I agree with you most of the time BB but not here. Yeah we haven't splashed the cash on transfer fees but signing on fees and wages will have eaten the Bent money and have gone some way into the Hendo money. Signing nine players in the space of two increases the wage bill massively and that's taking into account the lads who left us after their loans were up.
A marquee signing means a big fee and big wages...unless we get them on loan..which just means big wages,maybe thats the plan? Would love to see an experienced striker brought in on loan...Nistelrooy or Huntellar would be my choice....and yes before you all start,I am dreaming. I always dream of us challenging for things..no harm in that!
I disagree mate. Jordan had just signed a new deal, which will have been way higher than the wages of ANY of the new lads, Bent was one of the highest earners at the club, and Muntari, Mensah and Onouha will have been on pretty hefty salaries as well. I don't believe for a second that the 9 in (consider it 8, Elmo was already here) have massively increased the wage bill.
Well we will never know for sure mate, but i don't expect that O'Shea Brown, Gardner.Larsson have come cheap, how it equates to the out-going players? nee idea, but i would reckon the wage bill has gone up, hence the need to sell some of the ****e we currently have.
It'll have gone up mate, unquestionably, but not massively. There's close to £20million quid floating about somewhere, surely? We ain't upped the wage bill by anywhere near that. If it's a wage bill thing, how come we're looking at loan players, we still have to pay them?!
There is a lot of deals still to be made and I would never say never, even if Bruce has intimated it I reckon something could still happen. If it doesn't before the season starts then it could still happen in the close season. Personally, and its only an opinion - I don't think we have a lot to complain about it, look at the skunks or Everton(to name but two) they have made few signings to date. If the right player comes along at the right price(including wage demands) then I have no doubt Short would sanction the money - based on what we have seen so far.
Don't forget that you've signed O'Shea and Brown - two players who aren't going to give you any re-sale value. That will always be factored in to the finances. You can always be sure of some return on investment with younger players, but with those two, the money is gone for good. Plus, they won't be on low wages (being ex-Utd players) and they're on quite large deals, as are most of the players you've signed who won't come cheap. No doubt that Short has worked some of the money back into the club/his pocket to balance the books, so to speak. However, I don't think it's as much as people think. And you never know. The cash might have just been stored away for the January transfer window to freshen up the squad.
I am happy with what we've done, don't get me wrong, it's just that every man and his dog knows we are weak as cats piss down the left, and it does seem as if nowt's gonna happen there, again. Chappaz, We paid a combined £5million for those two though, a pittance by todays standards.
Sir Ellis (Honourary) and Sir Niall will, in my view provide the funds if the right player becomes available. N'zogbia would have been nice, but there has to be a wage structure and for one player to be paid well over that figure would have a negative effect on the team. We're on the right track and improving.
I agree Shivas, my sentiment exactly - "If the right player comes along at the right price(including wage demands) then I have no doubt Short would sanction the money - based on what we have seen so far."
This^ -and that N'zogbia is reportedly petulent little 'stirrer' that our dressing room could do without. PS: nice 1st post
Wickham isn't a 'marquee' signing but he is a statement of intent. He is one of the hottest young English talents in the game today and that we beat a host of the big lads to get him is brilliant. However, he is only 18 years old (just) and has no experience at this level. If we chuck him to the wolves, we will be doing exactly what a lot of our critics have already accused us of. Being to impatient with the young lad. He should be last 15/20 mins of a game and cup games only for this season (unless he goes on an unstoppable scoring spree of course) and not chucked in at the deep end being expected to replace Judas. He wont and cant just yet. As I have said, I dont mind if the money isn't there just say so but the one big criticism I'd aim at Niall is his tendency to talk before thinking at times. He is the one who constantly raises expectations by talking big but then has failed to deliver and gambled heavily on these bold statements on a couple of high profile decisions. 1) Before we signed Keane we were supposedly looking for an experienced coach. We got a novice looking to make his bones in management. It was a shock appointment but one that fascinated all the same. Could have gone either way but it was a gamble that paid off. 2) When RK left, Quinny stated publicly that the club would leave no stone unturned in a global search for a replacement. We all got very excited at who it might be then we appointed Sbragia. What a disaster and a gamble that almost cost us the whole deal. The gamble may paid off in the end but it was thanks to the failings of our 2 NE brethren and not his management ability. 3) When Judas left, we didn't look to bring in a striker. Club told us nothing available (but didn't Ba go to the Hammers on loan?) and we would wait until the summer to bust the bank doors down. Another huge gamble that almost cost us dearly again. Can you see a pattern here? Yes Quinny is a good bloke and yes we would have been buggered without him and Ellis Short but these gambles will not always pay off. He has been massively lucky on occasions and unless we start to address the fundamental problems - i.e. a lack of creativity and a replacement for Judas - we may well come unstuck if we are not careful. N'Zogbia WOULD have been a game changer IMO but so would Adam Johnson on loan. We didn't even attempt to go for one (our supposed main target for 18 months) and if Everton get AJ without our attempt, then I would be seriously asking some searching questions about our ambitions personally. Sorry to be a bit down here but this non show for N'Zogbia has totally baffled me.
Is that the bubble burst then? The transfer dealings gloss has turned matt? Still 4 weeks till the transfer window closes. We did not buy N'zog due to lack of ambition but rather having the spine not to be held to ransom by a mercenary footballer, 9.3 million and in excess of 65k a week - sorry he is just not worth that imho - if he was then he would have been snapped up by Harry - and the fact neither he or Dalglish had been sniffing about when the deal was being cut speaks volumes. I would have Johnson in a heartbeat - but so would Chelsea or even Arsenal never mind Everton- if he is available lets just see what happens - we won a similar race for Wickham. I suppose everyone will settle down once we make our first signing of the close season..............................doh!!
The bubble isn't burst at all but can we not be critical without the typical outcry of 'traitor'? Also, I'd love to know how so many people know what N'zogbias wage demands were. Do some of us have friends at the former News of the World? Lol I personally think that we are very light on strikers capable of getting enough goals. We are also short on creativity as witnessed last season and in most pre season games thus far. I still think we are stronger in depth but lack the bit of spark to make us a good top half or better proposition yet.
Hey Cest, not having a pop just giving an opinion - not calling anyone a traitor at all nor am I looking for a spat, no offence intended. Still a lot of business to be done so lets just see what happens note that if this was after the transfer window had closed I would agree with you 100%. N'Zog's wage demands have been well covered in the media and I reckon Villa must have met them for the move to take place - no need to hack this info I reckon the agents sing like canaries to reveal release clauses and wage demands in order to get the ball rolling. I would love a big signing and agree a quality striker and a creative midfielder would be the icing on the red and white icing on cake.
