Just looking through the list of upcoming dates for the arbitration of sport to deal with and not a mention of the salary cap. The dates listed are into March next year so unless our new owners can manipulate some way around the cap I don’t think we’ll be getting any half decent signings in January. This only leaves the option of getting a manager in that knows what he’s doing and turning around these players to promotion standard. https://www.tas-cas.org/en/general-information/news-detail/article/list-of-hearings-4.html
Thing is that “good” business people know how to exploit loopholes. Like city’s owners and Abramovic. They have people who know every minute detail which can be used to their advantage. We have Stewart Donald who knows a couple of lads who can’t read so he let them look over it!!! FWIW, I think our squad is easily good enough fir promotion. Automatic as well. Just think the idiot putting them on the field isn’t!!
That’s what I was thinking, the new boys coming in will have very very good “law” people that can circumvent and find loopholes in things especially if imbeciles like the efl have instructed clubs to do.
Just get Erling Haaland in, under 21 so won't count towards the salary cap and we'll piss league as long as he doesn't get injured
We need to shift a few players out of the door, either by transfers or paying up their contract. Must be quite a few with only 6 months left on their contract.
I am not sure that would help with recruiting the quality of players we need though. All of our current squad, irrespective of their salary, are deemed to be on £1700 per week for the sake of the salary cap. If we manage to shift anyone, which is unlikely because they would be have to agree to take a pay cut, we could only pay their replacements up to £1700 per week unless they are under 21. It's frustrating and shows how important it is for us to be promoted this year
All other clubs will be watching very closely so regardless of owners we will have to abide by the rules.
We've got a big squad though. There are solutions. For example, using your estimate that they're on £1,700 per week: 1) Pay 4 of them off, who've only got 6 months left on their contracts or sell 4 and we can pay 2 replacements £3,400 a week, can't we? 2) Pay 3 off and bring in two young, hungry, up and coming under 21's (which don't count towards the cap) and a third, more experienced signing could earn £5,100 a week. It's a matter of manipulating the situation to meet our needs. We don't need to add any more than 3 players imo, but we need a finisher and a creator, that's for sure.
I think paying up their contract would count against the cap, so that would not help, we have to find clubs to take them off our hands.
Yes we can find the next Maradona and pay him £600,000 a week. There are a few problems with that plan I have to admit. However your basic premise is right , if we can attract good quality young players to the club we can pay them what we can afford. Danger is if we don’t go up we will have to give them away as soon a they are old enough to count towards the cap.
In that case, McGeady would be the obvious choice to let go. Regarding other players who could be surplus to requirements, letting them go on a free, might not be financially prudent to the puritan, but it's a way of clearing the decks and using the new money to our long term benefit. If their contracts were up in the summer, we'd get nothing for them then anyway.
You could do that, but we are only allowed a 20 man squad which is then bulked up with under 21's. So we need to get rid and recruit the right players. I agree with you it wouldn't take that many additions, a confident finisher and a pacey forward/midfielder who can carry the ball would do for me
McGeady, Power, Grigg and O'Brien would be my 4. McLaughlin would have been my first choice, but with Willis, Feaney, Younger and Xhemajli injured, he'll be needed. Agree with you about where it's needed, although an orthodox RWB would be useful.
I don't think McGeady counts but I agree with Power, Grigg and O'Brien there has to be more effective players out there than those three
Whilst I wholeheartedly agree, good people know how to work around rules like this. Those who “watch closely” will see no issues as far as the rules go. They’re clever enough to not have an issue with that
I liked O’Brien at first but he’s looked awful last few. McGeady doesn’t count at all. Think that’s one of the big reasons he’s not in the squad
Agree with you Marcus, O'Brien looked okay in the friendlies against Gateshead and Carlisle, but very disappointing since then.
I thought he looked ok in his first league appearance. Nice skill and touch without the finishing (that last part seems a pattern with SAFC forwards!!)
