No Investment, Thank God for That

[wardonia_blade]

Julian Winter made it clear that United will not be buying their way out of this mess. Recent history suggests that this might not be the end of the world. Looking at our last 3 major investments (major by our standards):

In 1978-9 we invested in Sabella, Finnieston, Johns, Anderson etc and bought our way into division 4

In the late nineties we invested in Hutchison, Ebbrell, Henry etc and, despite a glimmer of progress, we were again heading for the lower leagues only to be resued by Warnock.

In 2005 ish we invested £3m in Akinbiyi and Horsefield and still had no replacement when Hulse got injured less than a year later with prem safety within touching distance.

By contrast, the 1970's team was built on smart signings such as Currie, Hemsley, Colquhoun and this was again the platform in the 90's with Deane and others.

Of course a bit of money for wages would be handy but I am sure this could be financed by revenues, which even with a sharp decline next year will dwarf Bournemouth, Yeovil etc.

Obviously a knowledgeable manager is a starting point and i would hope that Steve Davis and Karl Robinson are among the applicants.

 

[Kev Gee]

The game today is alot more diffrent to the 70s.

You get nowere without investment of some kind these days.

 

[Racy]

The game today is alot more diffrent to the 70s.

You get nowere without investment of some kind these days.

I've got disagree with that especially in the third tier its about getting in the right manager who will bring in players to compliment our up and coming youngsters.
Look what a signing Madden was for Yeovil didn't cost fortunes

 

[alcoblade]

I've got disagree with that especially in the third tier its about getting in the right manager who will bring in players to compliment our up and coming youngsters.
Look what a signing Madden was for Yeovil didn't cost fortunes

I don't disagree with you in general, but looking backwards for success stories is easy. For every Madden there's 10 Jonathon Forte's.

UTB

 

[TarquinDelouche]

We've got no money for players and McCabe's still picking the new boss. I'm really trying to find a glimmer of hope here, I really am.

 

[alcoblade]

We've got no money for players .

We can halve our budget and still pay twice what the competition does. I don't think this is our main problem.

and McCabe's still picking the new boss.

This bit worries me a lot too. But I thought Winter suggested McCabe was taking a big step back in the decision making?

UTB

 

[Racy]

I don't disagree with you in general, but looking backwards for success stories is easy. For every Madden there's 10 Jonathon Forte's.

UTB

One of Wilsons failings was his signings especially the senior players Porter,Kitson, Forte all three have performed at various time of their careers but why he signed them when to be honest nobody was queuing up for them was beyond me.

I honestly believe and don't laugh Westlake needs a good pre season because I don't believe we've seen the best of him.

 

[raul]

We can halve our budget and still pay twice what the competition does. I don't think this is our main problem.



This bit worries me a lot too. But I thought Winter suggested McCabe was taking a big step back in the decision making?

UTB

Hasn't everyone of the 34997 different Chairmen/Chief Exec's/Whatever's said exactly the same.

If KM had invested in The New Broom Co instead of Chengdu we'd have been ok....

 

[TarquinDelouche]

We can halve our budget and still pay twice what the competition does. I don't think this is our main problem.

So we'll be paying double what other clubs would. That would make me feel better if we didn't have such a history of giving out high wages to shit players.

 

[alcoblade]

So we'll be paying double what other clubs would. That would make me feel better if we didn't have such a history of giving out high wages to shit players.

Exactly. It's not that we won't have resources to compete, it's that there's a danger a McCabe appointment will spend it badly.

UTB

 

[alcoblade]

Hasn't everyone of the 34997 different Chairmen/Chief Exec's/Whatever's said exactly the same.

If KM had invested in The New Broom Co instead of Chengdu we'd have been ok....

You've lost me fella - said exactly the same as what?

If you're suggesting we haven't invested in players than I think the facts say you are wrong. We've had a wage bill consistently far higher than those around us for the last 6 or 7 years. It's the shit players and inflated wages it has been squandered on that has cost us.

McCabe's investments in crackpot projects is another issue, which has led to the mountain of debt. We could have spent even more of wages instead, but as per the original point, paying high wages in itself has got us nowhere.

UTB

 

[UnitedBlade]

We've got no money for players and McCabe's still picking the new boss. I'm really trying to find a glimmer of hope here, I really am.

Maybe the first round will be Winter, Scott McCabe and Green doing the interviewing and choosing.

The preferred candidate may then need to go and see Kev for approval.

I think Winter hinted that the football decisions would be made by this small FC board.

KM will set the budget and residual funding and then presumably Scott looks after the family interests.

I detected that KM may be even more arms-length. Could be wrong of course.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

So we'll be paying double what other clubs would. That would make me feel better if we didn't have such a history of giving out high wages to shit players.

And people say McC isn't investing?

It's his choice of manager, always has been.

 

[chesblade]

After listening to that interview we will definitely go for a cheap option, if we have to cut our budget AGAIN there is no way we will pay compensation to other clubs for their manager

 

[alcoblade]

After listening to that interview we will definitely go for a cheap option, if we have to cut our budget AGAIN there is no way we will pay compensation to other clubs for their manager

Even when we were paying towards £25M a year in wages, we didn't pay compo for a manager, so no chance this time, sadly.

UTB

 

[KenMcnaughtsNuts]

it depends on what spending money means.

we dont need to go around buying £1m players.
but we do need to sign at least 4 or 5 players to even get in the top half of league one next season.
not being doom and gloom, being realistic.

we need 3 strikers for a start, cos we dont have any. kitson is gone, porter is either gone or shit anyway. ironside isnt much use. so thats 3 new signings we need without even replacing robson, higginarse and anybody else that leaves.

 

[Sirius]

You've lost me fella - said exactly the same as what?

If you're suggesting we haven't invested in players than I think the facts say you are wrong. We've had a wage bill consistently far higher than those around us for the last 6 or 7 years. It's the shit players and inflated wages it has been squandered on that has cost us.

McCabe's investments in crackpot projects is another issue, which has led to the mountain of debt. We could have spent even more of wages instead, but as per the original point, paying high wages in itself has got us nowhere.

UTB

It has concerned me that the owner has had other football interests that he has appeared to put ahead of the Blade's welfare. Buying, or investing in other teams abroad makes me think that we would have been in a stronger financial position had he concentrated solely on the Blades.
From this distance, it's difficult to know who owns what; we no longer have the hotel or own the ground apparanty
Nothing illegal suggested of course,but perhaps a little ladling and teeming has left us worse off?

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

I don't disagree with you in general, but looking backwards for success stories is easy. For every Madden there's 10 Jonathon Forte's.

UTB

and a Brett Pitman.

 

[LSF]

I honestly believe and don't laugh Westlake needs a good pre season because I don't believe we've seen the best of him.

I can see why you think that as at times Westlake looks comfy on the ball with some attacking instinct. As a defender however his standards are pretty low. He doesn't seem to have the natural ability to perform the basic tasks of a defender - stopping people going past him with the ball, winning battles in the 18yard box in tight defensive situations etc. I have no confidence at all in him as a defender.

 

[Menjo]

I can see why you think that as at times Westlake looks comfy on the ball with some attacking instinct. As a defender however his standards are pretty low. He doesn't seem to have the natural ability to perform the basic tasks of a defender - stopping people going past him with the ball, winning battles in the 18yard box in tight defensive situations etc. I have no confidence at all in him as a defender.

Which is why Westlake should play on the wing with a decent defender at right back. Westlake and Miller represent two of Wilson's better signings.

 

[Racy]

I can see why you think that as at times Westlake looks comfy on the ball with some attacking instinct. As a defender however his standards are pretty low. He doesn't seem to have the natural ability to perform the basic tasks of a defender - stopping people going past him with the ball, winning battles in the 18yard box in tight defensive situations etc. I have no confidence at all in him as a defender.

Westlake is prime example of a player low on confidence who was Walsall player of the year and spent the this season playing second fiddle to Mcmahon a player who must be released.
Same situation applies to Murphy who has shown in spells can be very useful at this level.
Whoever comes in needs only a handful of additions but they must get it right this time.

 

[super_pig]

I don't disagree with you in general, but looking backwards for success stories is easy. For every Madden there's 10 Jonathon Forte's.

UTB

nail on head here.. Problem is that we ALWAYS get the bloody Jonny Forte's.. and if by some fluke we don't we sell them at the first opportunity
so no investment then.. division four coming your way maccabe.. let's see you get your 50 million back then..
look, noone is asking for Lionel Messi mate.. but Luke Freeman would be nice. surely he'll cost less than Dave (the ref) Kitson.. hopefully Maccabe junior knows him then

Westlake just needs a run in the team like Lowton did.. and he 'can' take corners.. which makes him unique in this squad

 

[Kenilworth]

Now is the Winter of our discontent

 

[Bergen Blade]

I don't disagree with you in general, but looking backwards for success stories is easy. For every Madden there's 10 Jonathon Forte's.

UTB

Forte was a short term loan from a Premiership club, a deadline day signing as well, he may have been very expensive. Madden was a low risk signing from Ireland who didn't immediately hit it off at Carlisle, but who showed his potential when he was given playing time at Yeovil. You could have said 10 Seamus Conneelys though!

(Just googled Conneely now, since he left us he's won the league in Ireland and will be playing Champions League football soon..)

 

[Crosstownrebel]

Westlake is prime example of a player low on confidence who was Walsall player of the year and spent the this season playing second fiddle to Mcmahon a player who must be released.
Same situation applies to Murphy who has shown in spells can be very useful at this level.
Whoever comes in needs only a handful of additions but they must get it right this time.

I agree with what you've said here about confidence the same can be said for lescinel jean francois, a player I was sad to see get injured. I think in the overhaul we need to seriously look at the coaching staff as well. When people mention cress well as an attacking coach it doesn't really inspire me considering we are supposedly trying to follow the blueprint of Swansea and Southampton and play attractive football.

McMahon can take a good free kick, personally I think his defensive duties are very woeful and don't get me started on the seasoned pro that is higginbotham his display against Crawley was one of the worse I've ever seen. I seriously question if we even scouted half of our recent signings and if we did its clear that deaden et al are not up to the job.

 

[bladeinspaceandtime]

Forte was a short term loan from a Premiership club, a deadline day signing as well, he may have been very expensive. Madden was a low risk signing from Ireland who didn't immediately hit it off at Carlisle, but who showed his potential when he was given playing time at Yeovil. You could have said 10 Seamus Conneelys though!

(Just googled Conneely now, since he left us he's won the league in Ireland and will be playing Champions League football soon..)

We had no excuse with Forte either, he was pants the first time he was here.

 

[Toronto Blade]

I've got disagree with that especially in the third tier its about getting in the right manager who will bring in players to compliment our up and coming youngsters.
Look what a signing Madden was for Yeovil didn't cost fortunes

Yes but if Madden would have been with the Blades instead of mighty yeovil he would have been sold off in the January window.

 

[Latters]

Yes but if Madden would have been with the Blades instead of mighty yeovil he would have been sold off in the January window.

He wouldn't have been sold because he'd have been shit for us. Looking at the chances he missed in the play offs, he looks like the sort of player that needs loads before he can convert one. He wouldn't get many at all playing for us. I would imagine Yeovil create more than we do.

 

[Ted Danson]

I agree with what you've said here about confidence the same can be said for lescinel jean francois, a player I was sad to see get injured. I think in the overhaul we need to seriously look at the coaching staff as well. When people mention cress well as an attacking coach it doesn't really inspire me considering we are supposedly trying to follow the blueprint of Swansea and Southampton and play attractive football.

McMahon can take a good free kick, personally I think his defensive duties are very woeful and don't get me started on the seasoned pro that is higginbotham his display against Crawley was one of the worse I've ever seen. I seriously question if we even scouted half of our recent signings and if we did its clear that deaden et al are not up to the job.

Rumour on BM that hes signed for another year already

 

[Bladesway]

Julian Winter made it clear that United will not be buying their way out of this mess. Recent history suggests that this might not be the end of the world. Looking at our last 3 major investments (major by our standards):

In 1978-9 we invested in Sabella, Finnieston, Johns, Anderson etc and bought our way into division 4

In the late nineties we invested in Hutchison, Ebbrell, Henry etc and, despite a glimmer of progress, we were again heading for the lower leagues only to be resued by Warnock.

In 2005 ish we invested £3m in Akinbiyi and Horsefield and still had no replacement when Hulse got injured less than a year later with prem safety within touching distance.

By contrast, the 1970's team was built on smart signings such as Currie, Hemsley, Colquhoun and this was again the platform in the 90's with Deane and others.

Of course a bit of money for wages would be handy but I am sure this could be financed by revenues, which even with a sharp decline next year will dwarf Bournemouth, Yeovil etc.

Obviously a knowledgeable manager is a starting point and i would hope that Steve Davis and Karl Robinson are among the applicants.

Whilever McCabe is Owner then none of the above matters, we are screwed into a tailspin (to continue Rauls Hoofwaffe analogy). Shot out of the sky by quick profiteering and asset stripping of the teams best players.