Just saw this on the BBC, looks like Malky is a long shot for West Ham but my money would be on Martin O'Neil as a way back into football, he would be the best bet to achieve a first time return to the Premiership. http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/may/04/warnock-holloway-west-ham-grant
In reality how long do we think Watford can keep Malky. He is clearly something special, but the club (the off-field suits/board) cannot support him. This comes back to previous points about "how long will Watford keep its top 40 ststua"? And that is a huge challenge. Can Watford retain its top 40 status whilst the club has to reduce its ã15m debt. The debt is one of the smallest in the 2nd level BUT the club have no financial support, so the debt can be considered to be "unsustainable". If the debt is to be repaid then there has got to be player sales. In my view DG is a cert to go, but I fear his value is less than ã3m and you can quote me on this. I feel Watford need to raise ã5m in player sales this summer, so its DG + Cowie and/or others. Once these players are sold can we be competitive enough in this league? That is a huge question as Brighton, Southampton and "a Huddersfield" will all be bigger and more competitive than us in this league. And that is the big challenge, next season will be harder than this - all those "targetting play-offs" are being very optimistic in my view. I hope to see another great season under Malky, but I know he will make the move up to the Prem soon.
Elixir , I am afraid I agree with you! ,However until Mr B reveals more of his hand , we cant say for sure, although it doesnt look good ! If MM goes we may have a huge problem staying in this league without DG ,Cowie etc
DG is worth more than ã3m - and if reportedly 20+ clubs are looking at him we should put out a "hands off " notice to drive as good a bargain as possible.
This will be one test of how good at bargaining Baz is - the Russos certainly got good prices - witness ã1.7m for Priskin.
It will certainly be interesting times ahead ! I hope interesting in a good sense, However............
Well - you can say BAz bargained well for his price to BUY so lets see if he can do the same with sales
I have heard from a respected source that Larry is the "fall guy" put up by LA. His task is to reduce the debt as quickly as he can ahead of a proper sale of the club (I believe to a Russo type for small money ã5m). In this way LA can say "the club didn't go belly up under my watch". This makes huge sense to me. As for suggestions like investing in the ground, I will not be holding my breath. The club needs the on-field stuff (Malky and the team) to over perform to allow the owners to reduce the debt back to manageable proportions.
By the way "Baz" will not be negotiating transfers for 2 reasons - he knows nothing about football AND everything he has ever done (small time property development) has failed. The one thing Baz does not have is a cool head, and every good negotiator I've met has had a cool head. As for the ã440k that money isn't his!
I wouldn't say that Jimmy Russo has a cool head. Whatever bad things are (on balance justifiably) said about him, he is a good negotiator. I'm not too worried about this summer's rumour mill. Such is the price that I expect us to get for DG, combined with the savings that will have been completed come July, that were it not for the season ticket deal we would certainly be in profit in 2011/12 (we might still be). Frankly, I think the biggest topic of speculation between now and the first week of August will be about Ashley Young. We might sell someone other than Danny Graham, but I reckon that will happen closer to deadline day.
Slight discrepancy there Elixir - if he has been set up by LA as the fall guy, but it's not his money, whose money is it? Are they in on the plot or are they also being set up? Or is it LA's money and he has sneakily bought the club out himself? We should be told. Buy your source a drink and see what you can find out.
I did read /hear somewhere that he was recieving a 6 figure fee as afront for someone else!!! So what Elixir is saying is very feasible!
Elixir - you have to share the reasoning behind your name I have to confess that it always reminds me of some joke from years ago that I cannot remember properly but ended something like "to me Sherry is the Elixir of the Gods but Port makes me fart"
