jt's ?150k per week....obscene or what?!

[algarve addick]

fucking right it is - an absolute disgrace.
if they put a ceiling of ?2k a week on footballers wages, d'you think they'd jack it in?
of course they wouldn't.
terry, ferdinand, beckham and the rest couldn't turn their hand to anything else - in fact they're being paid handsomely for doing something they love doing.
and as for all this crap about the poor dears suffering 'burn-out' unless they get a winter break..........grrrrr........don't get me started!!!!!!!
these oafs should give 80% of their ill gotten gains to some worthy cause...at least pompey's linvoy primus has a conscience, gawd bless him!

[Peter]

Free market, if the club think he's worrh it, they'll pay it, until the fans stop paying the ticket prices.

Now MP's expenses are something to complain about.

[algarve addick]

....just doesn't compare, matey.

[Deuce Bigolo]

The only problem i see is Clubs over stretching themselves

When you hear "if we don't qualify for Europe" or "we must stay in the premiership" then you know the directors are playing a game of chance with the clubs future

How many clubs have lost EPL status and never surfaced again?

As i said in another thread i don't begrudge the players the massive wages
if its just their share of income generated

When its held as a bargaining chip to buy their loyalty to stay then its another matter

I remember O'leary at leeds saying several players(Jimmy Floyd hasselbaink?) were let go because they were asking for ridiculous amounts
Given that mark Viduka was on 150,000 pounds a week you've got to wonder what that amount was.To think they won nothing in Europe the mind boggles

[Deuce Bigolo]

When you consider whats at stake its little wonder players act like they do towards refs on the pitch...pressure...perform or perish

I guess the public judge everything by the top of the profession

I wonder what the wages are like in the lower leagues(3rd/4th tier)?

[Jacques]

Would you turn it down?

[Flat_Eric]

And its because of the above points raised that football becomes increasingly ugly each year.

It's all about greed and big business now - and the Premiership is full of overpaid, underperforming primadonnas.

And Alice is right - all the money's at the top. Which kills a lot of the interest for the neutrals really, as realistically, there are only 4 clubs who are ever going to win anything - namely United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool.

All the rest are just scrabbling for the crumbs on the table (a possible UEFA Cup place, avoiding relegation, or a Cup Final appearance as cannon fodder for one of the Big Boys).

The last (and only) time one of the "smaller clubs" won the Premiership was nearly 13 years ago in 1995 (Blackburn), and there hasn't been a Cup Final upset for nearly 20 years (Wimbledon '88).

And as for a lower league side doing what Sunderland did in '73 and winning the Cup against the biggest team of the day - it'll (sadly) just never happen again.

- Eric

[b217bravo]

A couple of comments,
1, I heard that a Minister For Sport described John Terry's (I think) wages
as obscene!, that is rich coming from a parliamentarian, I bet many pro- footballers would like his pay & expenses package.
2, I read that Gordon Taylor has defended the high level of earnings, I bet he does, I believe that his own salary is at the top end of the pay scale for pro-footballers, if the wage structure collapsed he would feel the chill wind of reality.
geoff (b217bravo)