Although Nottingham Forest and Everton’s heads are currently on the block because of Financial Fair Play issues, Chelsea could be one of the next teams in the firing line if, as one financial expert believes, the floodgates will open.
For the Toffees, another points deduction would almost certainly condemn them to relegation into the Championship.
That precise scenario is likely to lead to their administration – and further punishment – according to former super agent, Jon Smith, when speaking to CaughtOffside for his exclusive column.
Forest too would surely find it difficult to haul themselves up from such a punishment.
Man City’s case will eventually be heard and that could change the face of football if they’re found guilty of any charges, whilst Goal speculate that Chelsea’s £1bn+ spend over the past few transfer windows is likely to see the authorities take a closer look at their books in due course.
Other clubs may well find themselves at the heart of future proceedings too.
“Going forwards, it seems certain that if charges against breaching clubs are upheld, the floodgates will open and there will be a deluge of related legal claims, as rival clubs that consider that they have suffered losses come out of the woodwork,” Simon Leaf, a sports lawyer at Mishcon de Reya, told inews.
“Such losses could include anything from lost revenue from commercial partners, prize money from the league and even lost titles.”
It could be a Doomsday scenario for many, though the depth of issues to unravel is unlikely to see a quick resolution.
Any probes into club finances will have to be forensic in nature, meaning it could be years before other Premier League outfits are brought to book.
Richard Masters, through a mixture of arrogance and gross incompetence, has opened Pandora’s box. His actions risk killing the goose that lays the golden eggs .
The premier league commands a world wide audience, but it becomes a lot less attractive, if it becomes a competition amongst a handful of a protected cartel. Just to note, spurs one of the “big ” six, has been unable to win their own domestic championship in over 63 years.
From what has transpired the FFP debacle, the spotlight should now turn on Masters. The question is, is he a fit and proper person to be head of the PL.
The PL as it stands is on the verge of a massive collapse. The way to head this off is for all PL clubs to threaten a break away league and set the current PL hierarchy adrift as hapless yesterday’s men.
The game’s in a dreadful mess. It’s quite true that the Championship is bent out of shape by the parachute payments. Forest got promoted without one and are going to be relegated by diktat because they spent money to close the gap when they got up.
The same clubs you mention at the top of the Championship will in their turn be prevented from competing fairly once promoted, by rules which tie spending to commercial income. However, they will be protected to some extent by the very same parachute income which allows them to bully their way back up. A new promotee – like Forest two seasons ago – will be crucified by their current balance sheet, naking it impossible to compete financially in the Premiership without ‘overspending’ when ‘overspending’ gives you your only chance to compete.
Forget the twaddle about protecting the fans from irresponsible owners -Nottingham Forest are not facing any kind of existential threat from its owner, far from it. No, owners are not allowed to spend their own money unless it’s one of the ‘big’ clubs, such as Manchester City where anything goes.
The Premiership is a corrupt cabal run in the interests of five or six elite clubs who do what they like.