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Financial Results

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Record profits yet we'll still sell our best players as 'they left us no option'

I want to compete nothing more nothing less.

That's why we're building a £450m stadium. It's just a long game.

We're also much higher up the foodchain than we were.

Our top players only now leave to go to top European sides - like we happened in the late 80s/early 90s with Hoddle, Waddle and Gascoigne.

Between 1992-2008 we lost: Stewart, Ruddock, Campbell, Carr, Sheringham, Carrick, Berbatov, Keane to English rivals, which doesn't seem to happen any more.
 
A few observations

At risk (still badly run) -> West Ham, Barcodes, Leicester, Villa
Is Chelsea's debt number real? fudge me ..
Pool's debt is crawling back up (after being virtually wiped out)
Swansea is well run ..
 
A few observations

At risk (still badly run) -> West Ham, Barcodes, Leicester, Villa
Is Chelsea's debt number real? fudge me ..
Pool's debt is crawling back up (after being virtually wiped out)
Swansea is well run ..

Liverpools owners aren't mega rich and have a history of buying for growth (as in player appreciation)

They will struggle to keep the fans happy without more investment and no champions league this year
 
A few observations

At risk (still badly run) -> West Ham, Barcodes, Leicester, Villa
Is Chelsea's debt number real? fudge me ..
Pool's debt is crawling back up (after being virtually wiped out)
Swansea is well run ..

I was surprised how many clubs have manageable player wages (under 60%) compared to a few years ago. Even Chelsea are at 60%.

I think the owners of West Ham and Saudi Sportswashing Machine have things under control now. West Ham get the OS and can sell Upton Park (although if that is debt after doing so, I might revise this comment). Ashley is paying under 50% on wages (only CP is less) and making profits so can slowly lower the debt (and pay himself back). The fans won't be happy as they will keep selling players, but they won't get relegated with sensible management.

I thought Abramovich had converted the debt to equity. Iirc, he converted half the £700 million some years back, then the other a year or so later. However, that is not the first accounts summary that has reinstated the debt.

P.S. You missed QPR who are in a category of their own.
 
A few observations

At risk (still badly run) -> West Ham, Barcodes, Leicester, Villa
Is Chelsea's debt number real? fudge me ..
Pool's debt is crawling back up (after being virtually wiped out)
Swansea is well run ..
I disagree with you on West Ham. They were badly run but have been put back on much better footing by their current owners. Wages that only equate to 56% of their turnover and a £15 million profit are good numbers. It means that they have a chance of getting the debt down. It's also worth noting that most of their debt is to their current owners so they are reasonably secure (for now).

Similarly Chelsea's debt number (while being real and HUGE) is debt that is owed to Abramovich so not really a worry for them (unless Abramovich gets bored with football or somehow goes skint (let's all pray for that!)
 
That Daily Mail article is incorrect for a lot of it, Abramovich converted about £700m into equity shares 3/4 years back for instance.
 
I was surprised how many clubs have manageable player wages (under 60%) compared to a few years ago. Even Chelsea are at 60%.

I assume that's due to the increased TV revenue when salaries have (at least until the next contract review) stayed the same.
 
I'm sure the extra TV money and existing contacts was a big help in getting things under control, but I think there is more to it, a change of attitude. A few years ago we had clubs like West Ham, Portsmouth and Villa outspending us on wages despite much lower revenues. Ratios of 80-90% were common and very few clubs were below 70%. Now there are only a few exceptions, notably City and QPR, and only one is facing a crisis. I think owners have noted the dangers of overextending and getting relegated. We'll probably see a rise as contracts are replaced but I'd guess into the low-to-mid 60s rather than the 70-80% range.
 
How real are all those figures though? How much of it is just ingenious accounting to get round FFP?

Sky windfall or no, this wholesale transformation of the PL from gargantuan debt into healthy profit in such a short space of time seems suspiciously sudden.
 
always an interesting read, I do question his numbers though, there is no way we have really given Valencia 26m for Soldado
 
Why is there no way?..... That was his buy out clause and from what I read at the time we eventually paid it.

because football deals don't work like that, it's never hard cash for player, it's this and that now, if he does this then it's that as well, but not if its not by then
 
because football deals don't work like that, it's never hard cash for player, it's this and that now, if he does this then it's that as well, but not if its not by then
Football deals are never (or at least very rarely) paid in full up front I agree. However in this case it wouldn't surprise me if we'd given Valencia half up front and then the rest in instalments over the next 2 or 3 years. I just don't think Valencia would've accepted the other £5 per goal and £1.65 per minute played nonsense that Levy likes to go with.
 
at the time I think Valencia would have favoured the incentives approach, we'll never know, I just can't believe Levy would ever not have an angle

it obviously didn't work out but I can't rememeber a signing being considered such a sure thing since Klinsmann, no one expected this
 
at the time I think Valencia would have favoured the incentives approach, we'll never know, I just can't believe Levy would ever not have an angle

it obviously didn't work out but I can't rememeber a signing being considered such a sure thing since Klinsmann, no one expected this
Agreed, I even put a rather large each way bet on him being the top scorer in the league the season we bought him. I had no idea that his finishing was actually so bad!
 
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