Hugo Ekitike

[Dokko]

12 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

I don’t agree or think that’s true.  
 

after 10 years of our ownership investing properly into the club and it’s infrastructure we wont go back to being ‘just another PL club’.  Success compounds. Infrastructure is setup and it attracts people with more wealth.  

 

we would if others catch up. Will liecester with their £100m training complex be just another club? They already are. Had they not had a mini lift in form, they could even be relegated.

 

The owners of psg have built a hideous mansion in the middle of a swamp. Once they leave it's just going to sit and rot. 

[Manxst]

4 minutes ago, Dokko said:

 

You are comparing teams in the best league in the world with 7 or 8 top teams, to a feeder league with 1 anomaly which is down to money and that money is about to walk. Theyll stay the biggest team in France...who cares?

Which is why the French league is the only major league with tv income less than €1bn (at €725m). Without the cash the Qataris pump into the club (they injected over €300m lump sum just a few seasons ago), PSG will plummet again, like they did before the Qatari takeover when they were close to going bust. No one wanting a growth to their investment will consider buying the club once the Qataris decide they’re bored and it doesn’t fit their purpose any more. 

[Dokko]

Just now, Manxst said:

Which is why the French league is the only major league with tv income less than €1bn (at €725m). Without the cash the Qataris pump into the club (they injected over €300m lump sum just a few seasons ago), PSG will plummet again, like they did before the Qatari takeover when they were close to going bust. No one wanting a growth to their investment will consider buying the club once the Qataris decide they’re bored and it doesn’t fit their purpose any more. 

 

Nail on head. Never own the best house on the street. If you do, it's time to move. They have thrown far too much money at it judt to save face in time for the WC...same as the WC itself...Once that's gone the legacy is simply badly spent money, both at home and at psg.

[The College Dropout]

Just now, Dokko said:

 

You are comparing teams in the best league in the world with 7 or 8 top teams, to a feeder league with 1 anomaly which is down to money and that money is about to walk. Theyll stay the biggest team in France...who cares?

7 or 8 top teams?

 

2 European cups in the last 6 years. 
 

There’s City. Liverpool. Chelsea.  
 

Man United have been to 2 European finals in the last decade, might extend it to 4.  The rest? Absolutely not. 
 

PSG have a world leading academy and are located in a country that produces probably the best players from Europe. With better ownership and less egos - they have the potential to become the Bayern Munich of France. 

[Dokko]

Just now, The College Dropout said:

7 or 8 top teams?

 

2 European cups in the last 6 years. 
 

There’s City. Liverpool. Chelsea.  
 

Man United have been to 2 European finals in the last decade, might extend it to 4.  The rest? Absolutely not. 
 

PSG have a world leading academy and are located in a country that produces probably the best players from Europe. With better ownership and less egos - they have the potential to become the Bayern Munich of France. 

 

Time will tell. Let's see what happens next. I know where my money will be. ?

[The College Dropout]

6 minutes ago, Dokko said:

 

we would if others catch up. Will liecester with their £100m training complex be just another club? They already are. Had they not had a mini lift in form, they could even be relegated.

 

The owners of psg have built a hideous mansion in the middle of a swamp. Once they leave it's just going to sit and rot. 

Leicester have grown tremendously since the club was first bought though. They were in League 1 when the takeover happened - no?

 

My point is their success has been compounded. 
 

This all comes back to us for me. When the ownership leaves - it will be with a legacy that will have us being more competitive than we were pre-takeover. 

[Guest]

35 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

Liverpool commercial revenue is now close to Manchester United is it not? They are as financial powerful as most other European powerhouses - way beyond Arsenal who they were once behind in every way. Even Anfield’s capacity has been increased.  
 

 

As a club Liverpool are a much bigger club now than the ones FSG bought.  And they are primed for more success. 
 

Manchester United have terrible Ownership but qualify for the CL more times than not. And have had the 4th best trophy haul in England since SAF retired. Behind Liverpool and 2 oil clubs. 

 

All the commercial revenue in the world means very little if you have owners like the ones at Liverpool and Man U who won't invest the money, which is the point I was making. If PSG have a change of owners it'll be massive, unless they get ones that can keep the current operation going. Football is fickle and you can quickly drop out of public consciousness. 

[Dokko]

24 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

Leicester have grown tremendously since the club was first bought though. They were in League 1 when the takeover happened - no?

 

My point is their success has been compounded. 
 

This all comes back to us for me. When the ownership leaves - it will be with a legacy that will have us being more competitive than we were pre-takeover. 

 

Did Sunderlands stadium and academy keep them from sliding into L1?

 

Of course it'll keep the bar higher than it was Pre takeover, but without similar funding other will catch up and no one big will want to play for them. It's the beginning of the end for them as a world elite. If run well it'll be more Benfica than Bayern, without daft money that's all they can hope for. 

[Manxst]

12 minutes ago, Dokko said:

 

Did Sunderlands stadium and academy keep them from sliding into L1?

 

Of course it'll keep the bar higher than it was Pre takeover, but without similar funding other will catch up and no one big will want to play for them. It's the beginning of the end for them as a world elite. If run well it'll be more Benfica than Bayern, without daft money that's all they can hope for. 

Their annual sponsorship is over 100m than the rest of the other 19 teams combined. It’s ridiculous. Once the Qataris go, that sponsorship will dry up too. 

[The College Dropout]

16 minutes ago, Dokko said:

 

Did Sunderlands stadium and academy keep them from sliding into L1?

 

Of course it'll keep the bar higher than it was Pre takeover, but without similar funding other will catch up and no one big will want to play for them. It's the beginning of the end for them as a world elite. If run well it'll be more Benfica than Bayern, without daft money that's all they can hope for. 

Sunderland didn't slide down the divisions because of a lack of funding.

 

We'll see how they end up.

[Dokko]

12 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

Sunderland didn't slide down the divisions because of a lack of funding.

 

We'll see how they end up.

 

They did. Ellis turned the tap off. Then the chancers didn't turn it back on. They are at their natural level, even that is still isn't self sufficient.

[Guest]

Just look at Newcastle. We went from one of the top 20 clubs in Europe to forgotten about after a change in ownership.

[The College Dropout]

According to everyone on here - we had an Owner in the worst tier.

 

Sunderland's "natural level" is not 35th in the English football pyramid.

[Nine]

14 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

According to everyone on here - we had an Owner in the worst tier.

 

Sunderland's "natural level" is not 35th in the English football pyramid.

Where would you say it is?

I think now more than ever a natural level doesn’t exist, obviously a club being ‘bigger’ in having bigger gates and merch sales will count in making it easier for ownership to build upon and progress but many ‘smaller’ clubs have done well on the pitch recently. Clubs these days are where they are on merit, not because they have more fans or turnover more money (although that obviously helps).

 

 

Edited November 14, 2022 by Nine

[The College Dropout]

46 minutes ago, Nine said:

Where would you say it is?

I think now more than ever a natural level doesn’t exist, obviously a club being ‘bigger’ in having bigger gates and merch sales will count in making it easier for ownership to build upon and progress but many ‘smaller’ clubs have done well on the pitch recently. Clubs these days are where they are on merit, not because they have more fans or turnover more money (although that obviously helps).

 

 

 

Before I looked it up I would say 14th - 26th.

 

They're 17th in the all-time PL rankings. That's absolutely their level.

[JumpersForGoalposts]

Back on topic, I absolutely don't want to see Ekitike at the club. I think Eddie has a 'no dickheads' policy, and Ekitike doesn't meet that criteria, after showing us that he was willing to use us to get what he really wanted. No thanks.

[Dokko]

1 hour ago, The College Dropout said:

Before I looked it up I would say 14th - 26th.

 

They're 17th in the all-time PL rankings. That's absolutely their level.

 

So at best bottom of the PL and that's with unsustainable investment. £200m short lost in doing so.  

 

Thanks for proving my point. 

[toontownman]

6 hours ago, OCK said:

Don't want. There's not a single player that's reportedly turned us down for someone else, I've seen and thought 'man I wish we had signed them'. 

I would have taken Rooney TBF.

 

However I'm all for setting up a cheeky loan bid for Ekitike and then pulling out at the last minute when he is at the airport.

 

Wish him well but that ship sailed.

 

[Guest]

The fact we chased him two windows suggests he's someone we fancy highly. If we were to revisit it in the summer I'd be on board. If Botman had knocked us back people were saying the same about him and we know he's fucking mint. The level we're aiming at I don't think we can afford to be petty like that especially when the scouting team and Howe all clearly wanted him.

[STM]

I think Isak was the "Ekitike" signing. I doubt we will revisit that profile of player again, anytime soon.

 

On the other hand, if its clear hes available at a good price and can prove his attitude to our hierarchy, you never know.

[Dokko]

2 minutes ago, STM said:

I think Isak was the "Ekitike" signing. I doubt we will revisit that profile of player again, anytime soon.

 

On the other hand, if its clear hes available at a good price and can prove his attitude to our hierarchy, you never know.

 

I'm hoping Kuol is that signing. 

[loki679]

1 hour ago, toontownman said:

Wish him well but that ship sailed.

 

1 hour ago, toontownman said:

 I'm all for setting up a cheeky loan bid for Ekitike and then pulling out at the last minute when he is at the airport.

 

That's not wishing him well

[toontownman]

35 minutes ago, loki679 said:

 

 

That's not wishing him well

Ha. True indeed.

[wormy]

1 hour ago, Optimistic Nut said:

The fact we chased him two windows suggests he's someone we fancy highly. If we were to revisit it in the summer I'd be on board. If Botman had knocked us back people were saying the same about him and we know he's fucking mint. The level we're aiming at I don't think we can afford to be petty like that especially when the scouting team and Howe all clearly wanted him.

 

Did Botman actually reject us? It felt more like we couldn't agree terms with at least one of him or Lille before the end of January. Besides, he/his agents didn't then dick us around for a second transfer window.

 

I've got no hard feelings toward him, especially as it was probably agent-driven. But purely from a practical sense I don't want to spend time on someone that doesn't seem genuinely interested in the club and it's project. He's young so I didn't hold the January rejection against him but I honestly think if PSG hadn't have come in for him he would've rejected us again in the summer.

 

Howe and the club have done wonders in identifying good characters so I'd trust them if they go back in for him but I honestly don't think they will.

[The Prophet]

Chris Waugh did a piece over the summer about us wanting Ekitike because he was the closest thing we get could get to Isak. Now we have the man himself, it might be another blessing in disguise.