Furthermore, Arsenal under Wenger have consistently refused to be held to ransom over player wages. "Buying success" isn't really a matter of transfer fees; the net cost of transfers can be quite limited (though of course you have to have access to sufficient funds to pay e.g. £50m for a player). The true measure is player wages. Eighteen months ago Man U were effectively held to ransom by Rooney; he's still at Man U. A succession of players have tried to hold Arsenal to ransom, none are still at the club.
Maybe I'm biased as I used to live near Highbury - I used Arsenal tube station every day for a couple of years, but of the "big six" they are the only ones I have any sort of affinity with. I admire the way they've bucked the high spending trend set by Chelski and Man Citeh, but are still thereabouts most seasons
The Champions League has be going in more or less its present format for 20 years now. We have started to see a shift of the hierachy within this "super league" system. The Spanish have a monopoly on winning it at the moment. The Italian dominance has diminished and we don't really have a team capable of actually winning it. The Dutch have disappeared completely and the Germans are down to one club. I do feel that the super rich Russian clubs are targeting the trophy and within a few years will have become a force albeit in the style of New York Cosmos. What I have just described is the appalling state of football for the so called big clubs. They have become obsessed with the money and status the comes with the CL. No longer do commentators refer to Chelsea being 4th in the table, its Chelsea are in the 4th CL spot. Disgraceful. Our top division is being reduced to a qualifying league. Our major Cup competition has been reduced to a side show and the Carling is the only chance reserve players get to play in the first team. Where does that leave us? I think we are like many other clubs whose supporters are now not interested in their club entering that Faustian contest. We have a level of expectation and success that is within our ability. We want our club to play at a top level but not at the cost of selling your soul. Despite the trials our club went through from 2005 to 2010, our support went up and the atmosphere at the ground is more electric than it used to be. OK some clever marketing strategies probably helped but I believe its mostly down to the product the people of Norfolk want from their club. And don't think it will ever matter to anyone if we never qualify for Europe.
Superman, you made a very pertinent point about Chelsea. When Abramovich took over, it was at the end of a longish period of steady progress, not just on the playing side but also -- and IMO even more importantly -- on the infrastructure (ground, training facilities, revenue generation). So when Abramovich arrived with his vast wealth, it could be targeted almost exclusively at winning things (by buying in top management and top players). If fans could only stand back a bit and view things more in the round, they might see that the foundations for Chelsea's recent success were actually laid by the much-maligned Ken Bates. Leeds Utd supporters would do well to reflect on this as well. Truth is, we are fortunate to be in a not unsimilar position to Chelsea before Abramovich. Unlike some other clubs, the revenue generated by our earlier spell in the top flight wasn't just frittered away in pursuit of success at all costs; it was also used to make steady improvements to the club infrastructure (ground, training facilities, Academy, revenue generation). I think in this case too, credit is not always given where it's due.
Surely now that he's settled in Huddersfield, he wouldn't want to uproot his family ALL the way to Leeds?
Huddersfield confirm Lee Clark's departure. In a statement, Dean Hoyle said: "This was a very difficult decision, one not taken lightly or in response to one result. Concerns have been raised over recent weeks. Lee and his coaching staff have put their all into the job over the past three seasons and he has made a huge contribution to the club. However, with 16 matches to go we still have an opportunity to achieve promotion and we have made this change with this in mind
i must admit i'm not a fan of clark. i think he has done well but i think, baring in mind the resources at that club (they are bankrolled by a wealthy huddersfield fan) they should really be towards the top of the championship by now with the money spent under his guidance - yet they are pretty much where they were when he arrived. 43 matches unbeaten in league one is impressive, but so many of those games were draws and of no real use to them in the league. overrated
Fourth in the league, 4pts off auto promotion and they sack him ? Well in that case if we drop into the lower half of the EPL I think Lambert should get his marching orders !
i think there is a bit more to it than league position to be honest. as i say above, they have massively underachieved under clark. fans will tell you that he is tactically inept, abrasive and arrogant. he has blown so much money at that club and i suspcet its a falling out which has been brewing for some time which has led to this
Have they by any chance already lined up an experienced manager with a proven track record of achieving promotion. Could it be Colin?
i think colin is in with a shout of the wolves job - he is being interviewed so i can't see him dropping down to league one at his age. even if we all think otherwise, he certainly feels he is good enough for the premier league
Always liked Clark, I think he was the reason we weren't relegated the first year of Roeders reign. However I will agree that he seems to be getting something wrong with the money he's got and a striker on nearly 30 goals they should have run away with the league.
