I sincerely doubt that our players are as unreasonable as we're made to believe. It's just an easy line that can be trotted out that the fans will eat up and not question because it fits in with the reality of the modern game. When you question the sheer number of our players that have supposedly been "greedy" over the last few years, and compare it to other players at other clubs on wages we could afford without breaking a sweat, you begin to question whether or not the reason we're given is applicable to our situation.
I wasn't applying it to any of our players in particular, I was just referring to the fact that there ARE players and agents out there who do believe they deserve a ridiculous wage in comparison to their actual ability It's clear that the reason why we can't ever agree new contracts with our players is our wage structure is TOO tight. I'm all for wage structures, but realistic ones that fit alongside the realistic aims of the club at the time.
I can't help but notice the irony of the clubs "you'll pay what we think you should be earning" policy when it was bates who sealed the deal between Sky and the Premier League that ultimately made players earn so much today.
Was it? Not doubting you just had absolutely no idea. Doesn't surprise me though, we know he's a hypocrite.
Ye I was absolutely gob smacked. It was him that convinced them to go with Sky instead of ITV. He was working with Murdoch on it, or rather he was Murdoch's puppet. Keep in mind he was the chairman of Chelsea at the time.
Bates is interested in short term quick bucks, he has no long term vision. He saw money for himself, not the monster he was helping to create
Yes I know, we all know that, but that's where the irony comes in. He fails to see that he played a big part in making players and agents so "greedy" and now refuses to pay the going rate.
Hopefully when the crowds presumably drop again this season he'll realise that the only way to make money out of us will be to invest in the team and pay the going rate. Either that or he'll realise he won't make any more and he'll leave...
And on top of that he's happy to take absolute top dollar from us to have the pleasure of watching what is at times dross.
Lyon, which was a lowly second division club in France, had a briliant plan of how to operate a club which enabled them to rise to the top and stay there. It is included in the book I cited above but I bet you could find their story on the Internet too.
I'm starting to think you wrote this book and you're trying to promote it In all seriousness though, it sounds a good read
Drat! I've been found out! I am enjoying it and learning a lot and I am a CA and CPA so I do understand the financial side to begin with.
Better luck next time! Ah cool, would you say an in-depth knowledge of the financial side is necessary to properly understand it? By all accounts I'd definitely be interested in giving it a read
No, not at all. All I meant was that it is interesting for me, even though I came into it with some prior understanding of many of the points raised.
My view is slightly different - if he is not prepared to invest in the team nor pay the going rate, then the fans should be kept realistic by having ticket prices that are commensurate with that same level of ambition (ie much, much lower). That would keep the crowds up, keep the hardcore, allow some realism to sink in, and allow a long term strategy to be put in place. JLA - I'm going to search for the Lyon strategy, thanks JLA
I always read the Leeds boards - you normally get something worthwhile - but chaps - that was 7 pages of absolute dross - where's my sleeping pills.....
