A question posed from one fan to another is would you take 5th and a cup or 4th and no cup?? Wenger has been critised for 8 years and no trophies but has argued that getting Champions League is like a trophy. Iâve started to wonder what is the real benefit to a 4th placed finish, the obvious benefits are.. 1. The moneyâ¦winning it can lead to 40M+ but even a successful group stage can lead to 10M+ 2. More chance to retain your top talent 3. More chance to compete and sign quality new players 4. And obviously the chance to win such a prestigious cup, one weâve failed to ever win So I looked back over 8 seasons (counting this) to judge what benefit weâve gained on those points. POINT#1 The money only seems to have line the pockets of the clubs directors, the money on transfers has been generated from selling other players POINT#2 Every season weâve lost top talent 2005-06 â Veira 2006-07 â Cole 2007-08 â Henry (I know he was old but he still had a lot to offer) 2008-09 â Hleb & Flamini 2009-10 â Ade & Toure 2011-12 â Cesc, Nasri, Clichy 2012-13 â RVP, Song POINT#3 The players we have brought in havenât been superstars and more often than not none of the other big clubs were in for them. Now weâre finding that despite Champions League we still arenât competing even with teams that donât have it (Vertonghen and Holtby both âsupposedlyâ chose Spurs over us) I think Podolski and Santi Carzola might have only come for Champions League football but undoubtley there have been better or similar signings who went to teams without Champions League football over the years (Suarez, Michu, Ba, etc) POINT#4 Aside from 2005-06 how close have we really come to wining the CL? 2006-07 we finished level on points with Liverpool but they made it to another final 2011-12 we finished above Chelsea and they still won the competition. We all enjoy the big games but we always get knocked out so whereâs the point of the competition if we cant win it and donât improve season over season Aside from these points I realize finishing outside of the CL will make things tougher but we donât appear to be making the most of qualifying each year. How different with things have been if weâd have won a couple of F.A. Cups in those 8 years and finished 5th those seasons? Maybe we would have lost an extra player, maybe signed one less player but would the club be much different than we are now??
We'll said SuperJackWilshere10 "LOADSA MONEY!!!!" (to quote Mr. Enfield) Unfortunately this doesn't impact the playing staff Gazadis and Wenger 2 of the best paid in their positions in the Premier League!!!!
why wouldn't they make Wenger, Fergie et al net worth public?? All these guys are assisting Yank business men make a killing !!
It is easy for people to say a Champions League spot is not better than a trophy, but if you were to win the FA Cup next season and then fail to qualify for the Champions League for the next few seasons I think there would be a change of tune
Can you give me any proof that the directors have been lining their pockets? As far as i'm aware the shareholders don't receive any dividends
They aren't, the club has never paid dividends (the only way shareholders can take money from a PLC), bar their salaries which the highest is about 25k a year ( bar staff members like Gazidas). All the profit made in the club is going directly put back into the club, just not the way we want. You can fault them for where we spend the money and how but not for lining their pockets.
Not having a dig but....how can you wrote about this without mentioning that the CL money has helped you pay for your new 60 thousand stadium?
It only takes one season outside the champions league and we could be finishing mid table like Liverpool for a few years
In which case, the money is being spent incredibly stupidly, and mainly on an outdated, failing "socialist" wage structure to underperforming players who aren't good enough to play for the club, but can't be moved on because of their idiotic wages.
Its mainly about Club Profile and the money earned from qualifying. However I love the Champions League, would be sad if we missed out. The competition really does have something very special about it.
Your forgetting all the other avenues we have to earn money. *Sponsorship *TV Revenues *Players Sales *Matchday Reciepts *Sales of Highbury properties What I'm saying is the CL gains us an extra 10M-20M(approx) a season and it doesn't seem to impact the retention of players nor the signings of new ones We aim for players we'd probably realistically sign regardless of CL football, player purchases are generated from player sales
Your forgetting all the other avenues we have to earn money. *Sponsorship *TV Revenues *Players Sales *Matchday Reciepts *Sales of Highbury properties What I'm saying is the CL gains us an extra 10M-20M(approx) a season and it doesn't seem to impact the retention of players nor the signings of new ones We aim for players we'd probably realistically sign regardless of CL football, player purchases are generated from player sales
We have been finishing where we have been due to ****e management, ownership and players in varying degrees, not really as a direct result from lack of CL. Falling out of the CL is overrated tbh, I miss it to hell but financially we've hardly been crippled by it and it's not like CL would have suddenly landed us Hazard or Neymar ffs. not a wum, but will it be 8 years now without a trophy for you guys? surely an FA cup in the cupboard is better than one year in the CL up until knock-out rounds? After all, watching our respective teams win trophies is what being a fan is about
'Socialist' indeed - there's nothing socialist about the Arsenal wage structure. There's no doubting there are a number overpaid players though.
Trying to minimise pay discrepancies for players, be they squad or nailed-on first choice superstars is why Wenger himself termed it "socialist" - with quotes included as it's clearly not true socialism, but with its ethos it leans toward that.
4th place is like a trophy. The genius has said it, we cannot complain. Some muammar wenger cultists will have you believe that 4th spot is a bare minimum. I wonder what will happen when we do not make the bare minimum.
