From what we are told, SISU are currently running the club on a cash neutral basis.
I have no problem with that, we can't expect any owners to go on supporting losses indefinitely.
I can also completely accept that the "speculate to accumulate " argument is generally not an enticing one, when many of the other clubs may be doing the same.
However, we are now 3 months into the season and sitting pretty solidly in the top 6, with a good chance of closing the gap on the top 2 to one point on Tuesday. Unfortunately we have a bit of a defensive crisis brewing with Reda and Willis out long term and little or no cover left.
So - assuming that they have the access to additional funds - do we think that SISU will decide that now is actually a sensible time to put a modest additional investment in to allow TM to draft in defensive reinforcements to try to increase our chances of promotion?
I would always be of the 'stick'. Don't destroy potential on a gamble. If there is any spare cash, then use that for improving the foundations of the club i.e. the youth setup, scouting network, coaching facilities and (yes a stadium!).
Blow it and fail, and there won't always be next year whereas have a rainy day fund, then there will be. We're better off long-term finding the next Stokes or whoever, then spunking it away on a short term loan.
However we do seem to have a chance to arrest our long decline.
Don't agree with your assumption that SISU have access to additional funds, and if they do they will not commit them. TM's only chance of more football money is from increased income (Crowds) or a decent cup run. Who is there from SISU that is capable of making the decision to increase their investment?
You could argue a top 8 finish this season, followed by promotion next would be a far more effective arrest of a decline than a top 6 this season, followed by a Swindon collapse next.
You could indeed - I'm a bit more concerned that if say Ricketts and Martin pick up injuries, we'll be left with youngsters and/or midfielders in central defence and then the top 8 might seem a distant dream.
To be clear - this wasn't a general point about investing "cos things are going better" - this was very specifically about can/should we cover the risk of a further depletion in our already stretched defensive resources.
If Jordan Willis hadn't just been ruled out for 4 months, the discussion is very different.
Surely there is still a bit of the budget left to use as we didn't bring in Eagles?
Yup, I get the point, but I also think the time to question is indeed if Ricketts or Martin were to pick up an injury. At the moment, we're seeing why a squad exists in the first place, to cover the injuries we have.
And youngsters need some game time at some point, or they'll always be potential, rather than the finished article.
Ultimately, we have to get to a stage of relying on our own, even if that compromises the short term.
(as an aside, pleasantly well... pleased that Ricketts reverses our trend of signing veterans just at the stage where they're past it, rather than just before!)
Hopefully so.
As I said earlier, I just thought I picked up a slightly different tone from TM in yesterday's interview.
He's probably disappointed that being in the top 6, playing entertaining football and having an unbeaten home record in which we've Played 7 won 5 drawn 2 scored 14 goals isn't enticing more fans through the door.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - so please excuse any spelling or grammar errors
He's probably disappointed that being in the top 6, playing entertaining football and having an unbeaten home record in which we've Played 7 won 5 drawn 2 scored 14 goals isn't enticing more fans through the door.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - so please excuse any spelling or grammar errors
The fan in me says the Reda injury (along with Willis' setback) is a special case
So - assuming that they have the access to additional funds - do we think that SISU will decide that now is actually a sensible time to put a modest additional investment in to allow TM to draft in defensive reinforcements to try to increase our chances of promotion?
Maybe we have more in the budget than is perceived and TM is doing a great job playing his cards close to his chest.. get loans in get us promoted then go buy permanent players of a higher standard
You could argue a top 8 finish this season, followed by promotion next would be a far more effective arrest of a decline than a top 6 this season, followed by a Swindon collapse next.
The trouble is with all the loan players we are not building.
If we finish in the top 8 then we start again next year.
Which teams in outside the Premier have done for years. Remember Brum getting promoted only because they had the Arsenal striker whose name I can't remember.
The trouble is with all the loan players we are not building.
If we finish in the top 8 then we start again next year.
They had Nicholas Bentdner, Seb Larson and Muamba on loan that season, not to mention spending £4m on sheffers and £4m in Cameron Jerome.
We can moan about loans, no different to having players on 1 year deals.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - so please excuse any spelling or grammar errors
They had Nicholas Bentdner, Seb Larson and Muamba on loan that season, not to mention spending £4m on sheffers and £4m in Cameron Jerome.
We can moan about loans, no different to having players on 1 year deals.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - so please excuse any spelling or grammar errors
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?