[Archived] Levelling The Playing Field

[ABBEY]

The NFL has the answer for the future of football....its called wage caps and the draft system...?

ok its been mentioned a few times on here and ive asked the question back and noone has answered...how would it work..92 clubs? who would pay the wages at for eg accy stanley for the next ronaldo or rooney? who would get 1st pick? and where in gods name would the youngsters come from?

[Stuart]

Although there's not a cat in hells chance it'd ever happen, I would like to see a 1% 'tax' on all 92 clubs gate receipts going to the FA.

They in turn redistribute the 100% gathered in back as 1% to each club in 92 equal measures, with the remaining 8% going to grassroots football (less a few quid for expenses and admin).

I'd reckon there'd probably be 70+ clear gains, maybe a dozen more or less even, and just the megarich with huge gates and/or overinflated gate prices losing out.

It cannot be right that clubs are on the brink of extinction for the sake of 1 premiership player's wages for a fortnight or about 1/4 of the gate receipts of a single Chelsea match.

I like that idea. But like any business, wouldn't this just be passed on to the paying punters in the price of the ticket though?

But thinking it through, it's still only 1% of a ticket so between 30p and 50p I imagine (or 12p for Rovers fans!). Certainly gives those clubs at the lower end a boost though.

[roversmum]

They as good as admitted systematic bias when the threat was made that Ferguson would no longer got favourable treatment from refs at OT after his rant against Wiley.

Somebody forgot to tell the twerp who refereed our match on Saturday - Dowd wasn't it?

[Rover Down Under]

It wouldn't happen, though, Rover Down Under. If the tickets weren't sold they would simply sell them to the home fans (the clubs would ask for the unsold tickets to be returned as they often do anyway) and wouldn't even notice that we were not there

I considered that too, but not all these clubs can even sell their home allocation and even if a couple of away fans turned up (as they inevitably would) there would still be a, largely empty, segregated area for the away fans. Also, at least it would be the Big 4 fans getting ripped off instead of fans of the lesser 16 who generally come from less affluent areas - and yes I know Man U and L'pool are up north but their fans are largely from the home counties.

I like the 1% tax idea, that's a cracker, redistribution of wealth occurs in our unequal society already, why not in the unequal world of the football league(s)?

And yes Phil, the refs are biased and the Big 4 benefit from it hugely. Video replays are the answer but won't be introduced becuase the FA need to protect the Big 4 monoply. What would the league table look like if all those dodgy decisions and protection were not afforded to the Big 4?

[thenodrog]

Take it a step further and if instead of favouring the Big 4, refereeing bias was actually against the Big 4, they'd still be top but the table would be a whole lot more competitive than it is now.

This is something that can be sorted by simple agreement between the FA, PL and refs without involving UEFA and FIFA and be implemented immediately.

Referees need to be impartial not biased either way. Viddy evidence could sort that.

[Steve Moss]

What would the league table look like if all those dodgy decisions and protection were not afforded to the Big 4?

A former EPL ref, Jeff Winter, has a "League of Injustice Table" which purports to correct for poor ref decisions. If he's got it right we'd be 11th.

http://www.jeffwinterentertainmentandmedia.co.uk/loi/0910000i.php

[Gamst]

I have been toying with the idea of boycotting sky for some time, but I just cannot get myself to do it! Everytime I see Phil Thompson commenting on Liverpool I cringe, but Im still compelled to watch their biased tripe. Sky have my soul (and my money).

[neekoy]

ok its been mentioned a few times on here and ive asked the question back and noone has answered...how would it work..92 clubs? who would pay the wages at for eg accy stanley for the next ronaldo or rooney? who would get 1st pick? and where in gods name would the youngsters come from?

I am with you Abs, unless they want to freeze the Premier League in with line with Mr Collymore's thoughts, this wouldn't work.

The conference teams would end up with first picks of a 34,000 player draft and have to trade their first 162 round picks before finding a player that would fit into their salary budgets.

Referees need to be impartial not biased either way. Viddy evidence could sort that.

Viddy evidence still means you have a ref in a box who makes the decision, as long as you have human influence you will have ###### decisions. Look at the video referee in League, worst decision in history.

The only two decisions worthy of video replay is crossing the goal line and offside (the little line they draw)

EDIT: And post match red cards for diving

[dannydisco]

I think the problem is caused by the exclusive virtuous revenues received by the same old big four year in year out. It's refreshing to see City mixing it up and ponder what negative impact this will have on the big 4 hopefully soon.

The League Cup should have a huge cash prize, say £100 million. Each season, the current Champions League qualifiers along with the defending winners of the league cup should not be eligible to enter. The tournament would need a markting transformation on a par with when Div 1 became the Prem and in an even more ideal world, be broadcast on terrestrial TV instead of x-factor in the winter months.

[ultrablue]

Further to the lessons from NFL we can learn, a draft system for england is nonsense - where are the young players supposed to come from? Do clubs train them up at their academies just for them to be arbitarily removed at say, 18, and put into a big pot for other teams to pick from? Clubs aren't going to like that, so who fills in the role?

[TimmyJimmy]

A draft system cannot work, neither can a wage cap system. How's this for an idea??

A 'committe' of whoever sit down each season and award marks/rankings to each player worldwide. A cap is set as to the highest player points total a club can field at one time.

Doesn't contravene any laws and is enforceable as a condition of competition.

Say Messi merits top marks, say 200 and Julie gets a few less say 10 other palyers are mmmm 30 each so a game cap of 480 points means we could play Messi in our line up but to change Andrews for Ronaldo (mmm 199) blows the limit and we can't line up that way (even though we have Ronaldo on our books).

Simple system that stops Chelsea buying the best 11 players in the world and playing them all at once. Brings the skill of team selection back into game.

Bring on the revolution

[CrazyIvan]

Referees need to be impartial not biased either way. Viddy evidence could sort that.

Agreed. The only way you could do this is with each side being given the chance of appeal, maybe 2 times a half, and if they lose one they lose both for the half. The other thing I seriously think would be a good idea is if the ref is given the option to get a '4th' opinion if he isn't completely sure (like rugby and cricket decisions). With the technology now it would take seconds and most times, when the decision is needed, play is stopped anyway. for those when play continues they call play back for fouls when advantage isn't forthcoming so calling back play a few seconds after if a decision is wrong (appealed or the ref has referred it because he isn't sure by hitting a button or saying something over his radio) isn't a big deal. Yes, this would need to be implemented at the highest levels first and 'trickle-down' isn't going to happen to all the leagues but that doesn't happen in cricket or rugby either...

[thenodrog]

Isn't a half-arsed system of video refereeing in place now? They all have ear pieces linked to the 4th official and the 4th official has the benefit of instant replays. I'm sure that this must be how it must work when one of the top 4 clubs is playing.

Incidentally am I being paranoid or is it down to coincidence that now Lpool are mid table they get two players sent off at the ground of a small club?

[American]

Better revenue sharing. Look at MLB as an example - gate revenues: 2/3 to the home team, 1/3 to the away team. They do equal sharing of all merchandise revenue (I'd change that a little, as it doesn't provide incentive for smaller clubs to sign name players, maybe 1/3 stays in their coffers and 2/3 gets put in a league pot). Luxury tax: cap the squad at 25 and if you spend over x amount in wages, you have to put that same amount in a pot to be shared by those who don't. Any major injury crises have to be filled by youth team players under 18.

Also, has been mentioned before, but league CHAMPION goes into the Champions League, cup winners go into cup winners cup. One additional spot for the prior seasons winners, even if they don't qualify winning one of the above. They at least started in the right direction this season by putting the league champions into one pot and the also rans into another for the qualifying round of the CL.

[T4E]

Just.... we could be playing in Scotland.

We'd be in the Champions League every year if we were.

[Bob the Builder]

How about a wage cap for anyone entering the Champions League, say 80 Million Euros per team. You wouldn't need to police every league in europe just audit every champions league entrants. Would of thought some of the foreign/American owners would be fairly keen on the idea as they are probably motivated by making money not the love of there team, don't suppose the big spanish teams would be so keen though.

[S15]

I think the easiest way to even things out would be to limit the number of transfers allowed my each club per window. For example, only two or three permanent signings allowed per window, and one loan. it wouldn't have to be specifically those numbers, but you get the idea. It would actually make the big clubs think twice about signing players we've lost over the last few years, such as Bentley, Bellamy, Santa Cruz, Duff et all, all have all been signed as part of mass makeovers by clubs over summer periods.

Such a limitation would massively improve the chances of those players staying, giving clubs like Rovers a chance to compete at the top end of the table, can you imagine our team had we have kept all our top players over the last 5 or 6 years? Do you think Hughes would have left us for City had these limitations been in place?

i think this idea could work, and benefit all clubs as a result.

[T4E]

Such a limitation would massively improve the chances of those players staying, giving clubs like Rovers a chance to compete at the top end of the table, can you imagine our team had we have kept all our top players over the last 5 or 6 years? Do you think Hughes would have left us for City had these limitations been in place?

Would we have been able to sign all those good players if it wasn't for selling and making profits on those that came before them?

[S15]

I think the easiest way to even things out would be to limit the number of transfers allowed my each club per window. For example, only two or three permanent signings allowed per window, and one loan. it wouldn't have to be specifically those numbers, but you get the idea. It would actually make the big clubs think twice about signing players we've lost over the last few years, such as Bentley, Bellamy, Santa Cruz, Duff et all, all have all been signed as part of mass makeovers by clubs over summer periods.

Such a limitation would massively improve the chances of those players staying, giving clubs like Rovers a chance to compete at the top end of the table, can you imagine our team had we have kept all our top players over the last 5 or 6 years? Do you think Hughes would have left us for City had these limitations been in place?

i think this idea could work, and benefit all clubs as a result.

[thenodrog]

Would we have been able to sign all those good players if it wasn't for selling and making profits on those that came before them?

Possibly but only if Jack were still around. Even so current football finances would have even outstripped his backing.

[thenodrog]

I think the easiest way to even things out would be to limit the number of transfers allowed my each club per window.

A limit on squad numbers to 24 professionals should be the first step. The public are being cheated by not seeing many top players playing but instead warming the benches and stand seats of the big boys. Lpool did not but Bellamy to play him,they bought him to stop anyone else having him. Similarly with Bentley. Arsenal, MU, Lpool, Chelsea and now City have players warming their benches who should be plying their trade elsewhere and raising the standard of the opposition and division all round. Best and easiest way to 'level the playing field' imo. The big clubs would still have the best players but the gap would be narrowed and the overall standard of the Prem raised.

[S15]

I think the easiest way to even things out would be to limit the number of transfers allowed my each club per window. For example, only two or three permanent signings allowed per window, and one loan. it wouldn't have to be specifically those numbers, but you get the idea. It would actually make the big clubs think twice about signing players we've lost over the last few years, such as Bentley, Bellamy, Santa Cruz, Duff et all, all have all been signed as part of mass makeovers by clubs over summer periods.

Such a limitation would massively improve the chances of those players staying, giving clubs like Rovers a chance to compete at the top end of the table, can you imagine our team had we have kept all our top players over the last 5 or 6 years? Do you think Hughes would have left us for City had these limitations been in place?

i think this idea could work, and benefit all clubs as a result.

[Majiball]

Are they not introducing a squad of 25 ala Spain here next season?

[ABBEY]

I think the easiest way to even things out would be to limit the number of transfers allowed my each club per window. For example, only two or three permanent signings allowed per window, and one loan. it wouldn't have to be specifically those numbers, but you get the idea. It would actually make the big clubs think twice about signing players we've lost over the last few years, such as Bentley, Bellamy, Santa Cruz, Duff et all, all have all been signed as part of mass makeovers by clubs over summer periods.

Such a limitation would massively improve the chances of those players staying, giving clubs like Rovers a chance to compete at the top end of the table, can you imagine our team had we have kept all our top players over the last 5 or 6 years? Do you think Hughes would have left us for City had these limitations been in place?

i think this idea could work, and benefit all clubs as a result.

it could but it would also double,treble or quadruple transfer fees..i cant see turkeys voting for crimbo.

[thenodrog]

Are they not introducing a squad of 25 ala Spain here next season?

Dunno. If so I'd like to think its a case of great minds thinking alike.