Sunderland finish second top of this very revealing Premier League player pay per point table
Premier League wages are only going to head one way.
This (2016/17) season is the first of the latest three year TV deal(s), with ever more money flowing into the Premier League clubs via both domestic rights, and ever increasingly, overseas contracts.
Past experience tells us that every time the TV cash goes up, the players take a very large portion of that money in wage increases.
With the next three year deals due to be negotiated next year, well in advance of 2019/20 when they will come into effect, all the signs are that the amount of money flowing into the English top tier will leap again – prompting even higher wages.
Football fans have become a little immune to the crazy figures players are earning but most agree that if players are doing it on the pitch, then what they earn isn't a massive factor.
However, if they aren't putting that effort in, then all supporters have a right to question what players are picking up in wages.
At the weekend Sunderland were abysmal in their home defeat to Swansea and Alan Shearer described the Mackem players as 'Disgraceful, lazy and pathetic'.
Even David Moyes said he had to agree his players hadn't put the effort in, especially having looked at the physical stats after the match:
"I would have to say that in many ways Alan Shearer was right. I was incredibly disappointed with the performance.
"I don't think any player goes out to perform like that…but I am privy to the physical stats and on much of that I couldn't disagree."
So which set of players have given value for money this season?
The excellent Sports Finance specialists Sporting Intelligence have published the table below.
In it they compare each Premier League club, based on what the average player is paid in their first team compared to the number of points.
The end result being an amount in pounds per player to get each of their points so far this season.
'Bottom of the table' and giving best value are Burnley, they have acquired a modest 40 points but with the lowest paid team in the Premier League, each of their points has cost 'only' £23,860 per player per point.
Second placed Tottenham have managed to combine (relative) success despite (in Premier League terms) keeping wages at a half sensible level.
They have a similar wage bill to West Ham but give the third best value for money, with their 80 points working out at £33,494 per player per point. Whereas West Ham, only have three worse performing sets of players, the Hammers accumulating 42 points and each of them costing £53,898 per player per point.
The very worst value is given by the Manchester United team, they are the best paid in the Premier League but currently 25 points behind champions Chelsea. Each of Man Utd's 65 points costing £88,769 per player per point.
In second place are our red and white friends from Wearside.
Sunderland have only the 13th highest paid team but with only a feeble 24 points, each of them has cost £78,000 per player per point.
It would be interesting to see a similar table for the Championship this season – especially a comparison between what Newcastle's 94 points have cost in wages, as compared to Aston Villa with only 62 points.
Graham Porter