TheBrownBottle

I also suspect that football’s contract system would not survive a meeting with commercial and employment laws, nor would exorbitant release clauses get past punitive contract clauses laws. Why don’t we challenge those too? Let’s just have a free-for-all, and watch while unrestrained inflation destroys all but a handful of clubs. We’d be one of them, and it’s all about us - so who cares?

So it’s either a US-style system of caps or unfettered, unrestrained capitalism? Neither sounds like a positive outcome for football to me. But NDM is thinking of the money that will come his way, not the game.

I don’t want to see unrestrained spending in football - I don’t think FFP is a bad thing, I just don’t agree with how it’s been set up. I also don’t think NDM is a heroic figure - I think he’s a leech.

Did he bum them though? It’s important

I agree, but it’s just a prediction. I think Dummett and Karius will still be onboard next season, and Ritchie will if he stays as a coach

It’s a dilemma. I think Williamson is an all-round decent gadgie, but as a football fan I hate Franchise FC more than the Mackems as a club.

They aren’t private - which is what you stated. Its not really like reading tea leaves - sky money, premier league prize money, transfer deals, salaries, Champions league money, match day revenues, sponsorship deals - these are either already published or (in terms of matchday revenues) can be reasonably guessed at. Sure, there would be a deviation % … but an educated estimate would likely be pretty close.

It’s hard to see how we catch them tbh. The ‘market value’ sponsorship rules completely snooker us - if the club don’t challenge that, then we’re not likely to grow much beyond where we are at present (not taking into account something like a new stadium).

The club’s books aren’t private - this season’s accounts haven’t been published, but we know what they were for 21/22, we can make a pretty reasonable guess for what 22/23 look like (transfer fees and wages, prize money, TV money and sponsorship deals are all of public record), and so we can reasonably assume what this season’s books will end up showing. I don’t doubt that the club will spend money in January - but I don’t think it’ll be very much.

Agreed - I can’t think of anyone where we paid below market price for them (though of course some of them will now be worth a lot more than we paid for them)

If the FFP stuff is a negotiating gambit, then every other football club is run by the thickest cunts alive. Because if anyone will understand how true / likely it is, it is other clubs (who have to follow the same restrictions). The FFP stuff isn’t the club playing poker - the other players have already seen your hand. It is real

I’m happy to be wrong tbf - but my understanding has always been that it’s in the footballing year (23/24).

It was widely reported in the summer that the budget was between £75-100m. Loads said ‘that’s not the case - we’ll spend loads more than that’. We didn’t.

Spending in January won’t affect our summer budget

It’s amortised in the (football) financial year, not the calendar year, they won’t drop off in January; they’ll drop off in July. New sponsors will definitely help (though not adidas until next season)

Yeah, definitely. And 21/22 no longer being like a ball and chain - the Ashley damage goes next season.

Chelsea have spent crazy money mind. Enzo isn’t worth half that for me. Likewise Caicedo, Mudryk etc etc.

We ran up a £70m loss in 21/22 - that drops off FFP next year, but we’re still hampered by it. You’re right, we haven’t seen the books - but given that we spent £160m net last season on transfers, it’s likely that another (much smaller) loss was accrued. So this year we’re limited as to what sort of loss we can run - you can only run a loss of £105m over three years. I think that there will be money available - but not much. Getting knocked out of Europe before Xmas also likely wasn’t part of the plan.

It’s a fucking headache tbh mate - a pain in the arse to think about

A player is worth what a club is willing to pay. Man City were willing to pay £80m. I don’t foresee anyone paying £100m+ for Bruno (but then, we don’t have to sell him, either )

No, because money isn’t the problem - FFP is. The budget isn’t limited, our ability to spends it is. There is nothing we can keep until the summer - summer classes as next season for FFP purposes.

He can play CB too. Nee chance we can just go out and replace 10 players released on a free.

I would bet that Schar, Krafth, Lascelles, Dummett, Karius will all be offered one-year extensions at a minimum. Ritchie might if he’s a player / coach.

There’s no chance Bruno brings in £100m+. Man City agreed a £80m fee for Paqueta. That looks about right to me.

Hard to say - up to Howe and the club. I’m ok with anyone going if Eddie thinks it’s best for the club. No-one is irreplaceable.