Saddened! wrote:
You are correct. Salary over £100k exempt for one home grown player and salary above £175k exempt for one overseas player. No limits mentioned, so in theory you could pay one player more than your entire squad if you saw fit.
I don't get what stops clubs abusing this though. Extreme example to make the point. Salford sign Inglis on £10m per season contract (With a nod and wink arrangement that he'll sign a new deal on £150k a year following year, say backed up with a £0 release clause in Salford's favour after year 1). He then resigns on £150k a season deal and Salford sign Shaun Johnson from on a £5m per season deal with the same agreement. Year three they sign.... What prevents that?
I think you are right. The answer is - nothing.
As Dylan said, "money doesn't talk - it swears"
The most succesful team of the last 15 years has been Leeds, based on a great team spirit and a collection of players roughly earning the same.
If you pay 17 players roughly the same = happiness
If you pay 16 players the same and you pay one three times that = unhappiness