This Uefa Business.

[Piccsnumberoneblue]

I've always felt our owners would get around this FFP business and questioned whether Uefa would have the balls for the job of actually sanctioning the club if we didn't fully comply.
But reading the ferocity of the ill feeling towards us from so many directions and watching the Sky FFP special I'm suddenly not so sure. Remember that the G14 clubs used to hold all the power in European football, so much so that they ripped it apart and foisted the Television Greed League upon us with barely a whimper from Uefa. Well although G14 was disbanded It is clear that the top clubs have not relinquished their power, why would they let go when the threatened and blackmailed to get it in the first place.
We have seen that the Filth's debt laden financial model is absolutely fine when FFP is applied. No great surprises that Arsenal, with their debt from building Ashburton Gr, that has prevented them from competing financially at the top of the Englis game, are held up as what FFP wants to achieve. Barca, Madrid have had their money troubles, but nope, FFP says that's super. Guess what though, gate crashers Manchester City and Chelsea are struggling to meet the criteria.
The point that concerns me is that Uefa and European football is whatever the ex G14 clubs say it is (Chelsea were never admitted as hard as they tried) and Uefa and and those clubs don't want us. You only have to look at the whinging coming from Liverpool, Arsenal, Bayern to know this. Then couple it with opinion that we are doing something wrong and it's not hard to see that we could still be victims. G14 always got their way in the past, why should it be any different now?
Are we really in the club with the drawbridge up behind us?

[john@staustell]

There are a number of reasons why we will be fine with FFP in it's scary form.

1) We have plunged all our capital spend in before this season
2) We have worked very closely with UEFA
3) Our revenues are starting to soar
4) We are becoming the most publicise club in the world, driving more fans
5) We are playing very well, and getting better
6) Within 10 years the Sheik will have all his money back, and more
7) It only applies to Europe, no effect at home (and I for one cant be arsed with Europe if they dont want us as winners!)
8) All clubs, including City, want to reduce wages whilst increasing revenue. We will want to do it!

There are also a number of things which MIGHT happen

1) The unintended consequences of FFP include big clubs stopping feeding money down the leagues (especially in England) to retain their revenue
2) They also include a reduction in transfer fees leading to collapse of many clubs who rely on them EG Everton currently. The Dzeko fee actually fed down to 5 clubs across Europe, given his club's subsequent purchases
3) Everyone ignores it and nothing happens
4) All the big names fail to comply
5) The breakaway recently threatened by both Bayern and Barcelona may lead to UEFA's demise. This is not just about international windows, it is about being bossed around, and UEFA will have to do what the clubs want
6) as Christian Purslow said in that programme- it reminds him of the Milennium bug, where everyone thought the world as we know it would come to an end, but then nothing happened!