Source: Eurosport
Al Fayed Pledges Future To Fulham
Fulham chairman Mohamed Al Fayed has reiterated his commitment to the Premier League club and has called for a major change in football's finances.
The Cottagers are enjoying a successful season under manager Roy Hodgson and are among a number of clubs still challenging for a place in next season's Europa League.
Al Fayed said in a statement on the club website: "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 rumours that I may sell the club."
However, the flamboyant Harrods owner is far from happy with the distribution of wealth in the game and believes there should be a cap on players' wages and a more even spread of revenue among the clubs.
"I am not going to give up on other things in the game either," he continued. "Take my crusade against sky-high players' wages.
"Our expenses bill rose by 17 per cent last year. How can it be right for top players to be earning £15-20million a year? It's crazy. These wages need to be capped.
"But I worry that it won't happen because the Premier League and the FA (Football League) are run by donkeys who don't understand business, who are dazzled by money.
"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.
"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. We are hopelessly dependent on our end-of-season league placing to determine our share of the cash. It makes a difference of feast or famine every season.
"Yet even then, except for the top four clubs, we're only talking about a difference of (a) few million, which doesn't get you far.
"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.
"In fact, they can come and have lunch with me at Harrods, where I can serve them stags' testicles from my Scottish estate, Balnagown. We all need big balls in this business."
