Steff, you're completely ignoring the facts of the matter here: instead of Levy proposing a piecemeal expansion which - by your reckoning - would've apparently been a financial disaster, he's proposed...errr, something we can't afford. So, how or why the hell would you want to credit him for doing that? :~ Do you see how it's just bordering on the ridiculous somewhat; you're lauding him up for not pursuing an option on the basis of finance - yet applauding him for coming up with a 'solution' which is wholly unaffordable!? :ross:
As for 'making sense' - how does coming up with proposals which the Club patently cannot afford, make any sense? That's why we are where we are; lovely stossy plans, all the planning approvals you could ever want but one small problem...we can't afford it. I find that embarrassing to be perfectly honest. So many people harp on about it not being Levy's fault and that it's because of the financial climate; okay, so why not change strategy then - because are you seriously trying to tell me that Daniel Levy didn't foresee difficulties in borrowing such vast sums of money, even in the best of times?
Listen, I'd love NDP to happen - I think we all would. But all it is, is nothing but talk; you can't praise Levy for merely coming up with plans, yet those plans are completely unaffordable. What's the point of that then; it's just tinkling money down the drain isn't it? As I said, Levy knows damn well that achieving finances to fully realise NDP is going to be an extremely difficult challenge - hence the reason why he dropped it like a stone and quickly pursued Stratford instead. This is a very recent change of tact too, so what does THAT tell you about the commitment to NDP?
The biggest and REAL "financial disaster" to the club, has been the lack of progress in addressing the inherited problem of stadium capacity. That's what has fudged us, because we're then forced to maintain our expenditure levels relative to the revenue which we can realise through our piddly little 36k stadium. We're standing still while clubs around us are growing, and - personally - I can't see that changing any time soon, and that's what worries me. It says a LOT when the Chairman hasn't even come out with a firm statement committing himself to building this marvellous, wonderful stadium - and yet some of you want to credit him for it!? :lol:
You have your view, and you know what, enjoy it mate. 'Tis, after all, your entitlement.
I have mine.
I see a chairman who has not sold us down the river for some over-priced, half-arsed "expansion" which would not, in the end, fulfill the needs we are going to have 20 years down the line, yet who has also managed to make sure we have the playing staff to keep us in and around the top 4 for the last few seasons.
In fact, be grateful that Levy IS businessman who thinks outside the football box, otherwise we could've had Peter Ridsdale-type stewardship resulting in disastrous, emotional decisions.
He clearly, clearly recognized that at the time (2001) we needed to have a side ON the pitch who were CONSISTENTLY COMPETITIVE. now, challenge some of the managerial appts, fine, have at it. He was fudged over by Arnesen, who sold a vision (he's a good talker, I've met him, would've charmed Pol Pot into pacifism) and then saw him stolen by Chelsea. Back to square one. Yet somehow, somehow, managed to get the squad into a top 4 calibre outfit without half-arsing stadium capacity.
I just wrote a paragraph breaking down what "fudged" us, and realized this was a thread about Daniel Levy; needless to say, I deleted it because it was not, IMHO, Daniel Levy.
By the way, the credit I have given him is for keeping us in the elite pack on a 36,000 seat stadium with some incredibly shrewd sponsorship deals. As for "standing still", listen mate, we have a large amount of money for transfers for the right players, but what has fudged us is NOT being in the CL. Not sure if your definition of being bypassed by other clubs is Chelski? If it is, I would suggest that you are looking at a club who's money does not, ahem, "come from their stadium"...there is no competition with Chelski and Emirates Marketing Project in regards to finance...no new stadium will provide that. The only thing that will, is an oligarch or a Sheikh...in fact, step up son and empty yer pockets!!!! \o/
I'll tell you the moment we blew our chance to get all of this brick done first time out. 1994/95. If we'd signed Bergkamp, if we'd looked to build a stadium back then, if we'd adopted a bit of "risk" back then, then maybe we'd have consistently been up with United for the last decade. But Sugar was also a businessman first and a football chairman second, and given the less he had to clean up post-Scholar (who DID try the whole 'expansion' thing - expensive mistake for little yield) I suppose in hindsight I can respect his tight purse strings, though at the time I was spitting feathers.
