it just feels like a brand new club (much like New York City FC, which they've also just invented). The players aren't there because it's Man City, they're there because it's a good payday and they might challenge for the title. All fine and dandy as a business model, but it's clearly not the same Man City that it used to be. The club essentially reinvented itself and started over again in 2008, and it just so happens to have the same name as the club that used to play at Maine Road.

So yes, by all means let's have Everton and Sunderland (or anyone else) challenging for the title to freshen things up, but if it's just going to be 20 clubs throwing money all over the place and forfeiting their identity, then I'd rather just keep things as they are.

The problem with "keeping things as they are" is that it is a system that isn't working because the chavs and citeeh are blowing everyone else out of the water with their financial muscle - if you rid ALL clubs of sugar daddy's then I would totally support your idea because it might bring the game back to the people, but if we are to have two mega wealthy clubs then I think that we should have all 20 that way

Yeah, what he said ^^^

I do agree with Augie on this actually - you either need all Premier League clubs with significant investment, or none at all.

I think my "Keep things as they are" comment was due to the fact that although Chelsea and Man City do have the most money - and that they are finishing top two this season - I don't feel they're ahead of the chasing pack by very much at all. In fact, they're quite easily catchable, and definitely beatable on any given day.

I'm not going to retread an age-old debate about Wenger using his money more wisely, but I do feel that - even with the billionaires at Chelsea and Man City - we, and several other clubs, should be able to compete with them without having to resort to investment.

[OneBardGooner]

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/32784375

Michel Platini has announced that FFP is to be phased out after PSG complained it wasn't fair !
We always knew it wouldn't be enforceable but this confirms its dead.
Wonder what the Arsenal board will make of this surprising outcome !

One thing it means that clueless wenger now has another excuse he can drag out when our team don't turn up.....

[OneBardGooner]

I would love to see a club like everton get a sugar daddy owner - they are a big club in a football mad city, that just need that decent investment to make them real challengers. Football in england is dying a bit every season with the lack of real competition and new challengers to the table, and if clubs like everton, sunderland and (god forbid) villa got wealthy owners willing to invest substantial money, then the league would become all the better for it imo

I agree, in principle, but as soon as the 'sugar daddy' takes over, it feels as though the club loses a massive part of its identity.

It would be fun to see new clubs pushing for the title in their current business model (much like when Southampton were still up there at Christmas), but when you know a billionaire is taking over and that they are just going to throw money at the title, it takes all the fun out of it - because it's an inevitably, and the culture of the club changes.

To me, Man City feels sterile and completely soulless since their takeover. Formerly in United's shadow, they felt like the plucky underdog, and I often found myself empathising with their fans. But since the Sheikh took over, it just feels like a brand new club (much like New York City FC, which they've also just invented). The players aren't there because it's Man City, they're there because it's a good payday and they might challenge for the title. All fine and dandy as a business model, but it's clearly not the same Man City that it used to be. The club essentially reinvented itself and started over again in 2008, and it just so happens to have the same name as the club that used to play at Maine Road.

So yes, by all means let's have Everton and Sunderland (or anyone else) challenging for the title to freshen things up, but if it's just going to be 20 clubs throwing money all over the place and forfeiting their identity, then I'd rather just keep things as they are.

The problem with "keeping things as they are" is that it is a system that isn't working because the chavs and citeeh are blowing everyone else out of the water with their financial muscle - if you rid ALL clubs of sugar daddy's then I would totally support your idea because it might bring the game back to the people, but if we are to have two mega wealthy clubs then I think that we should have all 20 that way

Yeah, what he said ^^^

I do agree with Augie on this actually - you either need all Premier League clubs with significant investment, or none at all.

I think my "Keep things as they are" comment was due to the fact that although Chelsea and Man City do have the most money - and that they are finishing top two this season - I don't feel they're ahead of the chasing pack by very much at all. In fact, they're quite easily catchable, and definitely beatable on any given day.

I'm not going to retread an age-old debate about Wenger using his money more wisely, but I do feel that - even with the billionaires at Chelsea and Man City - we, and several other clubs, should be able to compete with them without having to resort to investment.

But that's just it they don't.

If our board were to allow Usmanov through the door he would buy us anyone the manager asked for....I can just see Messi in an Arsenal shirt playing along side Joe Cole.

[olgitgooner]

Agree it was never going to work. Legal eagles would see to that.

A simple rule on wages would be good. A maximum wage of, say £100,000 a week would mean that players would sign for clubs they actually wanted to play for, rather than a club that paid £1,000,000 a week. And would fuck up your chelsea and manc clubs.

Personally, I wouldn't get out of bed for less than £100,000 a week. But there you go

[Clash]

The only people from any football club I ever heard getting the horn about FFP was dear old Ivan and Arsene. Selling the future based on a rule that was never going to work or be properly enforceable was idiotic from both of them, especially Mr. Economics himself. Wonder what the back up plan is?

Yeah after a few years of fobbing us off and telling us to be patient while they wait for the FFP to kick in ... I wonder how long it will now take before Wenger's selective memory kicks in and he comes out to tell us that he knew all along that FFP wouldn't work

However, if he really was convinced about it then I hope this drives him out of the game for good. He can go back to being a farmer with his fcuking horses.

[DB10GOONER]

Agree it was never going to work. Legal eagles would see to that.

A simple rule on wages would be good. A maximum wage of, say £100,000 a week would mean that players would sign for clubs they actually wanted to play for, rather than a club that paid £1,000,000 a week. And would fuck up your chelsea and manc clubs.

Personally, I can't get out of bed without my home helper. But there you go