Lambert And Player Wages

[ktvillan]

I've never agreed with team managers or coaches deciding on player wages.  They usually have little or no financial knowledge or acumen and the experience with MON shows where it can lead.  For me, Managers should identify which players he wants to sign, maybe agree the signing in principle, then the financial negotiations should be part of the chief executive's remit, like I believe David Dein used to do at Arsenal.         

[The Man With A Stick]

MON was like a fat kid in a sweet shop.  I'm sure Randolph has learnt his lesson and Lambo seems quite sensible anyway.

[Chico Hamilton III]

I've never agreed with team managers or coaches deciding on player wages.  They usually have little or no financial knowledge or acumen and the experience with MON shows where it can lead.  For me, Managers should identify which players he wants to sign, maybe agree the signing in principle, then the financial negotiations should be part of the chief executive's remit, like I believe David Dein used to do at Arsenal.         

Yep.

It's not like the old days where a player would knock on the boss's door in the summer and ask for a pay rise. It's all done by agents now, trying to engineer a move and managers shouldn't have to negotiate with agents. They should tell the club what a player's worth and let the club do the rest.

[villa `cross the mersey]

So is our CEO now back to managing the "call centre"?

[Billy Walker]

Regarding the Mail comment above - the O'Neill era players gave off the same feeling of togetherness - Ashley and Jimmy still left, and Downing.

The current crop may well love playing here, but I don't expect them to stay if the richer clubs want them.

This is the crucial thing.  Hopefully lessons have been learnt.  Hopefully Lerner and PF are wiser and have a bit more understanding of the footballing "industry" now.

 I was thinking the other day that, in many ways  - should we stay up - our club will be in a far better position heading into the 2013-14 than it was when we were heading into that first heady season of Lerner and O'Neill back in 2006.  Our Boardroom are no longer footballing green-horns; our Chairman is no longer distracted by owning another sports team; we now have an established system of producing our own players and giving them a chance and (hopefully) our books should soon be balanced...and we have a very hungry, ambitious, modern  manager who seems to have a long term vision for the club.

Like I say, provided lessons have been learnt from the past five years, I reckon we can dare to dream of good times ahead.  I'm not in the slightest bit worried about predatory clubs owned by petro-billionaires, either, if the plan and vision is tight, we have nothing to fear.  If I'm getting the gist of the comment to The Mail (above) right, then I would like to think Lambert is creating a culture where mercenary players and agents are not welcome around Villa Park and Bodymoor Heath - amen to that.

[not3bad]

We also need to remember that like players, managers don't stay forever.  We need a plan of succession, as opposed to stumbling blindly from one manager and one strategy to another.  Swansea seem to have that side worked out.

[SoccerHQ]

Different in my mind was that type MON signed were in their mid to late 20s, were on 40k + a week and were given 4 year deals.

Bit difference with Lambert, likes of Bennett, Lowton and Westwood will only be on 10k a week or so I reckon, Benteke's estimated to be on 20k which is peanuts these days for the average premier league player.

[rob_bridge]

We also need to remember that like players, managers don't stay forever.  We need a plan of succession, as opposed to stumbling blindly from one manager and one strategy to another.  Swansea seem to have that side worked out.

Oh yes - I'll give Herbert his dues on that one. He knew when he was going to sack one and exactly who he wanted (and normally got) to give the job too - at least in the immediate term.

How long between MON resigning and Houllier actually starting? 5 weeks? How long between Houllier taking ill (and clearly not being able to return) and McDuffshite taking over? 8 weeks?
The choices were bad enough. Really bad based on the circumstances of their hire and complete unsuitability. But then to have to pay huge compenstation to recruit then fire them is just utterly ludicrous.

In the professional world of football we acted like rank amateurs.

Yes the antennae should be out for the next one and the one after for that matter in case a) Lambert messes it up next year or b) does really well and someone poaches him (and let's face facts that was never going to happen to the previous 2 incumbents)

[Salsa Party Animal]

When he get rid of players like Stephen Ireland on say 70 grand a week, he can use 15 for payrise for Benteke, and 5 grand a week payrise for say 6 players and use 25 grand for new player. So it is sensible use of money.

[silhillvilla]

I get the impression Lambert is as tight as a camels arse in a sandstorm, therefore no issues with him negotiating new deals.

[JD]

He's a tight Scotsman. He won't sign players on stupid salaries who are prima donnas (we had enough of them and he's slowly getting rid of them).