I don't understand Financial Fair Play rules, says economics graduate Wenger
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has a degree in economics, but admits even he struggles to understand the Financial Fair Play regulations and called for UEFA to make them clearer.
Both Manchester City and Paris St Germain, clubs backed by wealthy Middle East owners, have been issued heavy fines for spending beyond their means.
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho believes clubs which breach the rules should be docked points and stripped of any titles.
City were fined £49m last May, after winning the 2013-14 Barclays Premier League championship, for infringing FFP regulations, but nevertheless went on to make the biggest English outlay of the transfer window in spending £28m on striker Wilfried Bony from Swansea.
Wenger has long championed a need for football to get their finances in order.
But the French coach, who studied Politics and Economics at the University of Strasbourg, has been left perplexed by just what UEFA have set out.
"It depends what you call Financial Fair Play as that notion has changed," said Wenger.
"Is it just your income created by the gates? Is it the gates and commercial?
"Is it only the gates and the television? Is it naming rights as well?
"It is not clear to people what Financial Fair Play means, the rules are very complicated."
Wenger, 65, continued: "We are a popular sport, so you want to clear and simple rules for everybody to understand.
"If I ask 10 people in the street today (what it means) and then if you ask me, and I am in the job, I don't have a clear idea anymore of what it means."
Arsenal continue to move forwards from a solid financial base which is built around the revenue generated from their 60,000-seater Emirates Stadium rather than the deep pockets of American owner Stan Kroenke.
Wenger said: "The Financial Fair Play rules have to be respected by everybody and if one club respected always the Financial Fair Play, and you can underline always, it is Arsenal, then we do not have to talk about that."
