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Below are all the players we have signed since the takeover. Although the official takeover was after the season started we know that both Ephraim and Leigertwood were signed using the owners money to fund the transfer.
Adel Taarabt Tottenham
Akos Buzsaky Plymouth
Alejandro Faurlin Institute
Alessandro Pellicori Avellino
Ben Watson Wigan
Bob Malcolm Derby
Chris Arthur Kettering
Damiano Tommasi Levante
Damien Delaney Hull
Daniel Parejo Real Madrid
Emmanuel Ledesma Genoa
Fitz Hall Wigan
Gary Borrowdale Coventry
Gavin Mahon Watford
Heidar Helguson Bolton
Hogan Ephraim West Ham
Jason Jarrett Preston
Jay Simpson Arsenal
Jordi Lopez Mallorca
Kaspars Gorkss Blackpool
Kieran Lee Man Utd
Lee Cook Fulham
Liam Miller Sunderland
Martin Cranie Portsmouth
Matt Pickens Chicago
Matthew Connolly Arsenal
Mikele Leigertwood Sheff Utd
Michael Mancienne Chelsea
Patrick Agyemang Preston
Peter Ramage Newcastle
Radek Cerny Tottenham
Rhys Taylor Chelsea
Rowan Vine Birmingham
Samuel De Carmine Fiorentina
Scott Sinclair Chelsea
Steven Reid Blackburn
Tom Heaton Man Utd
Tom Williams Peterborough
Wayne Routledge Aston Villa
That is 39 players in 2½ years, which includes loanees, freebies and paid for transactions. Each player who joined the club will in some way will have cost the club money whether it be in salaries, agent fees, transfer fees or signing on fees. The club have chosen to spend money on each of these signings regardless of where the money has come from to pay them. Whether the club has generated x million from the fans or x million from advertising and sponsorship one thing for sure is that all 39 players have joined (and some have now departed) since the takeover. Thus meaning that however much people argue, the board have proven that they are been prepared to spend money.
Your guess is as good as mine on exactly how much money has been spent on these players?!? I don't believe that Jason Jarrett would have cost the club a great deal but its all money that could have been spent elsewhere. Same could be said Kieran Lee, same could be said about Chris Arthur as could it be said about Damiano Tommassi. None of them played a great deal (if any) for the first team but collectively how much did they cost the club? Add Pellicori and Alberti to this as well as players like Parejo, Ledesma, Malcolm, Pickens and Sinclair and the money spent just keeps going up and up. Money which ultimately could have been spent elsewhere.
This isn't an attack on Paladini, Briatore or any one person in particular but it is their collective responsibility. They have chosen to spend money on the playing staff and whether you agree with me or not too many of the 39 listed have failed. All clubs will sign duds, all clubs will sign players who were never expected to flop but do (Shevchenko for Chelsea, Kluviert for Newcastle and Morienties for Liverpool to name but three). We are no different but how many of the 39 listed could be regarded as successes?
Not sure whether Balanta could/should be included in the list above because he came through the youth system but with Stewart and Rowlands already at the club and Camp and Blackstock here prior to the takeover we already had the core of the side in place. The likes of Hall and Connolly were improvements on Rehman, Curtis and Cullip and so therefore can be deemed neccessary signings regardless of whether they have performed for us or not. But why then go on and sign Gorkss and Ramage when you have already bought 2 centre backs? Why sign Alberti when we already had Buzsaky, Vine, Ephraim and Ainsworth who can all play on the wing?
Bringing players to club who are an improvement on who is already there is one thing but to sign quantity for the sake of it is a waste of money. If the current rumours are true and we are to sign two more central midfielders then what was the point of signing Faurlin just a few months ago?
I will never be one who says that the board hasn't spent money but the proof is listed above that the money has not been very well spent. The argument that Routledge, Connolly, Gorkss, Simpson and Taraabt are very good players is a valid one but why sign Lopez, Arthur, Sinclair, Malcolm, Pickens, Alberti, Pellicori, Jarrett, Miller, Lee, Ledesma, Parejo etc etc?
We already had Camp, Stewart, Rowlands, Blackstock meaning that improvements were needed on about a dozen players instead we've signed 39 players (or two squads worth) with the majority having been flops and duds.
To end I'll do some simple maths:
Agyemang + Pellicori + Alberti = Ebanks-Blake
Miller + Jarrett + Lopez + Watson + Reid = Kitson
Adel Taarabt Tottenham
Akos Buzsaky Plymouth
Alejandro Faurlin Institute
Alessandro Pellicori Avellino
Ben Watson Wigan
Bob Malcolm Derby
Chris Arthur Kettering
Damiano Tommasi Levante
Damien Delaney Hull
Daniel Parejo Real Madrid
Emmanuel Ledesma Genoa
Fitz Hall Wigan
Gary Borrowdale Coventry
Gavin Mahon Watford
Heidar Helguson Bolton
Hogan Ephraim West Ham
Jason Jarrett Preston
Jay Simpson Arsenal
Jordi Lopez Mallorca
Kaspars Gorkss Blackpool
Kieran Lee Man Utd
Lee Cook Fulham
Liam Miller Sunderland
Martin Cranie Portsmouth
Matt Pickens Chicago
Matthew Connolly Arsenal
Mikele Leigertwood Sheff Utd
Michael Mancienne Chelsea
Patrick Agyemang Preston
Peter Ramage Newcastle
Radek Cerny Tottenham
Rhys Taylor Chelsea
Rowan Vine Birmingham
Samuel De Carmine Fiorentina
Scott Sinclair Chelsea
Steven Reid Blackburn
Tom Heaton Man Utd
Tom Williams Peterborough
Wayne Routledge Aston Villa
That is 39 players in 2½ years, which includes loanees, freebies and paid for transactions. Each player who joined the club will in some way will have cost the club money whether it be in salaries, agent fees, transfer fees or signing on fees. The club have chosen to spend money on each of these signings regardless of where the money has come from to pay them. Whether the club has generated x million from the fans or x million from advertising and sponsorship one thing for sure is that all 39 players have joined (and some have now departed) since the takeover. Thus meaning that however much people argue, the board have proven that they are been prepared to spend money.
Your guess is as good as mine on exactly how much money has been spent on these players?!? I don't believe that Jason Jarrett would have cost the club a great deal but its all money that could have been spent elsewhere. Same could be said Kieran Lee, same could be said about Chris Arthur as could it be said about Damiano Tommassi. None of them played a great deal (if any) for the first team but collectively how much did they cost the club? Add Pellicori and Alberti to this as well as players like Parejo, Ledesma, Malcolm, Pickens and Sinclair and the money spent just keeps going up and up. Money which ultimately could have been spent elsewhere.
This isn't an attack on Paladini, Briatore or any one person in particular but it is their collective responsibility. They have chosen to spend money on the playing staff and whether you agree with me or not too many of the 39 listed have failed. All clubs will sign duds, all clubs will sign players who were never expected to flop but do (Shevchenko for Chelsea, Kluviert for Newcastle and Morienties for Liverpool to name but three). We are no different but how many of the 39 listed could be regarded as successes?
Not sure whether Balanta could/should be included in the list above because he came through the youth system but with Stewart and Rowlands already at the club and Camp and Blackstock here prior to the takeover we already had the core of the side in place. The likes of Hall and Connolly were improvements on Rehman, Curtis and Cullip and so therefore can be deemed neccessary signings regardless of whether they have performed for us or not. But why then go on and sign Gorkss and Ramage when you have already bought 2 centre backs? Why sign Alberti when we already had Buzsaky, Vine, Ephraim and Ainsworth who can all play on the wing?
Bringing players to club who are an improvement on who is already there is one thing but to sign quantity for the sake of it is a waste of money. If the current rumours are true and we are to sign two more central midfielders then what was the point of signing Faurlin just a few months ago?
I will never be one who says that the board hasn't spent money but the proof is listed above that the money has not been very well spent. The argument that Routledge, Connolly, Gorkss, Simpson and Taraabt are very good players is a valid one but why sign Lopez, Arthur, Sinclair, Malcolm, Pickens, Alberti, Pellicori, Jarrett, Miller, Lee, Ledesma, Parejo etc etc?
We already had Camp, Stewart, Rowlands, Blackstock meaning that improvements were needed on about a dozen players instead we've signed 39 players (or two squads worth) with the majority having been flops and duds.
To end I'll do some simple maths:
Agyemang + Pellicori + Alberti = Ebanks-Blake
Miller + Jarrett + Lopez + Watson + Reid = Kitson
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