Did We Make A Rod For Our Own Backs By Letting Crofts Go So Easily?

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

I'm thinking that maybe we've now got a bit of a reputation as a club that doesn't fight to keep hold of its key players. Norwich cherry-picked Crofts last season and now it looks like they're in the process of cherry-picking Bennett. Similarly there didn't seem to be much of a fight to keep Calderon when Saints came calling.

We could have built a dynasty around Crofts. OK, we're doing fine this season, much better than expected, but the message doesn't seem to be filtering through to the players that they are highly prized assets here. IMHO we let them go far too easily.

 

[Marshy]

Crofts contact was up though almost wasnt it ?
And it wasnt mid-season was it ?

 

[Easy 10]

Plus when Crofts went, we had (at least) another season of 3rd division football ahead of us at the athletics track, whereas Naaarch were already in the Championship playing in front of 20k.

The situation is totally different now. Its mid-season, and we are looking a good bet to be competing on equal terms with them next season, in arguably the best stadium outside the Prem.

 

[northstandsteve]

Crofts was too good a deal to turn down, and the wages for him were from 2k to 8k

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

I'm thinking that maybe we've now got a bit of a reputation as a club that doesn't fight to keep hold of its key players. Norwich cherry-picked Crofts last season and now it looks like they're in the process of cherry-picking Bennett. Similarly there didn't seem to be much of a fight to keep Calderon when Saints came calling.

We could have built a dynasty around Crofts. OK, we're doing fine this season, much better than expected, but the message doesn't seem to be filtering through to the players that they are highly prized assets here. IMHO we let them go far too easily.

That's too simplistic I think, they're different situations. Calderon was out of contract. Crofts had a year left on his contract and left us at a time when he was guaranteed championship football by norwich whereas we were a mid table league one team. Murray has had two transfer requests turned down. It's not a case of us rolling over easily, I think it all depends on the timing of things and whehter the player can be replaced fairly easily. There are plenty of right backs and central midfielders, particularly over the close season. Top quality strikers are not so easily replaced. Nor are attacking midfielders who create half a teams goals, particularly with only three days of the window to go.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Crofts was too good a deal to turn down, and the wages for him were from 2k to 8k

Seems like the Albion's wage structure is going to be possibly the major issue from here on in.

Reckon most of the players don't actually want to move at all, it's just that their agents see a chairman with very deep pockets and they want their cut.

Sadly, can only see the situation getting worse.

 

[El Presidente]

No.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

No.

Fair enough

 

[Twinkle Toes]

The Flat Earth Dwellers seemingly go for our player(s) of the season right? So let's all get behind the fantastic Chris Holroyd come the end of the campaign.

The job's a good 'un.

 

[Biscuit]

I'm thinking that maybe we've now got a bit of a reputation as a club that doesn't fight to keep hold of its key players.

No. We've built a reputation as a club that lets players move on should a bigger club come in for them. Thus making us a more attractive option for players we might not normally be able to tempt.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

No. We've built a reputation as a club that lets players move on should a bigger club come in for them. Thus making us a more attractive option for players we might not normally be able to tempt.

Thus making us little more than a stepping stone for players as well as managers now?

That Norwich scout will already have Craig Noone lined up for the Summer.

 

[Biscuit]

Thus making us little more than a stepping stone for players as well as managers now?

In some ways yes. It's been said in the press by Martin Perry before I'm sure of it. (Although I can't find a quote) We didn't have the finances to compete before Bloom came in. We're turning into a club that doesn't need to sell, but to go from where we were to where we want to be isn't going to be an overnight transition.

We're not a selling club but neither are we so big that we can turn down silly money or even keep a player that doesn't want to be here anymore.

 

[Icy Gull]

Be honest, did you really expect Crofts to become their player of the season in a promotion chasing season??

I thought he might struggle to hold down a 1st team place..

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

Seems like the Albion's wage structure is going to be possibly the major issue from here on in.

Reckon most of the players don't actually want to move at all, it's just that their agents see a chairman with very deep pockets and they want their cut.

Sadly, can only see the situation getting worse.

But, apart from underwriting the ongoing losses associated with remaining at Withdean, TB is only going to pay for capital projects such as the stadium and new training facilities. That's what he said when he took over as chairman and, going forward, both the stadium and football club will have to be self-financing. Hence the need for promotion (worth £4m+ pa), to sell as many ST's as possible and for the stadium company to maximise revenue by renting the facility to the club, businesses, private individuals etc. A business model based on a wealthy individual constanty providing "revenue" finance is going to fail, just as it did when Mike Bamber was chairman.

 

[Icy Gull]

But, apart from underwriting the ongoing losses associated with remaining at Withdean, TB is only going to pay for capital projects such as the stadium and new training facilities. That's what he said when he took over as chairman and, going forward, both the stadium and football club will have to be self-financing. Hence the need for promotion (worth £4m+ pa), to sell as many ST's as possible and for the stadium company to maximise revenue by renting the facility by the club, businesses, private individuals etc. A business model based on a wealthy individual constanty providing "revenue" finance is going to fail, just as it did when Mike Bamber was chairman.

Is that not how Reading is structured, with the bonus of a hotel as well?

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Be honest, did you really expect Crofts to become their player of the season in a promotion chasing season??

I thought he might struggle to hold down a 1st team place..

I think whoever Norwich's scout is has a tremendous eye for a player. Maybe we be looking to sign that guy up.

 

[Twinkle Toes]

I think whoever Norwich's scout is has a tremendous eye for a player. Maybe we be looking to sign that guy up.

Top suggestion H. Maybe TB could lure him away to the Saaaarrrfff Coast with a cheeky cash deal - with Barry Lloyd going in the opposite direction as a bit of 'ballast'?

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

But, apart from underwriting the ongoing losses associated with remaining at Withdean, TB is only going to pay for capital projects such as the stadium and new training facilities. That's what he said when he took over as chairman and, going forward, both the stadium and football club will have to be self-financing. Hence the need for promotion (worth £4m+ pa), to sell as many ST's as possible and for the stadium company to maximise revenue by renting the facility by the club, businesses, private individuals etc. A business model based on a wealthy individual constanty providing "revenue" finance is going to fail, just as it did when Mike Bamber was chairman.

For sure, but while teams not that much further up the pecking order can just come in and asset strip the Albion on the playing side then there's a danger of us not making enough progress to generate enough income to keep things moving forward. IMHO there has to be a strategy for at least attempting to retain key players.

 

[clippedgull]

For sure, but while teams not that much further up the pecking order can just come in and asset strip the Albion on the playing side then there's a danger of us not making enough progress to generate enough income to keep things moving forward. IMHO there has to be a strategy for at least attempting to retain key players.

Agreed. If you want to see the Amex full beyond the first season we are going to need exciting players to keep the fans coming back for more.

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

Is that not how Reading is structured, with the bonus of a hotel as well?

I don't know about Reading but when DK was chairman the football club and Community Stadium Company were two separate legal entities. I've no idea if that's still the case but you might want this arrangement in order to that liquidation of one doesn't necessarily bring down the other. The CSC will probably be responsible for repaying to stadium building costs to TB.