Has money ‘dispatched’ the sport out of football?
‘I disagree with people when they say football is a sport. When the Sky (TV) money came in, that changed. Football is a business’. The recent admission from the former Manchester United and England captain Bryan Robson during an undercover meeting may have come as a shock to some, but to most, isn’t it something we already knew ?
For those who don’t know, or didn’t see the program, Channel 4’s ‘Dispatches’ documentary recently went undercover, posing as wealthy businessmen on the look-out to buy an English club. They met a group in Thailand, which Bryan Robson was a part of, and openly discussed the possibility of buying two clubs (which is illegal) and how they would circumnavigate the laws to achieve this. Robson was secretly filmed discussing this in the meeting, and openly talking about how his links to a certain Premier League club and other managers, would help call in ‘favours’ and loans, to build-up their newly acquired teams. They also stated they were not in it for the long-term – just looking to buy the club’s cheap, gain promotion, make a massive profit, then get out. It was when queried on the moral issues surrounding such a takeover that Robson gave the above statement.
Are many of us still naive to think that the people who invest billions into our clubs will not want the maximum return possible out of their investments, and do everything they can in trying to achieve such things? That is exactly how the business world works. However, we are talking about football – a sport. Our ‘beautiful game’ that means so much to so many, world-wide. To have our beloved club’s bandied around like toys by these rich businessmen, is not a nice thought for any passionate supporter.
Of course, the huge money invested in today’s football has changed many things for the better. The way the sport is brought to us (so-called ‘expert’ pundits aside), seemingly 24 hours a day through every kind of media possible. Clubs have better stadiums, better training facilities, better injury care, the list goes on and on. But is the most important thing any better; the actual football? Sky TV would have you believe so, but that’s another debate.
Utilising loopholes and creating deals to advance is nothing new and has been going on for years within football clubs. The difference today is that the clubs are now viewed as businesses – loopholes and deals are now used with the end purpose of creating the maximum profit; the business philosophy. Not for the end purpose of trying to make the club the best it can be; the sporting philosophy. With such large amounts of money available in the game, many an individual’s integrity is put to this test. The power to ‘influence’ sporting decisions (illegal or otherwise) has been around for some time, but in today’s game nothing attains influence greater than money.
Whilst Robson’s opinion may well be right, looking to underhandedly capitalise on the sorry state of affairs and cash-in, is disgraceful. Two wrongs don’t make a right eh Bryan?
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The FA PL UEFA and FIFA,fleece billions out of football, they are supposed to sanction clubs, police them and scrutinize every deal, transfer and action all football clubs transactions in accordance with their respective rules. That’s what they demand, but we’ve had Portsmouth and now Birmingham slipping through the net. Notts County and Boston, Maidstone United have either gone bust or damned near it, yet the moment new legislation is bought in, Manchester City flaunt the rules in an instant, surely these supposed governing bodies can employ decent legal minds and more diligent investigators to look into potential club purchses and who exactly are behind them BEFORE any transfer of ownership takes place?. Mind you the FA couldn’t even get the pitch right, and as for FIFA?, Yeah..that’s what I thought!
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StevieBlue Reply:
July 20th, 2011 at 7:58 pm
In reply to your missive, how City have ‘flaunted’ the rules? Do you have evidence of this, as I see it the powers that be have been working openly with UEFA. The plans in place are not just for the ground and shirt deal, but also a virtual rebuild of a desolate and run down part of Manchester. Don’t believe everything you read in the papers and other media as most have an anti City bias. Let’s start on some easier ones for you, United were bought on debt, and will spend years servicing that debt! Liverpool were bought in exactly the same way before being taken over by another yank. Would you rather have a club in mega debt, or a club building and helping the community?
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essexian76 Reply:
July 21st, 2011 at 12:01 am
OK for starters, the principle was that clubs had to live within their means, which is what comes in through merchandising gates etc, would be off set against transfers, in plain English, a workable profit and loss. City have been given a massive cash injection by their owners to redress their losses for naming a stadium. They’ve exploited a loophole legally, but a loophole nevertheless, which is what I meant by getting the best legal minds to prevent bigger clubs exploiting and going against the ethic of that legislation. It’s more a dig at the authorities than it is City BTW, But I bet you by the time Spurs or Liverpool get around to building their stadia, that particular loophole will be closed!
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Great point stevie! Not a city fan but people need to read the facts first before pretending to be experts
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essexian76 Reply:
July 21st, 2011 at 12:05 am
Ask any fan of the other clubs mentioned about ‘experts’, there are more teams going skint than those in profit, and 80% of those profits are used for salaries, unsustainable mate, and you don’t have to be an expert to understand that!
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gotta say; i have no problem with outside money coming into football…but what city are doing by “selling” the naming rights of their stadium for a vastly inflated price to *ahem* friendy investors…it is cheating under the rules that have been brought in & they are going to get in a lot of trouble over that.
but whatever…the rules are a joke & the governing bodies are 10 times more corript than any club.
those rules were brought in to hamper the premier league & english clubs are actually the most honestly run in world football. if other countries had the sort of press we do you’d be shocked at what was exposed.
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One way out of this vicious cycle of teams and multi-millionaires buying clubs using loand and then selling up after milking that club dry and saddling it with their loan is to turn Football clubs into “mutuals” just like the original non profit building societies. This would mean that every penny over wages and structures would be ploughed back into the c;lub. Not easy, though. Owners making big fat safe profits from loayal fans ticket money aren’t going to give up a cash cow withiout a fight. I am not quite sure how to get this revolution going. national petition quick! National petition? Any other ideas????
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essexian76 Reply:
July 21st, 2011 at 11:53 am
How can the owners be filching ‘huge profits’ when 80% of clubs profits are going out in wages, look at the wider picture, there are clubs in grave danger of going to the wall, this is throughout Europe. I wish fans would look at other clubs, than those small band who are owned by playboys with bugger all else to do with their money, they are the one’s largely responsible for this situation!
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