I obviously don't know for certain but there are a few bits and bobs starting to emerge that if we don't go up this year then the loan clause is activated again next year and again and again until the contract expires.
The counter argument to all the negavity about the loan release clauses in the event of relegation is a also worth considering. Clearly carrying a huge wage bill in the Championship was the major concern and even with a 50% reduction it was going to be financially cripplying and also potentially leave us facing a possible points reduction for non compliance with Profit & Sustainability rules as laid out by the EFL. This is all speculation of course and we could have tried to ignore the rules as Villa and others have done previously. What is a fact though is that the previous time we were relegated we couldn't shift our players on high wages so ended up paying them a significant proportion of their wages for the rest of their contracts even though they had long since left the club. At least this time with this unusual loan situation we find ourselves with virtually all our high earners immediately of the books in terms of wages. Not saying this is a good thing just pointing out the reality and let's look at say Aaronson as an example. There is no way a club in Europe would have matched his wages if they would have had to pay a transfer fee of say £10M as well. So either way we were going to lose money this year on what has turned out to be a poor signing. Now if Aaronson performs well on his loan we may get some of his transfer fee back at a future date but as it stands we're free of him for 12 months and can get on with trying to bounce back to the PL. Also don't forget the non payment of player bonuses last season (estimated at £50M) will either cover, or go a long way to covering this summers payments on fees for those high earners that have left. Not ideal maybe and potentially just shifting a problem to next summer but that's how it seems to be.
The clause was obviously designed to prevent out top stars like Aaronson from ever having to compete with a lowly championship player and god forbid, maybe even getting kicked by one of those wild animals. Only right to keep the precious pets safe. Maybe this time try sign some men to play men’s footnall
All good points. Interesting though Jammy if nobody else in europe would pay a fee plus their wages, why did we. Seems we grossly overestimated their ability and grossly overpaid for their services. Also hope it’s not kicking the can down the road, but suspect it is, as that will only serve to likely increase our recovery time from the sorry mess
We certainly overpaid for just about everyone except Tyler Adams & Sinisterra. Not sure though that signings made in the £10M-£13M category will ever be world beaters unless you get lucky with one or two. So thats; Koch Firpo Roca Wober Kristensen Average players all of them.
Makes you wonder why we didn’t loan similar players same as others doing to us. Surely must have been a few clubs worldwide trying to offload players or are we unique. Also aaronson was over 20m and we’d lose our shirts trying to sell him. We’ll have to at some point and take the hit
1) Sky Sports reporting that the fee for Darlow has been agreed at £400k - That’s a bargain if true 2) Farkes fitness training has been so intense, several players were reported to have thrown up, one player saying it’s like Bielsa +1
There certainly seemed to be serious fitness issues after Bielsa so that can only be a good thing if Farkes addressing it
Struijk questioned about reports he wants to leave, he replied ; “I mean, my contract isn’t till 2027 so I’m always ready to come back and then give my all for this club. So yes I was always going to stay.”
I’m liking the sound of Farke, apparently Paraag wanted an update meeting with Farke. Farke told a member of staff to inform Paraag that he was busy on the training pitch and sent a message back to Paraag with the time he will be available, if he wants to reschedule. Paraag was said to have been very impressed and happy that Farke was so focussed on the task ahead
… and then gives them a day off instead of double murderball for being pussies Every professional football club has performance/fitness managers optimising fitness to the latest programmes. Every player says training was tough. That article on the whole was very positive on everything… read like a paid for advertorial.
The beauty of hindsight really. Journos in Holland thought we’d well overpaid for Sini. Adam’s was injury prone (red flag maybe) and stuck in Leipzig reserves. Don’t think emu will shake on ‘average’ for Firpo. You’ll have to lower your bid to ‘f**ing sh*t’
The three big money signings last summer were, Aaronson Sinisterra Adams Two of those have been good acquisitions with only Aaronson turning out to be lacking the quality for an investment of that magnitude. The rest of our first team acquisitions were cheap by PL standards and so it shouldn’t come as a massive surprise when they turn out to be average at best.
Not sure anyone can live up to Emu’s exacting standards. Mrs Emu probably has him on ignore most of the time
Whilst discussing transfer value… I didn’t watch the Monaco game. Anyone notice Mo Camara for them? He was the Salzburg guy who was our back up plan for Adams. Went to Monaco and has done well apparently
