More like 'Academy - Profit and Loss'. And this video interview also comes over as simply justifying selling Pat Roberts without mentioning Pat Roberts.
I get fed up listening to all these speeches about having a strategy for the future, we've heard it everytime we've had a managerial changed. so far they got it wrong, and now it sounds like they realise we are a selling club, always have been. Finnan, Jupp, Saha, VDS, Marlbranque, Dembele etc. We don't seem to have the clout to get in top players, but we do have a chairman who if it wasn't for the FFP rules could compete financially with the top Championship teams. What happens if we do fall foul of FFP rules anyway, who do we get to blame after this latest speech? Rigg?
And having spent something like £4m (Cairney and Richards) while recouping £6.8m (Ruiz and Roberts), we're a fair way short of falling foul of FFP.
You have to say also that if Patrick Roberts did not want to be at Fulham and he clearly didn't as he would have signed a new contract for at least another year, then we need to get the most from our investment. I think the Club, in our predicament i.e Championship, have done the best we can from a business point of view. As a supporter I'd like to have seen more of how Roberts developed as a player and hopefully helped Fulham along the way back to the Premiership. The danger for him is that he sits now in the Man City development squad and we hear nothing about him again. I think he's too good personally for that to happen and I suspect he will go out on loan on loads more money and make his mark. Time will tell but outside of the top six this will happen to all Clubs investing in youth. Unfortunately there is no loyalty from players, it's all take take.
I was at Maidenhead tonight and before he match started I got myself a cup of tea and watched the players warm up. Behind was Mike Rigg talking on the phone - couldn't hear the full conversation unfortunately without being rude and getting closer ! He was saying incredibly "we just had no-one come in for him" - I presume Steklenburg or maybe Mitroglou. "Kit is the best manager I've worked with for loyalty and working for the interest of the Club but he's got to see the bigger picture here - I'll speak to him, he'll listen to me. I can do it diplomatically and nicely" I'm afraid I can't guess what that was about !
Interesting you could read a few things into that type of conversation. One thing I took from last season, is like most managers Symons has his favourites and seems to stay loyal to them even when they are playing poorly. The obvious one was not bringing Smith back from Bristol City earlier. Could it be, that they are pressing Symons on using Mitrogluo as no one has really come in for him, but Kit would rather he be loaned out and use the players he has.?
