Put yourself in the mind of an Egyptian/American billionaire

[ez]

They've told Jack what their ambitions are and Jack was satisfied enough to sign a new contract. I expect Dean Smith has also been told and believes he can deliver it.

[Pat Mustard]

If I was one of the owners, would I trust Smith with my millions?
I'm afraid the answer is no.

I often see quotes like this, and had a chat with a mate about it last week.  Even taking into account the fact that there is a whole team working on our transfer strategy now, I honestly don't see how any of us could say we wouldn't trust Smith with the money any more than another manager we could get in- the signings we've made since he was appointed are light years ahead of anything we've done since probably Sir Brian was in charge.

Go through the signings he's made and I think the business is really quite impressive:

Heaton - About £8 million for an England international in our first season back.  A position we had to improve in, unlucky to get injured as otherwise would have more than justified the fee.
Martinez - £20 million, would be looking at 2.5-3 times that fee now
Targett - struggled last season, but a revelation for most of this season.  Worth at least £10 million more than we paid
Cash - Great first season at top-level.  A bit rash at times, but with age and experience will improve, and certainly worth more than we paid at this point.
Mings - Getting in on loan was one of the key factors in promotion.  Fee was high, but would expect a minimum of £40 million+ if sold
Konsa - solid-gold bargain.  £11 million sounded like a lot at the time, would attract 3/4 times that amount now.
Luiz - Off the boil recently, but a 22 year old Brazillian international would again attract more than we paid for him if sold (buy-back arrangements notwithstanding)
El Ghazi - Already here, but converting loan to permanent was sensible business.  Would expect to make a profit if sold.
Trezeguet - Again not a world-beater, but would expect a small profit if moved on.
Traore & Sanson - Jury remains out, but with a solid pre-season behind both and given their respective ages I don't think it's unreasonable to expect better performances next season.
Wesley - The one really questionable signing, but was showing signs of promise when hit by a terrible injury.  Unclear whether he will be able to get to the required level now, but deserves a chance next season.
Watkins - Another one whose fee looked high at the time, but probably worth getting on for double what we paid already. 

Add in to the above the several squad-filler type signings we've had to make (e.g. Hause, Engels) and I still think you wouldn't lose money on any of them.

I know this isn't the way most of us would like to look at things, but it's something I keep coming back to - look at where we have been in the last 10 years.  The amount of money we wasted (even under O'Neill and Lerner) is not sustainable for any club, and less than 3 years ago could have seen us destroyed.

In a way the thought of having £250 million for any manager to spend scares me - we finally seem to have learned our lesson that the way we build has to be done with a solid foundation of young, upwardly mobile players.  Going on a massive splurge this summer could unbalance all of that, so I'd much rather carry on doing what we have been and picking up players that will improve us over time.  It might take longer, but it doesn't mortgage our entire future if the owners suddenly decide to plug the plug again, and will also mean that our Academy prospects also get a look-in when they are ready to progress.

[Brend'Watkins]

If I was one of the owners, would I trust Smith with my millions?
I'm afraid the answer is no.

I often see quotes like this, and had a chat with a mate about it last week.  Even taking into account the fact that there is a whole team working on our transfer strategy now, I honestly don't see how any of us could say we wouldn't trust Smith with the money any more than another manager we could get in- the signings we've made since he was appointed are light years ahead of anything we've done since probably Sir Brian was in charge.

Go through the signings he's made and I think the business is really quite impressive:

Heaton - About £8 million for an England international in our first season back.  A position we had to improve in, unlucky to get injured as otherwise would have more than justified the fee.
Martinez - £20 million, would be looking at 2.5-3 times that fee now
Targett - struggled last season, but a revelation for most of this season.  Worth at least £10 million more than we paid
Cash - Great first season at top-level.  A bit rash at times, but with age and experience will improve, and certainly worth more than we paid at this point.
Mings - Getting in on loan was one of the key factors in promotion.  Fee was high, but would expect a minimum of £40 million+ if sold
Konsa - solid-gold bargain.  £11 million sounded like a lot at the time, would attract 3/4 times that amount now.
Luiz - Off the boil recently, but a 22 year old Brazillian international would again attract more than we paid for him if sold (buy-back arrangements notwithstanding)
El Ghazi - Already here, but converting loan to permanent was sensible business.  Would expect to make a profit if sold.
Trezeguet - Again not a world-beater, but would expect a small profit if moved on.
Traore & Sanson - Jury remains out, but with a solid pre-season behind both and given their respective ages I don't think it's unreasonable to expect better performances next season.
Wesley - The one really questionable signing, but was showing signs of promise when hit by a terrible injury.  Unclear whether he will be able to get to the required level now, but deserves a chance next season.
Watkins - Another one whose fee looked high at the time, but probably worth getting on for double what we paid already. 

Add in to the above the several squad-filler type signings we've had to make (e.g. Hause, Engels) and I still think you wouldn't lose money on any of them.

I know this isn't the way most of us would like to look at things, but it's something I keep coming back to - look at where we have been in the last 10 years.  The amount of money we wasted (even under O'Neill and Lerner) is not sustainable for any club, and less than 3 years ago could have seen us destroyed.

In a way the thought of having £250 million for any manager to spend scares me - we finally seem to have learned our lesson that the way we build has to be done with a solid foundation of young, upwardly mobile players.  Going on a massive splurge this summer could unbalance all of that, so I'd much rather carry on doing what we have been and picking up players that will improve us over time.  It might take longer, but it doesn't mortgage our entire future if the owners suddenly decide to plug the plug again, and will also mean that our Academy prospects also get a look-in when they are ready to progress.

I think that's a pretty accurate assessment Pat and agree that a massive splurge could unsettle us.  However, we do need at least 3 quality signings if we can get them. Two for the middle of the park are a must.   

[exigo]

He'll have this summer, be told what the expectations are, but also be asked what further support he might need to achieve them – that's the difference that I think sets our owners apart. They're not just trigger happy; they know that it's a team of people that makes success happen – hence bringing in Shakespeare this year. Smith might decide that he wants different people around him. And he'll have until Christmas to show that we're making good on that progress. But, if we're not, Smith will know that he will be hooked – if he is, I'd hope that there's enough system in place for a new manager to evolve the current squad and set-up, rather than tear it all up and start again. One of the biggest frustrations of the last ten years is that lack of long-term planning – something teams like Leicester have shown is so important (and the likes of Swansea and Brentford lower down the list).

[RamboandBruno]

If I was one of the owners, would I trust Smith with my millions?
I'm afraid the answer is no.

I often see quotes like this, and had a chat with a mate about it last week.  Even taking into account the fact that there is a whole team working on our transfer strategy now, I honestly don't see how any of us could say we wouldn't trust Smith with the money any more than another manager we could get in- the signings we've made since he was appointed are light years ahead of anything we've done since probably Sir Brian was in charge.

Go through the signings he's made and I think the business is really quite impressive:

Heaton - About £8 million for an England international in our first season back.  A position we had to improve in, unlucky to get injured as otherwise would have more than justified the fee.
Martinez - £20 million, would be looking at 2.5-3 times that fee now
Targett - struggled last season, but a revelation for most of this season.  Worth at least £10 million more than we paid
Cash - Great first season at top-level.  A bit rash at times, but with age and experience will improve, and certainly worth more than we paid at this point.
Mings - Getting in on loan was one of the key factors in promotion.  Fee was high, but would expect a minimum of £40 million+ if sold
Konsa - solid-gold bargain.  £11 million sounded like a lot at the time, would attract 3/4 times that amount now.
Luiz - Off the boil recently, but a 22 year old Brazillian international would again attract more than we paid for him if sold (buy-back arrangements notwithstanding)
El Ghazi - Already here, but converting loan to permanent was sensible business.  Would expect to make a profit if sold.
Trezeguet - Again not a world-beater, but would expect a small profit if moved on.
Traore & Sanson - Jury remains out, but with a solid pre-season behind both and given their respective ages I don't think it's unreasonable to expect better performances next season.
Wesley - The one really questionable signing, but was showing signs of promise when hit by a terrible injury.  Unclear whether he will be able to get to the required level now, but deserves a chance next season.
Watkins - Another one whose fee looked high at the time, but probably worth getting on for double what we paid already. 

Add in to the above the several squad-filler type signings we've had to make (e.g. Hause, Engels) and I still think you wouldn't lose money on any of them.

I know this isn't the way most of us would like to look at things, but it's something I keep coming back to - look at where we have been in the last 10 years.  The amount of money we wasted (even under O'Neill and Lerner) is not sustainable for any club, and less than 3 years ago could have seen us destroyed.

In a way the thought of having £250 million for any manager to spend scares me - we finally seem to have learned our lesson that the way we build has to be done with a solid foundation of young, upwardly mobile players.  Going on a massive splurge this summer could unbalance all of that, so I'd much rather carry on doing what we have been and picking up players that will improve us over time.  It might take longer, but it doesn't mortgage our entire future if the owners suddenly decide to plug the plug again, and will also mean that our Academy prospects also get a look-in when they are ready to progress.

An excellent post Pat.

The other thing to add is Purslow, I think is hugely important in all of this. Do any one of us really think the owners had a scooby doo who Dean Smith was when they took over the club and decided fairly soon after to give the boot to Bruce.
Thierry Henry’s name was being bandied about and that seems like the kind of star name big billionaire owners would be attracted to. Whether Henry turned us down or not, the fact that we went from that link, to the far more sensible solution of Great Barr’s Dean Smith, has to be a Purslow decision.
If the owners want rid, which at some stage now or in 5 years time they will, they’ll tell Purslow, but I reckon whilst we’re steadily progressing Purslow is invested in Smith and will continue to support him.

[Drummond]

An excellent post Pat.

The other thing to add is Purslow, I think is hugely important in all of this. Do any one of us really think the owners had a scooby doo who Dean Smith was when they took over the club and decided fairly soon after to give the boot to Bruce.
Thierry Henry’s name was being bandied about and that seems like the kind of star name big billionaire owners would be attracted to. Whether Henry turned us down or not, the fact that we went from that link, to the far more sensible solution of Great Barr’s Dean Smith, has to be a Purslow decision.
If the owners want rid, which at some stage now or in 5 years time they will, they’ll tell Purslow, but I reckon whilst we’re steadily progressing Purslow is infested in Smith and will continue to support him.

It'll never catch on.