Making the Premier League more competitive.

[relámpago blanco]

I have had an idea for a while to try and make it a bit more competitive.

 

They should cap the number of transfers a side is allowed to make per season dependant on position.

 

Teams who lose players because of a bosman will also be allowed 1 additional player per player released.

 

For example

 

Man U win the league. They are allowed 1 or 2 transfers excluding bosmans.

 

Bolton finish say 16th. They are allowed 8 transfers excluding bosmans.

 

Promoted teams allowed any number of signings.

 

Along the lines the NFL draft i.e. handicap the succesful teams.

[Happy Face]

Won't happen.

 

Completely undermines the saleability of the league in foreign territories which relies on the worlds best players being at the top 4 clubs.

 

Nice idea if we were as insular as Amercan sport is though.

 

The only rule change I want to see is the re-introduction of the offside rule.  It's demise is a travesty.

[relámpago blanco]

I know it won't happen and if it did it would have to be a Europe wide change.  I just think something along those lines is the only way you can guarantee positional changes at the top year on year. 

 

Blatter/Platini are going to do something to destroy the dominance of our league anyway though.  Cap on Foreign players probably.

[Swissmag]

I know it won't happen and if it did it would have to be a Europe wide change.  I just think something along those lines is the only way you can guarantee positional changes at the top year on year. 

 

Blatter/Platini are going to do something to destroy the dominance of our league anyway though.  Cap on Foreign players probably.

 

They didn't when the Italians or the Spaniards were on top... Blatter is a corrupt first grade wanker!

[Swissmag]

I know it won't happen and if it did it would have to be a Europe wide change.  I just think something along those lines is the only way you can guarantee positional changes at the top year on year. 

 

Blatter/Platini are going to do something to destroy the dominance of our league anyway though.  Cap on Foreign players probably.

 

Or did you mean the dominance within the league??? :-/

[relámpago blanco]

I know it won't happen and if it did it would have to be a Europe wide change.  I just think something along those lines is the only way you can guarantee positional changes at the top year on year. 

 

Blatter/Platini are going to do something to destroy the dominance of our league anyway though.  Cap on Foreign players probably.

 

They didn't when the Italians or the Spaniards were on top... Blatter is a corrupt first grade w******!

I thought he just hated the english.

[relámpago blanco]

I know it won't happen and if it did it would have to be a Europe wide change.  I just think something along those lines is the only way you can guarantee positional changes at the top year on year. 

 

Blatter/Platini are going to do something to destroy the dominance of our league anyway though.  Cap on Foreign players probably.

 

Or did you mean the dominance within the league??? :-/

Nah I mean't the league is on an other level to other leagues.

 

Financially, Popularity etc

 

I think if in the next few years we see all english finals again.  He'll definately do something.

[Guest guyb]

Everything would have to be Europe-wide to avoid a player drain but my solutions would be:-

 

1) Salary Cap.

 

This is the key. No more than 50% of a clubs turnover (including bonuses) could be spent on players wages. Anything over and above and you're hit with a points deduction depending on the size of the indiscretion (because fines don't hurt Man Utd and Chelsea). Seems to work in Rugby League and in the lower divisions. It will also stop the big 4 hoarding players like Saha and Sidwell just to stop other teams having them.

 

2) Player Draft

 

As the redistribution of money from the game isn't going to happen then there should be a form of "player draft". Every summer, each Premier League club would be forced to buy an English player under the age of 22 from a lower league team for a minimum fee of at least £500,000. As well as helping the lower league teams focus on bringing through english talent, £500k is a drop in the ocean to each PL team and it will create interest if the deals are all announced on the same day ala the US drafts. Youngsters would be more inclined to sign for the likes of Darlo and HPool if they thought that the Big 3 could come knocking for them in a couple of years.

 

3) Entrance Fees and Gate Receipts

 

Using the Sky TV Money, entrance prices to be pegged at £35 for the best seats and £20 for the worst on a sliding scale throughout the PL.

Dispensation made for Corporate Boxes etc because if you can afford one of those, then you can afford a bit extra anyway.

Maybe even revisit the rule of home clubs keeping 100% of the gate in order to help redistribution.

 

4) Europe

 

I also have a crazy idea that the Champions League be reformed into a straight knock-out cup between the champions of each league; the next three teams in a league go into another competition run by UEFA which could be another cup and the winners of a country's domestic cup competition would all go into their own knockout cup competition too. A kind of cup-winners cup if you like.

 

5) Illegal TV

 

A similar model to the US. If a home match is sold out, then pubs in a 20 mile catchment area of the ground will be allowed to show it. If not, do and you're walloped. Away matches will be allowed to be shown once all tickets have been sold.

[buzza]

Salary cap and that at least 3 "home grown players" in team. Throughout europe.

 

[STM]

Football has trends, just like every other part of life. Right now it's going through a trend of the top four being domenant but fear not.

 

There will be a time when Fergy leaves Man Utd, Wenger leaves Arsenal, Abramovich does one and Chelsea don't have the money to compete because of their shit fan base and liverpool goes tits up (oh wait).

 

Sadly this era is the top four era and it's a touch irritating but things WILL change, just depends how long.

 

[Guest guyb]

That used to be the case Rodhaminho, but their wealth and the money they make from the CL are insulating them from such failure. They might swap position between themselves but only someone like Abramovich taking over another club outside the top 4 and pouring, literally, millions into them would enable even a team the size of Newcastle to catch them.

 

The US is the most capatalist society in the world but even they realise that sport has to operate on a different set of rules. They know that if the Dallas Cowboys won the superbowl six years in a row then people would stop watching the NFL - hence, the draft, salary caps etc, that are designed to stop individual dominance.

[Happy Face]

The opposition manager should choose the team and subs.  This would render expensive stars like Ronaldo obsolete and generate improved spending on average players to ensure your whole squad is solid with no weak links for ther oppostion manager to capitalise on.

 

[Guest optimistic nit]

nah. it just wouldn't be fair, to handicap the most successful sides, and imagine reading winning the league with the current squad (they wouldn't but imagine) and only being able to sign 2 players, and getting relegated the next year.

we definately need to make the league more even, but it shouldn't handicap the big sides, but give more to the lower ones. there needs to be more money in the lower leagues and less in the premiership imo.

 

a wage cap needs to be introduced imo. nothing too groundbreaking, say at 50-70K.

 

one thing that needs to be looked at is manure, pool and chelsea buying every clubs youngsters. i would say that a 25% sell on clause becomes manditory if the player being transfered is under 18. this is fair, because it is a standard employed to all clubs, not reliant on your league position. also more money needs to go to the seller.

clubs also need more motivation to develop youngsters and keep them. teams should get money if their player represents england, the u21's or the u19's. if a player isn't at his first club, then the club who developed him should get a wedge, and the club he was at when he first played for his country (i.e. the club that turned him from promising to good or gave him the chance to prove himself) maybe should get a slice as well.

 

 

[1878]

Europe-wide salary cap, maximum spend per window and maximum squad size.

[tmonkey]

If we want to make it competitive, why not introduce a standard than ensures all players must be in the same height, weight, strength, and ability band. Make everyone the same, that way everyone has the chance to win something. If any players are supremely gifted, we should kick them out of the country, otherwise its just not fair that theyre better than others.

[Tsunami]

Anything that will make the top teams less domineering will simply not happen.

[midds]

I've got a good one.

 

Abolish the Champions League and revert back to the European Cup format. 128 teams from various leagues and make it a 2 legged knock-out competition. Fuck seedings. So if Man U draw Milan in the second round, one of them is out and doesn't rake in as much money. The best team will win it every year and more teams will get further and earn more money than they ordinarily would have under this league system which means the big clubs can afford a slip-up or 2.

 

It's a bit radical I know...

[Yorkie]

Europe-wide salary cap, maximum spend per window and maximum squad size.

 

This. Agree with the sentiment of the first post but don't think it's a particularly good strike. Budget caps are the most appealing of those you've listed, 1878. Squad sizes can be as big as they like providing the budget cap isn't breached.

[Guest optimistic nit]

tbh i think clubs should be able to spend as much as they like. the money stays in the game if its spent on transfers (cap agents fees is another i didn't mention). capping wages stops money going out of the game and into footballers pockets.

[chicago_shearer]

Is this salary cap idea based on turnover like someone suggested?  Because how does that help when the clubs earning the most from shirt sales, sponsorship etc. will just end up having more to spend on wages just like they do now?  The only ones that will suffer will be the mid table clubs like us who won't have the money to pay big money disproportionate to our income to attract the same talent as more successful clubs.  70% of Man Utd's income v. 70% of Newcastle or Villa's income doesn't change things.  Ronaldo, Tevez, stay at Man U and in the unlikely event that they need to be cut to fit another player under the cap, they will go to the club offering the highest wages - Arsenal or Milan or someone else with huge international revenue and the ability to offer higher wages.  And there is simply no way to to introduce an NFL style hard cap where the top earner at Derby earns the same as the top earner at Man Utd unless you want a mass exodus of players to the Dubai Premiership etc.

 

I would restrict the number of foreign players, and introduce some sort of draft based on league position (bottom teams get the better youngsters) from a national academy.  No more club academies.  14 or 15 year olds shouldn't be signing contracts with clubs anyway.  If they have talent, they should go into a national pool and then go in for a draft once they turn 17 or 18 with poorly performing clubs getting the better prospects.

[Shearergol]

No more club academies.  14 or 15 year olds shouldn't be signing contracts with clubs anyway.  If they have talent, they should go into a national pool and then go in for a draft once they turn 17 or 18 with poorly performing clubs getting the better prospects.

 

That's probably the worst idea I've read about how to change football. I assume from your name that you're American?

 

Clubs in this country should be enhancing their academies, not getting rid of them.

[Crumpy Gunt]

When folk get sick of seeing a procession year in year out they'll stop subscribing to SKY. SKY will then reduce its financial input.

 

Clubs in too deep will be fucked.

[Shearergol]

When folk get sick of seeing a procession year in year out they'll stop subscribing to SKY. SKY will then reduce its financial input.

 

Clubs in too deep will be fucked.

 

You seriously think that? The fact that Man United/Chelsea/Arsenal dominate the league doesn't stop me watching other football.

[Thespence]

When people say more competive, you mean bring the standards down of the 4 best teams. I wouldnt be happy with that if I was a fan of them clubs. I also know not many people would be saying the same shite when we were kicking arse or 1878 wouldnt be spouting this when Everton were the best team in the land in 80's.

 

 

[Dave]

When folk get sick of seeing a procession year in year out they'll stop subscribing to SKY. SKY will then reduce its financial input.

 

Clubs in too deep will be fucked.

 

You seriously think that? The fact that Man United/Chelsea/Arsenal dominate the league doesn't stop me watching other football.

 

I do think it's fair to say the public are probably very near to the limit of what they're prepared to pay on a monthly basis for the coverage. Especially as it's easier and easier to get it via 'other' means.