HoundNathStPaulRoyalBlue
Rules 'might' have been quite clear but I doubt that can be said regarding the nature and type of sanctions that would be imposed. It's claimed FFP is about protecting the in financial security of clubs. If that is true, then it clearly isn't fit for purpose. Forcing clubs to let their most valuable assets go for free, forbidding the reinvestment in the squad of any money taken from player sales, and leaving clubs with such weakened squads that they end up at high risk of relegation all works against securing their financial security.
To me it seems that FFP is far more about protecting the big clubs and the status quo from newly rich upstarts and maintaining the ludicrously uneven playing field that allows clubs relegated from the PL to spend beyond their true means (courtesy of parachute payments) ensuring the swift return of most of them to the top level.
But if you don't break the rules then you cannot be punished for anything. I get your point, the sanctions are harsh, but we chanced our arm and are now paying the price. We didn't just break the rules either, we obliterated them.
I think the ‘rules’ were clear enough but the ‘punishments’ do seem a grey area. Am slightly surprised at how harsh our business plan is but guess we’ll have to live with it
And it has at least forced us to stop some of the silly strategies we were following
I think the harshness reflects on the brazeness of our breach. I agree the sanctions are slightly harsh and counterproductive though, there should have been a uniform list of sanctions in place years ago so everyone knew where they stood.