Bournemouth hope to secure loan deal for Crystal Palace striker Glenn Murray

[chaileyjem]

Absolutely, we let Elphick, Cook and Murray all leave because of penny pinching and our board are responsible for that.

We let Elphick and Cook for "penny pinching" ? Sorry. Not sure i understand. Because we *needed* the 100K or so that we transferred them for to Bournemouth and/or because we were paying them high wages we couldn't afford in comparison to other players in the squad ?

 

[B.W.]

All this wailing an gnashing of teeth about how much Bournemouth have spent on transfers is pretty pointless. The fact is we did not have that money to spend. We had to cut back our spending to fulfil our FFP obligations, boring I know but we still HAD to do it. Bournemouth had the windfall from their previous transfer activity so were able to go for it. It remains to be seen whether they will comply after the next set of figures are due in. You've seen the accounts, the numbers speak for themselves.

The only cause for complaint is not the amount we have spent, but HOW we spent the money we did. Sadly we recruited poorly this summer, that is football, it happens. The people responsible have paid with their jobs and we look to rebuild next season. As for who can we get in now, our choices will be limited simply because we are in a relegation battle. The better players will go to teams in more promising positions, that's just the way it is. Not buying in january was sensible as we really need a sticking plaster to get us through the rest of the season, the cure for our ills will just have to wait until the summer.

Hopefully we will get someone in as temporary fix on loan. We also need production out of the players we already have Baldock, Best, O'Grady and even CMS have all scored at this level Hughton will just have to work them hard and get something out of them.

I think this will be a tough season and I expect us to be in the bottom six for most of it, as long as we can stay out of the bottom three I'll be happy.

I agree with almost all of this, but wholeheartedly disagree with the highlighted bit. The position we are in dictates that we should have spent more money in Jan. The complacency shown by our board in Jan may well come back to haunt the club for years. In case you haven't noticed, we are barely above the relegation zone, and we will lose a ****-load of money if we go down. Far, far, far more than what we saved through penny-pinching yet again in the Jan window.

 

[B.W.]

Muzza leaving = Gus' second biggest mistake.

 

[Biscuit]

We let Elphick and Cook for "penny pinching" ? Sorry. Not sure i understand. Because we *needed* the 100K or so that we transferred them for to Bournemouth and/or because we were paying them high wages we couldn't afford in comparison to other players in the squad ?

You think Elphick and Cook were high earners?

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

You think Elphick and Cook were high earners?

Cook wasn't and was offered far more money from Bournemouth.

 

[chaileyjem]

You think Elphick and Cook were high earners?

I was teasing. The OP was arguing that Elphick and Cook left because the board were "penny pinching" which is something i was scratching my head over. Because it would have made virtually no difference to the wage bill and their transfer fees were modest.

 

[cardboard]

Absolutely, we let Elphick, Cook and Murray all leave because of penny pinching and our board are responsible for that.

If we had offered Murray a better wage package he wouldn't have turned up at the Amex to dump us out of the play-off, would he?

He didn't - He was injured!!

 

[Biscuit]

Just a thought for all you supposed fans that are chucking in your season tickets because you haven't got the exact playing staff you'd like....
WHEN we start to get it right on the pitch, which will be very soon, you might just have to go back on the waiting list to watch us play!!!

TonyW? TonyB more like! Good one.

I'm a customer, not a fan. That's been made increasing clear to me since we moved to the Amex. So much so that I now *think* like a customer. Great isn't it!

Will I pay £400 for League One football? Not a ****ing chance.

Oddly, I used to bleed Blue and White, travel the length and breadth of country with my family to watch us play (and often lose) to the likes of Exeter, Yeovil, Halifax, Luton etc. I remember attending the Goldstone (I was 9) but remember the Priestfield really well - I was so proud to have my season ticket! Attending Falmer demos and handing out leaflets.. Now I feel totally disconnected with the club. I'm going out of habit really.

If I can feel like this, the cause isn't just with what's going on on the pitch. I've seen us be shit for many, many years before this season. Is it expectation? Perhaps, but I think it's deeper than that.

If you think a season ticket waiting list is on the cards I think you need to reacquaint yourself with the facts,

 

[chaileyjem]

I agree with almost all of this, but wholeheartedly disagree with the highlighted bit. The position we are in dictates that we should have spent more money in Jan. The complacency shown by our board in Jan may well come back to haunt the club for years. In case you haven't noticed, we are barely above the relegation zone, and we will lose a ****-load of money if we go down. Far, far, far more than what we saved through penny-pinching yet again in the Jan window.

How would you have got, lets say, Darren Bent to join us when Derby were also offering him a contract. Even assuming , if you were running the show, you'd be offering him more money. Interested in what you'd have recommended Hughton/recruitment should have done.
And who are the player (s) that we should have and would have willingly joined the club, 1 place above the relegation zone, with a risk of playing in L1 next season if the board weren't "penny pinching" this window.

 

[34064 Fighter Command]

Putting it like that. Thats deep man.

Most teams with a settled squad do well, teams that constantly chop and change, as we have done since Poyet left, generally don't. We did get £ 8M for Ulloa so to say at this point in time that Murray, or someone with his scoring record, is 'unaffordable' makes no sense. We made an offer for Lewis Grabban this time last year so you have to ask why, knowing Ulloa was on his way, we didn't persue that interest last summer and he ended at another Championship Club. His paltry 9 goals this season still outperforms our strikers.

Drop down to league one and both revenues and player quality will fall:

a) The good players will go (either to save money or because they want championship football, just like O'Grady didn't want to stay at a relegated Barnsley).
b) Fans will expect cheaper tickets or they just won't show up.
c) It will be much harder to attract sponsors, fill lounges maintain 1901 membership when the football on offer is significantly poorer quality.
d) The away followings are commensurately lower as well.

 

[Hotchilidog]

Muzza leaving = Gus' second biggest mistake.

On that we can agree. A cheapskate move from Gus.

 

[Biscuit]

I was teasing. The OP was arguing that Elphick and Cook left because the board were "penny pinching" which is something i was scratching my head over. Because it would have made virtually no difference to the wage bill and their transfer fees were modest.

A woosh moment for me then, apologies.

 

[Duffy Debut]

Pardew trying to get Murray out the way so he can have a go on his missus.

I didn't think he was that sort of chap.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Could probably have made a bit more effort to retain Ashley Barnes. That's cost us dear.

 

[34064 Fighter Command]

We let Elphick and Cook for "penny pinching" ? Sorry. Not sure i understand. Because we *needed* the 100K or so that we transferred them for to Bournemouth and/or because we were paying them high wages we couldn't afford in comparison to other players in the squad ?

We sold Cook for £ 150 K. No-one knows what Elphick's fee was given that his injury was recovering but was probably appearance related. Regardless, they seem to be doing the kind of job that would command far higher money than what we probably recieved. You can say what you want but I got the impression that Burke wanted both off the books but there seemed no obvious reason why we needed to sell either, so why let them go if it was not to save money? In the past this club has always stood by a player with long term injuries, but I think they were resigned to Elphick not being the player he formerly was, hence got rid of him to free up wages.

 

[chaileyjem]

In the past this club has always stood by a player with long term injuries, but I think they were resigned to Elphick not being the player he formerly was, hence got rid of him to free up wages.

We nursed Elphick back to fitness for over a year paying his wages so not sure what you mean there. As for why they went . Perhaps it was because for football reasons Gus thought he had better centre-halves on the book ahead of them in the queue and he couldn't offer them reasonable game time or are you suggesting it was something else ?

 

[B.W.]

How would you have got, lets say, Darren Bent to join us when Derby were also offering him a contract. Even assuming , if you were running the show, you'd be offering him more money. Interested in what you'd have recommended Hughton/recruitment should have done.
And who are the player (s) that we should have and would have willingly joined the club, 1 place above the relegation zone, with a risk of playing in L1 next season if the board weren't "penny pinching" this window.

OK, firstly, you neatly avoid the elephant in the room. IF the board had appointed a manager, rather than the hapless Hyypia, in the summer, AND sorted out summer recruitment earlier (too little quality, too late, which I pointed out at the time), rather than allowing Burke to blunder his way through another p1ss-poor window, THEN we would not have been in the position we are in, and would have been able to attract better players more easily (as we did the previous two seasons, when we were in the box seat at the right end of the table).

However, as you rightly point out, it's not easy to compete with those at the other end of the table when you have completely and utterly ****ed-up your managerial appointment and summer recruitment and, as a result, are in a precarious league position. The only answer to the problem is to throw more money at it (not open cheque book, but more money). Let's face it, you pay players what they want, and they will come. We chose to keep the purse strings too tight IMHO. I don't think that is a reasonable decision, since we have a relatively low outlay (player recruitment) set against an enormous downside risk (huge cost of relegation), but I accept it is a judgement call.

 

[Vegas Seagull]

Judas

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

Elphick had good reason to sign for Bournemouth. Out of the team here, there he was promised and got first-team football; was made captain, all rounded off with a very healthy salary rise.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

OK, firstly, you neatly avoid the elephant in the room. IF the board had appointed a manager, rather than the hapless Hyypia, in the summer, AND sorted out summer recruitment earlier (too little quality, too late, which I pointed out at the time), rather than allowing Burke to blunder his way through another p1ss-poor window, THEN we would not have been in the position we are in, and would have been able to attract better players more easily (as we did the previous two seasons, when we were in the box seat at the right end of the table).

However, as you rightly point out, it's not easy to compete with those at the other end of the table when you have completely and utterly ****ed-up your managerial appointment and summer recruitment and, as a result, are in a precarious league position. The only answer to the problem is to throw more money at it (not open cheque book, but more money). Let's face it, you pay players what they want, and they will come. We chose to keep the purse strings too tight IMHO. I don't think that is a reasonable decision, since we have a relatively low outlay (player recruitment) set against an enormous downside risk (huge cost of relegation), but I accept it is a judgement call.

Take a bow sir. Agree 100%