Carles Gil - loaned out again

[Pat McMahon]

When transfer fee x wages x length of contract x potential resale value are all factored in, there can't be too many who have cost us more compared with what they have delivered.

It's forgivable of course, but surely you haven't forgotten Balaban?

Probably the worst deal in the history of this club.

[Steve R]

Not too sure about the 'not a relegation fighter' thing. I find it hard to believe that there is any competition from a cup final down to a soggy biscuit contest that NZogbia would be a better option than Gil.

Wilkins at work is more likely.

[Mister E]

When transfer fee x wages x length of contract x potential resale value are all factored in, there can't be too many who have cost us more compared with what they have delivered.

It's forgivable of course, but surely you haven't forgotten Balaban?

Nah, I don't reckon he's a contender.

If we were doing something along the lines of "minutes played versus total expenditure" then he'd probably be right up there, but a £5.8m transfer fee and £20,000 per week for two years doesn't come close to £9.5m plus around £40,000 per week for four and a half years, even allowing for inflation and increases in income.

Dave, I have the same level of contempt for N'Zog. I still believe that TSM bought him because he could ... whereas across the City he had been prevented from doing so. He only ever had one noteworthy half-season - at Wigan - and the rest of his career is very forgettable.
Anyone, including TS, who thinks he has a role in our future must be deluded.

[Risso]

When transfer fee x wages x length of contract x potential resale value are all factored in, there can't be too many who have cost us more compared with what they have delivered.

It's forgivable of course, but surely you haven't forgotten Balaban?

Nah, I don't reckon he's a contender.

If we were doing something along the lines of "minutes played versus total expenditure" then he'd probably be right up there, but a £5.8m transfer fee and £20,000 per week for two years doesn't come close to £9.5m plus around £40,000 per week for four and a half years, even allowing for inflation and increases in income.

But Balaban literally did nothing at all, whereas N'Zog has had the odd good game at least.

[Villa in Denmark]

When transfer fee x wages x length of contract x potential resale value are all factored in, there can't be too many who have cost us more compared with what they have delivered.

It's forgivable of course, but surely you haven't forgotten Balaban?

Nah, I don't reckon he's a contender.

If we were doing something along the lines of "minutes played versus total expenditure" then he'd probably be right up there, but a £5.8m transfer fee and £20,000 per week for two years doesn't come close to £9.5m plus around £40,000 per week for four and a half years, even allowing for inflation and increases in income.

But Balaban literally did nothing at all, whereas N'Zog has had the odd good game at least.

To be fair, Balaban did spectacularly cock up that 1 on 1 at Southampton where managed to look about as much like a professional footballer as a penguin on roller skates.

[Dave]

When transfer fee x wages x length of contract x potential resale value are all factored in, there can't be too many who have cost us more compared with what they have delivered.

It's forgivable of course, but surely you haven't forgotten Balaban?

Nah, I don't reckon he's a contender.

If we were doing something along the lines of "minutes played versus total expenditure" then he'd probably be right up there, but a £5.8m transfer fee and £20,000 per week for two years doesn't come close to £9.5m plus around £40,000 per week for four and a half years, even allowing for inflation and increases in income.

But Balaban literally did nothing at all, whereas N'Zog has had the odd good game at least.

True, that's fair enough.

Although the reverse argument could be were we better served by realising that a player isn't up to it after 8 games and replacing him with somebody better or by persevering for 80-odd matches of ineffectiveness.

[Holte L2]

I honestly have no idea how Stephen Ireland won player of the year. He was fucking terrible. Maybe he was slightly less terrible than some of the others, but I'd still have had Petrov for half a season, or Robbie Keane for 10 games ahead of Ireland that season. Or Given.

It was a piss take.

[RussellC]

The scary thing about this conversation is that are so many contenders for the 'biggest waste of money award'. From every managerial tenure in recent history you can find a Curcic, an Alpay or a Kachloul. Players who have got nowhere near to justifying their cost. Obviously, this happens to a certain degree at most clubs, but I reckon we're right-up there in terms of costly signings over the past 20 years.

That's not to mention managerial and coaching staff either...

[ozzjim]

Dunno, Carroll, Soldado, Lemela, Downing etc are all bigger money and wages than ours, probably swallowing them whole. We have been bad, but other clubs have been even more spectacular.

[paul_e]

The scary thing about this conversation is that are so many contenders for the 'biggest waste of money award'. From every managerial tenure in recent history you can find a Curcic, an Alpay or a Kachloul. Players who have got nowhere near to justifying their cost. Obviously, this happens to a certain degree at most clubs, but I reckon we're right-up there in terms of costly signings over the past 20 years.

That's not to mention managerial and coaching staff either...

Not sure I agree on Alpay, things went badly wrong with the way he left but before that last season or so he'd looked well worth the fee.

[Mellin]

Alpay and Mellberg were a very good partnership for a couple of seasons. He went off a cliff, but it wasn't 5.5m(?) badly spent.

[ChicagoLion]

The scary thing about this conversation is that are so many contenders for the 'biggest waste of money award'. From every managerial tenure in recent history you can find a Curcic, an Alpay or a Kachloul. Players who have got nowhere near to justifying their cost. Obviously, this happens to a certain degree at most clubs, but I reckon we're right-up there in terms of costly signings over the past 20 years.

That's not to mention managerial and coaching staff either...

You forgot the Djemba Twins

[MoetVillan]

The scary thing about this conversation is that are so many contenders for the 'biggest waste of money award'. From every managerial tenure in recent history you can find a Curcic, an Alpay or a Kachloul. Players who have got nowhere near to justifying their cost. Obviously, this happens to a certain degree at most clubs, but I reckon we're right-up there in terms of costly signings over the past 20 years.

That's not to mention managerial and coaching staff either...

You forgot the Djemba Twins

*shudders*

So bad they named him twice

[Clampy]

Alpay and Mellberg were a very good partnership for a couple of seasons. He went off a cliff, but it wasn't 5.5m(?) badly spent.

Alpay was fine until he went to the World Cup, got chose in the team of the tournament and came back with a bigger head than Frank Sidebottom.

[Risso]

The scary thing about this conversation is that are so many contenders for the 'biggest waste of money award'. From every managerial tenure in recent history you can find a Curcic, an Alpay or a Kachloul. Players who have got nowhere near to justifying their cost. Obviously, this happens to a certain degree at most clubs, but I reckon we're right-up there in terms of costly signings over the past 20 years.

That's not to mention managerial and coaching staff either...

Not sure I agree on Alpay, things went badly wrong with the way he left but before that last season or so he'd looked well worth the fee.

Was just about to say the same thing, until he went mad, Alpay was one of the best central defenders we've had in recentish times. 

I'll add Nicky Shorey's name to the list of waste of money defenders though.  A panic buy by Pubehead, who turned out to be utterly useless.

In fact left back has been a huge problem for us for years.  Since Bouma, we had one decent season out of Warnock, then we've had right footed players like Young and Lichaj playing there occasionally, plus the utterly hopeless Stevens, Bennet, Luna and Cissokho.  Even Richardson as a left back wasn't much cop.  Would be really nice to have a decent one for a change.