April 13 – The captain of English champions Manchester City has taken a swipe at UEFA’s financial fair play (FFP) rules by saying they simply protect the old order rather than assist clubs like his that challenge for major honours by heavy investment.
Speaking ahead of his team’s 4-2 defeat by rivals Manchester United on Sunday that kept City trailing in fourth place in the Premier League, Kompany said FFP hurts newly ambitious big spenders in terms of trying to compete with the established European powerhouses.
Since Sheikh Mansour bought the club in 2008, City have spent a fortune in an attempt to smash their way into the European elite. They won the Premier League in 2012 and 2014 but have since been punished for failing to comply with FFP. Last May, they were handed a fine of €60 million and had restrictions placed on their European squad size as well as incoming transfer dealings
Many observers believe the restrictions have contributed heavily to their lack of consistency this season. UEFA say their regulations are designed to cut down on reckless spending and ensure clubs operate within their means but Kompany says they simply maintain the status quo.
“If you go into the business world you can’t say to anyone they cannot invest,” the Belgian defender told the Sunday Telegraph. “I understand the fans have to be protected, the clubs have to be protected but plans need to be accepted.
“You win things; you get more fans. You get more fans, you create more revenue. That’s not a stupid way of thinking of investing in a business.
“I do understand there needs to be regulation but I just wonder what is going to change at the top? When I came to England it was just four clubs at the top. Four. The same top four all the time and that’s changed now.
“What you do is actually protect the few who already have the things geared up to create enough revenue for them to invest more than anyone else.
“I think there needs to be a format that people respect. When you get into a club you need to subscribe to be in there for a number of years, you need to maybe commit to a certain number of regulations but in this case who are you protecting?”
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