Asthmatic Wolf
Just doesn't shut up
- Joined
- Feb 14, 2022
- Messages
- 2,051
- Reaction score
- 3,811
Much has been made of the need to be ‘sustainable’.
Yet as I read that Ruben Neves, who could and should have been the centrepiece of our progression into the elite of the PL, is all but confirming that he is on his way, the fallacy of it all becomes impossible to ignore.
Fosun recognised the importance of disproportionate capital injection when taking over, and spending significant sums to take us from mid table Champ to upper ends Prem. The financial returns available in the Prem has protected or paid off this investment (depending on how you cook your accounts).
Finishing 7th twice, we were arguably a couple of exceptional players away from challenging the top 4. Capital injection. Poor players stick out like a sore thumb in a good team: see Hwang/Dendoncker, or even as I watched AC Milan yday, a Leao vs a Krunic.
The returns available at CL level from qualification alone, ignoring the commercial revenues, the player attraction, and the increased FFP ceiling would more than pay for the capital invested whilst enhancing Fosun’s brand further. Player asset values would increase too. However whenever we have been close, we have backed away, even weakening our squad rather than maintaining continuity or the status quo.
As such this ‘sustainable’ model is a fallacy, diminishing product, brand and asset value, and demonstrating a lack of ambition which drives our best players away.
A simple replication of the Championship approach would likely have provided the impetus to make the final step. Instead, I fear, the lack of investment will see us continue to step the other way. Which is very sad.
Yet as I read that Ruben Neves, who could and should have been the centrepiece of our progression into the elite of the PL, is all but confirming that he is on his way, the fallacy of it all becomes impossible to ignore.
Fosun recognised the importance of disproportionate capital injection when taking over, and spending significant sums to take us from mid table Champ to upper ends Prem. The financial returns available in the Prem has protected or paid off this investment (depending on how you cook your accounts).
Finishing 7th twice, we were arguably a couple of exceptional players away from challenging the top 4. Capital injection. Poor players stick out like a sore thumb in a good team: see Hwang/Dendoncker, or even as I watched AC Milan yday, a Leao vs a Krunic.
The returns available at CL level from qualification alone, ignoring the commercial revenues, the player attraction, and the increased FFP ceiling would more than pay for the capital invested whilst enhancing Fosun’s brand further. Player asset values would increase too. However whenever we have been close, we have backed away, even weakening our squad rather than maintaining continuity or the status quo.
As such this ‘sustainable’ model is a fallacy, diminishing product, brand and asset value, and demonstrating a lack of ambition which drives our best players away.
A simple replication of the Championship approach would likely have provided the impetus to make the final step. Instead, I fear, the lack of investment will see us continue to step the other way. Which is very sad.