Another "lip service" or is reality hitting home?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/59406087
The Premier League said it recognises the need to "restore and retain" the trust of fans in football governance and that it will study the recommendations before working with the government, fans, FA and EFL on these issues.
The EFL said it hopes the review is a "catalyst for positive change that can make clubs sustainable".
The FA said "many positive changes have already been made", some of which were "directly as a result" of the review.
The Football Supporters' Association (FSA) said the review "lay the basis for a prosperous and sustainable future" for English football at all levels.
In other words, "oh poo", someone is making another recommendation that we take our corporate noses out of the financial trough. Keep talking, make a few empty promises & recommendations and hope this all gets forgotten about in a few months time! After all we couldn't have the commoner involvement in any capacity other than handing out their hard earned cash for us to milk away.
Comments
I assume Derby are asking for any recommendations not to be implemented for about five years?
More likely an amnesty for all breaches of the regulations during the last five years and repayment of all fines and reinstatement of all point deductions over this period.
Tracey Crouch was interviewed regarding it and the matter of Derby was brought up. She said that they spoke to Mel Morris and he said they would not be in the sh1t if these rules were in place (bullshit). She said 'live' data would highlight problems earlier (bullsh1t). She said she was against punishing fans with points deductions (hmm ok). And then said what sanctions would there be. The nuclear option as she described it was the withdrawal of license to trade. So not punishing the fans with the points deduction just taking away their whole club.
I think this is a papering over the cracks personally. Sharks will always be sharks and whilst there is cash sloshing around football they will be there. The inequity of finance across the pyramid is the big problem in my opinion as that causes owners to always want to roll the dice to get to the promised land. Being a mid-table second division club is not good enough when you could get £100m a year just by signing these guys etc.
Government making strong, decisive mumble mumble noises about regulating something the majority of politicians could not give a stuff about until it's free tickets next to Wills and Kate time. Not exactly a big surprise and I'm not holding my breath for any great changes. Remember when MPs expenses were going to be transparent and family members would no longer be able to grasp a handsome taxpayer salary in their gap yah?
Well Mel Morris would say that wouldn't he...
Realistically, enforcing greater transparency of football clubs financial affairs is going to be difficult given that unless the government legislate, the turkeys need to vote for christmas...I cannot see a majority of owners in the PL & EFL voting for this.
Having said that, Crouch is not wrong that "real-time" data would have alerted the authorities of Morris's accounting shenanigans and casino financing approach and perhaps they could have intervened with soft salary caps &/or transfer limitations/embargoes to control the situation.
It is a different debate as to whether given the current regulatory sanctions available to the EFL if greater transparency would have prevented today's outcome for DCFC.
There also needs to be rules to prevent divestment of stadia, training grounds, car parking etc from the "club" to either associated companies or worse third parties.
Also the direction of travel should be to ensure fans have a share in the club (the target ought to be 50%+1 but lets start at the more realistic level of the 25% we hold), can appoint a director and that things like the club colours and badge are protected and can only be changed by a majority of fans agreeing.