Gabby Agbonlahor has launched a scathing attack on UEFA and Premier League spending rules, which he claims favour under-achievers Tottenham Hotspur. Speaking on talkSPORT, the former Aston Villa forward savaged the current situation in a week where the disparity between Villa and Spurs has been stark.
Villa Fined Despite Success
While Aston Villa have been fined for breaching UEFA's Squad Cost Ratio rules after a season in which they won a trophy and finished fourth, 13 places and 24 points above Tottenham, Spurs have signed Mateus Fernandes and are closing in on a nine-figure deal for Sandro Tonali.
The 39-year-old said: “I speak for Newcastle fans, for Villa fans, for a lot of fans whose clubs can't spend money. Spurs have finished seventeenth two seasons in a row, how can they go and spend £52 million on [Jan Paul] van Hecke, Tonali will be £100m, Fernandes will be £85m, free transfers for [Andy] Robertson and [Marcos] Senesi, big, big wages for all five of those players.”
Rules Called a Joke
Agbonlahor continued: “And then teams like Aston Villa who have just won the Europa League are getting fined £19 million and can't spend any money. It's a joke. It's a joke. The rules are a joke. How can clubs like Villa get to the next level? What's the point? The rules are terrible.”
He added: “It's that so-called top six bias. Clubs like Aston Villa and Newcastle can't buy anyone, but Spurs finish 17th, two seasons in a row, and then go and spend. Who are you going to go and get next?”
Revenue Disparity and Ground Rebuild
Tottenham have rebuilt their ground at huge expense, generating far more revenue than Villa Park. The SCR rules allow clubs to spend up to 85 per cent of their income, but Villa are only allowed 70 per cent as a Champions League club subject to UEFA's lower threshold.
Agbonlahor questioned: “How do Villa get to that stage then of bringing in that income? Just get loads of concerts. ‘Alright, Beyonce, do you fancy coming on a Monday night to Villa Park and doing a concert, yeah?’”
Billionaire Owners Restricted
He argued: “I just think it's not fair when our owners are billionaires, multi-billionaire owners, look at Newcastle, the richest club in the world, our owners have got the money, so they're not going to go under, are they? If we go and spend £300m we're not going to go under, Aston Villa.”
“So clubs like Aston Villa and Newcastle can't dream, you're telling me now Spurs can just finish wherever they want every season, spend whatever they want because they bring in so much.”
Dream of Winning Premier League
“I'm not saying they're being punished. I'm just saying it's not fair that they can, and then clubs like Aston Villa who have got multi-billion pound owners and Newcastle can't buy anybody.”
“How can Aston Villa bridge that gap to Arsenal, Man City to try and win a Premier League title? What's the dream for the other clubs then?”
“There's five or six clubs that bring in top revenue, that can spend big money every season, and then there's clubs that can't. What's the point?”
“So what is that? Aston Villa’s ceiling of you might get the Champions League and you might win the old trophy? But fans, for the rest of your life don't dream about winning the Premier League? You can't go and spend £80m no, no, no, no.”
