Could 5th get us into Champions League?

[riddick]

They will - the key part is "no association can have more than four teams playing in the Champions League" - if one of the top four (or more like two or three of the current top four) failed the FFP test then the places would drop down the league until you got the four spots filled.

Also I think the team with most to fear is the ****e - they have lost around £40 million each of the last couple of years, and given how much Rodgers has spent are certainly facing a similar loss this time around. Also, Yanks II also havent really invested anything in youth development, infrastructure or done any of the crazy things that City have done to try and disguise spending.

It will be interesting to see what happens if an English side win the Europa and a team outside the top 4 win the champions league. Top 2 for champions league only?

 

[EvertonAndAustralia]

Starting from 2015 the maximum amount of teams allowed will be 5 teams not 4.

Also EL winner gets a CL spot.

 

[riddick]

Starting from 2015 the maximum amount of teams allowed will be 5 teams not 4.

Also EL winner gets a CL spot.

Ah gotcha. Ta mate

 

[Royal Blue Jersey]

The CL is a cash cow for all involved at the highest levels and so it shall remain. If it is beneficial for Man City to remain - given their vast wealth and 'Superclub' hallmarks (i.e. **** club plucked from obscurity thanks to their nouveau riche, see Anzhi, Monaco, PSG, Chelsea, Man City) - then City will remain. If it is beneficial for them to leave then you can bet the rest of the clubs will be pouring over their options to eject them. Perhaps just yet Man City aren't as commercially attractive as some other teams, no doubt once they build up the glory hunting contingent that will be put right.

However, there may be a genuine word of caution to be had here. For all those teams above there are so many failed attempts some even leading to the collapse of the respective clubs, see Valencia, Villarreal, Rangers, Bolton, Portsmouth, Leeds, Fiorentina, Malaga. Big investments that in every case achieved their initial aims of European football, only to later implode in on the pressure of the associated debts.

Malaga were sadly not rich enough or big enough to survive their financial difficulties and, as if they had been rubbing their hands with anticipatory glee, UEFA swooped in and barred them from Europe for a year which in all honesty was an utter travesty. Will they do it again? Possibly, but unlikely. Like all of the worst offenders during the banking crisis, City despite being the worst of the lot are simply 'too big to fail'

 

[blue61]

I if we finish third, do qualify for the world cup in Brazil?

 

[jtl60]

I've been having this thought in my head for a few weeks that Man Utd will do what Chelsea did under Di Matteo and somehow fluke winning the Champions league and finish outside the top 4.

Now how funny would it be if the kopites finished 4th and Man Utd won the champions league whilst finishing outside the top 4?

 

[Tubey]

The answer to thread is no. Man City could break every rule in the FFP book and not have this dished out as a sanction. The new rules are in place to protect the big clubs first and foremost.

 

[SunKing]

The answer to thread is no. Man City could break every rule in the FFP book and not have this dished out as a sanction. The new rules are in place to protect the big clubs first and foremost.

This all over, not only that but clubs like City are now paying top top lawyers to find loop holes in any possible infraction UEFA throw at them.

 

[tsubaki]

The answer to thread is no. Man City could break every rule in the FFP book and not have this dished out as a sanction. The new rules are in place to protect the big clubs first and foremost.

Actually I think City are the perfect candidates for the rules to be enforced upon - they arent anything like a "big club", they are a massive threat to the established "big clubs" because of the idiotic amount of money they can spend (and everything that follows on from that), and finally what they want to do to football across all levels (just look at what they are doing in the womens game) is something that is deeply wrong.

 

[Tubey]

Actually I think City are the perfect candidates for the rules to be enforced upon - they arent anything like a "big club", they are a massive threat to the established "big clubs" because of the idiotic amount of money they can spend (and everything that follows on from that), and finally what they want to do to football across all levels (just look at what they are doing in the womens game) is something that is deeply wrong.

"Big" doesn't matter; "rich" does. All UEFA and the likes care about is money and influence, and money buys influence; not what trophy you won in 2005.

 

[Jacko93]

Man City's £400m training ground development is offset as "allowable expenses" (it doesn't cost anything like that - you could get a world class stadium for that). Put this against their extraordinarily valuable 8 (yes EIGHT) sponsorship deals with Abu Dhabi state-owned corporations, and they meet the requirements.

Plus as riddick says there's a get out clause - if the club is deemed commercially important to the competition. This is why the whole FFP is BS. More chance of us being blocked from gaining access. The sponsors want the biggest teams and that means those with the best players and therefore the biggest budgets.

Plus, I think in the unlikely event Man City were barred, they have enough money to tie UEFA up in legal action for decades.

You're wrong here mate, It is absolutely costing that, and should be more for the quality of it.

What City are doig is expansding their business, so that the 5's are spread. I'm not sure that there is anything that relates to first team playing staff, or backroom staff. there fore they can spread their costs out across the City brand. E.G, their womesn team. Man City get £150m pa in soonsorship, from, well, their owners. They then also sponsor the womens team £50m pa. It all goes into the same pot. If City get in trouble, they will just start a basketball team or somethiong. i cant help but think that this is exactly why they have bought the Aussie team. It's all just a mixing pot to drop money into, in the hope of it coming right back in to the first team.

 

[jtl60]

I heard something on the radio about the other clubs would all have to lodge appeals and not the FA, UEFA or Premier League should city fall foul of the rules.

 

[efcfanwirral]

My question is do we fall foul of this 'sensible spending' thing, as we make next to no money commercially but still have a high wage bill. Do we have a little surprise waiting for us if we qualify for Europe....?

 

[njligernj]

What aspect of the last 10-20 years of world football -- or for that matter the last few decades of world history -- makes anyone think that the richest people won't be allowed to do whatever they want without consequence?

 

[tsubaki]

My question is do we fall foul of this 'sensible spending' thing, as we make next to no money commercially but still have a high wage bill. Do we have a little surprise waiting for us if we qualify for Europe....?

It is all about losing a set amount over a set period of time, not about proportion of wages.