So his $630m personal fortune has evaporated, secretly? Did you not read his comments on FFP? Chucking money around on players is simply not sustainable, nor should it be necessary in this window to get out of this league. See what happens in the summer, when 20 players will disappear as loans and contracts end.
I feel very mixed about it.. The business model for this year has been reinforced - we will spend on players who will be worth something next year and beyond, if they offer value and are available. Otherwise we will use loans/ short term contracts so we are not committed to oxygen wasters like Bloody Luke Young in future. I don't think anybody worth investing in was available to buy. If there was a failure it was last summer when we did not get in the strikers and defensive cover we needed for a 46 game season.
I think this makes sense, and honestly we should not need Messi to get out of the league. But the result is a team of transients who I find it very difficult to be interested in. The players are just commodities to be used up, thrown away and promptly forgotten by all of us. Only the fact that they are wearing Hoops will make me show any fleeting interest in Aaron Hughes or Kevin Doyle. Good luck to them, do your job and bye bye. My one glimmer of hope is that Harold can get something out of Maiga that Allardyce couldn't.
Of course I want us to be promoted, and have given up wanting us to do it in style. If we do go up we know exactly what to expect in the summer, I can only hope we focus on bringing in players like Austin, Philips and (in principle) Hoilett, who will be more than one season stop gaps. But in many ways it would be more interesting if we are not promoted (ok the thought of another 1+ season in this **** division makes me shudder, but TF has said that this would not be the catastrophe we all assume), we rethink our philosophy and start building a dynasty. H. Redknapp Esq would clearly not be required in these circumstances.
Sorry Col.
COYRs.