Management Efficiency in Russian Super League Football Clubs in 2016 and 2017

Abstract

The Russian Super League ranks sixth by its clubs' budgets while the Russian national team lags behind occupying the 60th place in the world rankings. Players’ salaries do not correspond to their actual on-pitch performance. The problem may lie in the low level of football management efficiency, more specifically, in the 'pay-levelling' system in Russian football, which does not incentivize players to improve their performance but instead puts them in the same position as civil servants.