“Nothing should be forbidden. ” The invitation was launched in May 2020 by Didier Quillot, who was still the executive director general of the Professional Football League (LFP). Formulated while the clubs were financially suffering the cessation of competitions, caused by the Covid-19 epidemic, it aimed to encourage them to urgently address the issue of better regulation of their payroll – their main position expenditure – and, with this in mind, to think just as much of a cap on players’ salaries (the salary cap) than a reduction in staff.
” The salary cap, but also the “Squad limit”, that is to say the limitation of the number of people, are two ideas in the air at UEFA [Union des associations européennes de football] and to FIFA [Fédération internationale de football]. And I think we’ll have to land them at one point or another ”, added Didier Quillot who has since left his post after the election of Vincent Labrune to the presidency of the LFP.
Difficulties in implementing a salary cap within such a scattered European market (the European Leagues association, which brings together all of continental professional football, has 37 members) pose downsizing as a more credible alternative, able to limit the inflation of the payroll.
“Too many players”
The financial situation of the clubs has not improved – on the contrary – with the failure this fall of the broadcaster Mediapro, Jean-Marc Mickeler, the president of the National Management Control Directorate (DNCG), also in an interview at The team at the end of December, pressed the clubs to “Take an interest in the number of registered players”.
“Some clubs have more than 50 professionals under contract! It does not mean anything “, added the boss of the “financial gendarme” of French football. “ There are only 11 players on the field and a number of substitutes. “ Except to bet on the “Trading”, and speculate on young players who will not necessarily evolve in the team, but who aim to be sold with added value after a few loans.
“There are sometimes too many players in some clubs”, also conceded, in the columns of the World, in January, Sylvain Kastendeuch, co-president of the National Union of Professional Footballers (UNFP), while admitting to see “A roof” for his part, him the representative of the players. In addition, the reduction in individual wages is not a very popular idea with the first concerned, that of a reduction in the workforce could perhaps be more easily accepted.
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