Well I suppose it depends how you define 'financial issues'. If it means, the club has a budget for the head coach, in line with the way Gino and Scott view head coaches as a replaceable cog in a much larger wheel, then yes, finances restrict our ability to go out and get a higher calibre of head coach. Including potentially a hefty compensation payment to their current employer. The money is directed elsewhere, to other priorities. But if it means something is wrong and the finances are going down the tubes then I see very little evidence for that.
In terms of finance it would help if we didn’t spend 20/30 million on buying garbage players from the same agent over the years. Oulare, Kums, Okaka and Lukebakio all front the same source and simply flushing money down the toilet.
I'm a natural pessimist and worrier, as you seem to be too ! However I think it's too early to assume that we won't strengthen the defence this summer and to draw any conclusions about what Gino has planned. The proof will be in the pudding. However we have to face the facts that we will probably spend less than most other "non top 6" as we aren't owned by mega-rich and our gates will be below most others. To expect us to keep track with the signings made by all bar HTFC, burnley, brighton and maybe Cardiff is unrealistic. The reality is while we will always want to "show progress" each year, it will be bloody diffcult just to stay in this league and we will lose more than we win every season. Its nothing personal that makes the betting co's put us as one of the favourites for relegation every season. Once again this year we will need to beat the odds.
I think part of our fears are based on Deadline Day last summer (Wague and Zeegelar) and then January when we also failed to strengthen the defence, wasting resources instead on a midfielder who never played and a winger who came off the bench once. We know Gracia is a Coach who gets on with the job without complaining and seems happy working with what he's got. That makes for a happy ship, but don't we need him to tell GP that he's worried about the quality of our defenders?
If he is, I'm sure he has. I agree the acquisitions (bar Deulofeu) since deadline day last summer have been dreadful/bizarre. Gino must see and learn from that.
Apparently every away goal costs the club thousands in player bonuses and the need to edit clips for social media. Savvy work by Gracia to cut those out if you ask me.
This is important. You don't get every signing right, but we seem to get players in who don't EVER feature. And they are always these suspicious deals with the same agent Needs to stop
All I'm saying is the indicators at this stage point to relying on the same defenders as last season, or why else do you extend contracts. They are not home grown either, so tie up a valuable foreign slot. We have not extended in order to sell, as let's be honest, none of those players are saleable assets. With regards to the stadium, there was a clear indication from Duxbury that we would leave the stadium for a couple of seasons then would increase the capacity this summer. Of course, it's easy to forget those comments, and thing do change over a 2 year period, but as far as I'm aware there has not been a change of heart on this. All I've heard is we are at the planning stage, so again I'm reading between the lines, but it looks like a deliberate dragging of heals.
Kaboul will be on a hefty enough wage. He won’t be going anywhere, will probably play between 5-10 games next season and get a new 2yr deal.
It is plausible that they think Pr*dl will go back to being a POTS with a whole pre-season under his belt, and Kaboul will be good enough to slot back in with a pre-season too. Along with Cathcart & Kabasele it isn't a reasonable choice of CBs if Pr*dl & Kaboul regain their abilities. But, I still can't place Britos. He is past it. Kaboul too IMO, but he wasn't out of contract. It is just so strange. We clearly need a high quality CB to at least push the others, not a fifth squad choice CB who will now be tying up x amount of wages. Holebas I get because we already have to write off Zeegelaar, and one new LB is going to be difficult as it is. But Britos? When Hoban is back from injury? Illogical
Some decent arguments but I would say that I’m not sure how much Kaboul will have left in the tank even if he does get fit again. He’s another year older and missed a whole season - that’s going to be incredibly hard to come back from. And I would say that Prodl returning to POTS form is folly if that’s the club’s thinking. He’s a big lad, who again is getting older. A guy of his physique will age quite quickly and he has already noticeably lost a yard or two of pace and he wasn’t even quick in the first place.
I like the analogy of a "full pre-season" being the cure for all ills. Of course it does help, but only in working on formations and getting players fit from their summer break. It won't making aging players less injury prone, or eradicate errors from mistake ridden players. Kaboul will still be injury prone, Britos will still be reckless, Holebas will still be useless and Prodl will still be slow. Even the 4 year contract for Capoue was an extraordinarily long one for a player who has a history of being inconsistent. 4 year deal for Prodl, is there any real reason for the length of that contract? I don't see too many other Premier League clubs queueing up for these players. At best they are squad players, but it's a stretch to think they will all start playing above their natural level.
The club always go long on contracts though. It seems to be a Pozzo thing. Without knowing the clauses in the deal or the exact details it's hard to be overly critical.
Capoue is an age where 4 years isn’t overly silly. And he still has a reputation within the game that a bid from elsewhere could happen so I get the sense in a longer contract for him. Prodl should have got 2 years maximum and Holebas/Britos should not have got one at all. I’d love to know what the club’s strategy is for doing the above as whenever I come up with a plausible reason, it’s so easy to disprove.
Kums was never bought to play for us and we have likely made a profit on him - Udinese were unlikely to pay us a loan fee but they have given us plenty over the years. Okaka has been very average but he scored 2 against Everton so that's worth the 6 million and we will get most of it back. Oulare was a big gamble with his injury problems but we will have recouped some of that from his loan spells. Lukebakio - it would seem unfair to write the lad off so soon. We do need quality but I don't think our investment has been that bad.
Britos will be on a modest salary. Therefore it is no risk to sign him up as a back stop. If we do sign someone better, leaving him out of the squad is not a risk as it is pretty much certain that a promoted side, a champ side, or a European side will cover his wages. Stop bedwetting, it's the first of June FFS.
I wouldn't be completely surprised to see Gracia have a look at Oulare pre season, might as well have him in the squad not playing as have Okaka in the squad not playing
He's injured unfortunately. Had surgery and will miss pre-season. I say unfortunately, but I mean unfortunately for him. Makes no difference to us, he's absolutely terrible and wouldn't be anywhere near our squad.
Sorry but you can’t make excuses for all those deals. Okaka maybe but not the rest. We can also add Zeegelaar, Djedje, Arlauskis and probably others to the list. I know the way Gino does his business but it’s become increasingly scattergun over the past couple of years and more miss than hit.
Udinese sold Kums at a 2.5 million loss after 1 season. Whether he played for us or them that is poor investment from Pozzo Corp, as are the other 3. Okaka is constantly incapable of playing more than 60 mins and hence useless. Oulare was a dreadful signing. Lukebakio is a baffling signing and news outlets already rumour us offloading him (see Lukebakio thread). This selection of signings was far from “not that bad” in book. It’s abysmal.
I really don't get this forum sometimes Chelsea have 40+ young players, bought as potential investments, given time to develop at clubs all over Europe, some will make it some won't.... City have 40+ young players, bought as potential investments, given time to develop at clubs all over Europe, some will make it some won't... Lukebakio, 20 years old, current Belgium U21, written off after 5 minutes
I’ll take your point when Lukebakio does anything of note on loan somewhere. None of our prospects do apart from Hernandez. Right now he’s from the same agent that has delivered dross.
Also, worth bearing in mind the Charleroi and Anderlecht fans were baffled by us signing him, saying he was nowhere near ready for the Premier League. Much like the Brugge fans laughing when we paid that much for Oulare with his fitness problems. I know other fans' reactions have to be taken with a pinch of salt but they were overwhelming negative about these two players and their comments have been borne out so far.
My frustration is rather than give deadwood like Britos and Prodl new contracts and buy the these “prospects” like Oulare, why don’t we just buy some average defenders instead. Our transfer policy seems to deteriorate window by window. I hope I’m proved wrong but I fear another poor showing this window based on these nonsensical contract extensions that go on.
Can't agree with that. There are always some absolute stinkers with the high turnover that is the Pozzo way, but last summer brought in Chalobah, Hughes, Kiko and Richarlison (and Cleverley on a permanent). Probably our best single transfer window since Vydra, Abdi, Forestieri and Cassetti pitched up in the first one.
Having more hits than misses is an odd metric. With any investment portfolio, a small minority of positions (say 10%) make the money. Minimising your costs on the failures guarantees your return. If you are Scott Duxbury (as was speculated), I suggest you ask Gino to speak more slowly so you can keep up.
