Wenger sceptical of salary cap talks
Arsene Wenger declared it would be unreasonable to impose a salary cap on football unless all walks of society are subjected to similar restrictions on earnings.
Arsenal’s French manager was reacting after the issue was mentioned by sports minister Richard Caborn.
It would require a Europe-wide agreement to make a salary cap work for British football, as otherwise the cream of the talent in the Barclays Premiership and Bank of Scotland Premier League would seek overseas employment.
And Wenger cannot see good reason to introduce laws denying players money being brought into the game on the back of their performances.
“It is a realistic world if it’s brought in across the whole of society,” said Wenger.
“You can’t say that a sportsman should have a limited amount of income but a banker should get a £15million bonus as he’s a stockbroker who makes a lot of money.
“It’s a choice of the society you want or not. If it goes across the whole of society, I’m not against it. If it’s just directed at football, I don’t agree with it. It’s as simple as that.
“We live in a world where the richest 50 people own 48% of the riches of the whole earth.
“But do we just limit the salaries of footballers who normally come out of poor backgrounds – and you normally need special qualities to be a strong footballer? It (such a salary cap) should be shared across the whole of society.”
His Charlton counterpart takes another opinion, however, with Alan Curbishley in favour of salary-capping if it can be proved to help the smaller clubs compete and avoid financial disaster should relegation befall them.
It has been suggested that a cap could be imposed on the amount individual players receive, or, as is widespread in American sports, the total that clubs are allowed to spend of the wages of their entire squads.
“If there is a salary cap, what do they mean? Spending only a percentage of your income? Or will it be across the board?” said Curbishley.
“The Premiership, when you first come in, is difficult enough, but when you have been in there for five or six years, you become geared up for it.
“Then it becomes a very difficult situation if you find yourselves in trouble.
“After winning promotion and staying up, the likes of Leicester and Derby could attract better players and paid bigger wages.
“So anything which can come along to ease that pressure (after relegation) is going to make it better for everybody.”
