TS doesn't strike me as a gambler but if he wants us in the championship next season he's gambled not getting a goalscorer in. Hope we can get to January in touch then take stock. I'd send Vyner back get another Right back. Goalscorer a priority, not prolific can't be what we'll be looking at but better than what we've got. Said in the summer we should have gone for Marquis. At the time he was in our price range but not sure if he's in the last season on his contract but will probably have an option to extend his contract at Doncaster. Someone like that or the next striker/goalscorer on the way up.
add to that not getting a permanent replacement for frecks. if we stay up i would say that towell will probably sign as he will be a free agent
tony has said so much and he has delivered most of what he promised a new stadium but to take the club further which will bring more through the turnstiles is more investment.
If Ihiewke comes back I'll know we've lost the plot. Barely a league 1 player. Ajayi I'm reliably informed he's under contract with us while 2020 so unless it's a really substantial bid can't see him going anywhere before at least the summer.
If Ihiewke comes back I'll know we've lost the plot. Barely a league 1 player. Ajayi I'm reliably informed he's under contract with us while 2020 so unless it's a really substantial bid can't see him going anywhere before at least the summer.
Yes Semi Ajayi is under contract till May 2020. Contracts mean very little, if a reasonable bid came in for him it would be accepted. Cardiff would get their % sell on cash and we would bank the rest to balance the books at the end of the season.
Our saving grace could be Sean Raggett coming back from injury, that is if Norwich don't call him back in January. Icky League 1 standard ? Yes and so are a lot more of the squad. I will be amazed if we splash the cash in January. I expect Alex Bray and Manny Onariase to go out on loan in January.
Lost the plot gwru ? They lost the plot by going with a small squad and then sending players out on loan.
EDIT : If the International break hadn't kicked in we would be right up the creek re injuries.
-- Edited by C64F on Monday 15th of October 2018 07:08:07 PM
-- Edited by C64F on Monday 15th of October 2018 07:09:04 PM
Totally agree with the squad size surely warne knew the players he had was not championship quality so they went on loan for what reason if it was to free up wages for towell then Tony is seriously taking the **** out of supporters with his prem ambitions with this budget it's more northern premier non league than English premier
There is no cash to splash as Brad so rightly says and no sense in taking out loans that risk our financial stability.
TS has already loaned the club millions and owes millions.
The football club is even now not on sure footing considering the ownership and debt in the ground.
I think the situation is that we need to be better than our wage bill and be happy with our way norm status.
It wasnt so long ago that a review of all 92 football league clubs had RUFC placed as 86th poorest club with a turnover of less than 1 million pounds.
86th!!!! Now what does that translate to in the real world!
I don't know when that was Ian... but unless someone can show me the true books, and I can see the real revenue coming in v outgoings.. I can't and never will buy into the view that success is more likely in a lower league.
It makes no sense at all as a business to be relegated, therefore, I still argue my case for risk v reward, like in any business.
Football as a whole would have gone totally bust a long time ago (not just a few clubs) if it wasn't the case that there is money to be made in all leagues, and the higher the league the better the margin opportunity.
Thats definitely true David, but is it wise. This talk of Risk has to be identified.
What should we invest? What is the chance of this investment not paying off? What does paying off mean?
Once the club has invested how long should we sustain the investment and how?
What are the likely outcomes Vs investment?
How does the club calculate risk and investment?
Some thoughts from the above.
If you did see the actual and full report what would you see that would change your mind about increasing current structure? What would you like to see that would convince you to increase investment? Even with this increase in Knowledge= lets say it suggests you have an ability to go into more debt-what percentage of debt should we service and for how long?
Ok,so, I suspect you cant answer any of these questions specifically enough to satisfy a full and informed response. I think no one could. I think it may have been smiler that said no championship club makes money (except in the case of promotion) since this is factual what allows clubs to service big debt?
I think (again from the press) 4 seasons ago RUFC had a turnover and wage bill very close to Huddersfield. The season Huddersfield were promoted they had increased investment by 1.5 times that of RUFC. However, at a reported 22 million they were still way behind the top half of money spent . In comparison one of the relegated clubs had an investment above Huddersfield. This, however, does not represent a 50-50 chance. There are 23 clubs and only 13% can be promoted; 14 % are relegated and the rest stay in the division.
Therefore, another question would be to identify the investment required to be in the majority. This is of course what most people are thinking about. Again, its only press reports and the basics you can find without paying for it on the net but commonly the information suggests we are in the lowest 8% of current investment and in the lower 18% of turnover. This might suggest a funding gap. However, the actual money involved given our relative position would presumably have to be increased by a huge and disproportionate amount to put us comfortably in the positon of a more or less nailed on mid-table club.
I would suggest This is the money we don't have any way of generating or borrowing within the time frame of a season or two in the championship. However, if we don't invest in those terms then if we are relegated we arrive in the lower league as a top percentage club. This does sound impalatable but it appears to be close to the actual facts.
The only way of bucking this RUFC trend is to get a very rich owner like Bolton did and this investor be willing to absorb huge investment loss for several years at least.
I know we have all looked at links like below but they are worth taking seriously.
This one is a little more interesting and perhaps clarifying. The basics suggest a 4 million fall in income. Again, one would have to know and be able to finance the difference of investment that keeps your club in the desired league.
If I'm reading the second link you sent correctly - it suggests we had an income of circa £13M in 2015/16 Championship year.
This season and next the Championship teams are getting an improved deal.
The point I'm making is simple enough - I'm saying the person in possession off all the facts on the incomings and outgoings, i.e. TS - has to decide if an additional investment is worth trying to secure a place in this league versus relegation.
As the same article shows, going to league one drops the revenue..... and related revenue would drop, such as sponsorship.
I do not believe the club is not profitable in this league, otherwise TS would not be interested in having the business in the first place. He constantly says 'I’m ambitious" - that means he wants success. he doesn't say "I'm stupid" which would be the case if he was making no money at all.
It’s often the case that the business will report a ‘loss’, but doesn’t necessarily means it’s not viable – accountants have many ways of reporting numbers….
My opinion, it’s only that as I don’t have the true finances to look at, is that we could probably invest modestly, a few more £M in playing staff… and stay in this league, and I’m saying that it makes business sense to take that level of risk.
I am not suggesting we would make an investment that would risk tipping the balance so that outgoings far outweigh incomings.
1) We lose our home form and things stay the same away from home - then we are in trouble and more drastic action would be required (but whether any is taken is another matter), or
2) We start to get a bit luckier away from home, and one good result turns into several - that would keep our confidence up and I'm sure would keep our home form intact. Nothing much needs doing then until next season (to build rather than go backwards)
I've said on other posts for a few weeks - not scoring is our issue just now, so I'd agree that is the obvious place to look to strengthen.
January - if Barnsley look like they won't get promoted (so are not fussed about selling) - and we look like we might stay up : £2M to £3M bid for Kieffer would be enough to keep us up in my opinion, and in my opinion would make business sense.. (If it was up to me, but obviously it's not..)
Tonight makes my point again.
We are not conceding many, we are creating chances, our problem is lack of goals from not taking our chances
With Smith you get a decent player who puts in a shift.... don't get me wrong I like him.
With Keiffer Moore, you would get that, but you would also get goals if he was given the same chances Smith gets.
Goals win you points
Points keep you in this league
Keeping in this league gives you a successful business
Having a successful business pays you back the investment....
..... and yet again today.... Keiffer Moore in this team (or similar player who can score given the chances we create) - we would be top 6. That's not stupid - look at our results, it is simply our lack of taking our chances that is hurting us.... we are not conceding many.
having said that - we are still an OK team, and a bit of luck wouldn't go amiss, and I'd have taken where we are now in August at this stage of the season.
I'm off to Preston game next week, looking fwd to that...
