Premier League clubs are on the brink of making most revolutionary change since it was founded 32 years ago
PREMIER LEAGUE clubs are close to making the most revolutionary change since the competition was founded 32 years ago.
For the majority it may lead to leveling up.
Those who oppose the new measures are happy with the status quo which, in reality, amounts to protecting the rich.
I don’t blame them for wanting to maintain their competitive advantage, earned from being at the top and the humongous amounts of millions that come with being in the Champions League.
Having that financial advantage is bound to influence where you finish in the league and if you have influence, you never want to lose it.
The new proposal is that the spending of all 20 clubs should be anchored to the bottom side’s earnings from central Premier League revenue, made up mainly by broadcasting cash.
This provides competitive balance while supporting aspiration and sustainability. As last season’s lowest figure was the £103.6million Southampton pocketed, it appears very workable indeed in its application to wages, transfer fees and agents’ fees.
However, the players’ union has always been adamantly opposed to a “hard cap” on the wages of their members so there will be much negotiating before a Prem vote in June.
The proposal’s driving force is the concern of maintaining competitive balance. To wear the crown of Best League in the World we must maintain it.
We cannot let a bigger cliff edge form between a few clubs at the top and the rest.
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Our appeal is that each game is exciting and entertaining and unpredictable.
Who would have predicted Bournemouth to beat Manchester United 3-0 in December? Or that Everton, after a turbulent season, would defeat Liverpool 2-0?
Most TV football fans, grannies, little lads and Prince William, too, know that most seasons the league champions are likely to be Manchester City, Liverpool or Arsenal . . . but there’s pressure from United, Chelsea, Newcastle, Aston Villa, West Ham and Tottenham.
It’s the competitiveness at both ends of our table that ensure the Prem is the most watched league in the world — and that needs protecting.
We do not want to replicate the German Bundesliga or Italy’s Serie A — where there is a 24-point gap between top spot and third.
And frankly, the proposed cap is so high I would be staggered if it is reached!
Most clubs believe anything that can slow down spending on players and agents makes clubs more sustainable — and that is a good thing.