It's Not About the Money, Honest

[ratbert]

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Tango deals in hard cash... to what extent is money wrecking football?

[Lofthouse Lower]

I think we should expand on the idea of paying players in terms of pasties.

Fabrice Muamba, 25,000 pasties per week is a lot more, er, palatable than £25,000.....

[Wandering Willy]

I can think of one fatty who would love to be paid in pasties. (as well may his new manager).

edit : Good read Tango.

[TKIZ!]

Very good read, sir.

The problem is intrinsicly the fault of the Premier League, if they stopped using the money to pay themselves ridiculous salaries and also thought about how much damage they are doing to clubs (Pompey, Leeds etc) then it will only continue to get worse

[Armchair Wanderer]

Nice article Tango.

Can anyone remember pre-PL? Wasn't it almost entirely brits with our wages being too low for Johnny Foreigner?

Without the EPL and the inflated wages we wouldn't have had Anelka, Hierro, Campo, Youri, Elmo, etc and Chelsea wouldn't be owned by a Russian and a star-studded squad. Without the money our top league would look something like MLS or League 1. With football not being that lucrative Rooney may have paid attention in school and not laced his boots up, etc etc. That's not necessarily a bad thing...

Instead of games being on Sky, maybe they'd be on terrestrial. Without the huge global exposure of the EPL brand and the top teams maybe more of the kids in Bolton would actually support Bolton.

[nbrooks]

Nice article Tango.

Can anyone remember pre-PL? Wasn't it almost entirely brits with our wages being too low for Johnny Foreigner?

Without the EPL and the inflated wages we wouldn't have had Anelka, Hierro, Campo, Youri, Elmo, etc and Chelsea wouldn't be owned by a Russian and a star-studded squad. Without the money our top league would look something like MLS or League 1. With football not being that lucrative Rooney may have paid attention in school and not laced his boots up, etc etc. That's not necessarily a bad thing...

Instead of games being on Sky, maybe they'd be on terrestrial. Without the huge global exposure of the EPL brand and the top teams maybe more of the kids in Bolton would actually support Bolton.

Probably one reason why MLS will never get to the skill level of EPL in my lifetime. Salary Cap - American born players recruited out of college rather than a club youth system. Lee Chung-Yong probably makes more in a year than our entire team.

[SonsOfThunder]

Probably one reason why MLS will never get to the skill level of EPL in my lifetime. Salary Cap - American born players recruited out of college rather than a club youth system. Lee Chung-Yong probably makes more in a year than our entire team.

Then you have the issue of whether talent like Holden, Donovan etc. should be 'allowed' to leave the MLS and ply their trade in Europe. On the one hand it will make our National Team better, but on the other hand MLS doesn't want to be left out in the cold with a complete dearth of real talent. How can we have our players competing overseas against the best in the world and at the same time ensure the quality of our own domestic league?

[boltonboris]

Having your players move to Europe on big money will improve your National Side.. The Hunger of younger players WANTING to ply their trade in Europe, should make your league stronger

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I'm privileged to have watched Ruud Gullit play at Burnden Park. I'm pleased to say he was applauded by the home fans. I'm proud to say my beloved Bolton fielded legends like Okocha, Djorkaeff, Anelka and Hierro. None of that would have happened without the economic migration created by the wealth of the Premier League.

With all due respect to those who fall outside this category, I do sometimes wonder whether how many of the Premier League naysayers are young fogeys who think everything was better in a golden era before their experience. Thirtysomethings and above can remember how god-awful English football frequently was before the '90s revolution. It hasn't all been good, and I despise the oligarchical collectivism encouraged by the structures and strictures of Premier and Champions Leagues, but football's far better than it was before - and not just because we're up the pecking order.

[boltonboris]

I'm privileged to have watched Ruud Gullit play at Burnden Park. I'm pleased to say he was applauded by the home fans.

Despite the press, somehow claiming he was being racially abused

[Lofthouse Lower]

I remember being more excited that night to see Gianluca Vialli

[boltonboris]

I remember when we played Chelsea when Gullit visited, but I remember feeling that Scott Minto was more of a threat because he always seemed to come inside and shoot whenever I watched MOTD of the day (see what I did there?).. I was young.. But I was mesmerised by Gullit. A great player

[TANGODANCER]

All fair comment DSB, but how long can it go on? My main reason for the article was to look at the future of the game. Footbllers are no longer just sportsmen, but millionaires, at least those in the top leagues, and the crazy transfer fees and personal terms of players and agents must surely reach a limit somewhere before the clubs can no longer operate finacially.

It isn't about short-sightedly clinging to the past; no one denies times have changed and evolvement is a given part of life; that's just a pure fact. That said, each rise hits only one section in the end, those paying the bill, ie the supporters. Let's not put our fingers in our ears and just sing "lah-lah". The plain fact is that without Eddie Davies and unless some over-wealthy fairy godfather comes along, Bolton, and in time others , will be up the Croal without a lollipop stick. He who pays the piper isn't calling the tune in football right now. The pipers are just saying unless you pay more we won't play at all. If you want to look backwards in a realistic way; at one time players needed a wage, a decent living and transport to the ground. Now they need a fortune, an estate and a couple of Ferraris. Where do we go from here? All those players you mentioned are gone the club's ninety million in debt. That's nothing to do with fogeys, it's just a reality.

[BWFC_Insane]

I'm privileged to have watched Ruud Gullit play at Burnden Park. I'm pleased to say he was applauded by the home fans. I'm proud to say my beloved Bolton fielded legends like Okocha, Djorkaeff, Anelka and Hierro. None of that would have happened without the economic migration created by the wealth of the Premier League.

With all due respect to those who fall outside this category, I do sometimes wonder whether how many of the Premier League naysayers are young fogeys who think everything was better in a golden era before their experience. Thirtysomethings and above can remember how god-awful English football frequently was before the '90s revolution. It hasn't all been good, and I despise the oligarchical collectivism encouraged by the structures and strictures of Premier and Champions Leagues, but football's far better than it was before - and not just because we're up the pecking order.

Bob on with every point.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

Many of the negatives are indirect anyways and may well have evolved irrespective of Skys money!

[thebish]

which is all well and good - but given that Sky is offering barrows-full of cash to screen the games - is it not (at least on some level) "fair" that the main "actors" - the players - get the lions share of the reward?

[Lofthouse Lower]

BWFCI and DSB, sitting in a tree

[BWFC_Insane]

BWFCI and DSB, sitting in a tree

I've agreed with quite a bit you've said recently, I just haven't said so cos your head is big enough as it is.

[Lofthouse Lower]

tbf it's fookin massive

I love you too

[boltonboris]

which is all well and good - but given that Sky is offering barrows-full of cash to screen the games - is it not (at least on some level) "fair" that the main "actors" - the players - get the lions share of the reward?

It is fair.. The 22 players on any pitch at any given time are the reason why people plough Billions into the game.. I'd rather see the players getting all the money than the blokes in the directors box

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

All fair comment DSB, but how long can it go on? My main reason for the article was to look at the future of the game. Footbllers are no longer just sportsmen, but millionaires, at least those in the top leagues, and the crazy transfer fees and personal terms of players and agents must surely reach a limit somewhere before the clubs can no longer operate finacially.

Oh quite. Not just in football, either. The insane financial bubble of the last two decades - what some call credit, I call debt - means that most people my age can't afford to buy a property unless they become mortgage slaves under a neo-feudalism. Not many buying a house under the old three-times-your-annual-income these days, TD. Outside the remit of this (part of the) forum, perhaps, but I have a book to recommend. Quick bob to General Banter, methinks...

I remember when we played Chelsea when Gullit visited, but I remember feeling that Scott Minto was more of a threat

Minto a bigger threat than Gullit? Ever considered a career as a scout?