For the record

[stanley75]

Connors, I think you're off the mark here. The Board and the fans don't have the same job. Nice if they pulled in the same direction from time to time of course. But selling Routledge serves no useful purpose for the Board or fans. He is one of the few that might survive in the team if we made it up. He is one of the few that could really help push us up. Getting up is the absolute financial impertive for the Board - the whole of project Briatores rellies on it. The revenue from Routledges sale is a drop in the ocean. Imperilling or even depaying the push for promotion is another year of reduced revenue.

Some here are saying the sale is OK if it is reinvested - well fine - of course that is better than the alternative of it sinking without product - but if it is cash neutral I really really don't see the point. There is no right winger of a similar standard I can think of we could net cheaper. In cash terms the sums being talked about that we'd get would not buy any decent player to fill the other holes we've got and would create a new problem on the right side. Pointless in football and business terms. And the signal it sends to fans is likely to lead to more lethargy, dissapointment and desertions. The signal it sends to the players is likely similar - this project is not about advancement of the team so look after number one. Crazy.

Only way it makes sense is if the money on offer is silly and will be available immediately to "buy upwards" - and time to do that for this year is running out. Or if Routledge is a problem in the dressing room. I have seen no evidence that either of these would apply to it is bad news from a fans perspective.

[Receed R]

Connors, I think you're off the mark here. The Board and the fans don't have the same job. Nice if they pulled in the same direction from time to time of course. But selling Routledge serves no useful purpose for the Board or fans. He is one of the few that might survive in the team if we made it up. He is one of the few that could really help push us up. Getting up is the absolute financial impertive for the Board - the whole of project Briatores rellies on it. The revenue from Routledges sale is a drop in the ocean. Imperilling or even depaying the push for promotion is another year of reduced revenue.

Some here are saying the sale is OK if it is reinvested - well fine - of course that is better than the alternative of it sinking without product - but if it is cash neutral I really really don't see the point. There is no right winger of a similar standard I can think of we could net cheaper. In cash terms the sums being talked about that we'd get would not buy any decent player to fill the other holes we've got and would create a new problem on the right side. Pointless in football and business terms. And the signal it sends to fans is likely to lead to more lethargy, dissapointment and desertions. The signal it sends to the players is likely similar - this project is not about advancement of the team so look after number one. Crazy.

Only way it makes sense is if the money on offer is silly and will be available immediately to "buy upwards" - and time to do that for this year is running out. Or if Routledge is a problem in the dressing room. I have seen no evidence that either of these would apply to it is bad news from a fans perspective.

ok say the deal is 1.75 mil + 500k if they go up and a further 500k if he plays 50 games for them, therefore potential value of the transfer is 2.75 mil

also take into account his wages, thought it was near to 20k a week, we could get a couple of decent strikers in for that

i would bite their hands off

[stanley75]

HA9 - ignore the "extra" £500 it is neither guaranteed nor available, So we are taking - best case - of £1,75 less any costs incurred. The wages are neither here nor there as we would have to pay the incoming talent at least the same. I don't see a right winger out there who is as good or better for that money. I am not sure I see a striker either and we would need to spend mopre. And we've opened up a hole in the team on the Right that there is no one oin the squad can cover. Not good business or football sense.

And I have to say that the time available to do anything with thge money is now incredibly tight. This would have to be used to finance a deal that is already pretty much done or else it is pointless on that front too.

Whilst I did and do not expect the board to have bottomless pockets this seems a crazy notion. I had expected at least to be able to hold on to our fair to better players. If we were serious about promotion (and getting the revenues for it) we'd keep WR and look to strengthen elsewhere.

[Receed R]

fella kitson wants big wages

flab wants to trim the wage bill

boro are a good bet to go up this year so the end fee is likely to be 2.25 mil

dont forget we signed him for only 500k

thats a nice return if ask me

we can replace him:boss:

thats a 1.75 mil profit and a good bit of business if you ask me:boss:

[Goddard]

I'm having this vision.

Wayne Routledge signs for Boro, we're playing Boro at The Riverside at the end of next month.
Routledge is pretty fired up for the game, and is up against Gary "Bozza" Borrowdale.
He's running at him... full speed......


Sorry....I can't carry on with this. :waaaht:





Sleep well, Don't have nightmares.

[stanley75]

I accept that he would turn the club a profit. Of course that is true. But you can't bank those mooted add on payments. Even if they#re true and were delivered to us in the end they can't be spent now.

I can't see Boro going up either so they may never come. I see you do. Though ironically given the subject matter here if they did go up it will be because they have bought in some quality players - in this case ours! And if they do go up there is certainly no slot for Rangers (I assume you would think Boro take the play off place). If the club were thinking like that it is very sad.

My wish, vain it seems, is that keeping players who can press you into the Prem League would be the priority and we shouldn't be in the business of selling them to make a [very] few bob. This deal makes sense only in financial terms and only then if it is to maintain business as usual. Its football madness to strip the right flank down if you are trying to win games. We are not embarrassed with riches on that side from back to front. The funds being talked about do not buy us any better. It is very short sighted in revenue terms as well

I can't see how you marry needing the cash from selling Wayne to fund Kitsons wage demands with trimming the wage bill. In any case I should have thought (as a point of nigh principle) the management weren't about to pay Kitson the rumoured £30k a week (he isn't worth it and it would seem poisonous to the dressing room). And no sign he is coming anyway.

All in all I wish I shared your optimism about replacing Wayne. But I don't, And "being able" to replace him and actually doing so are of course some way apart!

[terry ball]

Connors,

fans keep saying we have to improve the team.. Don't know why should just waste more money..

Sell Routledge, and get in a few players in, it makes sense to me.

How many goals has he scored this season??

dear oh dear! He is the best WINGER in the league, he is not a striker. He has scored more than taarabt who in your opinion is a striker!
Comical, this is definitly going to happen if your coming out with this pony statement.

Good chance we won't BUY anyone, only loan deals and knowing us it will probably be someone like greg halford!!

[vblockranger]

wont replace him with better....shocking decision

[conners]

Alberti? Hogan?
people who dont rate him should maybe think about him in a Boro or Cardiff shirt running down the wing against our Gary Borrowdale.....

Don't get my wrong, i do think he has the ability to be good (although his crossing extremely poor), however, i would very seriously question his attitude on the pitch. I also think that he is probably one of the leaders in the team so his bad attitude rubs off on others.

[conners]

dear oh dear! He is the best WINGER in the league, he is not a striker. He has scored more than taarabt who in your opinion is a striker!
Comical, this is definitly going to happen if your coming out with this pony statement.

Good chance we won't BUY anyone, only loan deals and knowing us it will probably be someone like greg halford!!

Best winger in the league ? You have to be having a laugh. His performances have been generally disappointing this season other than when we are 3-0 up. The guy has a bad attitude on the pitch, it rubs off on others and for me, there are only so many players we can carry on the pitch.

Would actually go as far to say that Tommy Williams is a FAR better crosser of the ball. Williams put in some extremely dangerous crosses whilst he was here. Just unforrtunate we had no strikers to attack them.

[NewCrossHoop]

Got to feel for Routledge when he beats the fullback, looks up sees only Agyeman in the box surrounded by oppo defenders. My point being that he is criticised for his crossing when we have no one in the box capable of scoring from a cross anyhow.

Can never be a good thing to sell a player who is capable of running at defences, pulling them out of shape and creating space for others.

[Rebel R's]

Who are you "connors",do you work for the club.or just a genuine fan?

[paulmason]

The guy has a bad attitude on the pitch, it rubs off on others and for me, there are only so many players we can carry on the pitch.

Does Taarabt's attitude rub anyone up the wrong way ?

[sirpiechucker]

So the argument is because we'll make a good return on him he is worth selling?

So are we a business now or a football team? Last time I looked I thought the aim was to be a successful football club and to do that you need to buy and retain the best players available.

[paulmason]

A badly run business that hyper inflated the expectancy levels of its customers and done nothing long term to match it, introduces a divisive pricing structure that kills the atmosphere within the ground and after the smoke screen cleared, saw around 20% of it customers stopping to go, they then proceed to do things which saw another 15-20% customers stop going.

Then like all badly run business, they blame their customers.