I was listening to 5 live for a bit last night and the topic of foreign owners came up. It got me thinking of the other clubs in the championship that are under foreign stewardship (there are 11 apparently) and how our owners fare. To be frank, I think we've got a better deal than most and this season they certainly have 'put their money where their mouth is'. Tan and TG seem to have a long term plan, though how long long is I don't know. Hopefully the Langston debt can be sorted and the loan to equity conversion can happen. That would stabilise things nicely. MM seems to have spent wisely and finally adressed the shortcoming we knew we had last season, pace, width and plan B. A few old heads for free or small fees (HH, Smith and Bellars- though that situation is unique) and decent fees for promising younger players (Mutch, Maynard, etien, Connolly, Noone, KimBo). Leicester's owners seem to want instant results and it is very much a big boy's toy, chucking money at over rated players with no real structure. They want to be seen in the prem and see it as a status symbol. Watford's owners have gone mad. Getting rid of Dyche, tearing up their plan of developing from within and loaning themselves 10 players. Given that you are limited to how many loanees can be in the match day squad........ Zola has a squad of 40 and doesn't know what to do with them all. He wants to send some out on loan. Can you loan out loaned players? There are a couple foreign owners that keep doing the rounds, selling one and buying another. Some with no plan to move things forward once they own a club. All in all, while many disagree with the foreign owners and it may be nice to have a Welsh owner, Welsh manager and Welsh players, we could be far worse off that what we've got. The teams in the prem that stand out regarding ownership are probably Everton and the Swans. They don't chuck money at things but seem to be running a steady ship. Everton for longer than the Swans, but credit to HJ's guidance over the past few seasons. However, there is still unrest regarding the Glaziers at ManU, Liverpool still haven't stabilised after their US owners and there is unrest at the Emirates. Chelski baulk at the interfering in footballing matters of their owner and as for Man City...... it's going to end in tears with the salaries they are offering.
one thing you have to hand our owners is that they are putting real money into the club. not loans. when they came in they didnt tear everything up like the pozzo's at watford, as you say. that would be my worst nightmare, a club effectively being just a place to develop other teams players and make the owner a packet. for all the furore about the red strip the club benefits with investment - i have never seen a cardiff squad as good as this and we own all the players, so we can build something. as far as i can see most of the money spent has gone on young players who will increase in value and if successful can be sold on for bigger fees.... with clubs like QPR, where all guidelines and sanity are chucked out of the window, you're right it will only end in tears. i sensed that it was getting a bit ridiculous when they signed brazil keeper julio cesar.
You're right. Apart from Smith, all fees have gone on players 24 and under. I'm hoping the younger players improve, increase in value, be successful and STAY WITH US.
The BIG test of long-term investment is when they pay down the debt. Even if they then walk away, the benefit will stay with the club of getting that monkey off the back
