Stan Collymore drops verdict on Everton points deduction after FFP breach
Stan Collymore has admitted he has “absolutely no problem” with Everton being docked points for breaching FFP rules on Friday.
The Toffees were hit with a 10-point deduction for a single charge relating to profit and sustainability rules, leaving them in 19th place and level with bottom club Luton.
But writing in his Caught Offside column (17 November), Collymore admitted he felt 10 points was “harsh” but feels there should be an incentive to stop clubs breaking the rules and this is the Premier League setting a baseline punishment for future cases.
“The fact the Premier League have gone straight in with a 10-point deduction probably tells you that they feel they have a very strong case against Manchester City,” he said. “What they’ve basically done today with Everton is set the punishment’s baseline at a 10-point deduction.
“In my opinion, to be deducted 10 points for a £20 million deficit is fairly harsh to one of English football’s founding fathers and I’m sure other clubs will sympathise with them.
“From my perspective, it’s really simple though. I have absolutely no problem with Everton being docked points. I think 10 is a bit harsh, as I said above, but I wouldn’t have a problem with any team being docked points if they’d broken financial rules – and that includes Aston Villa, by the way.
“But if the Premier League are going in hard, then they need to go in hard on any club that breaks the rules. Points deduction is one thing, but at what point do we start considering voiding silverware? There has to be an incentive there for clubs not to break the rules.”
Sure
Deducting points for a financial breach is fine if that’s what the rules state is the punishment, but that isn’t the case at all.
The official written reasons clearly state the “commission recognises ‘no fixed formula’ exists to calculate the penalty” which means on this occasion they have plucked the punishment out of thin air because it’s Everton.
We also have to take into account that the reported breach is around £20m, so a ten-point deduction for that means any breach that is worth more than that should see a more severe punishment which is crazy.
A points deduction can be implemented fairly, but not in this case. It’s a punishment on the players and fans when it should be towards the people running the club who were in charge of ensuring these things wouldn’t happen.
It’s an outrageous punishment and they’re trying to use us as an example rather than giving out a fair punishment for the breach that was actually committed.
In other Everton news, Carragher blasts “awful” Moshiri after Toffees hit with 10-point deduction.