Although failing to gain promotion THIS season is no longer an imperative it has been made clear that it is of course our aim. I think any of us and no doubt many at the club knew what was required in order to maximise that chance and yet in reality two of the biggest problems this squad face in not having a playmaker and a very slow and old central defence have not been addressed. Certainly credit should be given for the acquisition of BWP, Eccleston and Bessone but two of those are of course on loan. If there was real money lurking in the background I feel that the midfield and centre of defence would have been addressed. Am I being unfair and if I am I am sure you will tell me.
0
Comments
I think to complete a takeover of a football club, sack a manager, appoint a new one, let him bring in three players plus a member of coaching staff in between actually playing football matches, all in one month they have done bloody well.
IMO it's not just about money ....... more about timing, with a new management team bedding in.
The club are not just going to throw money at random players. The management team needs to get to to know the squad better ....and identify the right characters with the right ability as pieces of the team jigsaw, before they start spending.
In any case, surely the object is to sign a better player than we have already for a certain identified position - no point in making signings just to appease impatient supporters.
The manager is Powell, not Pardew.
;o)
Patience is a virtue... wait a week or two
That is a rather vague term but the key point is that having "Seriously wealthy" OWNERS is not the same as having a seriously large BUDGET.
They may well be multi-millionaires or even Billionaires but that is not the point. What we don't know is how much of that money they have or will commit to this project.
They are not in it for their egos (not least in the short term) or they would be parading on the pitch with a scarf borrowed from the Club shop.
They have bought a Club at a nominal price which has already cut its cost base to the bone. The short term debt is small and the long term debt is manageable.
The Club is losing £3 - 4M a season already. The new owners have not only kept all the higher earners such as Semedo and Racon but added three extra salaries and a fee for BWP. Only Sodje has gone out and there is still a chance that other players will come in.
My uninformed guess is that their business plan is keep the business lean, no extra spending on frills (ie new screen) but invest on the pitch to get the crowds up and win promotion. Once we are up we have extra TV and ticket income and can, with the same level of extra investment of £4 -5m a season, have a push at promotion back to the Premier League where the real money kicks in.
That is a rather vague term but the key point is that having "Seriously wealthy" OWNERS is not the same as having a seriously large BUDGET.
They may well be multi-millionaires or even Billionaires but that is not the point. What we don't know is how much of that money they have or will commit to this project.
They are not in it for their egos (not least in the short term) or they would be parading on the pitch with a scarf borrowed from the Club shop.
They have bought a Club at a nominal price which has already cut its cost base to the bone. The short term debt is small and the long term debt is manageable.
The Club is losing £3 - 4M a season already. The new owners have not only kept all the higher earners such as Semedo and Racon but added three extra salaries and a fee for BWP. Only Sodje has gone out and there is still a chance that other players will come in.
My uninformed guess is that their business plan is keep the business lean, no extra spending on frills (ie new screen) but invest on the pitch to get the crowds up and win promotion. Once we are up we have extra TV and ticket income and can, with the same level of extra investment of £4 -5m a season, have a push at promotion back to the Premier League where the real money kicks in.
Totally agree Henry.
Next we buy Benno for £250k (est) before the takeover.
Then we sign the division's top scorer for £750k (est) after the takeover.
Don't tell me there isn't any money in the background.
Sorry but I think we paid fees in the summer for Francis, Benson and Abbott and nobody else and BWP fee was around £125k
We are in the third tier of football. Frankly it would be ludicrous to over spend at this level.
Take QPR for example. Owned by some seriously rich characters. Naturally they've put some money in but they haven't busted the bank to get stellar players in. They have taken several seasons before they've got in right on the field.
I am greatly reassured by what I hear/read from Slater. I think he brings a feeling of security that we haven't had now for four years. He states evolution not revolution. I much prefer the former.
To me the club is moving, maybe inching, forward but it is moving forward again. We need to exercise some patience.
I do not believe that we would have been promoted this season under Parky because the desperation and the general lack of faith in him undermined the confidence of the team. Also generally, the ambience of the club was a depressing one of a big fail and peeling paint.
There is a huge change. It hasn't yet converted to on the pitch performances, in terms of champagne football but two battling home performances are a good start. Before CP came, we could and probably would have lost last night.
Maybe CPs intervention last night with the 4th Official is part of the change. It turned the game around. Mac clearing off the line at the death is also about players stepping up an taking responsibility.
I think that confidence off the pitch will help to build confidence on it. As a consequence I think that promotion this season, never a certainty, is more not less likely.
I still believe there are some seriously wealthy investors involved.
£750k? More like between £125k and 250k
Its not just the fee. BWP was courted by clubs in the Championship. I suspect we offered to beat personal terms offered by clubs in a higher league and that's why he came. Nobody knows the fee because its secret. £125k is pure speculation.
The fee reportedly agreed with Reading was double that.
Deal was 60k per year over 3 years and 2k pw according to D+R source. So he costs us approx 3K pw so stuill a lot cheaper than youga.
Point remains. Not spending does not equal no money. 1 they are spending 2 they never said they would spend big.
750k for SWP - get away - where did you get that figure from?
1) They couldn't afford his contract, with 6 months remaining; in plain English they couldn't afford any longer to pay him.
2) They needed money, however it could be made, to reduce their debt to HMRC.
With BWP out of contract at the end of the season, this was their last chance saloon to get ANY money for him.
IMO we quite likely took on the remaining part of BWP's existing Argyle contract terms, and paid the value of that upfront to Argyle.
And a generous signing on fee to BWP.
We have 10-12 games by the end of March - Plenty of football to get into the top 6 close the gap on 2nd place - hopefully we borrow the right players to fill the gaps without disrupting the squad...and watch how we either snath automatic or at least enter the play-offs with a winning team.
The football is more patient, the crowd is more patient so let's hope we are where Leeds and Norwich are in 12 months when we all know serious cash will be required
Chris Powell will still be assessing what he has & what he needs, so patience is the virtue. If we get the right loanees, ability & attitude-wise(& I think CP will), & then get promoted, I'm sure funds will be available for permanent reinforcements in the 2nd tier.
He may also be able to bring out the best in some of the fringe players, which would seem like new signings.
I'm not belittling the deal bing just saying it is far from the £750k figure above and far from Reading's offer as well
Reading's offer was reported at £300k.
The fact that BWP was a free agent in the summer and could walk away from Argyle for NOTHING, fuelled their desperation to get any money for him.
This was quite possibly Argyle's last concrete chance to get a transfer fee for him.
Remember, like many clubs relegated from the Championship, they have players contracted on Championship wages,
which on dwindling League One income, they can no longer afford to pay.
It was vital they get him off the books and receive some transfer fee for him ...... that way, they reduce both their running cost overheads - and get a sum towards paying their urgent tax debt.
The 18 month contract possibly has several reasons behind it:
1) BWP is carrying an injury. He no doubt needs an operation, hopefully it can be managed until then.
2) Nobody knows the long term effects of this injury until after the op.
3) Charlton obviously don't wish to be lumbered again with a possible Kelly Youga like situation, in a worst case scenario.
4) If BWP proves effective, and/or the club get promoted, you can expect a contract extension terms to be offered once he proves his fitness. I would expect an option to extend his contract is already written in.
That isn't quite true
In Eccleston
out Martin
In BWP
out Sodge
In Bessone
out Siep (and maybe Fry)
I don't see where your 3 extra salleries come from.
totally agree - just praying a couple of proper playmakers are being lined up in the loan market come end of feb - real quality may not be obtainable on a permanent deal - this is the glass half full outlook.