egg

Absolutely. We've had some tough love from Kat this summer which wouldn't have been needed had we been more sensible in the past.

I agree with that but think that we need an out and out winger to suit the new system. Isgrove has a chance but tried and tested would be better.

Agree 100%. The shambles that was/is Osvaldo, particularly the fact that we're resigned to losing a bundle on the idiot, highlights two things: 1. Expensive and/or big name signings do not guarantee success, and 2. There's much benefit in a loan as you can try before you buy.

Also factor in that there is a business to run, debt to pay, training ground to fund, agents to pay etc etc. Also factor in that the headline sales figures are just that. They'll include add ons and installments. We haven't banked 90 odd million as people seem to think. If we did it should be obvious that some of it will be allocated to things other than transfer fees.

Quite right Del. I don't know why I'm surprised that the masses can't see the merits of this deal. It's great business.

Good business this. Decent player. Can slot straight until the team whilst Targett develops. If he does well but Targett doesn't meet expectations then we can exercise the option and have the benefit of continuity. All that without blowing millions on an unknown foreign player. I can't believe some of the comments on here criticizing this deal. Anyone can see he's a good player, and anyone should be able to see that this is a shrewd piece of risk free business.

Good post.

Yes but he's apparently been in London today and earlier this afternoon (pre tweet) and one of his senior team mates was expecting him to complete his move tomorrow. What a farce.

That's an interesting subject. I understand that the bonus structure potentially put us in breach of FFP (ie if we won everything we were in breach territory is my understanding). I gather the club were relaxed about FFP. I had understood that to mean that we were ignoring on the basis that contractual arrangements pre dated FFP meaning that we felt that we were not caught by them. Our lowish wage bill meant that we were more hamstrung by FFP than others. The likes of Spurs, for example, have such a vast FFP cap that they can spend what they like.

That I don't know. I also don't know what the £28m released by KL in April was for.

Behave!

The cost rose from £14m to £38m partly owing to £4m of "waste" and a desire to create "the 4 seasons".

It's a fact.

£52m wage bill. £38m Staplewood bill. KL funded £28m in April to meet pressing financial demands. Something had to give, but not to this extent.

The club pay half to the players.

Bought in players have their value ammortised over the course of their contract. I'm pretty sure (but am not certain) that homegrown players don't have a book value so stay off the balance sheet.

None of our players were "genuine PL proven players" when we were promoted. Ditto the academy boys when they broke through. Ditto any foreign player who has never played in the PL before.

Not at all. Financially we're very solid and have kl support, that I know for a fact. That's why, if this is true of course, it makes no sense whatsoever.

Ha! Hope you're wrong dug dug but faith is required. Everything I've heard suggests the money and ambition is still there but selling chambers makes no sense. He'll be a fixture of the England team for years. Poss captain material too. Hairline? I have an affro, honest.

Not a bad analogy Monsieur Bear. It feels like rape and pillaging with someone taking money. Flip side is the madame may go out and get good fresh meat ready to turn tricks in the pl. My gut feel is that all will be cool but I'd prefer evolution to revolution!

Agreed, RK may want a clean sweep but I find that unlikely. The only other possibility is that he thinks the next crop of youngsters are ready to replace those leaving.

Wow, I didn't see this coming. Chambers will be as good a rb as Shaw will be a lb IMO. One of the most talented young English players. I've been relaxed about the exodus until now (lallana, lambert and Shaw have been adequately replaced IMO) but lovren, chambers and poss Morgan is just ridiculous. I'm not sure how we stem the flow but we must do so.

The figures re us are correct. The wage bill last year was £52m. No idea about other clubs though.

Forget striking. What about a few players in a dressing room who don't want to be there. Can you imagine the damage that negatively does to morale? Multiply that several times and you'll get the damage it would cause the youngsters. People keep throwing up Suarez being persuaded to stay. That's one player. Unhappiness can be managed in isolation, but not in a group of players. Once the rot has set in, it has to be removed. My last words on the subject.

This. Somebody will be along shortly though to say that we should have been strong and made them stay. Presumably they'll say that had we had done that then everything would have been fine, or something.