Everton: Gary Neville reacts to FFP news live on Sky Sports during Chelsea vs Newcastle clash
Gary Neville delivered a scoffing instant reaction to news on the changing profit and sustainability rules after cases against Everton, Manchester City and Nottingham Forest.
The Sky Sports pundit reacted live on the match coverage of Chelsea vs Newcastle at Stamford Bridge on 11 March, after commentator Bill Leslie raised the latest developments while discussing the possible sale of Conor Gallagher.
News emerged earlier in the evening that the current regulations, where clubs can lose a maximum of £105million over three seasons, is set to be scrapped for a system close to UEFA rules were spending must match a percentage of a club’s revenue.
A laughing Neville said (9.11pm): “Now a few of them have been caught? Change the rules!”
Everton, Manchester City and Nottingham Forest investigated under current regulations
It has already been reported than none of the current cases will be effected by the current rules being replaced, so any change won’t benefit Everton in that way.
If the motivation to scrap this system in favour of moving towards a similar set of regulations as are implemented for European competition is designed to avoid difficulties then it could hardly be levelled at Goodison Park.
The Toffees have already been hit by a points deduction after a messy dispute which has led to plenty of bad feeling towards the Premier League, and the sanction reduced on appeal thanks to legal missteps by the original independent commission.
Although it is often cited as reason for Everton to be quiet and take their medicine that the rules were voted in by the club’s themselves, the top flight sides didn’t react last summer when it was only one club that had been referred, despite the numerous charges outstanding against City, and an investigation in progress into Chelsea.
So if the sentiment that Neville is suggesting is accurate, that clubs have decided they are starting to fall foul of the rules so they want them changed, it certainly hasn’t been of any benefit at Goodison Park, even if there are plenty of arguments that the outgoing rules cause more problems than they solve.
