The College Dropout

Nah. He has 3 years left on his deal and most of his biggest suitors have shot their load on strikers already. This has ‘give us one more year and we’ll let you go’ all over it. Better terms on a new deal. Decent release clause. Everyone is happy enough. The problem is we should’ve been sorted out this type of deal. If he was so eager to leave he would’ve given stronger indication in May/June not the end of July.

Not enough. Not enough to get the players we need

He’ll not he sold. We’ll pay him. It’s the release clause and the impact on other signings and the squad and his mindset I’m worried about.

Ok so we now know you were wrong. This is grade a COPE.

I’ve no real fear of him being sold. But it’s a mess.

And I think that’s fair. He wouldn’t want to Harry Kane his career. He’s long overdue a payrise. And if he continues to perform and we can’t compete he should be allowed to leave. £120m release clause if we don’t qualify for the CL £160m if we do. Something like that seems fair.

Funny thing is - I expect we give him £250k and a decent release clause for us. But then we don’t sign the players the squad needs. We ain’t going to sell him. But we don’t have a decent strategy. We’ll just react.

No it’s not his fault. There should be a larger strategy as to how we get to the top - and that doesn’t include primarily buying established PL players. The approach is wrong imo. I’ve always felt it’s wrong. But Howe shouldn’t determine the strategy and he’s not at fault for our financial limitations. PIF should be working faster to alleviate financial limitations and put in a structure to get Howe quality players. In absence of that we have this shitshow.

I think PIF are demanding immediate success (European qualification) and Howe thinks the best way to secure that is to go for Prem proven players are super premium targets. I said this last season with the Guehi chase. I think Howe was a lot closer to losing his job for finishing 7th than he should’ve been. He doesn’t want to take risks in the transfer market. You can’t spend £30m on 19 year olds when you need immediate success.

Nobody’s doubting the job Howe and the squad have done last season. Nor is anyone questioning we put together a good squad and atmosphere with Staveley.

My issue is that all of the Signs are bad. From like May 2024 - I haven’t seen any tangible progress from the clubs leadership. What decisions/moves have they got right that wasn’t already in place?

Agreed. The contract is overdue.

We had a free run at Tonali and Bruno. And faced Milan for Botman. We aren’t going for those types of players.

We aren’t even targeting them though. I think I know the major reasons why.

Ok.

Too many things don’t look good for it not to be true - we are a shit show. No senior management. No confirmation on infrastructure projects. No major sponsorships recently. No strategy we can see to close to revenue gap or hacks. Slow in the transfer market. Best player unsettled. It’s been a slow car crash tbh. I’m lashing out and will calm down in a few hours. But we haven’t looked a competent outfit outside the playing and coaching squad for over 2 years now. PIF are just as culpable for the PSR fiasco of June 2024 as Staveley. But at least Staveley got shit done.

Genuinely do you think this is all down to the injury?

Im not blaming the man with incurable blood cancer that put in his notice a year ago. He’s not done a good job - but he’s got cancer and has resigned. PIF haven’t done anything right that we can see since Staveley left. Gordon contract is all I can think of. If we want to keep players like Isak and Tonali we need to move properly or else they will want to leave. The Isak thing we’ve let drift too long.

Chickens are potentially coming home to roost re: Isak. I take it up with PIF. The CEO, ISAK’s contract, our PSR limitations. All should’ve been sorted.

Doesn’t smell good at all.

It doesn't matter if it's 5 or 10. We need to move with a level of pace, competence and cohesion. Football is a ruthlessly competitive game. Others aren't standing still. To reach the top, we need to be faster and smarter than the competition today, so we are level in 10 years time. For awhile with Staveley and Ashworth you could argue we were doing that - at least on the pitch. But that has slowed down.

Rashford on loan with an option is way better than Diaz for €80m imo. I back him to succeed and get back in the England squad.

Ashworth was happy to get Howe in for Man Utd. They had some friction but that can be healthy and normal.

It’s not likely though is it. Even with an ACL - he could go to us or Liverpool for close to £200k per week. He’s too good to be benched by Palace.

They should be an integral part of the process. They are on the board, no? The most successful clubs have active owners. I’ve said this before - the club needs to be someone’s baby. From the outside - it feels like it’s nobody’s baby