Personally I think you got lucky that the De Gea deal fell through as Lloris could well have ended up at Utd. He's probably as relived as Spurs fans that it didn't happen now, but Lloris has said in the past that he wants Champions League football and may have to move to get it.
There was a lot of noise after AVB was sacked that it was actually Levy who wanted to bring in the raft of players who flopped after they sold Bale. Apparently AVB only wanted a striker and a midfielder, but Levy brought in a whole load more because he was desperate for top 4. When it failed, AVB was the fall guy for Levy's mistakes.
The only player we know of that Levy bought on his own decision was VDV. It was last minute of the window, he couldn't reach 'Arry and they wanted a yes or no. Case in point is Berahino. He put in a transfer request. It was denied and things deteriorated from there. He has basically refused to play for WBA again - I.e. Gone on strike in a way. He does the bare minimum in training, and by his manager's own admission, is lucky to make the bench. So, what have WBA achieved? Nothing!! The player refuses to play for them, his contract is now 6 months shorter and his value dropping. They've. Only hurt themselves. Most good businessmen are pragmatists. Peace was busy breast beating instead and has only succeeded in hurting his own club. That, unfortunately, is the power players have nowadays!
Wrong again! Levy hired a certain Mr Baldini, it was him that was responsible for bringing in most of those players.
It's naive to think that Levy had no hand in those transfers. He still saw fit to blame AVB and Baldini for wasting the Bale money though.
No, it's not. It's just you wanting to believe what never happened. Yes, if you hired somebody and gave them the responsibility that was given to those two in spending that money, I'm sure you'd hold them to acvount too!
AVB said clearly that 'promises were broken' and that they weren't the players he wanted. Levy is a good 'Teflon' chairman I'll give you that. Massive amounts wasted on transfers, 10 managers sacked, next to no success on the pitch. He's done a good job of none of the blame sticking to him. Oh and making himself and uncle Joe even richer.
Nobody is disputing that Levy's choices of managers have been disastrous. Hopefully he's finally got it right with Pochettino. As for AVB. To quote Mandy Rice-Davies, "he would say that wouldn't he?" We fired him, of course hasn't happy, and quite possibly Baldini should have carried more of the can for the choice of players. As to enriching themselves, that's what businessmen do. As I've pointed out many times before, all Premiership club owners are businessmen. They're in this to make money.
.. I think that is too simplistic ... is Sheikh Mansour really trying to make money from Man City? ... is he short of a bob or two? ... Abramovic? .. some owners have different aspirations IMHO ... some driven by ego, some by prestige and the spirit of competition .... they may not be looking to generate a profit...Chelsea is Abramovic's PS4 Football Manager game .. he'll probably dump them soon and then attempt to take Yeovil to a similar level ... I would very much doubt that our Thai owners are developing our club with a future profitable sale as the main aim ... money is still a driver undoubtedly ... but the business model seems to be to derive value from the development of he King Power brand rather than selling the football club assets themselves ... the more of a force we become in the EPL the more the brand power grows, particularly in South East Asia ... Some will be looling for financial returns or book balancing of assets true ... but certainly not all ...
Of course Mansour expects to make money in the long run. Abramovich, the same. Money is not always made in the ways that we think of. Abramovich has already made money from just the value of the stadium alone, which has increased massively in value since he acquired it. Similarly, Mansour will make money from all the acilliary development going on around The Etihad. As you've pointed out, this is a global game nowadays. The massive increases in interest, shirt sales, tv rights, etc in the east has already hugely increased revenues of many premiership clubs. And will continue to do so. So, yes, there all in it to make money. Some are playing a longer game than others, but there aims are the same.
... your view and you are entitled to it of course ... but it's not for me .. and whilst you seem adamant I take it you haven't actually spoken to either of them? ... if either of the above were looking for investment opportunities there are far safer bets with better guaranteed returns .. .. but neither NEEDS to make a profit - or even recover the money invested - both owners could quit tomorrow, writing off their investments and never even notice the miniscule dent to their petty cash ... football ownership to them is tantamount to a hobby .....
I think you're being naive. Abramovich didn't make his fortune by being philanthropic. He's a pure businessman. You can bet his aims in buying Chelsea were financial ones. I've no doubt that he's a keen football fan, but make no mistake about his ultimate aim. People who made the kind of money these guys have made don't just shrug their shoulders and walk away. They're used to winning. Many people say 'if I had a million, I'd stop and say that's enough'. These people will never have that million because they don't have that drive to make it in the first place. It's not a matter of how much money is enough, that's not the way these people think. The money just becomes a symbol that demonstrates that they won the game. They keep going because that's what drives them. In short, making money is their hobby.
I'd agree that one of us is being naive and could there ever be a more dubiously worded sentence than "He's a pure businessman" in relation to Mr Abramovic ...... he is a man who loves to win and have the very best of everyting ...he didn't sack Mourinho because his investment was being harmed .. he sacked him because he wasn't winning any more - pure and simple IMHO ... I once had a rather nice fish tank ... it was my hobby ... I spent some money on it but not that I ever noticed it in overall terms ... when we moved house I couldn't really take it with us ... so I gave it away to one of the brickies who was doing the wall on my new property ... didn't miss it ... a few years later the kids fancied doing it again so we now have a new tank ... Shekh Mansour and Roman Abramovic have bigger fish tanks and that is all ... I think you are getting a bit confused because you have the millenium equivalent of Arthur Daley for a chairman and he has continually sought to buy and sell fish tanks with a view to making a margin ... please log in to view this image
You just don't get it, do you? Mourinho was not only losing - that alone has financial consequences, he was getting himself and the club in trouble with the authorities - that's bad for business. If you don't understand the way these people think, what makes them tick, you'll never get it. There aren't enough 'fish tanks' for people like this, they always want another one! Making infantile comments about our chairman, and filling your post with smilies, won't change anything.
Oh dear .. life getting you down? ... try a smilie .. I'm simply disagreeing with you that's all ... I've respected your opinion, it's what you think, that you are wrong is just unfortunate ... as to me not understanding how these people think ... what is your qualification beyond opinion? ... assuming that you do have some intimate knowledge or inside track - please enlighten me as to how Sheikh Mansour's petroleum business gets negatively impacted by a 0-0 draw at the King Power? or how Roman's Oil and Aluminium interests are compromised by an early Capital One Cup exit at Stokelona? .. and as to infantile comments ...it's a bit of fun on a football forum ... just sing along "I coould be so good for you ..." .. we'll be millionaires someday Rodney
I worked in The City for over 20 years. I've met and dealt with people like that. So yes, I have some insight into the way they think. Some of them would sell their own mother if there was a profit in it!.. It's not me that's wrong, of that I assure you!...
I've been banned from fora for taking that line, Fossil, including having to spend a couple of weeks on the naughty step with my own board! Trust me, only madness lies that way, my friend. The World simply is not ready for the beauty that you and I bring to it. One day, it will be.
Only 20 years is hardly something to brag about. Levy is a **** - you are a ****. I have more than 20 years experience of ****s so I must be right
Yeah, and you're an ignorant twat with a condom on his head. So, why not just disappear up your own arse, where you belong?...
I agree with NSIS but can see where Filberto is coming from. I reckon the owners at Chelsea and City saw the opportunity of a foothold in the west and the credibility it might bring them - and some profit if they stay for the long haul.
