oldtype

Yip. The big mular for football clubs comes from TV revenue, ticket sales, sponsorship etc. The 500k or so each place is worth in terms of prize money is miniscule in the grander scheme of things. It's something that I honestly think is going to happen with every club in the league pretty much. Man United, Liverpool, City and Chelsea have the funding to splash big, Arsenal and Spurs are ran well enough as businesses to cling onto their tails. Everybody else is set to be stuck behind a glass ceiling that is pointless to try and break through, because it would take an absolute fortune just to get close. Look at Villa for example, they're seemingly cutting their cloth accordingly now. 2 biggest players out for close to £40 million, one replacement in - now McLeish has been told to work with what he's got. The depressing reality is the league is going to be completely split in two from now on and the big money men are heading abroad to purchase clubs where success is easier to buy. Honestly, if you look at transfer activity outside of the top six (or top five even, don't think Spurs' moment in the sun is going to last much longer,) it's like everyone has just given up. Trying to fluke a CL place was a valid strategy when the "elite" was only four teams. Good luck with that now. Wish Arabs would just buy everyone or something. Just to make it fair.Don't give a shit about doing things "the right way" anymore

Coyle didn't sign him though, wasn't that Megson Ah. Never mind, he's gash then.

Any manager who signs Koreans and doesn't ruin their careers is ace in my books.

We've now officially gotten to the point where every morning, when I open my eyes and check the forum on my phone, I bang my fist on the wall if we still haven't signed anyone. Ah, transfer windows...

Top post It's true: from an ownership standpoint, the benefits of placing a few places higher in the Premiership are disproportionately miniscule compared to the money you'd need to spend to do so.

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I would find a pay raise, long-term contract, and the chance to get far, far away from Mike Ashley and Derek Llambias very attractive. Exactly. Please don't agree with me. I'm already depressed enough as it is.

I would find a pay raise, long-term contract, and the chance to get far, far away from Mike Ashley and Derek Llambias very attractive.

Bet we could dig a couple of these statements out from a couple of seasons ago when we did have strikers in the team. We proved no chance had every chance. If Pardew walks on Sep. 2nd, we don't appoint a manger for a month, then appoint Joe Kinnear, then he dies in February, and we have Jon Carver as manager for two months, and then appoint Rob Lee, I agree, we're relegated.

I understand the point. And ith all things equal this would be the case however When the sums of money involved are completely contrasting (NUFC low - WH/QPR high) there really isnt a decision to make. Personal and financial security to live the life they want to lead comes first Barton and Nolan could retire tomorrow and both be financially secure forever. They have a financial/life plan that requires them to earn as much as possible before they retire 33/34 They will have massive outgoings Dont be so naive It is on a different level to what you or me can understand Barton earns more in 60 weeks at NUFC (no including any boot deals ect.) than I will in 60 years. It can't be that bad... That would be the equivalent of a beet farmer in rural China coming up to you and saying "Oy man, you could be king of my village with the money you've got!"

Barton and Nolan were both offered new contracts though. Either the owners realised Nolan and Barton were valuable first-team players and offered them extensions deemed financially suitable for the club given their ages or they were derisory, token offers designed to show the fans that they tried, but Nolan and Barton asked for too much. Until the details of the contracts that were offered to Kevin and Joey in January are known for definite then it's anyone's guess where the blame lies. Although, given that talks with Simpson have supposedly broken down, I'm slightly inclined to go with the latter.. I just choose the safe option and always blame everyone.

It's got nothing to do with ambition and everything to do with crazy insane owners who can't deal with personalities stronger than them existing within the club.

Ace, he's our replacement for both Barton and Enrique.

Incredible when you think about it. It's like a fucking Stalinist purge here.

Haha, probably they both won't be playing in the same league as us come next August. Oh come on, we're not going to get relegated In July, when all this started, I said we'd be in a relegation battle, probably relegated without Joey. I stand by that. Nah, I'm looking forward to a decade of stressless lower-mid-table mediocrity.

Haha, probably they both won't be playing in the same league as us come next August. Oh come on, we're not going to get relegated

Oh well, we'll survive. Just like we survive after every shitshow that's happened over the past few years.

I refuse to lower myself to the state where I'm analyzing cryptic Twitter quotes from Joey Barton.

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Fabulous post. Obviously it would be great if the first team could be managed as smartly as the academy, but failing that at least we've got some hope!

Man, that euphoria from the weekend has worn away really quickly

The negotiation methods of the current regime absolutely stagger me. All we seem to talk of is in ultimatums and that basically screws up everything, whether it be contracts or transfers. Shepherd: "You want 5m for Luque you say!? Nonsense, take 10m or fuck off!" Ashley: "You want 10m for Maiga you say!? Nonsense, take 5m or fuck off!" Why can't we just have sane, normal owners?

I've said it before but I'll say it again, I honestly don't mind who we get! Never mind Cissokho and Pieters, at this point I'm pretty damn close to be willing to accept Wayne Bridge.

It's comparing the summer spending of big clubs to fashion. The Wenger panel is a riff on "The Emperor's New Clothes" He's saying "I've signed big stars. They just can't be seen by anyone stupid or incompetent." I could attempt to explain the whole thing but really most of it wouldn't be funny if you're not Korean. Can you tell me what are the Real Madrid/Barcelona bits saying? The top panel says "dressed to impress on a night out," in reference to how both sides have strengthened for their CL campaigns. The bottom panel says "still trendy at home too." It's basically saying that all the other La Liga sides are well fucked as a result.

It's comparing the summer spending of big clubs to fashion. The Wenger panel is a riff on "The Emperor's New Clothes" He's saying "I've signed big stars. They just can't be seen by anyone stupid or incompetent." I could attempt to explain the whole thing but really most of it wouldn't be funny if you're not Korean.