An accusation often aimed at West Ham co-chairmen David Sullivan and David Gold is the amount of times they mention Financial Fair Play and the annual wage cap limit.
West Ham fans claim our chairman are the only ones to mention this regulation and as such see it is used as an excuse not to spend more.
First of all I need to say this: Name me any other Premier League chairmen who would answer fans questions on Twitter or do regular media interviews?
Sullivan appeared on Sky Sports News earlier this week in a frank and honest interview about transfers and he was also featured in a heart warming article about fans in the Daily Mail today. Our Chairmen are the most accessible in the Premier League – we at ClaretandHugh know that for a fact – they are unfailingly helpful whenever we approach them.
Premier League Chairmen like Daniel Levy and Mike Ashley are anonymous businessmen rarely giving interviews or engaging with their fans which may be a relief given that both give the impression of having had personality by-pass operations!
On FFP it simply isn’t true that no other club mentions it. We live so much in our West Ham bubble that we completely fail to notice when other clubs talk about it. Bournemouth chairman Jeff Mostyn, for example, has been quoted as saying he believes existing financial fair play rules are unfair and unsuitable for all clubs.
Chelsea and Southampton’s Chairmen have also condemned FFP in the past.
Chelsea’s chairman Bruce Buck says “The problem with FFP in essence is it goes a long way to preserving the status quo. One of the great things about football in this country, and many others, is if you are last in League Two you can still hope one day you will be in the Premier League. That is difficult, if not impossible, with FFP.”
Nicola Cortes, the former Southampton Chairman previously said: “It is wrong to call it ‘financial fair play’, it is financial regulation. Though we are a club that believes a lot of things are possible to close the gap in commercial income with a club like Manchester United will be virtually impossible.”
Whatever your view on the subject, the financial fair play rules have to be followed or we risk the risk of sanctions. Our Chairmen have invested over £50m of their own money to fund West Ham since 2010.
And had they not fetched into their on pockets this week, be assured that Sam Byram would have been an Everton player, regardless of Roberto Martinez’s comments that he wasn’t for them.
I would rather have chairmen who run our football club on a sustainable financial model than the boom and bust process we suffered under the Icelandics who bought our great club to its knees saddling us with over £100m of debt in the process.
if we were to get a slap on the wrist for spending 4-8 mill over the FPP and risk the charge or penalty of having to pay 600,000Euro’s or achieving top 6 or 4 its a no brainer.
I don’t blame them for mentioning it, however, what I don’t get is how Bournemouth a team that’s apparently well over the FFP have bought all these players in is it because in reality breaking the rules they can’t really do much? In my opinion I don’t agree with it FFP will only allow the richer clubs to get bigger and because of some failings at other clubs it seems like a lot of teams have been punished for this. If it was to be “fair” it would have to be worldwide and a cap on wages but that will never happen!
Dagenhamjohn, I think fines are a lot more that a few hundred thousand Euros. I have heard from what I’ve read they are in tens of millions. Sean, I have questioned the FFP but not because I disbelieve DS and DG but because nobody can seem to explain in simple terms what it means, how it works and what the punishments are. I did ask you guys if there was any way you could find out and explain on a blog but nothing happened. It would be a lot easier to have an informed discussion on the FFP if we had a good idea what we are talking about. I don’t understand for example how Newcastle can keep signing players like they’re going out of fashion without anyone mentioning FFP.
Hi not 100% sure but i think you will find Bournmouth have been fined because of the money they spent last season.. And ive heard of figures of £50,000 that some clubs have been fined.. But I do agree it punishes lower clubs and stops them improving their teams..
I trust the Daves, COYI
Man C were fined 42 million by UEFA for breaking FFP rules. This is one of the best blogs I’ve seen that answers some of the questions….
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3204630/Man-City-fined-42m-UEFA-year-ago-splashing-likes-Raheem-Sterling-Nicolas-Otamendi-happened-FFP.html
It’s not that the 2 Daves keep saying it,
The problem is the stats mad fans and others in our club talk about it all the time a player is mentioned,
Before we signed one player this year FFP was being talked about,
Yes let’s not break the law we don’t need to, every time a better player is available release someone who does not fit,
Simple one in one out
Jelavic out new man with long name in
JOB out ( no need to replace )
Cancel Jenkinson loan ( no need to replace )
No problem
+ 42. 🙂