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Should a salary-cap system be imposed by the Federation International de Football Association (FIFA) on professional European Leagues to promote fairness and positive values?
Professional football is as much a ruthless business as sporting entertainment. It seems that, unless a club is owned by a multi-millionaire, it makes it exceptionally difficult to compete. The lack of competition within leagues highlights the need for a salary-cap system.
This system would involve all professional European clubs (under FIFA Statute) having limited money available for player transfers. Arguments supporting this system suggest that it would promote fair competition, club loyalty, prevent predictable outcomes to games and promote positive values.
Comparatively, the argument against the proposed salary-cap system suggests it would unfairly limit a player’s value, prevent the highest possible quality football and reduce money influx to clubs through limited sponsorship deals.
Arguments supporting the proposed salary-cap system acknowledge the problems associated with the current transfer system. At present, the transfer process in professional European football leagues has no monetary limits, allowing clubs to buy and sell players for profit without considering implications on football as a whole.
The ‘galactico’ era at Real Madrid epitomised football’s current state which is turning into an unsympathetic industry run by millionaires. During this era, the best players in the world were wooed by the club, such as Zinedine Zidane (for a record £46 million) , Ronaldo and David Beckham.
According to the ‘galactico’ philosophy, the paramount objective was to have as many quality players as possible, also endorsed by Mourinho’s managerial era (2004-2007) at Chelsea Football Club, where he spent (under billionaire owner Roman Abromavich) £225.76 million .
The current system forces clubs to have a “win at all costs” mentality. Because of this system, a clubs managers and owners are being forced to treat players as products. If the product does not produce results, the product is sold.
Furthermore, if a product does produce results, it does not necessarily mean a footballer’s place in the team is guaranteed. Financially weaker clubs are being bullied into selling their most skilful assets to financially stronger clubs – referred to as “poaching” by UEFA president Michele Platini.
Platini argued a salary-cap system would “…stop the exploitation of young players” and “…stop footballer’s salaries from spiralling out of control amid concerns that the clubs’ ever-growing wage packets are threatening the viability of many teams and widening the chasm between the haves and have nots”.
In this respect, Platini is an example of someone supporting the proposed system. Although “…an individual salary-cap would be very difficult to enforce under European law” ; a Europe-wide salary-cap would be possible if it achieved strong support from FIFA and the European Union.
Amongst the frenzy of the current transfer period (June 1st – August 31st) , the true underbelly of “the beautiful game” is coming to the fore. That is, football values – of both the clubs and players – are questionable, outlining the necessity for an alternative system.
Liverpool Football Club have sold Peter Crouch to Portsmouth Football Club, ignoring his plea to “do everything” to stay at Merseyside. Furthermore, Football Club Barcelona told Ronaldinho (mid-contract) he was “surplus to requirements” which prompted his exit to AC Milan (for 25 million euros). This highlights the uncompassionate nature of the current system, in which “club football has no honour”.
The argument supporting the salary-cap system suggests it would encourage clubs and players to consider moral obligations in an attempt to modernise traditional employer-employee relationships from being focused on profit and success to being focused on the development of football as a whole.
Samuel Eto’o, presently the subject of numerous transfer rumours surrounding his imminent departure from Barcelona, is an example of support for the current system.
He stated “Europe’s highest profile players are worth every penny of their colossal salaries” , and that “salary capping could ruin the game.”
Eto’o also suggests “the money divide between the big and small clubs can cause problems,” however, “the introduction of a wage limit would not be fair for those players who are a commercial success.”
Eto’o stated: “If you are able to generate a lot of money for your club… you are in a position to earn a share of that, teams should pay accordingly to the popularity and performance of each player.”
Although this argument has some validity, it is too narrow in its perspective as it does not represent the majority of people affected by the current system.
To determine whether the proposed salary-cap system would indeed be beneficial for the game, it is necessary to analyse the FIFA mission statement which is to “Develop the game, touch the world, build a better future”.
By introducing a new salary-cap system, football can embrace this philosophy.
If it was introduced, the game would be developed through strengthening and promoting humanitarian values. This would be achieved by giving weaker teams the opportunity to win competitions, such as the elitist Champions League, currently reserved for financially stronger teams, such as Manchester United Football Club, estimated by Forbes as the “most valuable sports franchise in the world at $1.8 billion”.
According to SBS football analyst Les Murray, the Champions League final (Chelsea versus Manchester United, 2008) will be “a contest of riches, a showdown between two teams assembled by money, without the slightest regard for what is good, what is best for football and what is sporting.” This is an example of an argument supporting a salary-cap system, as it suggests there are problems with the current system.
Upon evaluation, football would benefit from the proposed salary-cap system, as it would encourage more passion from traditionally weaker teams and promote a broad range of competitions in a fair and competitive manner.
Football’s future can either be founded upon current ‘galactico’ policies, in which wealthy clubs have an unquestionable advantage, or, founded upon a new salary-cap system, where the virtues employed would indeed “use the power of football as a tool for social and human development.”
The future of the game can be beautiful, advocating global passion for the game and fair competition whilst upholding the rights of weaker clubs, under the proposed salary-cap system.
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