The top two places may look close enough to touch, but we have not really mounted a challenge for an automatic place. Is the play off lottery our only chance, well history has no influence on our current season, so I'm guessing that we stand just as much a chance of getting into the PL via that route as every other team around us. There's always hope, but in some threads there is a trend towards expectation. This surely not what this season is about, the expectation was if I recall, to become stable financially and build a team for the future. The analysing of the squad in the build up towards the end of the season is based on a false expectation, the team are exceeding the expectations of the club. Next season will see Hull City in the top ten clubs in the country, not on the pitch but financially. Reading have done it, now it's our turn. Reading's income exceeds play wages, its one of the few clubs to generate an actual operating profit. Whilst I want to see us get promotion this season, it remains a hope not an expectation. There are many clubs whose boardrooms have ploughed far too much into their squad, imagine the pressure on managers and players towards the last few games. We need to be more relaxed about the whole thing and just enjoy what we have got as well as where we are.
Good post. Trading in the black has got to be our top priority - every other Club will have to get their financial house in order - the quicker we do it the more ahead of the rest we get. As for this season, overtaking the top two becomes more and more difficult as they continue to win their homes games as Soton have done this weekend. The number of games still left to play - half as many again in just two months as we've played in the previous seven - is a big ask. Happy to get into the playoffs and hope like 2008 we hit form at the right time - staying free of injuries to key players is also paramount.
I think I'm right in saying that last season it would have been about 200% of our income that was needed to pay off the debts due to be repaid last season (working on that £21M deficit figure Deloitte gave for if we were relegated). The repayment schedule was always more of an issue than the debt itself though. The position we were in was pretty much the same as me saying to my mortgage lender that I could pay off my mortgage in 2 or 3 years. Clearly I can't, but having it over a longer term I'm fine.
There has got to be a happy medium between being debt free and wanting to achieve. If the club is solely based on being debt free then chances are we are not going to get promoted, unless we get extremely lucky. I know I will probably get shot down for saying that but it's true, you have to speculate to accumulate. There is a stupid amount of money in football nowadays and if we aren't prepared to pay the going rates then we will get cut adrift and will not be able to compete with the likes of Southampton & Leicester in the long term. On the other hand, I like most others dont want to run the risk of administration after spending what we cannot afford. It's about getting the balance right, sounds simple eh!
true. but there is a huge difference between investing for a good return and sticking all your cash on 3 red and a spin of the wheel. IMO smart investing is what we have been doing through the signings - permanent and loan - of young players and I think its the right thing to do. As for staying competitive with Leicester and Southampton? In the short term, maybe not. In the longer term how long will those investors stay with them before they get fed up & take their toys away? How many clubs have owners that are truly in it for the long term? I am optimistic about the Allams given that their track record and their affinity to the area, but who really knows?
Thats why I say its all about the right balance. I agree with the policy of bringing in young players with potential of performing well and bringing with it success to the club or profit when selling them on. But for me, our young squad should be complimented with a loan striker who could bring a few vital goals that gives us a greater chance of promotion.
"Imagine buying Blackburn Rovers and growing it organically to the size of Bolton Wanderers, and then to the size of Stoke City and then maybe to the size of Aston Villa. That would take, at a conservative estimate, 10 years. And you’re still not guaranteed the Europa League, let alone the title." Surely Blackburn are a bigger club than Stoke or Bolton?!
You may have to speculate to accumulate, but ten other clubs are thinking exactly the same, what happens if it goes wrong? Which if you take it on a probability basis is likely. So surely it is a better financial and business plan to wait til we are making money again before gambling as you say? If we are then in the black, we can afforrd to spend on players which we can't do if we have debts to pay back.
I think speculating to the extent of almost bankrupting the Club as Porstmouth have done and Leicester could do if NP don't get em promtion and the Thais get p*ssed off, is clearly a very dangerous game to play. Investing wisely in players like Hobbs Chester Stewart Evans has got to be the way forward for provincial clubs like ours. The lower reaches of the PL isn't too hot to handle as Norwich and Swansea have found out to their credit this season - they haven't gone gung ho like we did and they are reaping the rewards.
