Source: SKY_Sports
Khaldoon defends City's spending
// A bit of a hack but it works// The article snippet is wrapped onto a second line, even when #article-sub is emptyif( $("div#article-sub").children().length == 0 ) {$("div#article-sub").remove();} Manchester City chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak has rubbished claims that the club's lavish spending is endangering football.[LNB] Big-spending City have laid out over £100million in the transfer market this season and Khaldoon insists they have spent vast amounts of money to increase competition at the highest levels.[LNB]City have come in for criticism from the likes of Uefa president Michel Platini over their spending having a distorting effect on the transfer market and Europe's footballing governing body are thought to be looking into ways to implement rule changes that require clubs to become self-sufficient in the near future.[LNB]Khaldoon has defended City's massive outlay on players since the takeover by the Abu Dhabi group a year ago and says their spending will not put the club into debt.[LNB]"I could accept the argument if we were artificially building up the club through debt," Khaldoon told The Guardian.[LNB]"That produces a destructive end result; we have seen that happen. But in our case, the club will be in the healthiest position because there is no debt. We have funded it through equity [permanent investment], including the signing of the players.[LNB]Competition"I believe what we are doing is a fair way to inject competition into football, without debt."[LNB]Uefa have moved to try and curtail the big spending of City and Real Madrid by announcing "financial fair-play measures" which will require clubs to fund all activities through television income, ticket sales and commercial activities by 2012 if they wish to take part in European competitions.[LNB]But Khaldoon believes Uefa's stance would lead to a monopoly of the same clubs taking part in European competition every season.[LNB]"The argument that this is unhealthy suggests that the big clubs, which make the most money, must remain the big clubs, that the status quo must remain," added Khaldoon.[LNB]"Is Mr Platini saying that only Real Madrid and Barcelona have the right to be competitive in La Liga?[LNB]"I appreciate the argument about having so much money.[LNB]"The way I answer it is: Yes, this is a club, but it is a business too, and in business, you are there to compete. And we are striving to build the club the right way, with respect for its heritage, and the fans."[LNB]
