Wise Investment Vs 'Spunkin-it'

[robbiez666]

I see Ryan Leonard as a wise investment.

25, consistently plays, one of the best midfielders in league 1, player of the year 2 seasons running, wage demands likely to be reasonable = Investment

worst case scenario, both club and player have a bad season and we have a top league 1 midfielder for the start of next season.

We'd likely pay £750k and if we got relegated would likely get that most of that back if we had to sell. There's a very good chance he'll be worth significantly more if we do ok/well.

Ricky Holmes, on the other hand, is much more of a risk for me. 30, never played at this level. Hot in League one and below but could he replicate at Championship? Similar to Duffy. Paying £750k and unlikely to get much of that back in resale value given Charlton are looking to significantly up his wages.

Spunkin-it would be signing Alan Hutton or George Boyd. High wages, no re-sale value, unlikely to make the difference regarding promotion, incredibly hard to get rid of as on huge wages.

I would expect our transfer pot to be about £1-1.5 million given the wage rises for existing players. Add Maguire and possibly Walker money into the equation and I'd expect Wilder to be given at £3/4 million if the owners are serious about staying up.

 

[Pollingtonblade]

I see Ryan Leonard as a wise investment.

25, consistently plays, one of the best midfielders in league 1, player of the year 2 seasons running, wage demands likely to be reasonable = Investment

worst case scenario, both club and player have a bad season and we have a top league 1 midfielder for the start of next season.

We'd likely pay £750k and if we got relegated would likely get that most of that back if we had to sell. There's a very good chance he'll be worth significantly more if we do ok/well.

Ricky Holmes, on the other hand, is much more of a risk for me. 30, never played at this level. Hot in League one and below but could he replicate at Championship? Similar to Duffy. Paying £750k and unlikely to get much of that back in resale value given Charlton are looking to significantly up his wages.

Spunkin-it would be signing Alan Hutton or George Boyd. High wages, no re-sale value, unlikely to make the difference regarding promotion, incredibly hard to get rid of as on huge wages.

I would expect our transfer pot to be about £1-1.5 million given the wage rises for existing players. Add Maguire and possibly Walker money into the equation and I'd expect Wilder to be given at £3/4 million if the owners are serious about staying up.

None of this of course is factual.

 

[HolmesfieldBlade]

I sincerely hope our transfer pot isn't £1million. Kiss goodbye to the Championship if it is!

 

[FATTYFOULKE]

According to the Southend forum our highest and latest bid is 350k for Leanord.

TBH I'm getting a little concerned about our transfer dealings so far. The fact we're going in with clearly low bids for top league one talent is a little worrying. The fact there's not even any rumours of bids for good established Championship talent is even more worrying.

Early days still and I have faith in Wilder, but I'd be lying if I didn't admit I was hoping for more than we've seen so far.

 

[IdLiketoRogerMoore]

The more I read on these pages, the more I'm glad none of us are in charge of running a football club.

Comparing us to the Pigs is like comparing apples to oranges. They've been at this level for a few years now and can absurd £40k a week salaries whereas we can't. Plus, rightly or wrongly they perceive themselves as 1 or 2 players short of automatic promotion. Therefore 'spunking' money on a PL reject seems to make more sense.

Don't get me wrong, I'd much rather adapt the young/hungry policy than the tired/has been approach. However, as clubs we're at very different stages of our evolution.

 

[gavtheblade]

I'm not over the moon to be honest .
Doing this on the cheap will backfire .
Still plenty of time I suppose .

 

[Davalon]

Early days still and I have faith in Wilder, but I'd be lying if I didn't admit I was hoping for more than we've seen so far.

I think many fair minded balanced Blades wouldn't argue too much with that mate.

I didn't expect silly money being thrown around, and didn't want it to be in truth.

I'm all for up and coming hungry young talent, but my only slight concern at present would be that some of our targets (and signings) are far from young in football terms and unproven at this level.

Still a long way to go though and I'm relaxed more than normal due to the faith in this management team compared to most previously.

 

[Maidenhead]

I'm not bothered about wise investment I just want the best players we can get within our means.

 

[Mario1889]

I'm not bothered about wise investment I just want the best players we can get within our means.

Bang on!!

I don't want us to waste money and I think we've got a fantastic manager who knows a bargain when he sees one BUT that said, I would have loved to have seen George Boyd in a Blades shirt, always been a big admirer of his.

 

[tomtheblade]

I don't have any problem with a cautious approach.
What i don't understand is that only 2 seasons ago we were spending a lot of money on certain players, admittedly that we didn't really need at the time. Now that we are both in slightly better position and need to spend we're suddenly very frugal.

I don't think spending money by itself is the answer, and broadly i think we have a good approach in building from the ground up, but if we spent the money before then is there any reason why we don't spend it now?
Is it purely the clubs/Wilders policy or have the clubs finances actually significantly changed in this time?

 

[Rodley]

None of this of course is factual.

One must ask when these endless threads of nonsense will end.

 

[Sheffsteel]

The season is how many weeks a week and some of our fans are panicking already.

No doubt some of our big marquee (ex PL) signings will only be loanees.
There's plenty of time yet.

Even with minimal improvements this team will stay up next season.
But of course I'd prrefer a relaxing at least mid table season and I'm sure Wilder will work his magic.
He's earnt our trust.

 

[YES Blade]

I just want us to win football matches, do I care if that's done with a team costing £100m+ or all free transfers? Of course not!

Spending shit loads of money would probably give us a better team so I'd love an owner with deeper pockets than Sheikh Mansour, who wouldn't? I just want United to be successful and I don't care how that is done. I'm not really bothered about doing it the "right way" whatever that is.

 

[sheffielder]

I a man not bothered about the best players, just having a good team. Having just expensive players doesn't win you anything

 

[sheffielder]

Bang on!!

I don't want us to waste money and I think we've got a fantastic manager who knows a bargain when he sees one BUT that said, I would have loved to have seen George Boyd in a Blades shirt, always been a big admirer of his.

Would you pay him 25k per week to see him in a blades shirt?

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I like Wilder's stance on not paying a penny over the odds, worked brilliantly last season and is sweet music to McCabe's ears, but we are in the mini Prem now and spending a little more to get what you need is necessary. I hope our hard ball stance for the sake of a £mill or 2 doesn't cost us.

 

[Jonboy60]

According to the Southend forum our highest and latest bid is 350k for Leanord.

TBH I'm getting a little concerned about our transfer dealings so far. The fact we're going in with clearly low bids for top league one talent is a little worrying. The fact there's not even any rumours of bids for good established Championship talent is even more worrying.

Early days still and I have faith in Wilder, but I'd be lying if I didn't admit I was hoping for more than we've seen so far.

Today's local rag. Southend echo,Leonard, " I expect to be playing for Southend this season" .
Just saying.

 

[YES Blade]

I like Wilder's stance on not paying a penny over the odds, worked brilliantly last season and is sweet music to McCabe's ears, but we are in the mini Prem now and spending a little more to get what you need is necessary. I hope our hard ball stance for the sake of a £mill or 2 doesn't cost us.

I just don't buy this view that Wilder is only paying what players are worth and not a penny more.

He's working to his budget in my opinion, if we had say £20m to spend, I'm sure he would bid more for the players he wants.

At the moment I think he's working to a tight budget where every penny counts and spending an extra £100k on a player in one position, reduces his options for another position he needs to fill.

 

[stringer]

but I'd be lying if I didn't admit I was hoping for more than we've seen so far.

You wanted more than four signings in four days of the transfer window?

 

[seanbeenstattoo]

You wanted more than four signings in four days of the transfer window?

I think its the perceived quality and price paid Danny.
If we'd spent £1m on one player there would be an ongoing purring and jizz fest.

 

[stringjunior]

I suspect the difference in skill levels between L1 and Championship standard players is very little. The difference can probably be explained by the standard of players around them, the man management they receive, the fans to an extent, and their own motivation.

I'm cool with CW's decisions so far.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I just don't buy this view that Wilder is only paying what players are worth and not a penny more.

He's working to his budget in my opinion, if we had say £20m to spend, I'm sure he would bid more for the players he wants.

At the moment I think he's working to a tight budget where every penny counts and spending an extra £100k on a player in one position, reduces his options for another position he needs to fill.

Then if our budget (which KM said was a top half budget) can't get players over the line like Leonard & Holmes there is something wrong.

 

[Jonboy60]

I think CW would be willing to pay 750k/1mill on the right player, he probably thinks Leonard/Holmes are not in that bracket. Obviously.

 

[Clarkey87]

If we'd spent £1m on one player there would be an ongoing purring and jizz fest.

Or on the flip side there would equally be many others that moan about spending that amount on one player - the club won't win either way and unfortunately it's one of those boring pre-seasons where there is nothing on to fill the time that ultimately leads to wild speculations or whinging about who we have/haven't signed yet.

I'm happy with the progress so far and looking forward to seeing how we address the central defence and now back up goalkeeper situation but other than that i reckon we can solidly consolidate our position in the championship this season and build from there in following seasons to come.

 

[yorkshirecoast]

Missing out on our targets because we are trying to get them on the cheap is a recipe for disaster. The fact is Wilder wants Leonard yet it appears our highest bid is just £350k. Is that really the level of our spending power these days? That's L1/L2 club with 5k crowds level spending.

This idea of only paying what we think a player is worth is stupid when our valuations are unrealistically low.

Our approach so far is more like that of a club that has just been relegated and is having to cut costs - rather than one that has been promoted with ambitions to progress.

 

[seanbeenstattoo]

Or on the flip side there would equally be many others that moan about spending that amount on one player - the club won't win either way and unfortunately it's one of those boring pre-seasons where there is nothing on to fill the time that ultimately leads to wild speculations or whinging about who we have/haven't signed yet.

I'm happy with the progress so far and looking forward to seeing how we address the central defence and now back up goalkeeper situation but other than that i reckon we can solidly consolidate our position in the championship this season and build from there in following seasons to come.

That is a very boring,realistic and fair appraisal. You should probably fuck off before being accused of settling for relegation.

Edited to add you just were.

 

[Esablade]

They've been at this level for a few years now and can absurd £40k a week salaries whereas we can't.

...which has little to do with how long they've been in the Champ and all to do with their owner stumping up the cash.

 

[YES Blade]

Then if our budget (which KM said was a top half budget) can't get players over the line like Leonard & Holmes there is something wrong.

So far I'm not seeing the evidence of that so far in the players we aren't signing and linked with.

But still time for that to change.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

So far I'm not seeing the evidence of that so far in the players we aren't signing and linked with.

But still time for that to change.

The evidence is in the time spent trying to lure these players, for me and only my opinion if we are struggling to get these over the line it does not bode well.

 

[Esablade]

Then if our budget (which KM said was a top half budget) can't get players over the line like Leonard & Holmes there is something wrong.

Top half of the championship?
Where did McCabe say this?

I remember here him say summat like 'he doesn't look at what other teams are doing'