The peak of the English football pyramid has become about as uncompetitive as it can get, and a particular policy may exist to ensure that the gap increases...
The policy I speak of is Financial Fair Play (FFP), which I argue has led to an ever-emerging gap between clubs at the top and those at the bottom. A policy introduced by UEFA in 2011 to prevent clubs from spending more than they have, the effectiveness of FFP is in question, as the football pyramid in England and Wales is at it's most unbalanced in history.
Coupled with Sky Sports' monopolisation of TV rights, the top clubs have raked in unimaginable amounts of revenue whilst clubs like Derby and Bury (to name a few) have struggled financially in the unrelenting competition that the pyramid has to offer. At the other end of the spectrum, you have Rupert Murdoch's "big 6" which he has pushed throughout the Premier League era on Sky Sports with Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Tottenham, Arsenal and Chelsea. Clubs such as Manchester City, Liverpool and Manchester United have accrued ginormous transfer budgets and wage bills which the lower clubs simply cannot compete with, and thus the top half of the table remains relatively constant.
The "big 6" have also become household names globally from the marketing strategies pushed forward by Sky Sports to create an international familiarity and fascination with the league, and to Murdoch's credit (I don't say that often), it has worked. The Premier League is the most watched league in the world by far, and that's partly due to the massive push from Sky Sports in their quest to market a global brand through the "big 6". Now, this doesn't directly equate to success on the pitch, but having billionaire owners who are able to pay the highest of transfer fees and wages, and fans that invest hundreds of millions in to the clubs, consequently attracts the best footballers from around the world.
Furthermore, these clubs have benefitted immensely from their owners' huge spending caps, and we are now seeing the same results with Newcastle courtesy of the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund. I imagine we'll see the magpies in the top half of the table for many years to come.
Whilst the practicalities and intentions of FFP are beneficial for the football pyramid, it has enabled the top 6 clubs to dominate English football ever since the introduction of the Premier League in 1992 since they basically don't apply to them. As the owners of these clubs have near enough unlimited amounts of wealth at their disposal, they need not worry about FFP - as they will never spend over their means. This is simply not the case for lower clubs that have to strategise accordingly, taking large risks on players that they bring in for performances on the pitch. There are two exceptions of course, with Blackburn winning in 94/95, and Leicester City in 15/16. But, apart from these two, the same 5 clubs (Spurs having won diddly squat in the league since 1961) have won the remaining Premier League titles between eachother. Doesn't seem very competitive to me.
Nevertheless, is it too easy to say that huge budgets for these clubs directly equates to success? It's probably more likely that a harmonious partnership of FFP and competent board decision making leads to footballing success. Why you ask? Let's have a look at my club, Everton, as an unfortunate anomaly.
I've been burdened with the task of supporting Everton for my 23 years of life. That's something that no father should ever thrust upon their son to begin with. Everton have infamously spent half-a-billion pounds on dross since 2016 - with the highest point being Ancelotti gracing us with his presence for a short period before bowing out for the Real Madrid job. I still hold a grudge.
Everton are a direct example of what not to do at the pinnacle of spending habits, becoming a haven for has-beens with incredible wages in the hope that they perform miracles. *Spoiler alert*, they bloody don't. Everton are in the worst spot they have been in since 1998, when we narrowly escaped relegation through Kevin Campbell's heroics. As a club, with the amount of spending on transfers, infrastructure and a new stadium, Everton should be in a much better position domestically and continentally, so is it just as simple as blaming something as topical as FFP? Clearly not.
So, although FFP does grant significant advantages to clubs that can spend hundreds of millions, if not billions, on players and infrastructure, it does also require that the board to have the best footballing interests of the club at heart. Splashing the cash isn't a sure-fire way to maintain domination, so perhaps the rest of the football pyramid should take notes from the "big 6"...
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