The income of Premiership players is set to continue spiralling over the next few years, with the days of the first £100,000-a-week English professional only just around the corner. Likely changes to the transfer system are expected to speed up the process, while payments for image rights and internet rights will also boost the players' swelling coffers.

But the most recent survey of the finances of the English game warned that although TV money was also still flowing into the game, controlling those ever-increasing wage packets was now "more critical than ever before". The Deloitte & Touche report found that Premier League players' wages had grown to an estimated total of £241million even before the start of last season - an average of more than £12million a year per club.

With an average rise of 30% every season - and a 266% increase from their 1994-95 level - that first £100,000 a week salary is now only a matter of time. Indeed, the negotiations which Manchester United have to hold this year with the likes of David Beckham and Ryan Giggs are likely to set the new gold standard. Proposed changes to the transfer system, which could reduce - if not abolish transfer fees for older players, are also set to increase the money given to players in their wages. And a test case in court has already established that clubs can effectively pay their players two salaries - one for playing and the other for control of their `image rights', such as selling merchandising with their names on. Then there is the internet, which is probably the last, great untapped market, (though Al is well ahead of the game here on the CUFC front) with players - like clubs - also able to cash in on websites and columns. Players may also find that their wage packets are increasingly made up not only of a set weekly salary, but also performance-related payments and even stock options. Oliver Butler, editor of Soccer Investor magazine, said: "There is still further to go in players earning more money, with the transfer system probably acting as a catalyst if that is reformed. Contracts are likely to become more complex and a lot of clubs are yet to fully tap into revenue from the internet, with the possibility of finding new markets." He believes that wage rises will probably reach a ceiling one day, but not until clubs' revenues stop rising and football starts to lose its popularity. In the meantime, the greatest risk is that clubs will start taking even more of a risk on players' wages rather than spending within their means. In the Deloitte & Touche report released last August, four out of every five professional clubs had a wage bill in excess of two-thirds of their income. And just four - Manchester United, Sunderland, Aston Villa and Leeds - had what analysts see as the desired wages to turnover ratio of 50% or less. And at the end of the day it will all be another nail in the coffin of clubs like Carlisle United....

Speaking of the Cumbrians - and everybody has been - because of THAT tackle. Even the boss of FIFA has his two bob's worth. FIFA president Sepp Blatter says he is worried about growing violence at football matches and issued a plea to referees to clamp down on dangerous tackles. "I was very surprised that in recent weeks and even now when I look at the Italian league there are still some acts of violence on the field of play and in the stands," the head of world soccer's ruling body said.

Italy's Serie A season in particular has been blighted by hooliganism. Reggina and Napoli have been banned from playing in their own stadiums due to supporter violence this season and in December a Molotov cocktail was thrown at the Inter Milan team bus. "We thought we had forced this violence out of the stadia and I am very concerned," Blatter told the BBC radio. He added that was also worried about violent tackling on the pitch and issued a 'cool it' message to players and officials. "I want to call on the players to play the game without vicious fouls and arguing with referees, to coaches and managers to put less pressure on the players, but especially to the referees to be quicker to deal with all acts of aggression, and to use their authority...to maintain the laws of the game."

Blatter said the two-footed tackle by Carlisle United midfielder Richard Prokas on Arsenal's French midfielder Patrick Vieria in an English FA Cup tie was a good example of a case where the referee had not used his powers. Prokas escaped without even a caution after the challenge which was widely condemned and for which he later apologised. "The referees have the solution at the end of their whistles for such aggressive fouls," said Blatter.

Personally I still can't believe how the referee missed the incident - and if Mr Lodge could not see it then what on earth was the linesman looking at??? It was a bad 'tackle' but the thing with our Rich is he is quite capable of doing that in any game. Sky Sports panellist and former Arsenal skipper Frank McLintock accused Richard Prokas of 'trying to make a name for himself'. But I disagree and told Frank so! "It's the sort of thing you can see our Richie do any week - against any team" I said proudly. It is too - anyone else remember Brighton!

Email Mick @ mick.mitchell2@bskyb.com