Roman Abramovich - Hypocrisy with a capital H

[StuMCFC]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/aug/27/football-uefa-roman-abramovich-spending

Roman Abramovich puts the squeeze on Manchester City

• Chelsea owner backs Uefa plans to curb spending
• Michel Platini wants budget caps by 2012


Manchester City's bid to dominate English football with overwhelming financial power is under threat from Chelsea. The Stamford Bridge club, despite their own previous extravagance, are backing a proposal that would limit the amount clubs can spend. The Uefa president, Michel Platini, is intent on ensuring that, by 2012, Champions League entrants will be obliged to balance their books. It was telling that Platini named Chelsea's owner as a supporter of the scheme.

Roman Abramovich will be accused of trying to sabotage a competitor who simply wishes to follow his example. City's outlay in this transfer window alone has amounted to £120m. Such splurges used to typify Chelsea when they were aiming for the prominence they have now secured.

"It's mainly the owners that asked us to do something: Roman Abramovich, [Milan's] Silvio Berlusconi, [Internazionale's] Massimo Moratti," Platini said. "They do not want to fork out any more.

"Manchester City can spend £300m if they want to but if they are not breaking even in three years then they cannot play in European competition. I haven't spoken to Manchester City about this and I don't remember meeting their owner [Sheikh Mansour], but I'm sure I will. Roman Abramovich is a football person and passionate about the game. He loves football. He has come to me and said that we must do something about this."

The oligarch embarked on a long spree after his takeover of Chelsea in 2003. It has been sustained and a loss of £67.5m in the most recent accounts took the overall outlay to almost £700m. But they have circumspection in mind for themselves in future, as well as trust that restrictions can be imposed on City and others.

The Chelsea chief executive, Peter Kenyon, broadly welcomed Platini's stance but added: "The real work is in the detail and those discussions will continue in earnest over the next 12 months. I don't think anyone could disagree with the broad principle." The club is experimenting with relative austerity and has confined itself so far in this transfer window to buying Yuri Zhirkov for £17m.

Uefa has to consider complex factors. It would not, for instance, oppose clubs which laid out great sums to construct a new stadium, as Arsenal have done in going in the region of £400m in debt while building the Emirates and embarking on property development projects.

Uefa's stance towards Manchester United would be intriguing to hear. The accounts for 2007-08 showed debts of £699m, which related to the Glazers' purchase of the club. There are similarities with Tom Hicks's and George Gillett's takeover of Liverpool. This is not, of course, an exclusively Premier League topic. Some analysts estimate that Real Madrid's current transfer spree will take their borrowings to well over £800m.

The Uefa initiative is under the control of its deputy general secretary, Gianni Infantino. He, however, seems to have in mind the increasingly rare sugar daddies who simply pay the bills out of their own pockets. "If you have a sugar daddy it is unhealthy," he said. "The club has to stay on its own legs and generate its own revenue."

While Chelsea officials and many others now share that viewpoint, they also feel that there will be great difficulty in enforcing such a policy. Uefa, too, is aware that, unless there is some flexibility, it could freeze small clubs at their existing levels. In essence, Uefa would be in danger of ensuring that the hierarchy with which we are so acquainted could never come under threat.

There might be no hope in future of the kind of invigorating episode in which Jack Walker could buy Blackburn Rovers, underwrite the acquisition of players such as Alan Shearer, who helped bring the Premier League title to Ewood Park in 1995, and ultimately make good profits on them when they were sold. Infantino hints at a flexible approach that would leave scope for such a story to occur again, but it is hard to tell how such regulations could be drafted.

Platini's stance is simple and indisputable. He is sure that Uefa must act when the financial crisis is felt in all 53 of its member countries. "We are not trying to put down Chelsea, Real Madrid or Manchester United," he said. "It's for all clubs."

The Uefa president also stated that unless Fifa agrees that the 2018 World Cup must be staged in Europe, it would be important for the continent to put forward only one candidate, so as not to split the votes for European option. England, who hope to host that World Cup, may find an additional hurdle in their path.

[thejuggernaut]

Beat me too it!

I thought the biggest hypocrites this week were liverpool fans... once again I am proven wrong.



I'm sure The players are going to LOVE this.


Honestly I think this is a smack by UEFA at the Prem (I know Chelsea is involved but they stand to gain from this) . Platini is very very scared. He really is worried the Premiership will have a bigger week to week draw then the CL... and honestly who wants to watch Debreceni, VSC, APOEL, Rubin Kazan, Unirea Urziceni... or Rangers. The only thing that anyone needs to see in Porto/Athletico get through or Fiorintina/Lyon. Evertyhthing else is set in stone, like Barca or Inter really give a flying f*ck who comes in 1st or 2nd in the group stage. Remeber Villareal and United last year, both teams let the ball sit in the center circle for 90 minutes. I mean they play something like 192 matches... just to the same 12 teams play eachother in the knockout round. Can't they just bypass this group stage nonsense, and don't get me started on the Eufa/Europa cup or as I like to call it the European NIT.

This is Platini's way of protecting the UEFA product because the real threat isn't Cty, per say, it's the Prem. UEFA is tired, old, the group stage is meaningless, and 2 leg football creates Negative Football... I hate to say it but it's true. There is alot of creativity brewing in the prem, I mean that "week 39" idea was a traditional nightmare but a fiduciary landmine. They have a big money pompey owner coming in. And with this new ownership comes more money for investment... investment means better players... better players means more viewership..and you know what Premiership Football become: where the world is going to go to watch the highest quality Club football, not the CL. It's that simple!!

UEFA needs to junk their tired old formula, stop their anti-capitalist dream and move into the 21st century. Please stop this Reactionary BULLSHIT!

[MVF]

There is so many incredibly wrong things with the article, that you just don't know where to begin.

In essence, what Platini is saying that clubs should live off their own revenue. "Rich get richer whilst the poor get poorer" epitomized.

We could sell a limited edition shirt to the Sheikh for $200,000,000 at worst anyway!

[chinesefootballfan]

The problem is that Platini and other UEFA officials actually support this view. However, this is much less popular than a salary or transfer cap per team. With the salary and transfer cap, once bigger clubs reached their cap, there might still be some quality players left for the smaller clubs. With this proposed method, no team can buy players even if it had the money, because the money might not be generated from its football operations.

Investors will be very discouraged from buying up struggling clubs and turning them into winners, because they can't even spend the money that came from outside of football operations. Smaller clubs are doomed to stay small and bigger clubs will always be on top. How is this equality?

[CityBlues]

Wow, everyone has pretty much nailed it here in their responses. I want to say unbelievable, but I am not surprised at all from Platini.

[NER_MCFC]

Not only is there the rank hypocrisy, but if this were actually implemented, there could be some truly spectacular unintended consequences. It seems, for example, that there would be an incentive to strip mine a club if revenue projects were wrong? There's also the temptation to cook the books to make revenues look bigger. How many accountants would UEFA have to hire for enforcement? Finally, wouldn't this pretty much block any eastern European team that actually had potential to make any noise? I don't think anybody could make a profit buying players in Euros and selling tickets in Rubles.

[Delle Alpi]

This is a member of the so called big 4 trying to protect their position. This completely smells of big 4 elitism. Roman wasn't very worried back in 02, 03 when he was throwing money around. What a bunch of hypocritical bullshit. Platinni didn't seem to care when Real Madrid borrowed money for Kaka and nancy boy Renaldo, but we do it and it is a problem. What shit.

[chinesefootballfan]

In every level, this idea is wrong, espcially the part about cooking books and inflate revenues just to achieve transfer objectives.

Honestly, if UEFA was to support equality, which is a noble idea, then the entire structure has to change. The North American professional sports system is a model built to achieve more equality. High draft picks for poor performing teams, revenue sharing, and salary cap. Of course, there are downsides to it as well. How often in North America sports do people use the notion "tank the season for the first pick in the draft"? This is because you reward losers for being losers.

The bottom line is, it's never going to be perfect. I like the European football system were losers are never rewarded. The downside is that we always see the same teams in Champions League. But then there is the EUROPA for the lesser teams. You know what???? I am quite happy with the current system in UEFA. Even if City wasn't all that rich, I am still content.

[juanca]

Someone above said that chelsea stand to gain from this.

I don't think so.

I think teams like arsenal, man utd, and man city (who have been known to produce top quality youngsters through there academy) who emphasize youth and developing players will benefit.

What will chelsea do if they can't spend 150 million pounds in 2yrs or 3 on a whole new squad?
lampard is nearing 32, terry is nearing 30, ballack is old, cech isn't the man of before, drogba can piss off any day he feels it, etc,etc....

There are HUGE holes in there squad, and they will only get larger as time goes on. How will they address them when they inevitably have to!? $$$ is all they've known. There good at throwing it around and making things seem ok, sure, there squad is a great one now, but there ALL in there prime and probably have peaked. they've reached what 5 semi finals of the CL, and still can't win it?

I can't wait till the glory days of arsenal - Man utd/City:p return ;)

[Slater582]

I disagree juanca. I think Chelsea, and the trio of Man United, Liverpool & Arsenal will all benefit, as such legislation will make it very difficult for them to ever be usurped for the CL money.

Which is why the owners of such clubs support UEFA in this matter I suppose.

[thejuggernaut]

Someone above said that chelsea stand to gain from this.

I don't think so.

I think teams like arsenal, man utd, and man city (who have been known to produce top quality youngsters through there academy) who emphasize youth and developing players will benefit.

What will chelsea do if they can't spend 150 million pounds in 2yrs or 3 on a whole new squad?
lampard is nearing 32, terry is nearing 30, ballack is old, cech isn't the man of before, drogba can piss off any day he feels it, etc,etc....

There are HUGE holes in there squad, and they will only get larger as time goes on. How will they address them when they inevitably have to!? $$$ is all they've known. There good at throwing it around and making things seem ok, sure, there squad is a great one now, but there ALL in there prime and probably have peaked. they've reached what 5 semi finals of the CL, and still can't win it?

I can't wait till the glory days of arsenal - Man utd/City:p return ;)

The reason Abramobitch supports it is very simple... his well has dried up.


Luckily for him, he has implemented a proper business model and is currently a favorite in the CL every year, which as it stands, is a massive money maker for clubs that are in it, RA then, in turn, takes that CASH and spends it on a NEW LAMPARD, this is cash that City, Pompey, QPR et al can't spend because they haven't earned it??? this legislation will keep any club that is in the CL, as of right now, insured a big ol' cash f'n cow for years to come, because they want to bar outside (abrmovich style investment). COULD YOU IMAGINE IF CORPORATE AMERICA WAS RUN LIKE THIS... THE ONLY DRUG ON THE MARKET WOULD BE TYLENOL!!!... don't get me wrong this kinda shit happens all the time, with cable companies (Comcast) software companies (Microsoft)



The fact is...His deep pockets is not what it used to be, and rather then risk his legacy getting brushed aside as the second coming of Jack Walker, he'll be able to keep his empire by barring the entry of any entreprenuer who wishes to sink a sh*tload of money into a club. It's all very sickening but please trust me, the guy made his money in ways Al Capone would think was harsh, being a A-1 assh8le hypocrite is a 10 am conference call for this dude. Not to be harsh but this has little to do with academy and all to do with protecting the Champions league and the enourmous profit that teams get for participating in. I know i just said the CL is a dying enterprise but at the end of the day it is fantastic source of revenue and if you keep teams that get huge outside investments out you are making it very tough to ever recoup the investment that sheiks or Elton f'n John make.

If I was the Sheik, I'd call up Real Madrid's front office, then the guy at Pompey, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Valencia, The Fiat guys at Juve, QPR, whomever has the cash... and hell perhaps even Roman Abramovich himself and say... I'm starting a BUY-IN LEAGUE!!! You put up 40 million your club will be featured...in... wait for it... The Greatest League In The Universe, if Shacktar has the cash the get in too- so be it...this league will play everywhere in the world and includes some of the biggest draws in the game of soccer.No FIFA, No UEFA, No stupid Carling Cup... just the best teams, with the best players playing every saturday across the EARTH. 100,000 fans every game, 10,000 jersey sales, and the players don't have to worry about a pay cut. The tv revenue will be in a word... Bonkers.

Sure this sounds EXTREME but at the end of the day Money f'n talks and Platini can f'n walk, because no matter how hard that assh*le tries to bring the game back to the way it was when his old ass played; it aint gonna f'n happen!!

[Hauler]

The reason Abramobitch supports it is very simple... his well has dried up.


Luckily for him, he has implemented a proper business model and is currently a favorite in the CL every year, which as it stands, is a massive money maker for clubs that are in it, RA then, in turn, takes that CASH and spends it on a NEW LAMPARD, this is cash that City, Pompey, QPR et al can't spend because they haven't earned it??? this legislation will keep any club that is in the CL, as of right now, insured a big ol' cash f'n cow for years to come, because they want to bar outside (abrmovich style investment). COULD YOU IMAGINE IF CORPORATE AMERICA WAS RUN LIKE THIS... THE ONLY DRUG ON THE MARKET WOULD BE TYLENOL!!!... don't get me wrong this kinda shit happens all the time, with cable companies (Comcast) software companies (Microsoft)



The fact is...His deep pockets is not what it used to be, and rather then risk his legacy getting brushed aside as the second coming of Jack Walker, he'll be able to keep his empire by barring the entry of any entreprenuer who wishes to sink a sh*tload of money into a club. It's all very sickening but please trust me, the guy made his money in ways Al Capone would think was harsh, being a A-1 assh8le hypocrite is a 10 am conference call for this dude. Not to be harsh but this has little to do with academy and all to do with protecting the Champions league and the enourmous profit that teams get for participating in. I know i just said the CL is a dying enterprise but at the end of the day it is fantastic source of revenue and if you keep teams that get huge outside investments out you are making it very tough to ever recoup the investment that sheiks or Elton f'n John make.

If I was the Sheik, I'd call up Real Madrid's front office, then the guy at Pompey, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Valencia, The Fiat guys at Juve, QPR, whomever has the cash... and hell perhaps even Roman Abramovich himself and say... I'm starting a BUY-IN LEAGUE!!! You put up 40 million your club will be featured...in... wait for it... The Greatest League In The Universe, if Shacktar has the cash the get in too- so be it...this league will play everywhere in the world and includes some of the biggest draws in the game of soccer.No FIFA, No UEFA, No stupid Carling Cup... just the best teams, with the best players playing every saturday across the EARTH. 100,000 fans every game, 10,000 jersey sales, and the players don't have to worry about a pay cut. The tv revenue will be in a word... Bonkers.

Sure this sounds EXTREME but at the end of the day Money f'n talks and Platini can f'n walk, because no matter how hard that assh*le tries to bring the game back to the way it was when his old ass played; it aint gonna f'n happen!!

That is the most outlandish thing I have ever heard of. You have gone bonkers.

[thejuggernaut]

That is the most outlandish thing I have ever heard of. You have gone bonkers.

Okay maybe not in our lifetime.
but..

Do you honestly believe soccer is above Capitalism?

I know you put in BOLD money f'n talks, could you please find me any situation, in the universe mind you, where that is not the case.

Or add nothing... which seems to be your expertise.

[juanca]

well arsene wenger clearly agrees with you.

he said a few weeks ago that he can forsee a super league. maybe not next year or the year after, but within 10-20 years, certainly.

[MVF]

A superleague would be the death of football as we know it IMHO. It would destroy the game on so many levels.

[juanca]

A superleague would be the death of football as we know it IMHO. It would destroy the game on so many levels.

Would it really though?

Think about it...

Every saturday, milan vs inter, arsenal vs man utd, madrid vs barca in...

NEW YORK
LA
CHICAGO
VANCOUVER
P.E.I.
TORONTO
SAN FRANCISCO
TOKYO
EGYPT
TOGO
ETC,ETC,ETC....

They would have the GREATEST SHOW on the PLANET.

=$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$:)

[bojackson]

Would it really though?

Think about it...

Every saturday, milan vs inter, arsenal vs man utd, madrid vs barca in...

NEW YORK
LA
CHICAGO
VANCOUVER
P.E.I.
TORONTO
SAN FRANCISCO
TOKYO
EGYPT
TOGO
ETC,ETC,ETC....

They would have the GREATEST SHOW on the PLANET.

=$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$:)

Yes it would destroy soccer as we know it. And I'm sure the fans in the teams' hometowns would just love it...

And yes, City fans, Roman is a hypocrite.

[MVF]

Soccer is about more than just the Champions League, or a proposed 'super league'

What happens to youth development? What happens to the other teams who aren't in the super league? It would slowly strangle football. Less teams would play, players would stagnate on all levels of football.

A one-off tournament would be great. A prolonged 'superleague' would be soccers sirencall.

[Habitat]

When I first saw this a few days back I was like...wasn't this the guy who went on a ginourmous spending spree a few years back? Lol. The guys a douche

[thejuggernaut]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=673135&sec=england&cc=5901

TWO TRANSFER WINDOWS BAN FOR THE OLIGARCH!!

Here is air-tight, undeniable proof that Roman Abromovich is a Douche Bag. The fact that Platini can use this j*rk-off as a means of support for a cockameme plan these guys dreamed up in Monaco over many many Congacs... makes it virtually impossible for anyone in THE WORLD to take this bullsh*t plan seriously.

The backing of a guy who just got banned from spending BY FIFA, may come off a bit...how about... Pathetic!

Why don't we go to Juventus for ideas on how to curb match fixing in soccer while we are at!! How Platini has a job is beyond me.