Mourinho Laughs At Arsenal & Toothless FFP
How does a man that is respected the world over thanks to his haul of silverware across Europe and his tactical nous manage to then reverse that by spewing bile that wouldn't seem out of place on daytime TV? Or from Alan Shearer?
Jose states that he would like any club that breaches FFP to have any league titles taken away that were subsequently won. So basically - in laymans terms - it was a cheap shot directed at City due to the cash they have spent in the last few years. If he wants that rule put in place then you may as well scratch out every single achievement that Chelsea have won since Abramovich waltzed down Kings Road. It smacks of irony and a blase attitude to the chaos that Chelsea have sparked since they started making player agent's cartwheel for cash. It is also a kick to the sack of all clubs who at least attempt to run a business that doesn't leak money more than Nick Leeson after imbibing 23 tequilas.
What maybe perceived as another egregious disregard of FFP is the stark fact that Chelsea have TWENTY-SIX players on loan. 26. Stockpiling talent. This is only because they don't want others to have them. Like a fat greedy kid at a birthday party - Chelsea have gathered up all the buffet food and hid under the table to enjoy it solely. Surely situations such as these should have been foreseen by the people who effectively run the European game? 26 players farmed out to other clubs, many of which were directly involved in players who signed for Chelsea. It reeks of injustice.
So where does this leave us? We are all aware - and rather proud - of our standing in a financial sense. In terms of income and outgoings we are in rude health. The fact we can survive without a rich benefactor is a huge boost as well. We need not rely on income from one source for we can generate it ourselves. Much like the annoying Destiny's Child song - we are independent. What a fantastic - and rare position to be in. We also have enough cash to purchase needed squad additions ( though the last transfer window is best forgotten).
The question remains though - Why shouldn't we go to Kroenke, cap in hand, and ask for a few hundred million to not only pepper our squad with world class players but also to stop other rival clubs strengthening themselves? It isn't as if FFP will rein our wild cheque-writing hand in is it? We could bust into the HQ of Real Madrid with a swagger borne from Top Gun and then simply give Florentino Perez a list of the players we want. Without saying a word.
Why not? As mentioned earlier, I foresee a storm. Due to the lax punishments dished out by UEFA - not only to City but also to PSG who have spent so much dosh over the last few seasons that they find themselves drowning in players and in dire need to offload - I think that clubs will see that there are ways and means of avoiding any consequences. They will continue to spend their ill-gotten gains and bloat themselves to such a degree that some clubs of lower stature will be mainly comprised of rich-club cast-offs and loan players. The situation will become untenable. We are nearly at this point.
Wages regularly tip the scales at £200k per week and are rising. Take into account the fact that Chelsea have a stadium capacity that is less than 42000 and PSG have fewer than 49000 and you can see the sums do not add up. Throw into the mix a few owners bored with their toys and decide to try lacrosse or haggis-hunting and take their filthy lucre with them and we have clubs who have not only muddied the transfer waters but also face the cold realisation that they may not be able to sustain the club under mounting debt.
Who suffers though after this clusterf*ck of errors and barefaced ignorance? The ever-suffering fans. Whether you are a fan of a cash-rich club or a club that is tightening its belt you will be affected - by proxy or directly - by the actions of these fools.
As a fan of Arsenal, we like to find scapegoats, so let's continue in that vein. Who is to blame for this black comedy? Is it the club for allowing themselves to be sullied all in the name of immediate success? Is it the new owners who wish to be entertained much like a modern-day Caligula? No. It is Platini and his motley crew.
Platini had a gilt-edged chance to allow football to flourish on an even keel. To let competition be fought keenly whilst the constant fret of money and income would be lessened. They fluffed their lines.
It is now a necessity that the next breach they deal with must be dealt with by swift and just means. If not - then we won't just lose a competitive edge in football - we may also lose football itself.
That may err on the dramatic but it isn't far removed from reality. On the bright side though - as Gooners we can watch the mayhem ensue from the relative comfort of a healthy bank balance.
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