FFP Restrictions: A Secret Blessing
By Jack Nason
Due to FFP restrictions, Aston Villa will have no money to spend in the transfer window. This is not necessarily a disaster. Tonight’s clash against Leeds United is being dubbed as a fixture which could determine Villa’s readiness for mounting a serious promotion push. Avoiding defeat is key to prove this, especially considering the tricky December ahead. Nevertheless, the most important stages of the league campaign are yet to come.
Mounting Injuries
In reality, winning runs like the current one will decide our fate. A mounting injury list problematises this. Any long-term success this season will, therefore, require consistency from whoever is part of the starting eleven. The last three games have shown that our squad is deep enough to do this. However, with the extent of Jonathan Kodjia’s injury coming to light, and other long-term injuries in the striking department, attempts to bolster this position would be unsurprising.
Nonetheless, speaking to the press ahead of our fixture at Elland Road, Steve Bruce reaffirmed to Sky Sports that Financial Fair Play (FFP) restrictions will dictate that the loan market is the only real possibility of strengthening the squad.
This could turn out to be a blessing rather than a curse.
If Villa are to complete their promotion push this season, improving the squad to a standard capable of remaining in the Premier League will be no easy task. In comparison, our current status as a Championship team will restrict the quality of players we can attract in January.
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Sign Wisely
Avoiding another heavy influx of new players next month- a recruitment method which has only caused failure over the last two seasons- could actually make the task a bit easier next summer should promotion become a reality.
Smart loan deals instead of long-contracts would avoid a situation in which the club is stuck with players. These may achieve considerable Championship success but would ultimately struggle in the top division. Loanees can leave at the end of the season, however, permanent signings would probably have long-term contracts. This may be the case even if there is little chance of them contributing to a promoted side. Thus, they would merely be a drain on the club’s wage bill. Every supporter will know that the club is still stuck with such players from the last regime.
Further Benefits of FFP Restrictions
In addition, the old cliché dictates that ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!’. With that in mind, FFP restrictions will also prevent the risk of making radical changes to a side which is currently functioning well. This team is becoming a unit, capable of putting together a run of victories. They are also able to cope with and react to defeats. Rupturing these bonds with new personalities could be fatal.
Promotion is part of one of the Board’s many long-term processes and talking about it at this stage of the season would be naïve. FFP restrictions may just force the club, however, to conduct business in a manner which would be the most appropriate in case we pull it off. If nothing else, the club’s caution in light of these restrictions is evidence that we are in sensible hands.