| Times article on FFP and QPR 17:32 - May 12 with 6113 views | itsbiga |
Oli Kay The Times;
In the euphoria of Queens Park Rangers’ promotion to the Barclays Premier League last May, Tony Fernandes was asked whether he would fight the threat of a record fine over any breach of the Football League’s financial regulations. “What do you think?” he asked, breathlessly. “It’s my middle name. I’m ‘Fight It’ Fernandes.”
For QPR’s sake, one hopes that their case, as they prepare for a legal battle with the Football League, is based on something more solid and more reliable than their chairman’s belligerence.
This is a serious issue for English football because QPR, their relegation from the Premier League confirmed on Sunday, face the threat of a fine of up to £57.9 million for breaches of Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations. Should an arbitration panel reject QPR’s challenge to the legality of FFP, the London club’s financial brinkmanship of recent years will result in the heaviest sanctions the English game has known. Should QPR succeed in watering down any sanction, let alone overturning it, the Football League will be thrown into a state of severe turmoil.
Fernandes and QPR can hardly claim to have been taken by surprise. Having avoided relegation from the Premier League by the skin of their teeth three years ago, they had had plenty of time to prepare for FFP by the time they went down to the Sky Bet Championship in May 2013. Yet, faced with regulations that permitted a maximum loss of £8 million for Championship clubs in 2013-14, QPR followed an extensive cost-cutting exercise (offloading Christopher Samba, Jose Bosingwa, Park Ji Sung, Djibril Cissé and other big earners) by signing Richard Dunne, Karl Henry, Charlie Austin and others. They ended up with an operating loss of £69.7 million, imagining that the Football League would overlook that they benefited from a £60 million equity investment from Fernandes.
That QPR were promoted last May, by the skin of their teeth with victory over Derby County in the play-off final, saw them escape the Football League’s jurisdiction last summer, but only for as long as they could stay in the Premier League. That in itself is symptomatic of English football’s dysfunction – spend your way to the top flight and financial fair play regulations cannot hurt you – but QPR thought they would spend enough in the Premier League to get away with it. The problem for the Fernandes regime has always been the misplaced belief that you can get rid of a problem by throwing money at it.
Fernandes is not, on the face of it, one of the bad guys. The bad guys are those owners who, as at Newcastle United, Birmingham City, Blackpool, Coventry City and far too many other clubs in recent years, have exploited historic institutions without showing a shred of respect or regard for the town and people they represent. Fernandes has the right amount of respect and empathy for what QPR is supposed to represent. What he has not shown – what his regime at Loftus Road has never shown, nor even hinted at, no matter who the man in charge of the team – is the intelligence and responsibility to act on more than impulse.
That impulsiveness comes from the top of the club. Speak to agents and they will tell you that, no matter how poor the recruitment by Neil Warnock, Mark Hughes and Harry Redknapp, there has been a culture of astounding extravagance at Loftus Road. Their wage bill for 2013-14 – in the Championship – was £75.3 million, which was close to those at Borussia Dortmund and Atletico Madrid and far beyond those at Stoke City and Swansea City, clubs who have found stability in the Premier League without resorting to chequebook management.
Fernandes, the group chief executive officer of AirAsia, is just the latest highly successful businessman to leave his principles at the gates when entering the football world. Owing to the sums involved in the broadcast deals, it has become hard to record a loss in the Premier League but there is no shortage of Football League clubs who have overstretched in desperate pursuit of promotion.
Blackburn Rovers, Leeds United and Nottingham Forest have endured transfer embargos as punishment for their losses. QPR just about managed to escape the Football League’s jurisdiction, but, when a club is run as haphazardly as they have been, both and off the pitch, it is only a question of running, not hiding.
For Fernandes, the instinct is not to hide but to fight. It is an instinct that has rarely been shared by the modern-day QPR. At Football League level – if not on a European level – FFP exists to save clubs from themselves. That is an instinct that QPR lack. Their only answer, it seems, has been to come out fighting – whether in the transfer market or in the courts. So far, at least, it has done them far more harm than good. |  |
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| Times article on FFP and QPR on 19:12 - May 12 with 4018 views | QPR_John |
"At Football League level – if not on a European level – FFP exists to save clubs from themselves. "
Why do the media continue to peddle this rubbish. There are a myriad of ways the authorities can try to protect clubs which would still keep the dream alive. FFP will protect the top clubs and their position it is as simple as that. [Post edited 12 May 2015 19:18]
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| Times article on FFP and QPR on 19:23 - May 12 with 3965 views | NW5Hoop |
| Times article on FFP and QPR on 19:12 - May 12 by QPR_John |
"At Football League level – if not on a European level – FFP exists to save clubs from themselves. "
Why do the media continue to peddle this rubbish. There are a myriad of ways the authorities can try to protect clubs which would still keep the dream alive. FFP will protect the top clubs and their position it is as simple as that. [Post edited 12 May 2015 19:18]
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That's the Uefa FFP, which is different to the Football League FFP, which was indeed a response to the number of clubs going into administration. The top clubs couldn't give a toss about the league;s FFP provision.
The fact is, QPR completely ignored the FFP regulations for the League and deserve to be punished. May not be a popular view here, but it's true. And it's also the only way Fernandes might come to understand that he has to run the club responsibly. | | | |
| Times article on FFP and QPR on 19:26 - May 12 with 3938 views | Clive_Anderson |
| Times article on FFP and QPR on 19:23 - May 12 by NW5Hoop |
That's the Uefa FFP, which is different to the Football League FFP, which was indeed a response to the number of clubs going into administration. The top clubs couldn't give a toss about the league;s FFP provision.
The fact is, QPR completely ignored the FFP regulations for the League and deserve to be punished. May not be a popular view here, but it's true. And it's also the only way Fernandes might come to understand that he has to run the club responsibly. |
Didn't we have a load of players already on long contracts when the rule came in? Not much we could have done about that really. | | | |
| Times article on FFP and QPR on 19:34 - May 12 with 3909 views | itsbiga |
“It’s my middle name. I’m ‘Fight It’ Fernandes.”
Shut up you prat. | |
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| Times article on FFP and QPR on 19:47 - May 12 with 3861 views | Dorse |
| Times article on FFP and QPR on 19:34 - May 12 by itsbiga |
“It’s my middle name. I’m ‘Fight It’ Fernandes.”
Shut up you prat. |
Imagine if that really was his middle name. You'd be feeling pretty silly now. |  |
| 'What do we want? We don't know! When do we want it? Now!' |
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| Times article on FFP and QPR on 19:48 - May 12 with 3848 views | itsbiga |
| Times article on FFP and QPR on 19:47 - May 12 by Dorse |
Imagine if that really was his middle name. You'd be feeling pretty silly now. |
he would probably change his middle name to that by deed poll. | |
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| Times article on FFP and QPR on 19:48 - May 12 with 3845 views | barbicanranger |
"Fernandes and QPR can hardly claim to have been taken by surprise. Having avoided relegation from the Premier League by the skin of their teeth three years ago, they had had plenty of time to prepare for FFP by the time they went down to the Sky Bet Championship in May 2013."
Got as far as this.
This is f'ing BS. And this is my root problem with FFP. And typical of a journo who mainly covers premier league. On surviving in May 2013 what were we supposed to do? Prepare to be relegated the following season? Cut costs and sell players? NO - invest and plan to remain in the premier league and probably spend more to consolidate our position. What a nob. When will a journo finally write a balanced piece on this? The current rules are unfair - I would gladly draw up a few rules or a framework that is fair. |  | | |
| Times article on FFP and QPR on 20:03 - May 12 with 3780 views | TheBlob |
So if you make a loss you get a fine?Where else does this happen?Are Morrisons going to get a kicking for last years's £800m loss? |  |
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| Times article on FFP and QPR on 20:15 - May 12 with 3736 views | kensalriser |
Not even reading it. What's the point? We'll find out soon enough what's really going on. |  |
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| Times article on FFP and QPR on 20:23 - May 12 with 3707 views | QPR_John |
| Times article on FFP and QPR on 19:23 - May 12 by NW5Hoop |
That's the Uefa FFP, which is different to the Football League FFP, which was indeed a response to the number of clubs going into administration. The top clubs couldn't give a toss about the league;s FFP provision.
The fact is, QPR completely ignored the FFP regulations for the League and deserve to be punished. May not be a popular view here, but it's true. And it's also the only way Fernandes might come to understand that he has to run the club responsibly. |
If you are so much in favour of FFP then tell me how most clubs of a certain level can compete in the Premier League if they cannot afford to be relegated. The only option is not to compete is that really the future for football as a whole. [Post edited 12 May 2015 20:31]
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| Times article on FFP and QPR on 20:27 - May 12 with 3686 views | SpiritofGregory |
| Times article on FFP and QPR on 19:23 - May 12 by NW5Hoop |
That's the Uefa FFP, which is different to the Football League FFP, which was indeed a response to the number of clubs going into administration. The top clubs couldn't give a toss about the league;s FFP provision.
The fact is, QPR completely ignored the FFP regulations for the League and deserve to be punished. May not be a popular view here, but it's true. And it's also the only way Fernandes might come to understand that he has to run the club responsibly. |
How can you deserve to be punished by a set of rules which are unlawful?
If this went to court the Football League's case would be ripped apart. The Football League themselves even admitted recently that the rules were unworkable and that's why they set about amending them.
The whole thing is a farce. It only serves to keep the big clubs at the top. |  | | |
| Times article on FFP and QPR on 20:37 - May 12 with 3637 views | QPR1882 |
| Times article on FFP and QPR on 19:23 - May 12 by NW5Hoop |
That's the Uefa FFP, which is different to the Football League FFP, which was indeed a response to the number of clubs going into administration. The top clubs couldn't give a toss about the league;s FFP provision.
The fact is, QPR completely ignored the FFP regulations for the League and deserve to be punished. May not be a popular view here, but it's true. And it's also the only way Fernandes might come to understand that he has to run the club responsibly. |
If you are doing 40 in a 40 zone thats fine. So what happens in they decide to lower the speed limit to 30 and fine you for doing 40 the week before, not fair is it.
So how the fck do we deserve to be punished when the FA moved the goal post AFTER we broke a rule that did not exist ? |  | | |
| Times article on FFP and QPR on 20:44 - May 12 with 3581 views | Northernr |
There are a fair few "QPR have been relegated, we need 700 words for tomorrow" articles going around from journalists who usually spend their entire time covering the Manchesters, the Liverpools, Chelsea, Arsenal and, occasionally, Spurs. They're not written for you lot, they're written for your standard armchair sports fan who says he supports Liverpool and goes once a year, reads a piece on QPR and considers himself educated, thinks B Teams in the lower divisions is a fcking great idea. |  | | |
| Times article on FFP and QPR on 20:51 - May 12 with 3542 views | daveB |
I'm still not sure why the football league just don't give us a transfer embargo, that would hurt far more than a fine, it would basically relegate us again |  | | |
| Times article on FFP and QPR on 21:03 - May 12 with 3502 views | BasingstokeR |
| Times article on FFP and QPR on 19:23 - May 12 by NW5Hoop |
That's the Uefa FFP, which is different to the Football League FFP, which was indeed a response to the number of clubs going into administration. The top clubs couldn't give a toss about the league;s FFP provision.
The fact is, QPR completely ignored the FFP regulations for the League and deserve to be punished. May not be a popular view here, but it's true. And it's also the only way Fernandes might come to understand that he has to run the club responsibly. |
Fair enough you think it, but don't pass your opinion off as "fact" 
the club didn't "completely ignore" FFP regulations, that's not a fact. |  | | |
| Times article on FFP and QPR on 21:07 - May 12 with 3474 views | stowmarketrange |
| Times article on FFP and QPR on 20:51 - May 12 by daveB |
I'm still not sure why the football league just don't give us a transfer embargo, that would hurt far more than a fine, it would basically relegate us again |
Don't give them any ideas.The massive won't hurt us fans directly,a transfer embargo and the subsequent relegation would. |  | | |
| Times article on FFP and QPR on 21:08 - May 12 with 3466 views | daveB |
| Times article on FFP and QPR on 21:07 - May 12 by stowmarketrange |
Don't give them any ideas.The massive won't hurt us fans directly,a transfer embargo and the subsequent relegation would. |
they gave transfer embargos to forest and blackburn in January | | | |
| Times article on FFP and QPR on 21:09 - May 12 with 3463 views | BasingstokeR |
| Times article on FFP and QPR on 20:51 - May 12 by daveB |
I'm still not sure why the football league just don't give us a transfer embargo, that would hurt far more than a fine, it would basically relegate us again |
This is what I don't understand daveB; surely points deduction or transfer embargo are more in line as punishments for what the Football league say are the reasons for their flawed FFP.
How often is FFP assessed as well? Is is seasonally? If the Football league fined us, and we made a bigger loss that season, would the part of the debt thats paying the fine count against us if we didn't immediately balance it somehow? | | | |
| Times article on FFP and QPR on 21:17 - May 12 with 3418 views | QPR_John |
| Times article on FFP and QPR on 21:09 - May 12 by BasingstokeR |
This is what I don't understand daveB; surely points deduction or transfer embargo are more in line as punishments for what the Football league say are the reasons for their flawed FFP.
How often is FFP assessed as well? Is is seasonally? If the Football league fined us, and we made a bigger loss that season, would the part of the debt thats paying the fine count against us if we didn't immediately balance it somehow? |
" would the part of the debt thats paying the fine count against us if we didn't immediately balance it somehow"
Cannot see how you can be fined for making a loss because you have been fined. But then we are dealing with the FL. | | | |
| Times article on FFP and QPR on 21:23 - May 12 with 3396 views | lave16 |
| Times article on FFP and QPR on 19:12 - May 12 by QPR_John |
"At Football League level – if not on a European level – FFP exists to save clubs from themselves. "
Why do the media continue to peddle this rubbish. There are a myriad of ways the authorities can try to protect clubs which would still keep the dream alive. FFP will protect the top clubs and their position it is as simple as that. [Post edited 12 May 2015 19:18]
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the FFP is an attempt to keep big clubs at the top and limit the chance of small clubs winning major trophies... | |
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| Times article on FFP and QPR on 22:29 - May 12 with 3213 views | BostonR |
I have heard an interesting take on this subject tonight. Essentially, we refuse to be relegated on the basis that we are subject to a different set of rules that are not of are making. Both the PL and FL are concerned that such a legal claim could delay the start of the PL and the Championship next season. |  | | |
| Times article on FFP and QPR on 22:44 - May 12 with 3161 views | PunteR |
| Times article on FFP and QPR on 19:34 - May 12 by itsbiga |
“It’s my middle name. I’m ‘Fight It’ Fernandes.”
Shut up you prat. |
He's got the "t it" bit right. |  |
| Occasional providers of half decent House music. |
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| Times article on FFP and QPR on 23:35 - May 12 with 3054 views | DWQPR |
| Times article on FFP and QPR on 20:51 - May 12 by daveB |
I'm still not sure why the football league just don't give us a transfer embargo, that would hurt far more than a fine, it would basically relegate us again |
Not necessarily so. From what I understand the transfer embargo doesn't include signing out of contract players and allows a salary spend on such a signing to a certain limit. Also we could reinvest funds raised from the sale of existing players, so for example we raise £20million from selling Austin, Fer and Sandro, this could be used to purchase new players. What we cannot do is spend above this. | |
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| Times article on FFP and QPR on 23:36 - May 12 with 3052 views | Northernr |
| Times article on FFP and QPR on 23:35 - May 12 by DWQPR |
Not necessarily so. From what I understand the transfer embargo doesn't include signing out of contract players and allows a salary spend on such a signing to a certain limit. Also we could reinvest funds raised from the sale of existing players, so for example we raise £20million from selling Austin, Fer and Sandro, this could be used to purchase new players. What we cannot do is spend above this. |
They gave Watford a transfer embargo two years ago and Watford found that by writing to the league and asking for special permission to make a signing the signing was always granted special permission. So they did, a dozen times. | | | |
| Times article on FFP and QPR on 09:07 - May 13 with 2823 views | Mvpeter |
| Times article on FFP and QPR on 21:03 - May 12 by BasingstokeR |
Fair enough you think it, but don't pass your opinion off as "fact"
the club didn't "completely ignore" FFP regulations, that's not a fact. |
How else would you describe keeping the wage bill as high as 75.3? And pretty significant transfer fees. And a million coaches. And Harry Redknapp.
Clearly spending as much money and breaking FFP was the goal. | |
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