What's new

Highest Profit ever from an English Football Club

TH1239

Well-Known Member
Jan 28, 2011
3,691
8,964
We've been paying for the stadium and training ground for the last 5 years (to the tune of almost £200m). We have spent net £0 on players.
We have dropped a bit. But that was mostly by blowing the bale money.

Where you see this as a criticism, i see it as how well we have done. Once the stadium is built we will actually have money to spend on players. There is no guarantee of success but i think we have a good chance.

Why is it that a modicum of money can't be spent on players now? I mean, if you want Mauricio Pochettino to succeed, he's going to require a net spend to bolster the squad to meet expectations next season. If we fail to kick on, the deficit spend is going to be replenished 3-fold once Lloris, Vertonghen, Eriksen, and Kane all leave in the next 2 years or so, so why not just strengthen the team as much as possible while there remains the potential to be competitive in Europa and in the fight for top 4?
 

sloth

Well-Known Member
Mar 7, 2005
9,018
6,900
Can we compete financially with Everton? What about Hull City? West Ham? Or is matching the transfer spending of these clubs simply beyond us until 2020 and beyond? And if that's the case, why would any highly rated player like Lloris, Kane, or Eriksen stay at the club in the long term, when they can earn more money at bigger clubs that will aim to improve their playing squads at all costs?

There is a price to be paid for austerity. People who think we can maintain our current position indefinitely, while the club have a strict buy to sell philosophy for the next 5 years, while clubs behind us spend 200+ million pounds NET improving their playing squads, are going to be in for a real shock soon. We have to engage in a modicum of net spending to maintain our place as the best of the rest going forward. In the past, with limited television income, we could probably get away with clever sales balanced by clever purchases with a strict ceiling of transfer fees not to exceed sales. But that time has come and gone in my opinion.

Now, some may say they are perfectly happy to go backwards a bit towards 8th-12th if it means a fully paid off stadium come 2020, but this would unquestionably cost ENIC equity in the value of the club, diminish the commercial appeal of the brand, create apathy amongst potential season ticket holders, and open the door for others to establish themselves as the best of the rest.

Furthermore, there are ZERO guarantees that ENIC will engage in heavy spending once the stadium is built.

It's a question of where the surplus can best be invested to secure us more points over the long-term?

Many say it should all go on the squad, others prefer it's spent on stadium and training facility as well.

For me the former group are those who'd take their three wishes from the Genie and say thanks very much, the latter lot are those who'd use one of their wishes to ask for more, even if they didn't come to fruition for a few years.
 

Lilbaz

Just call me Baz
Apr 1, 2005
41,363
74,893
Why is it that a modicum of money can't be spent on players now? I mean, if you want Mauricio Pochettino to succeed, he's going to require a net spend to bolster the squad to meet expectations next season. If we fail to kick on, the deficit spend is going to be replenished 3-fold once Lloris, Vertonghen, Eriksen, and Kane all leave in the next 2 years or so, so why not just strengthen the team as much as possible while there remains the potential to be competitive in Europa and in the fight for top 4?

It's the choice they have made. They think that spending money on the stadium is a better return than spending it on players.
They are trying to get a ballance. Transfers pay for themselves with the help of the academy. Everything else goes to getting the stadium.
This is probably because if it didn't there wouldn't be a new stadium. Joe had to put in £40m to clear the debt to make it happen.
 

Samson

Well-Known Member
May 14, 2007
1,154
304
It's a question of where the surplus can best be invested to secure us more points over the long-term?

Many say it should all go on the squad, others prefer it's spent on stadium and training facility as well.

For me the former group are those who'd take their three wishes from the Genie and say thanks very much, the latter lot are those who'd use one of their wishes to ask for more, even if they didn't come to fruition for a few years.

It's worth remembering that there is no requirement under FFP for stadium redevelopment costs to be met by new stadium revenue. Once the ground is built, getting an owner who is prepared to take advantage of that to invest in the playing side will be the only way to get full value.
 

batigol

Active Member
Dec 6, 2006
851
178
This thread has been an interesting read for the myriad of opinions regarding the direction and definition of success for the club.

The one thing that stands out clearly is that everyone is different in their opinion of the above two points of debate and certainly entitled to their opinion.

For me, I am very much in the camp of recognizing the half glass full rather than empty and seeing the progress in all areas of the club rather than just one. Granted that on field success is one of the if not the most important priorities for a football club but in today's game, it is tied infinitely more to financial stability and success than ever thanks to the very appearance of oligarchs and shieks in the game where normal clubs have to work harder than ever just to keep up with those clubs that got their shot of steroids financial wise. Therefore, I'm thankful that Levy is first and foremost a businessman since that has provided us a fighting chance in this unequal playing field of football we have in the world today. He is not above criticism and should be judge as with a person in a leadership role with a question....did he do more good than bad. In my opinion, he does more good versus the competition and within his job scope so that places him in the top percentile of chairmans which is something that I appreciate.

Being happy with half glass full in comparison to someone focused on half glass empty is really not associated with our individual degree or expectation of ambition attached to the club as everyone associated with the club will be happy to see it in a better place. Every person has a right to choose which end of their glass to be at and since the club is really not in a bad place whichever way you look at it, so I know which end of the glass I am at for sure. I'm unapologetically satisfied with the club current's position in today's game even though I know we can do better because I know how much worse it possibly be but that does not mean that I want success for the club any less than the next fan or anyone who genuinely loves the club so why don't we just get pass this and focus on supporting the club. Being unhappy or happy doing it is your choice but I know mine and I'm happily sticking with it.
 

sloth

Well-Known Member
Mar 7, 2005
9,018
6,900
It's worth remembering that there is no requirement under FFP for stadium redevelopment costs to be met by new stadium revenue. Once the ground is built, getting an owner who is prepared to take advantage of that to invest in the playing side will be the only way to get full value.

If we borrow to build the stadium, then we'll have around £300m of debt to pay off before we can start taking full advantage of the additional £100m a season or so additional revenue a stadium could potentially offer (stadium sponsorship + matchday inc corporate).

If a rich man bought us at this stage however he could pay off that debt and we could then spend that extra £100m on players. This is a way for billionaire to take us over and bankroll the club without falling foul of FFP. It's also an argument for a bigger stadium. It's a selling point we'll enjoy, that other clubs won't. Apart from West Ham that is.
 

sebcole

Well-Known Member
Sep 1, 2009
1,102
879
For me the key stats are Turnover (6th) and Wage Bill (6th). This lends further credence to the theory that should be our benchmark in terms of league position, so if we finish 6th it is reasonable, if we finish 5th it is good and anything below 6th would be poor.
And this is how it is turning out, the natural balance of things.
 
Top