Colos Short and Curlies

Shearer to Blackburn possibly?

"Bankrupt"? Nowt like that, just covering his losses with a side bet ffs. He wants to be here, but more to cover his losses than from any desire to be back in the game, because he clearly wasn't interested 60 days before he did come back. mate that doesnt matter at all, if you'd asked him 60 days before he took over the first time he would've said 'no thanks, i'm happy playing golf in the sun' So what changed in that 60 days? Read his autobiography, he wasn't even living in Spain when we approached him first time.

Darren Bent (imho of course)

Not a good career move if Hughes wants the Man U job at some point. And agree with UV, a significant number of Citeh fans won't take to him and we know what its like when a crowd is split on a manager before he even signs his contract.

I don't care about Arsenal. Wenger is a one off. Like I said, manu and chelsea don't do it, you show me Wenger, and I will show you Ferguson and Mourhinho and tell you they buy the best players. Before them, Liverpool bought the best players. Clough broke transfer records. Revie broke transfer records. Keegan the first time bought the best players. Its a signing that is hoped to be a "bargain" buy. Like it or not, this is the truth. Coming on the back of losing top targets to the likes of Spurs, if you think this sort of standard is good enough for NUFC, its your problem. They won't succeed if they throw all their eggs into this ridiculous "bargain" idea. And they won't succeed if they operate tight financial restraints when trying to sign the best players. Money talks in any walk of life. I understand why people are rejecting this, but at the end of the day, they are paranoid, clueless and should apply common sense and look at these other clubs and accordingly observe how they get success. Why don't you think we can't buy World Cup winners ? We have signed a few of those over the last 16 years or so, so why not now ? Wengers a one off, explain Ajax, Psv, now Juventus, Milan, all teams that at one stage often their most productive used home grown lads. Wenger is not a one off, he's just smart, and adopting his techniques is very good. Look at Charlie 120k now worth £10m. The fact your willing to dismiss a team thats won more leagues and cups than us makes me question why were bothering this discussion. For as good as "Buying the best players" is we are not at their level yet, and constant spending is not a maintainable structure. Stop thinking because Ashley is a billionaire he will throw money at the club. I'm not saying throw it all in the bargain basket ,but don't be so naive as to dismiss the concept of buying young and cheap like Krul, Soderberg and Zamblera. The reason we can't attract WCW is because we haven't finished in the top half for 3seasons and aren't in Europe either. I'm not thinking because Ashley is a billionaire he will throw money at the club. I'm pointing at how Liverpool, Chelsea and Manu have operated over many years, decades in the case of 2 of them. I'm also pointing out how successful clubs in England have always operated. Nobody is dismissing finding the odd top player on their way up in the game, I'm pointing out the simple FACT that the big boys buy the best players, not the pompeys etc. Ignore this if you like. But you won't have consistent success in the game through over emphasis on "bargains". For further proof, we operated like this ourselves all the way through the 1970's and 80's - if you don't have first hand experience of this, or are too naive to even try to understand, you'll have to take my word for it. Quite amazing that you pick out one or two clubs temporarily above their place to emphasise a point, and ignoring the rest. For the young, and "bargain", players like the ones you mention, why not mention Chopra, Bramble, Jenas, Ambrose, Viana, Dyer, Griffin, Gavilan, Ameobi, Bernard, Hughes.........and going back further, Bogie, Dyson, Brayson, Wharton, Lormor, Conrwell, Stephenson, Tinnon.........there are plenty more. So don't make out the club has never been down these particular roads either, because they have, and here are some of the names to show it. Oh, and one more thing, pompey are 20m quid in the red. What shit directors eh and that is before they start building a new stadium. Still, I'm sure you and others will call that "positive thinking". What a joke. You mean the Dyer, Bernard and Jenas who were instrumental in achieving Champions League football? (Along with notable contributions from Griffin, Hughes, Ameobi)

The payment from the FA won't deduct from the wage bill surely, if its included in the 2006-2007 accounts at all then it'll be part of the turnover. The total wage bill including all of Owen's wages was £62.5 million so the wage to turnover ratio was indeed 72%. The reason IMO for the difference in those figures is probably because Deloitte listed revenue figures in dollars at the 2007 exchange rate. So people using todays exchange rates to convert them to pounds are getting slightly higher revenue numbers (in which case just add a few percent to every club in the list getcarter posted). Nah it wouldn't come in as turnover. Probably an exceptional 'income' netted off operating costs. Jist is right though that it wouldn't show in these wages figures - Deloittes will have gone as high as possible on them (whilst not making them up) as they know this figure will be picked up on by the media

Maybe Spurs have/are buying/rumoured to be buying all of these players to fill their new super ground. High priced corporate tickets being paid for by said players, covering their wages, keeping sustainability etc etc. Just a thought

Think we needed a Spurs forum tbh

there was a thread where someone brought up spurs spending in recent seasons but i could never find it again, i was going to ask the spurs resident ITK's how the club can continue spending at such a sustained rate? they balance out to some degree i'm aware but very recently the balancing out part seems to have been forgotten? genuine question like, not a piss take The money's put together in an assortment of ways. Keeping a firm lid on the salary structure ensures not too much money is leaked that way. In past years, there's been no overdraft, there is now. Compared to most clubs it's still small but it's there now and I don't expect it to be cleared off soon. Ramos has convinced Levy that he'll have to pay for a challenge on the top 4 and Levy thinks the club is sound enough to go for it. Season tickets continues to go through the roof, another 10% increase this time around, and that is from a high starting level as well. Spurs also had rights issues on their shares, underwritten by Enic. The majority weren't taken up so Enic took them up at what is now a bargain price. Basically, a means enabling Joe Lewis/Daniel Levy to put more money in and getting the benefit of actually reducing their overall cost per share. There were major rows about it at board level and the Finance Director left over it. That enabled Enic to set up long term loans (which are only just being drawn upon) at pretty good rates for the new Academy and have money left over to put towards the new stadium. I'm not an Accountant and don't really understand how the benefits work, but I'm told they are significant. Finally, Levy always has loads of ifs and buts in transfer contracts, some of the transfer fees mentioned in the media never materialise simply because the trigger to spark another payment never happens. Also, in the past 4 years or so, almost every player bought was subsequently sold at a profit. Bent, Boateng and Kaboul may buck the trend when they go, but Jol wanted them and ultimately they were part of the reason why he went. I'll assume that the above is correct, but to keep spending the way Spurs have been over the past 2 years or so they will need CL football very soon to start covering costs I heard that it was sustainable without CL for 2 years, probably 3. By that time there should be a new stadium with more corporate boxes and jacked up ST prices to go with it. The probability is that we'll be under new ownership long before that in any case. Where will you build said stadium? The FA have already built them one at Wembley duh!

I thought we were signing Govou to replace Enrique? Or was that Beye?

there was a thread where someone brought up spurs spending in recent seasons but i could never find it again, i was going to ask the spurs resident ITK's how the club can continue spending at such a sustained rate? they balance out to some degree i'm aware but very recently the balancing out part seems to have been forgotten? genuine question like, not a piss take The money's put together in an assortment of ways. Keeping a firm lid on the salary structure ensures not too much money is leaked that way. In past years, there's been no overdraft, there is now. Compared to most clubs it's still small but it's there now and I don't expect it to be cleared off soon. Ramos has convinced Levy that he'll have to pay for a challenge on the top 4 and Levy thinks the club is sound enough to go for it. Season tickets continues to go through the roof, another 10% increase this time around, and that is from a high starting level as well. Spurs also had rights issues on their shares, underwritten by Enic. The majority weren't taken up so Enic took them up at what is now a bargain price. Basically, a means enabling Joe Lewis/Daniel Levy to put more money in and getting the benefit of actually reducing their overall cost per share. There were major rows about it at board level and the Finance Director left over it. That enabled Enic to set up long term loans (which are only just being drawn upon) at pretty good rates for the new Academy and have money left over to put towards the new stadium. I'm not an Accountant and don't really understand how the benefits work, but I'm told they are significant. Finally, Levy always has loads of ifs and buts in transfer contracts, some of the transfer fees mentioned in the media never materialise simply because the trigger to spark another payment never happens. Also, in the past 4 years or so, almost every player bought was subsequently sold at a profit. Bent, Boateng and Kaboul may buck the trend when they go, but Jol wanted them and ultimately they were part of the reason why he went. I'll assume that the above is correct, but to keep spending the way Spurs have been over the past 2 years or so they will need CL football very soon to start covering costs

Kuntz! The Germans have scored. If Carlsberg did football commentary.....

I thought he made several good points to be honest. Especially the comparison with Germany. Remember when Ballack got booked in the World Cup semi-final which meant he would miss the final? His response was to go and score the winner that got his team through. He didn't cry like a woman, knowing the camera's would be on him and the commentator's flapping over the "despair" he must have been feeling, his number one goal was to make sure his country progressed, rather than give a "look at me, I'm devastated" performance for the cameras. If you think his performance was just "for the cameras" then you couldn't be more wrong. Say what you like about Terry but he's Chelsea through and through and cares passionately about them like any fan of any team would. Think of it this way. If you missed the penalty that cost Newcastle the Champions League final how would you react? Would I "cry like a woman"? Too fucking right I would. I wouldn't miss!

Captain tomorrow

Maybe my memory is going somewhat, but wasn't Keegans 90's team built around a mix of established (Beardsley, Killer etc) and young upcomers (Cole, Lee, Gillespie)? The same will happen now and happens in all successful teams

Surprised that there hasn't been a franchise link up between on MLS club and either Villa/Man U or Liverpool yet

You'd be right about that. Said it a few months back on Talkshite, the one team he didn't play for who he would have liked to.

Slightly worried, but only because the majrity of people reading these stories will believe them and there is a remote possibility of a self fulfilling prophecy winding out. From what I've been told about Ashley from someone who knows him, he sees KK as a key cog in making us a success again. Don't doubt that there are differences of opinion btw -- especially over players to go for, but confident that a good compromise will be met.

Probably playing FM. Maybe we had enquired about Stokes in Jan then after watching him in the interim decided against persuing our interest?

Could Modric and Turan play in the same midfield? Seems a lot of money to be paying out on two (seemingly) similar players. And their midfield will still be lightweight, need an enforcer in there

Interest from Spurs

Didn't he spit on him as he turned away? Didn't see it personally but heard a few people say it happened

I find it very interesting, personally. It'll be particularly interesting to see whether the new guy takes any different stances on things to Mort, and whether we'll be able to pick those up. Assuming it is Llambias, he may wish to put his own twist on things or carry on in the same way as currently. Both he and Mort are long-term acquaintances of Ashley, so they might be just taking his instructions. If Ashley aims to run us the way he runs Sports Direct he will happily let Llambias run the club as he sees fit (as long as it is line with Ashleys overall plan) as he only employs high level employees who he trusts can look after the businesses best interests

Daily Telegraph. Spurs linked with move for Henry. There's a surprise!

Could be a few pot-kettle-black comments in this thread I feel. All clubs have idiots attached to them who do this sort of thing. Pretty much guaranteed that if Terry had scored Manchester would have been trashed again.