I think our summer sales are going to be interesting this year. I don't see one post-Bielsa recruit being sold. That'll be a first. We always have failures to sell. It's just players from previous regimes we'll have to sell this year. With less failures, it means less recruiting required too, so the wage bill should drop immensely, or give us leeway to sign a couple of big earners. Things are looking up in areas we never even thought of!
We all said we hadn’t a penny to spend at the start of the season then in walks £3m Douglas and £8m Bamford. We would have had a budget for this season for wages and total expenditure, I’m assuming we have had better than expected gate receipts, savings on Blackman and now Baker and we’ll have a fee in mind for Saiz and hopefully some wage savings too now on him. I don’t believe we’re flush but I guess it depends on how you define tight? I’d not be surprised if we spend £5-6m this window and I’d not say that was being tight if we do/did
And out walked 8m Vieira to balance the books against the manager’s wishes, with comments from radz that some ‘could’ be reinvested but that we have to sell two players a year in this division. Throw in some fairly obvious contract extensions that haven’t happened, his other Uk businesses not doing great... his words that they are independent business but he has to manage his investment across the portfolio... so clearly it effects his own personal financial clout. We may still get some very good players in this window, but i’d Be very surprised if they’re bought and come with a big upfront fee. Very Pleasantly surprised! Unless he’s been doing some investment deals behind the scenes... which frankly he should have been if he understood the fragile nature of success on a football pitch.
Yes balance the books for the season we are currently half way through. The balancing and budget would have been worked out ready for the start of the season. So reflecting what has happened since day one... Saiz, Baker, Blackman have had their wages saved, Saiz might well have a purchase price attached and hopefully gate receipts are higher than expected. I hope I’m right and we do have a few million to spend, I keep reading that Bielsa has been offered various CBs and he has declined them, I personally think this is because he wants the budget spent on a Keeper and further up the field. Hopefully we’ll find out sooner rather than later. One more thing, we were supposedly willing to go £11m for Vydra so I think we have a few beans in the pot
Apparently so, but we ended up with Bamford for a few mill less, and sold Vieira to fund it. Would we have had to sell another to fund Vydra, to find the few extra mill?
All speculation I know but did we need to balance the books or was it an excuse to cash in on a third choice player sitting on the bench? I know we all do this one in circles but I still maintain Orta has wasted a shed load on players we didn’t ever need. I think Bielsa is really testing him now to present him with a player that can be thrown into a starting 11 I believe the reason nobody has signed yet is Orta just hasn’t satisfied Bielsas demands. Some will say yes but what budget is Bielsa working to, fingers crossed we find out soon
Being ‘in the know’ is such a heavy burden Forza! On a completely unrelated subject has Navas been getting game time at Seville this season?
Enjoyable read and I usually agree with WJ but not on this occasion. Did I expect us to be up there fighting for promotion this season - no. But now that we are top, four points clear of third after Christmas and given the number of clubs promoted from this position in recent seasons, to be one of the few clubs not to make it now would be the ultimate “it’s the hope that kills you” moment for years. And to throw it away because of a lack of a little additional investment would be bordering on criminal for me. It will be the same cycle where **** lower prem teams pick off our better players and youngsters.
Yeh I’m with this. The notion of building for the future is generally a lovely idea, but the practicalities of football and real life can get in the way. Don’t Get me wrong i’m Enjoying the ride, loving the attacking football, it may in hindsight prove more enjoyable than struggling in the premiership if we go up, but we've Been in this league too long. All sorts of crap can happen to derail plans for future seasons. You can’t have a business plan that for example says, year one we’ll aim for 8th, year 2 we’ll progress to playoffs, year 3 is promotion year.... then find yourself ahead of the curve in year 2 and think, ‘no need to rip up the budget, we’ll do it next year as planned, if it doesn’t happen this year.’ By next year your manager’s left, your best players are Sold, your next best players are injured, your new signings get homesick, your academy kids aren’t as good as you hoped and a bunch of other teams have got their act together. Strike while the iron is hot, there is no other viable strategy.
Even a months a long time in football. A month ago we were discussing the importance of Saiz, impact Brown would have and Bamford imminent return. We’re playing one of the most important games of the season so far tomorrow night with none of them available
Of them all, Brown is the one I just don't get, usually a loan player gets injured he goes back to the parent club, Blackman went back to chelsea. O'kane came back here (I think) but we take on and keep injured player who hasn't played one minute in the 1st team. Can anyone explain to me??
What if we win though ? Imagine the confidence and belief that will be running through the squad it that happens.
Excellent observation. Personally hoping we've got a gentleman's agreement to sign him - if he cuts the mustard. I wonder if his early arrival is to immerse him in both Leeds United & Bielsaball culture, +/or making sure no-one gets to sign him when he's recovered.
