Al-Fayed to fight Premier League 'donkeys'

الثلاثاء، 21 أبريل 2009 - 12:13

كتب : Omar AbdelAziz

Fulham owner Mohamed Al-Fayed lambasted FA Premier League officials for not providing clubs with sufficient funds amid lofty players' wages and match-broadcasting revenues.

The Egyptian businessman reiterated his call for capping salaries of players, but doubted that the Premier League would acknowledge such a move.

"Take my crusade against sky-high players’ wages. Our expenses bill rose by 17 percent last year. How can it be right for top players to be earning £15, £20 million a year? It’s crazy. These wages need to be capped," Al-Fayed said in a statement on Fulham's official site.

"But I worry that it won’t happen, because the Premier League and the FA are run by donkeys who don’t understand business, who are dazzled by money."

Al-Fayed also criticized the FA's negative stance in the broadcasting of Premiership matches, which yield little revenue to clubs.

"If the world wants to keep players in pocket for tens of thousands of pounds every week, then let the Premier League and the FA negotiate with Sky and other broadcasters for a share of the billions that they make in profit from our product, from my product," he added.

"Because at present, they don’t. All around the world, football fans are paying to watch top matches on TV. And yet do most clubs see any of that money? No."

Fight

Al-Fayed urged fellow Premiership chairmen to join him in his campaign to help English clubs increase profit by facing the FA.

"I want to help other clubs. I speak my mind, and other chairmen should too. They need to wake up from their coma and join me in this fight with the Premier League and the FA," he said.

The 76-year-old quashed rumors that he is ready to sell Fulham as he believes he owns the best club in the world.

"I own the best club in the world, with the best team and the best fans. I want to reassure people of this, because sometimes there are naughty rumors that I may sell the club," he said.

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