Transfer Speculation / Gossip

[silhillvilla]

So if he doesn't spend the TV money, where's that going once the bills have been paid ? As there should be about £40m leftover if my adding up is right.

[pauliewalnuts]

Genuine question: how much money has Randy out into the club? I thought that it was all interest-free loans that he either has recouped, or will do?

There's no getting away from the fact he's stuck loads of money in that the's never going to see again.

Whether that justifies playing fast and loose with our top flight status whilst turning us into one of the more pointless, bottom feeding, "just stay up" clubs in the top flight is another matter.

Basically, we were a rich man's play thing. Then the rich man got bored, we tried to pretend he hadn't, but he had. Now it looks more and more like he's really not that bothered and we're making the sort of signings that make Albion look like Barcelona.

[dave.woodhall]

It's not so much "not spending further vast sums", it looks very much like "spending considerably less than the TV money alone"

We don't exist in isolation, other clubs will be spending a great chunk of their TV money, yet we look increasingly like we are going to spend hardly any of it - despite the squad having been proven to be woefully inadequate last season.

I totally understand he's lost interest - a lot of us spotted that before we got the final "Shummanite" confirmation - the problem is, he's lost interest to the point that he's only prepared to do the absolute bare minimum to keep us in the league.

It is basically back where we were with Doug in 2006, except in 2006 it was more about "we haven't got the money" whereas now it is about "we don't want to spend the money".

The TV money isn't going to be the great lottery win it might appear; for a start every expense involved with running a football club will go up as a result. Let's see how many other clubs blow massive chunks of it before we begin to compare us so unfavourably.

[ozzjim]

Genuine question: how much money has Randy out into the club? I thought that it was all interest-free loans that he either has recouped, or will do?

There's no getting away from the fact he's stuck loads of money in that the's never going to see again.

Whether that justifies playing fast and loose with our top flight status whilst turning us into one of the more pointless, bottom feeding, "just stay up" clubs in the top flight is another matter.

Basically, we were a rich man's play thing. Then the rich man got bored, we tried to pretend he hadn't, but he had. Now it looks more and more like he's really not that bothered and we're making the sort of signings that make Albion look like Barcelona.

I would sooner have Richardson than baird

[hilts_coolerking]

And I fail to see what's unreasonable about expecting a football club to survive without having to go cap in hand to the Bank of Owner every year, racking up bigger and bigger debts in the process until you end up like Rangers or Portsmouth. It's his money, to spend how he sees fit. It might not seem fair to you, but life's a bitch.

It's almost as if you don't want him to spend money or don't see any reason for him to do so or don't believe he can.

Presumably the irony of you criticising on another thread "Tarquin and Algernon" paying for expensive season tickets and never going to games when we have a hugely privileged multi-millionaire treating the club like last year's Christmas present (and never going to games) is lost on you.

[pauliewalnuts]

It's not so much "not spending further vast sums", it looks very much like "spending considerably less than the TV money alone"

We don't exist in isolation, other clubs will be spending a great chunk of their TV money, yet we look increasingly like we are going to spend hardly any of it - despite the squad having been proven to be woefully inadequate last season.

I totally understand he's lost interest - a lot of us spotted that before we got the final "Shummanite" confirmation - the problem is, he's lost interest to the point that he's only prepared to do the absolute bare minimum to keep us in the league.

It is basically back where we were with Doug in 2006, except in 2006 it was more about "we haven't got the money" whereas now it is about "we don't want to spend the money".

The TV money isn't going to be the great lottery win it might appear; for a start every expense involved with running a football club will go up as a result. Let's see how many other clubs blow massive chunks of it before we begin to compare us so unfavourably.

Well, we haven't blown any chunks of it yet, so I'm not expecting much on that front.

Honest question, is there anyone here who, had they been told at the end of last season, that by this point in the summer, we'd have signed Joe Cole, Senderos and Kieran Richardson, would have either believed it or been happy with it?

I see articles like those "10m including wages" thing, and I think, no, that can't be true.

And then we go and make signings like this and I think, you know, actually it looks like they could quite easily be true.

There has never been more money floating around PL football, and we've chosen that point to spend as little as possible.

He's a nice bloke, I think he had good intentions, but the rapidity with which he has lost interest in the club reflects dreadfully on him, I'm afraid. We made excuses for him when he'd go entire seasons without showing up - he's got a son in school, he's getting divorced, all that - but ultimately, it turns out he's lost all interest in the club.

I can't see how we can put a positive spin on that.

[RussellC]

Genuine question: how much money has Randy out into the club? I thought that it was all interest-free loans that he either has recouped, or will do?

There's no getting away from the fact he's stuck loads of money in that the's never going to see again.

Whether that justifies playing fast and loose with our top flight status whilst turning us into one of the more pointless, bottom feeding, "just stay up" clubs in the top flight is another matter.

Basically, we were a rich man's play thing. Then the rich man got bored, we tried to pretend he hadn't, but he had. Now it looks more and more like he's really not that bothered and we're making the sort of signings that make Albion look like Barcelona.

But won't he get that money back? He'll certainly make a profit on what he paid for the club. And where is all the revenue going now of not to pay back some of these loans?

And besides, he told us all he was just a "custodian" and realised his place in the club's ongoing history. I appreciate that he now wants out but I still expected more of a handover than a cut- and-run.

What was that wanky phrase that Gwyneth Paltrow used a few weeks ago- "consciously uncoupling"? Something along those lines would have been nice, Randy.

[DB]

It's not so much "not spending further vast sums", it looks very much like "spending considerably less than the TV money alone"

We don't exist in isolation, other clubs will be spending a great chunk of their TV money, yet we look increasingly like we are going to spend hardly any of it - despite the squad having been proven to be woefully inadequate last season.

I totally understand he's lost interest - a lot of us spotted that before we got the final "Shummanite" confirmation - the problem is, he's lost interest to the point that he's only prepared to do the absolute bare minimum to keep us in the league.

It is basically back where we were with Doug in 2006, except in 2006 it was more about "we haven't got the money" whereas now it is about "we don't want to spend the money".

The TV money isn't going to be the great lottery win it might appear; for a start every expense involved with running a football club will go up as a result. Let's see how many other clubs blow massive chunks of it before we begin to compare us so unfavourably.

That TV money will just be used by agents to get more wages for their players.

[pauliewalnuts]

No, he won't get all his money back, there's no chance of that.

It's not about what he paid for the club, it's about the money he's wasted in the meantime (largely due to his own incompetence).

[john2710]

We know what we'll be getting with these experienced players, rather than taking risks on unknown players from abroad or the lower leagues. Some will argue that they are not good enough but at least we know they have performed at that level. As a team we've been too naive for too long, they may not fill us with excitement but with 2-3 signings further signings we might just scrape through the season again.

[PeterWithesShin]

I don't blame Randy for deciding not to keep spunking a fortune on us and wanting to leave, but i'm pretty sure he/we can afford £10m+ this summer. Which I still expect us to spend. Hopefully. Possibly.

[dave.woodhall]

And I fail to see what's unreasonable about expecting a football club to survive without having to go cap in hand to the Bank of Owner every year, racking up bigger and bigger debts in the process until you end up like Rangers or Portsmouth. It's his money, to spend how he sees fit. It might not seem fair to you, but life's a bitch.

It's almost as if you don't want him to spend money or don't see any reason for him to do so or don't believe he can.

Presumably the irony of you criticising on another thread "Tarquin and Algernon" paying for expensive season tickets and never going to games when we have a hugely privileged multi-millionaire treating the club like last year's Christmas present (and never going to games) is lost on you.

As they're two completely separate topics then yes, the irony which only exists in your mind is obviously lost on me. While you're explaining it you can also tell me where I've said anything like you claim in that first sentence.

[hilts_coolerking]

No, he won't get all his money back, there's no chance of that.

It's not about what he paid for the club, it's about the money he's wasted in the meantime (largely due to his own incompetence).

Quite.  Why we should be so cap-doffingly grateful to a multi-millionaire wasting however much money he has wasted is a bit of a puzzler.  If he was to say, 'Fair cop, I've really nawsed things up since O'Neill left but I'm going to do everything I can to put it right' then I'd be grateful.  But what he's actually said is, 'Fuck this, I'm going to claw back as much money as I can, regardless of the effect on the team, and then I'm going home.'

[RussellC]

No, he won't get all his money back, there's no chance of that.

It's not about what he paid for the club, it's about the money he's wasted in the meantime (largely due to his own incompetence).

I still don't get this. Has he actually just handed over his own cash to the club then? My understanding was that all of the cash he'd but into the club was in the form of loans.

[pauliewalnuts]

It's not so much "not spending further vast sums", it looks very much like "spending considerably less than the TV money alone"

We don't exist in isolation, other clubs will be spending a great chunk of their TV money, yet we look increasingly like we are going to spend hardly any of it - despite the squad having been proven to be woefully inadequate last season.

I totally understand he's lost interest - a lot of us spotted that before we got the final "Shummanite" confirmation - the problem is, he's lost interest to the point that he's only prepared to do the absolute bare minimum to keep us in the league.

It is basically back where we were with Doug in 2006, except in 2006 it was more about "we haven't got the money" whereas now it is about "we don't want to spend the money".

The TV money isn't going to be the great lottery win it might appear; for a start every expense involved with running a football club will go up as a result. Let's see how many other clubs blow massive chunks of it before we begin to compare us so unfavourably.

That TV money will just be used by agents to get more wages for their players.

I am sure it will end up in higher wages for a lot of players, but that certainly won't account for all the TV money. It certainly won't for the sort of players we're signing.

We've got a squad in dreadful need of significant improvement, one which scraped survival last season, and thus far we're signing utter dross, the sort of signings we'd have laughed at if Albion had made them, and meanwhile two of our three best players from last season are about to enter the final year of their contract.

Oh, and we've got a manager who has the confidence of absolutely nobody, a chairman who seems to think engaging with his responsibility means making a couple of baffling statements,  the CEO has just fecked off and is being replaced by someone who probably couldn't draw a picture of a football, and we're being hawked around for sale in the desparate hope someone might save us.

These are circumstances we'd have absolutely slaughtered Ellis for.

Ellis had a lot of flaws - a lot of them - and did things I won't forgive him for, but look at him, attending matches when he's judging 150 years old. Lerner will have forgotten us the day after he moves us on.

I genuinely look back and can not believe we've wound up in this mess.