FA to impose salary cap on top flight

[Dirk Gently]

the English FA has insisted that the top flight league must have cost controls on player salaries in order to keep clubs sustainable :

http://www.thefa.com/~/media/809201FB3DA547428AFD08EDD25A786F.ashx/Super%20League%20brochure.pdf?dl=1

[readingbedding]

Exodus.

Personally I don't care if the players' wages are capped or not.

The game is bigger than all of this.

A pdf of the Woman's Super League's not going to help things.

[Dirk Gently]

Huh???

[Compo's Hat]

Women's football is dire, you'd have to pay me to watch it.

More players will just end up going to America now.

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

Couple for the old oxf*rd bank in there.

One of DIrk's better posts imo.

[RG30]

Women's football is dire, you'd have to pay me to watch it.

Can't agree mate. I'm currently in the 3rd week of a 6 week placement at Leeds Carnegie Women's football team and after the all the weather problems, I finally saw them train for the first time this week and I was plesantly surprised by the quality. Leeds themselves had 8 players on a training camp in La Manga last week with the England squad. Because of the weather problems I haven't had an opportunity to see in a 90 minute match but from the level of coaching they recieved (the manager has the highest level of coaching badges available) and the technical quality shown on the one training session suggests it isn't that bad.

[TheMaraudingDog]

You only have to watch 5 minutes of an international match to realise that its shite.

[Terminal Boardom]

Calling Ark Royal! I am sure he will have something to say about the shit being spouted on here!

[Barry the bird boggler]

Like this is ever going to happen

[Ian Royal]

It's only less good than the mens game because the infrastructure and interest isn't in place to give the women the same training and opportunities as the men and there are a far smaller pool of players.

[RG30]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/women/8479948.stm

Leeds Carnegie have stunned the women's football world by turning their back on the chance to join the Football Association's new Super League.

With seven players in the current England squad, Leeds were seen as one of the leading contenders for one of the eight places in the league.

But they have withdrawn their bid, a move that has left players distraught and that could possibly lead to the eventual folding of the club.

Leeds Metropolitan University, who took over the running of the club following its split from Leeds United two years ago, have cited financial reasons.

"The University cannot commit to the substantial increase in budgets proposed under plans for Super League," read its statement.

Original estimates of annual running costs for Super League clubs were around £140,000, with the FA supplying up to half the funding.

But clubs have since been told that player salaries will be an additional costing and it is now though that annual budgets could run nearer to £250,000.

Leeds' decision has come as a blow to the FA though they are not short of bids for founder membership of the new league, which is set to start next year.

FA spokesman Johann Alexander said: "It's disappointing that Leeds have withdrawn their bid, but we have another 15 clubs interested and the process goes on."

While the bidding process goes on, Leeds Carnegie may not survive as a club beyond the current Premier League campaign.

Leeds Met spokesperson Helen Goodwin said: "A decision will be made in due course about the support of the club."

The players will meanwhile stay loyal, hopes manager Rick Passmoor, though it's likely that in the summer several will leave for clubs that join the Super League.

The withdrawal of the Super League bid has hit player morale at a crucial time, with Leeds set to meet Everton in the Premier League Cup final on 11 February.

But Passmoor said: "I've told the girls I want them to stick together for the rest of the season, win the League Cup and go out with a bang."

[TheMaraudingDog]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/women/8479948.stm

Leeds Carnegie have stunned the women's football world by turning their back on the chance to join the Football Association's new Super League.

With seven players in the current England squad, Leeds were seen as one of the leading contenders for one of the eight places in the league.

But they have withdrawn their bid, a move that has left players distraught and that could possibly lead to the eventual folding of the club.

Leeds Metropolitan University, who took over the running of the club following its split from Leeds United two years ago, have cited financial reasons.

"The University cannot commit to the substantial increase in budgets proposed under plans for Super League," read its statement.

Original estimates of annual running costs for Super League clubs were around £140,000, with the FA supplying up to half the funding.

But clubs have since been told that player salaries will be an additional costing and it is now though that annual budgets could run nearer to £250,000.

Leeds' decision has come as a blow to the FA though they are not short of bids for founder membership of the new league, which is set to start next year.

FA spokesman Johann Alexander said: "It's disappointing that Leeds have withdrawn their bid, but we have another 15 clubs interested and the process goes on."

While the bidding process goes on, Leeds Carnegie may not survive as a club beyond the current Premier League campaign.

Leeds Met spokesperson Helen Goodwin said: "A decision will be made in due course about the support of the club."

The players will meanwhile stay loyal, hopes manager Rick Passmoor, though it's likely that in the summer several will leave for clubs that join the Super League.

The withdrawal of the Super League bid has hit player morale at a crucial time, with Leeds set to meet Everton in the Premier League Cup final on 11 February.

But Passmoor said: "I've told the girls I want them to stick together for the rest of the season, win the League Cup and go out with a bang."

Shouldn't that be in general sport? Or anything else probs?

[Mr Angry]

How does talking about Womens football (as worthy as it is) have any relevance to a salary cap in the Premier League?

Back on topic; the idea of a salary cap will be very difficult to impose UNLESS it is EU-wide, and even then I would imagine that an individual player who is excluded from a team because of said cap would have a very good case at the European Court of Human Rights for a restraint of trade.

Even assume that a salary cap is imposed and enforced, you can guarantee that there will be any number of loopholes that could be exploited (from payments to 3rd parties such as agents, or even "donations" to a an individual player's offshore "football foundation" that then pays that amount to the player as a "consultant").

The only way football will get its collective financial book in order is if TV stops pouring the vast amounts of money into the pockets of players and agents.

[AF2]

How does talking about Womens football (as worthy as it is) have any relevance to a salary cap in the Premier League?

Back on topic; the idea of a salary cap will be very difficult to impose UNLESS it is EU-wide, and even then I would imagine that an individual player who is excluded from a team because of said cap would have a very good case at the European Court of Human Rights for a restraint of trade.

Even assume that a salary cap is imposed and enforced, you can guarantee that there will be any number of loopholes that could be exploited (from payments to 3rd parties such as agents, or even "donations" to a an individual player's offshore "football foundation" that then pays that amount to the player as a "consultant").

The only way football will get its collective financial book in order is if TV stops pouring the vast amounts of money into the pockets of players and agents.

[No Fixed Abode]

Women's football is dire, you'd have to pay me to watch it.

Thought you renewed your Reading season ticket?

[Tails]

How does talking about Womens football (as worthy as it is) have any relevance to a salary cap in the Premier League?

Back on topic; the idea of a salary cap will be very difficult to impose UNLESS it is EU-wide, and even then I would imagine that an individual player who is excluded from a team because of said cap would have a very good case at the European Court of Human Rights for a restraint of trade.

Even assume that a salary cap is imposed and enforced, you can guarantee that there will be any number of loopholes that could be exploited (from payments to 3rd parties such as agents, or even "donations" to a an individual player's offshore "football foundation" that then pays that amount to the player as a "consultant").

The only way football will get its collective financial book in order is if TV stops pouring the vast amounts of money into the pockets of players and agents.

Not sure why you'd think that having a EU-wide salary cap would make it easier to impose - I can think of Rugby Union as being an example of the English being able to impose a salary cap without the need for others to follow suit.

[Mr Angry]

Because the top clubs will feel that they are losing out to our European neighbours if the cap isn't EU-wide and have the clout to face it down.

And the PL will back them over the FA. After all, what punishment can the FA impose? Not being allowed into the Champions League? Hmmmmm.....I'm sure that UEFA and the sponsors who fork out Sqillions would be perfectly happy to accept West Brom and Blackpool rather than Man Utd and Chelsea!

(And don't forget that the PL have a lot more power in English football than the Premiership has in English rugby.)