The fact that RD was willing to invest in the infrastructure, shell out relatively big money on Delort in the summer, and that fees were paid (sadly) for the likes of Polish Pete back then made me think that he was willing to invest enough to at least make us highly competitive in this league - not on a Bournemouth or Derby type scale, but let's say with the likes of Boro.
His obvious unwillingness to compete in either the transfer or wage market for the right level of player in January suggests a change. I guess it is possible that he is willing to settle for just staying up this season and then investing again in the summer, when prices are less inflated, more good players are out of contract and we can give the illusion, at least) of not being quite so much of a basket case of a club. In other words, to progress very, very slowly year by year and looking for the development and sale of young stars like Joe Gomez to cover the return on his investment to some degree. That would at least be an understandable strategy, albeit a frustrating one.
Personally, even if he does have this workable yet tedious strategy in mind, I've had enough of the network approach - expressed simply as recycling coaches and players already on the payroll, looking solely for cheap Euro bargains, running the club on an ill-prepared amateurish basis and not giving a damn about the supporters.
I doubt very much that RD is looking to sell. I think that he has an ego considerably larger than his native country and wouldn't want to be seen to fail. If there is an offer that gives him his investment back, plus a premium, he might just go for it, being a business man - but I suspect a key ingredient of any offer would be, as reportedly with the Josh Harris interest, a move to the peninsular.
If so, as I recently said on another thread, we might be faced with a difficult choice: given equal solvency, would you prefer to stick with the Valley and Roland's model of running the club, or have a new owner who will invest in the team at the price of a move away from the Valley. It would be a tough call either way, so everyone ought to be prepared for that.
I'm not familiar with it, but what options do we have around developing the Valley. Can we get more capacity, are we maxed out?
From what I have seen on here in the past, some land was sold which would make development of the Valley problematical. Airman knows the details, I believe.
Okay thanks. I mean looking at it without knowing any technical, building or construction knowledge, you would say the North can't go much further back otherwise it will be on the road. The west looks okay but you would lose the car park, I'm not sure about the south or the east as I haven't been round there in years.
But then I'm probably looking at it too simply just by thinking each area has space etc. I'm sure it doesn't work like that
We had planning permission for (I think) an extra tier on the East Stand and the redevelopment of the South end of the ground to include a 3-tiered Jimmy Seed Stand and the SW and SE corners filled in. Think it was something like that, looked pretty impressive on the plans that were published, and would have taken the capacity up to 40,000.
Don't know the details of what happened under Michael and Tony, but I think they sold some land behind the ground which now makes those plans unfeasible. Sure someone else can fill in the gaps/correct my mistakes.
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