It doesn’t work like that at any club. The transfer business follows the manager being signed up. It would be crazy to spending 40m, only to find Rafa still doesn’t sign a contract and leaves for a better offer. Then the next manager is stuck with 40m of Rafa players he doesn’t want. We’ve got to learn from McClaren. We let him spend 80m then booted him out. Rafa has been suffering for it ever since.
You are just being silly now. We have a manager signed up on a contract that doesnt end until May next year. Most managers don’t last that long anyway so its pointless basing your transfer policy on who might be the manager the season after this one. Just get the best players you can with the money available based on the views of the scouts and Director of football. Hold it though - we dont have a Director of Football oveseeing a scouting network so we don’t have a long term policy for recruitment.
Mike is working long term. Hence he offered Rafa 5 yrs. He wouldn’t do it lightly as it would cost him if he wanted rid. He wants him to build something clearly. Once that’s done I’m sure he will feel comfortable to release long term funds. If Rafa is only committing to a season I’d imagine our approach to transfers will reflect that with short term deals and things that won’t hurt us over the long term. Obviously I can see Rafas point that he wants the cart before the horse because Ashley has proved untrustworthy in the past with previous managers. However Rafa should work off his own experience which is Mike being true to his word.
You may but clearly Rafa doesn’t. Probably based on his direct dealings with Ashley rather than your speculation and guesses.
Looking back at the transfer business done over the years it looks, to me, like Mike only spends when he deems it's necessary to avoid relegation or gain promotion. Finish 10th or 5th = No need to spend Be relegated or finish 15th or below = spend
Spot on. Its not part of any policy to develop the club - just to protect his investment. Freedor may try and sell this as him caring about the club but he is doing it in his own best interest.
He is just looking after the club, making sure we don't go pop. Yes he could throw his own money at it, but he doesn't want to because the heathens threatened his children.
Be nice if he just threw "his" money at the sponsorship he milks. Was explaining this to some outsiders, who then said "well what happens at Man City, for example?". Even these non-football fans were aghast that City's owners pay 20x over the odds for ridiculous sponsorship deals to ensure the team can compete at the highest level, whereas Mike's the exact opposite, paying as little as humanly possible (i.e. £0) for all of his billboards and shoddy advertising. Not only that, but he employs a lapdog to nod along with the plan (the exact reason we won't employ any competent execs, as they'd all scream "WHAT DA FUQ?!?!" if he kept trying that trick on), then has his own guard-dog watching the lapdog, just to be sure there's no funny bizness.
I’m not asking him to throw his own money at it. All I’m asking is that the club strives to be as successful as possible. Currently the club is run in a way that hinders this. Instead of saying what is the best way of getting success on the football field given the financial situation we are in, it feels like he says what is the minimum outlay the club can make to maintain premiership status
Its risk assessment though, particularly after when you've already been burnt by the McClaren debacle. All that resulted in is him having to pump in another 15m. That got us into the sticky situation. He allowed Charnley to make those choices so he has to take his portion of the blame. However lets not be masters of hindsight here, a good portion of the fans now whining are the same ones who thought McClaren was a good appointment. Ashley is simply looking at it and assessing the risk. He has a wage bill they have just about brought back under control, a manager who is playing chicken and refusing to sign a contract, a league which is becoming seriously competitive, and generally a support that hate him, want him out and will never accept him. He has no serious interested buyers as far as we know willing to meet his valuation, albeit that is probably on the high side and the offers on the low side. Would you throw more money at the structure and staffing? Say he signs a load of players Benitez wants, Benitez doesn't sign his contract and things don't go well. Rafa has the fans support so just blames Ashley and leaves. Mike picks up his tab with a load of players the new manager doesn't want. Say he throws money at the training and youth set up to get it in line with Rafa's vision. He leaves, a new manager comes in and wants to change it all, again another tab to pick up. The option would be to bring in an executive above Benitez and set things up in the clubs vision. However Benitez has made it clear that he wants full control and the fans would just turn against any appointment as some kind of Ashley patsy. Even spending money on transfers, set up etc and risking it all guarantees nothing as the league below the top 6-8 is just a massive open fight amongst all the other clubs. The last few seasons have told us that. I'm not saying you just don't try, but I can see why there would be a lack of motivation with all the vitriol which is sent his way. From a business perspective you have to speculate to accumulate. However you also have to know the market you are operating in, the feeling towards you as a business owner, and ensure you don't over speculate for minimal to zero return.
1. Really? 2. He has a contract which he has signed which covers this year. 3. Hallelujah, at last. 4. So the best thing to do then is nothing? 5. Or employ someone who does and trust them.
