Anything published in any tabloids should be taken with a pinch of salt. Any journalist can get away with publishing complete ******** regarding transfer rumours. So yes, I would take this with a particularly large pinch of salt. Nice little snide comment there. You're clearly a very angry person.
I reckon if it comes down to the scenario Pozzo would probably cut his losses. What we shouldn't do (and it's a real possibility) is sell most of our decent players and sacrifice a great opportunity to get promoted this season.
Do think the extreme reactions one way or the other are overblown. In 19/20 our revenue from the Premier League was about £100m and our wage bill about £84m (sources below). Drop in revenue for the coming year has been considered to be around £50m) However, if we sell Doucouré (£25m), Delufeou (£20m), Pereyra (£10m), Welbeck (£5.5m) and Pussetto (£7.5m) we will have recouped £68m in lost revenue and reduced the wage bill by about £14m. So revenue for the year would be about £118m and wages £70m, and you could still field a side that looked like this: Foster Ngakia Kabasele Dawson Estupinan Capoue Chalobah Hughes João Pedro Luis Suarez Sarr Bench from Bachmann, Femenia, Masina, Cathcart, Cleverley, Quina, Sema, Gray, Deeney For the Championship that is still a very strong team that should be pushing for promotion. Now fast forward a year and say we don't get promoted. On paper, revenue is about £50m and wages still at £70m, so you've got to make additional changes. But by this point Deeney, Femenia and Kabasele are out of contract, Sarr, Estupinan and Suarez will want out and can be sold for a total of about £35m even if you think they halve in value. So in reality you're looking at about £85m revenue and wages of about £60m. Our first XI would then potentially look like this, with no future additions/players leaving which I'm assuming balances out. Foster Ngakia Cathcart Dawson Masina Capoue Chalobah Hughes João Pedro Gray Sema Not as strong by any means but also very passable in the Championship. Im not saying this is what is going to happen or should happen, just illustrating that I dont think financially or on the pitch we're really in such a dispairing position as people think, at least for the next couple of years. sources: https://www.planetfootball.com/quic...wn-of-the-2019-20-premier-league-prize-money/ https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...FjAAegQIARAB&usg=AOvVaw3UKW8LvaMwDlsEqsGpiCWS
Yes....totally agree with you....and this is the point I've been making also. We cannot sell all the family silver. We need to create a side that is better than the rest in the league we're going to be operating in. Currently we have that, and when we do sell, we have to ensure it's not going to have a major impact on the side. I get Ivic may want to work with younger players, as sometimes they are easier to direct as a group. I'm with you on thinking Ivic could be someone very good, but he is still unproven so we do need to be a little bit cautious at this stage. What my plan would be is to let players like Doucoure, Pererya & even Deeney go, at this stage. Retain Capoue. Keep Welbeck and Deulofeu until January, until you know the lie of the land. Keep Sarr at all costs, unless someone bids way in access of £40m. For me £40m would not cut it. We paid £30m to get him, plus there will almost certainly be a sell-on to Rennes to consider. Sarr is a player who will develop into the £70m bracket, and will be worth that as soon as Liverpool sign him, just like Richarlison is now. If the official statement put out by the club at the end of the season is to be believed "Rest assured, we will do everything in our power to take Watford Football Club back to the Premier League, something we all believe we can achieve." then selling virtually all fancied players does not tie in with that. We should not be selling everyone at this stage. It has to be gradual, depending on how the team is doing. If we get it right, we should only be in the Championship for one season, if we get it wrong at this stage, then it will take a long long time to bounce back....IMO. Just look at what the impact Ronnie Rosenthal had on Watford in that promotion season, all those years back. He was a top tier player, playing in the third division. On his own we won virtually every match until December when he got injured. After that we faded into average form, but by then our lead was so great at that point we had enough in the tank to get over the line to beat Bristol City to the title. He was so important to us that year, that he lifted everyone else's performances around him too. Sarr and Capoue would have that type of impact on us. We have to keep these guys because we'll not be able to replace them. We must find a way to back ourselves to get promoted. If we find ourselves missing the target in January, then start selling players then. What's the rush? What I saw against Scunthorpe was a mindset of the club. Not saying I was disappointed in performance, but I was disappointed in seeing nearly all our top players were missing. I appreciate Hughes, Pedro and Estupinan will probably come into it, but I'm not sure anyone else will. What I saw yesterday, is not a squad that will get us promoted. Certainly not in the top two positions.
It will be interesting to see whether - as reported- Liverpool do pay the £40m + for Sarr. Its possible of course, but the thing that makes me doubt it, is that it’s a lot of money for a backup player. There is no way that Sarr is better than Mane or Salah and they already have Origi as a quality bench player. Sarr should get better, but he is likely to get limited playing time. No doubt that Liverpool like Sarr, but does he really improve them?
Call people dullards for taking a rational view on news stories rather than your emotional one, you're likely to garner a response. It's quite easy to calmly suggest you're a sharp person who knows all of this already.
A rational view on the news would be to not take stuff the tabloids print too seriously. Maybe this journalist has been correct previously but I'm sure he gets plenty wrong too. There is absolutely nothing stopping him from writing complete nonsense in that rag. Anyone who buys the Sun and treats it as anything other than parody deserves to be called worse than that tbh.
He's a Watford fan and others are reporting it too. I'm sure if it had been a more positive story by Nixon you'd have not mentioned the publication at all. Just like those who criticised Mark Lawrenson if he dared to accurately predict we'd lose last season, it's easier to emotionally attack than look at it rationally.
Well in all fairness Gino is not being taken for a mug so far this transfer window. Doucs is nailed on for Everton, Watford will squeeze every last resource than can out of them before it happens. Even the cheeky loan is lengthening discussions. They've done is regularly at Udinese to good effect. The Same is happening with Caps and probably many others we've not even heard about yet. Sarr unfortunately though I believe will go. But this isn't going to be rushed through. Come the closing of the window in October someone will crack and pay a crazy amount. Will we have his position covered, probably not. It's just something we will have to deal with. But I can see them trying to get a loan or two in with a deal for Sarr hopefully to cover his position. Whether it works out time will tell.
No I wouldn't, if anything I'm probably more inclined to believe more negative news. I'm just taking into account that an extremely high percentage of transfer news is going to be nonsense to fill pages or get internet clicks.
I'm not convinced that Sarr will go in this window. I think you are correct that if it does happen, it will be towards the end of the window. The big concern is whether they identify adequate replacements.
Of all the players who weren't playing yesterday, who is 100% on their way? OK, Doucs is basically gone, Caps probably (but by no means definitely) is going too, but Hughes and Wilmot are injured, Pedro was isolating, Estupinan and Sarr (who might yet leave tbf) weren't going to be in a position to play yet given they've been out of the country. Yesterday in and of itself was nothing to be concerned about
When he ripped apart Liverpool last season, one of my first thoughts was that Klopp might sign him in the future. Plus he is Mane's mate. So wouldn't be surprised if this happens.
I see where you are coming from but the club finances are not just revenue less wages. There is also "other expenses"-£38m in 2018/19 season. We don't know what they relate to but they were £30m in 2017/8 so that is real money leaving the club on top of wages Also we owed £50m in outstanding transfer fees and £70m in secured loans (leaving aside the £25m borrowed against receipt of the balance of the Richarlison sale). So when that revenue comes in, it potentially goes straight out to meet those liabilities. So arguably there will be not be enough revenue left to meet wages which is probably the main reason why we negotiated a loan against the parachute money. More will be revealed when the accounts as at 30/6/20 are published in just over 3 months time but the £100m of revenue from player sales may not be available to meet wages if they have to be used to meet other expenses, outstanding transfer instalments and then debt. I doubt the debt provider will be happy to leave their £70m loan untouched while the main value of their security-the players-are sold.
Well. 3rd party money secured against the assets of the club which we love. Which is actually a positive in my view in terms of Pozzo performance as he isn’t just rolling the dice it seems.
I can’t see Liverpool paying £30m for Thiago & £40m for Sarr. Would imagine Thiago is more of a priority for them atm...
There was a loan move spoken of last week and that may give Liverpool some wriggle room. If they really want him they could pay Watford a loan fee/down payment now with the remainder due from next summer. That means they secure his signature and also lets them go after Thiago. Then loan Sarr back to us so he plays regularly. Plus side for Watford is using Sarr in the Championship and a cash injection with the loan fee. Didn't something like that happen when Zaha first went to Manchester United?
I'd be happier with Sarr leaving if we get something in return, even a player on loan. Anyone realistic in that sense? A year of regular football might do some of them the world of good, but would Klopp see them as above the Championship?
Yes, but that was only for half a season because he signed for Man U in the January window. Then he was loaned back for the express purpose of stopping us getting promoted.
I’m afraid you’re spot on here. Simple calculations on revenue and wages are only part of the picture. The other and primary cash flow driver is the balance sheet. Looking at the financial statements it’s fairly clear that short term liabilities are likely to be a real concern. The club was clearly not planning to leave the promised land of the Premier, and had geared up its borrowings based on future Premiership revenue. It’s lenders probably took the same view. Parachute payments will help, but the overall financial position is clearly not as good as some believe. I think Gino is to smart an operator to get pushed into a fire sale, but I can’t see us keeping many, if any, of our star players.
Na mate. I think that blocking Sarr’s dream move to title-winners Liverpool, forcing him to unhappily get kicked to pieces in the Championship and turning down a sale that covers most all of our relegation losses is clearly idiotic. We’ll get billions after our inevitable promotion. Also, I can’t wait for us to a pacy striker like Andre Gray. Perhaps Vydra? Clap clap clap.
This sort of statement always makes me chuckle, they’re from the same country, but does that automatically make them best mates?
Two things to consider: Firstly, Liverpool are being incredibly cheap this summer - as evidenced by their hesitation in going in for Thiago. Compare that with the fact that over the past few years they've been pretty happy to pay full whack for their first choice targets (Allison, Keita and Van Dijk are the primary examples). Secondly, at some point over the next two seasons (most likely Jan 2022), Liverpool are going to see their two top wingers - Mane and Salah - leave for 4 weeks + in the middle of the season to compete in the African Cup of Nations. Signing a backup winger who also competes in that competition makes little sense. Of course, Liverpool could be really really interested, but I don't really see it. Sarr to United should they fail to get Sancho makes more sense.
I don’t want to argue but the the June 2019 accounts don’t paint a grim picture , they look fine, you need to understand the business and the metric to be able to comment on their position. From my memory we have spend something like under 60% of income on wages which is a good position to be in. You also need to understand that we have two sides to the business , the football club and significant player trading which needs to be taken into account. I have no idea what the June 2020 accounts will be like but remember we sold Richalison for a large amount of money in July / August so will be included
Share an agent, came through the same clubs in Senegal and France. And the interactions they shared earlier this season hinted at Mane somewhat taking Sarr under his wing. So as much as they make you laugh, there’s method behind what people say...
They aren’t being hesitant for Thiago because they are cheap - they are being hesitant because they aren’t sure they need him. Sure he’s better than Wijnaldum but is he worth £30m better? Given they can get him for free in 12 months? That’s just good business sense really. If Wijnaldum heads to Barca as some are suggesting under Koeman, I’ve no doubt they’d immediately go for Thiago. Allisson and Van Dijk were paid for because they desperately needed players in those positions, that doesn’t apply to the Thiago situation. They hesitated and ultimately baulked at Werner because Origi had signed a new deal not long before and have Brewster returning too. Fair play to Klopp for not immediately demanding more more more and actually being happy to work with what he’s got. With Sarr, I suspect it’ll be similar to the Werner situation - will Klopp be happy to utilise Curtis Jones, Minamino, Harry Wilson, Shaqiri and evening Oxlade-Chamberlain in those wide areas should they get injuries? Or will he request that he needs more out and out width?
Let's not forget that it took Sarr a while to settle . Maybe he doesn't want the pressure of a big move at this moment in his life .
I think there's something in that. He's an extremely shy lad.....not on the pitch so much, but off it. He probably would like to stay at Watford for a while, this is why he comes across as not wanting to leave. I think Watford are looking after him, hence allowing him time to go home to be with his family. I think his agent understands he's on a development path and leaving Watford at this stage was not part of the plan. Not to say he wont leave and Watford wont grab the money, but I think it going to be more Watford wanting the money rather than Sarr pushing for a move. This is why I think we have to keep him. It's so rare that such a talent is not desperate for a big move immediately.
