The Game's Gone Crazier

For all the latest on the exploits of Uncle Festa, Godfather Cellino, Friar Brian, Old Big Gob, GianFredo Zola, Butterfingers Green, 'Arry the Albatross, The Grand Puppet Master, Il Duce Di Canio, Timmy Sherwood and a cast of thousands!

Thursday 15 August 2013

Leeds United feeling the pinch of lack of ambition as rivals invest big

Leeds fans were moaning under Master Bates and Warnock but, strangely, seem to have swallowed the spin from GFH Capital and Nice Guy Brian, accepting a lack of ambition and financial commitment in return for climbing aboard the Feel Good Factor train, albeit the destination is probably nowhere.

With Forest recruiting no less than nine new players over the summer and now sniffing around Vaz Te, and QPR launching another spending splurge, with Austin already signed and with Parker and Defoe in the sights, Leeds have done next to no business over the summer. Yes Murphy, Hunt and Smith have arrived, but with an outlay of little more than a million, the once great Leeds have barely been at the transfer races and it seems as if McDermott will have to sell before he can buy again.

Never has the gap between the Prem and the Championship been greater. Little old Hull have captured Huddlestone, an England international, and have recruited a host of new players and Cardiff have broken their transfer record three times over the summer. Meanwhile Norwich have brought in seven players, spending the sort of money that would double the operating profits of Gulf Finance House.

It's all very well for Leeds fans to talk about gradual progress but there's not much point in making small steps when a Grand Canyon size chasm is opening beneath your feet. At some point you have to make a commitment and leap into the void, or accept that you will fall further and further behind clubs like Norwich, Hull and QPR.

That old saying, "You have to speculate to accumulate" has never been more true. McDermott has the basis of a decent team capable of pushing for the Prem but still needs two or three quality players to make it over the line. £10m would go a long way to transforming the club into live promotion candidates and that £10m would unlock the door to untold wealth. If GFH are genuine about "extracting value from existing assets" then surely they should make that financial commitment?

46 comments:

  1. Disagree with everything you have written.here.steady progress is the way forward at Leeds mate.I remember the last time the owners 'went for it'. .....no thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Are you gonna write about Leeds all season mate?

    ReplyDelete
  3. With LEEDS its more Accumulate to Speculate.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I agree analogy wanker

    ReplyDelete
  5. read Phil Hay's column in the YEP about the effects of the new Financial fair play rules.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have, and it confirms that now is the time to go big. Penalties don't cut in for 18 months!

      Delete
    2. You don't half talk out of your shit box hf, so you want us to go Big and spend money we don't have, do what Leicester did, and if we don't get promotion go into financial meltdown and then get hit with penalties! Then end up like pompy! No thanx! If it was that easy do you not think that the people with more money and education than you behind the scenes at Leeds would have done that! Besides if you was so clever with your ideas and always right like you seem to think you are would you not be incharge of a Big club yourself rather than Sat on your Laptop all day trolling the internet instead of spending quality time with your "wife"! That's how I and many others see my friend.

      Delete
    3. A £15m wage bill but with no quality save Byram, Murphy, Lees and Mcormack - everyone els ecan go.

      "Leeds’ most recent accounts showed a shortage of excess cash. The club made a £317,000 profit during the 2011-12 financial year but posted an operating loss of £3.3million. Selling Max Gradel and Jonathan Howson kept them in the black."

      GFH have pumped in cash on at least 3 occasions to keep the club afloat after Bates' pre sale of future season tickets. They want to see a return before they pump in extra money - seems sensible.

      Delete
  6. We speculated to accumulate before and look what happened . Its investment we need not loans or selling our assets , best way to make ourselves attractive is to keep getting the crowds in and making ourselves a viable investment

    ReplyDelete
  7. Apart from Forest none of the other clubs mentioned are a fair comparison. Hull and Cardiff are both owned by millionaire businessmen who see the clubs as projects not genuine businesses. They also have this season's TV money burning a hole in their pockets and have the security that at the very worst they'll have parachute payments for years to come. Norwich, thanks to buying all of our best players for peanuts are now relatively established in the PL and can afford to invest in a squad, in fact they'll need to if they want to stay up. And as for QPR, I think we all know money's no object there

    ReplyDelete
  8. have you rented the white elephant yet???

    ReplyDelete
  9. look at what leicester have spent in the last couple of years,yet are still in the same boat as us,its all down to the manager to get everybody pulling together.but at least come the end of the season when we go up you will be able to call the other clubs for splashing out and wasting their money while leeds go up on a very tight budget and a manager who knows the time of day,you big daft wanker

    ReplyDelete
  10. Yes the likes of QPR, Wigan, Forest, Reading, Blackburn and Bolton etc. are spending big, but they can't all go up! And there's no guarantees any of them will, big squad turnover can really hamper you in this league as the main attribute you need is consistency. QPR are a circus and I would worry about them, they only just beat Shef Weds, and if they start losing a few matches the pressure will build and things will become very difficult.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Latest news, West Ham looking at Diouf apparently???

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I saw that Fred, excellent bit of business for all 3 parties if it comes off.

      Slight problem though...like Warnock jnr he already rejected a move to West Ham last year and opted to stay at Leeds. Please keep up the pressure though. We could really use the cash.

      Delete
  12. Leeds is a work in progress we will be bk were we belong very soon step by step is the way to go .hammers fan u sure ur not a secret leeds fan all u write about is the.mighty whites

    ReplyDelete
  13. Leeds do not want to go down the same road as before. too many clubs are living way beyond their means.

    ReplyDelete
  14. phill carter Aust15 August 2013 at 10:08

    And if that 10 million spent was to fail how much next year? are we forgetting about what happened only 9 years or so ago.

    I agree we need more players of better quality but at what cost?

    The true great Leeds sides are built for our home grown talent which costs us nothing.

    Lets not try and bankrupt the club again.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I agree - We won't be making any in roads into the Prem this year, so will have to look forward to playing you next year in the Championship. You should be OK next season, especially with the Championship standard players you have signed close season.

    ReplyDelete
  16. So given your observation that the Gulf between Premiership and Championship is widening,I'd be worried about West Ham's fate with the squad you are carrying.
    Worried enough to be devoting blogs to this rather than your ongoing obsession with Leeds.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Can anyone remind me just how much Leicester have spent on players in the last few years and confirm what league they play in. Also I seem to remember a club called QPR have spent a fortune on players but i can't remember what league they play in either. It's a shame that West Ham or so mediocre that there is never anything worth writing about for you.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Yawn! Tell us something new!

    By the way West Ham United might have some stories you could write about! Little hint for you.

    ReplyDelete
  19. and if you fail in the gamble like Leicester your in the sh*t great.....you can see your are a "hammer" the greatest yoyo team bar none

    ReplyDelete
  20. interesting piece on lufc deadwood this morning on a LEEDS blog.

    lufcblog.wordpress.com

    ReplyDelete
  21. Leeds United have been through very tough times over the past 10 years. We have been relegated twice, lost all of our top quality players, been in and out of administration etc etc. I personally feel that we are currently a very stable club under GFH and a gradual progression of investment is the correct path for Leeds United. The fans of Leeds United have stuck with the team through 'Ups and Downs' (MOT) and will continue to do so regardless of investment or lack of ambition. I would be happy with 1 or 2 more signings to add to our 'feel good factor squad'.

    Hammersfan - I know you are in the Premier League but would you say signing Stuart Downing (has been) for 5 million and Razvan Rat Boy on a free shows ambition? I personally feel you will struggle this year, especially looking at some of the signings that clubs such as Norwich,Cardiff and Hull have brought in.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. In response to your sensible question, I am very happy with our transfer business so far this summer. Remember, we finished 10th last season and the squad is now better. From what I have seen, Boomtown is an excellent addition. He couldn't be a worse left back than Linda could he? Downing is an interesting one. At £5m he seems like a decent punt to me. Diarra is back, and crucially, Morrison has looked superb in pre season. The club has invested well over £20m in transfer fees, something Leeds can only dream of. But then we gambled £4m on Nolan when we were relegated, understanding the importance of getting back into the Prem.

      Leeds fans are showing a disappointing lack of ambition here. You lot claim you are a big club but you seem terrified of your own shadow. Instead of worrying about mistakes of the past, see the future and go for it! What's the point of existing if existing means pain and humiliation year in, year out?

      Delete
    2. Gone are the days of exciting transfer activity for Leeds United. This is the only window in which we have shown an inch of credibility. My only hope is that we play good attacking football this season and compete for promotion.

      Delete
    3. Gambled £4mil!? Out of parachute payments isn't much of a gamble is it!

      Delete
    4. With £90m of debts, it was one hell of a gamble. Turn it around, £10m isn't much of a gamble to unlock the door to the big money Prem is it? You can't have it both ways!

      Delete
    5. I agree we can't have it both ways, and most of us know that, that's why we are being sensible and doing it slowly, your the one suggesting going gung-ho! In the not to far distant past you took the piss out of Warnock for going gung-ho! Make your mind up, you love a good wind up don't you ;-), Are you debt free now then or still in debt?

      Delete
    6. You have it both ways though don't you? You've been sneering on for ages that Leeds owners have no money. Now in order to hurl accusations of "no ambition" around you have decided they must be sitting on £10M but don't have the balls to spend it.

      Get consistent with your wind ups at least!

      Delete
    7. I took the piss out of Warnock for announcing Gung Ho tactics on the pitch, leading to the 1-6 home defeat to Watford. I have consistently criticised GFH for not investing in the squad. If they can't afford to run a football club, they shouldn't have bought a football club!

      West Ham are still in debt, but the debt is reducing despite a £20m transfer outlay this summer. Most businesses operate with a debt - it is known as gearing.

      Delete
    8. Wwwwwwwaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyy! She's bitten has old spam dangler! Mayby they can afford to run the club sensibly and not gung-ho! Not putting all they're eggs in one basket! Must be nice to know you can spend 20mil when your in debt because you can always rely on sky money, money given for every position you Finnish up the table and then if shit hits the fan and you get relegated well it's ok lads we have the parachute payments to keep us afloat! Must b all rosey at your end, just a shame it's abit boring really eh

      Delete
  22. Why don't you concentrate on your own clubs affairs?
    Eg. http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/wanderers/wanderersnews/10612617._/

    ReplyDelete
  23. Your club is built on cast offs from other clubs, who's main concern is just to look as if theyre doing something this window. Stewart Downing? Please. Overated and effectively useless at Liverpool. Hahahaha, crack on with Defoe and Parker, WHU are TH's retirement park, and that's all you ever will be. Tiny club that scrounges off yoyo payments and has beens.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You say that as if Leeds don't specialise in cast offs. Tell me, what are Warnock, Diouf, Morison, Hunt, Brown, Green, Podgy Kenny, Peltier, Pearce, Tonge, Norris, Varney and Ashdown if not cast offs?

      Delete
    2. To be fair hf I agree with most of them you have named but not green and Pearce!

      Delete
    3. The point is the first 2 mentioned publically stated they would rather be cast off to Leeds than West Spam. Got to laugh really.

      Delete
    4. No tbf. The credentials of Leeds players was not brought up in the comment. Only you have done that. Transparent deflection all the time by spam dangler.

      Delete
  24. Quick get the cheque book out , some mockney tosser has told everyone on news now that we don't have any ambition !!! NOT GOING TO HAPPEN NEVILLE

    ReplyDelete
  25. Leeds have to cut their cloth. We went for a Burton, you stuck with your huegenouts. Sometimes these situations can force the youngsters in to the team. I'm happy with 'Nice Brian', he can work his magic. We have a board and a manager that fully understand the implications of the new finance rules. It would be foolish to break them. QPR are taking a gamble that could backfire badly. Looking at the history of their manager I don't think he understands money. Portsmouth, Southampton. We made the massive mistake of taking on a man of his ilk. I was livid, when other Leeds fans were happy when Barrow Boy Veneables took the reins. The rest is history. The Football set up is changing. This is why I'm glad our club are showing they are aware of this new system.

    ReplyDelete
  26. We don't need your immature lectures on Economics. Spending money we didn't have, then couldn't repay led to a decade of misery including the worst years in the club's history. When we went down, and down again directors, managers and players moved on - leaving the supporters to endure it - at one point not even knowing if Leeds United could start the season. Spending big does not always buy the right players - it gets the expensive. We need players who play for the shirt - not just money - and if that takes longer, so be it.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Good to see it's winding hairy fan up that Leeds on the whole are happy the way things are progressing. Thanks wet span loser. Good to be under your skin.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Totally agree, she doesn't like it that we are happy does she, bless her x

      Delete
  28. Any news on McCormack? ( oh hang on, you already strangled that one to death with 5 pointless posts this month) Any other boring news? (oh hang on, all your posts are boring and above all? pointless)so we are back to square one. Any news about you getting a life and some mates?

    ReplyDelete
  29. we dont have to spend bigcockney boy.2 signings,and i think we r good enough to get promoted.we r the only club i would say with no dept.qpr will go into financial meltdown soon.to many clubs taking big risks.never the less,i wish we had rich chairmen,who could spend massive.

    ReplyDelete