Managing Director Football: Fabio Paratici

[Martinhotspur]

Sorry thought this was the Sporting Director thread. Not knickers in a twist over net spend one.

 

[DiVaio]

We've spent 500m more than Villa. According to that we've spent 250m more than Bayern too. Just because we've sold players to supplement that doesn't mean that we haven't spent. You're being intentionally thick and you're clearly trolling at this point.

And we weren't 9th richest club in the world for last 20 years...

 

[brasil_spur]

We didn't sell anyone which we needed to do. The players you mentioned are you happy with them?

Doherty - I was happy when we signed him, but he turned out to be a turd, it happens.
PEH - happy when we signed him and even happier now.
Hart - happy when we signed him as it allowed us to remove a non-HG from our squad and i'm happy with him now.
Reguilon - didn't know much about him when we signed him, very happy now.
Bale - over the moon when we signed him and still very happy that we did.
Rodon - the only player where I was annoyed we didn't get our first choice. For me it was ah "Meh" signing but he's looked like a decent prospect.
Vinicius - yes I was happy and still am, hoping we make his deal perm or extend loan for next season assuming sensible cost.

Overall then the only signing I wasn't happy about at the time was Rodon instead of Skrinniar. However Rodon was a decent back up option and will be a decent squad player for us. It's clear going into the summer window that we need a few quality players (such as CB and RB) and we need to identify and sign the right players - for this I think we need a DoF.

 

[brasil_spur]

We are reportedly the 9th richest Club in the world. If you feel we our revenue streams over the last 20 years spending 15m more than Aston Villa (who spent 3 years in the championship) means we have spent as we should be then good for you. But I won't be applauding the transfer committee. Get someone in and give them serious control on transfers so we can start operating like the club our owners like to pretend we are.

We are the 10th richest club right now. We made it into 9th in 2019 and have fallen back one place. Historically over the last 14 years we've been mostly around 11th (11.2 is the average position), but have moved in between 10th and 14th over this time. Here's the full list with link below:

2021: 10th
2019: 9th
2018: 10th
2017: 10th
2016: 10th
2015: 13th
2014: 13th
2013: 11th
2012: 11th
2011: 11th
2010: 12th
2009: 11th
2008: 12th
2007: 14th

Forbes list of the most valuable football clubs - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

It does seem you're very good at cherry picking data to suit your argument. However when you look at the real data we're actually pretty closely aligned with net spend and wealth of the club. Slightly more conservative than some but less conservative than others.

Again during this period we have also invested massively in the stadium and training facilities.

 

[Chirpystheman]

We've spent 500m more than Villa. According to that we've spent 250m more than Bayern too. Just because we've sold players to supplement that doesn't mean that we haven't spent. You're being intentionally thick and you're clearly trolling at this point.

Not being intentionally thick I think you are. Having a net spend of 15m more suggests we would have spent a lot less then we did if we didn't have outgoings. Net spend is important here. You can't compare us to Bayern who have got some of the best players in the world on free transfers from their rivals.

Goretzka
Lewandowski
Nuble

Were all got for free not including bargains for other players over the years. Do not compare their business with ours, its stupid. Look you can defend the overall spend all you want. Levy released a statement about the ESL saying in football you should never stand still. We didn't sign a player for 18months and then boasted about record profits. If you think our transfer business has been done in line with our revenue then congrats. However I'd suggest the fact that others with half of our income have a near comparable NET spend to us is a tad embarrassing and might go some way to explaining our lack of success on the pitch

 

[Chirpystheman]

We are the 10th richest club right now. We made it into 9th in 2019 and have fallen back one place. Historically over the last 14 years we've been mostly around 11th (11.2 is the average position), but have moved in between 10th and 14th over this time. Here's the full list with link below:

2021: 10th
2019: 9th
2018: 10th
2017: 10th
2016: 10th
2015: 13th
2014: 13th
2013: 11th
2012: 11th
2011: 11th
2010: 12th
2009: 11th
2008: 12th
2007: 14th

Forbes list of the most valuable football clubs - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

It does seem you're very good at cherry picking data to suit your argument. However when you look at the real data we're actually pretty closely aligned with net spend and wealth of the club. Slightly more conservative than some but less conservative than others.

Again during this period we have also invested massively in the stadium and training facilities.

OK where are Aston Villa on the richest Club list over the last 20 years. Then explain why as a club when looking at Net spend we've only managed to spend 15m more than them. I'm not cherry picking anything in fact you providing that list only makes it worse and shows the lack of investment is even more inexcusable. We have had at least 4 managers moan about the lack of investment and the need to go for it in the transfer market, according to a few wise ones in here they are wrong and we have invested correct. We posted near 200m profit over 2 seasons while signing no one for 18 months. Yet we have spent in line with our capabilities. That fact alone suggests we haven't. Like I said get someone in and put them in total control of recruitment. People hated dealing with levy before this ESL debacle. He needs to step aside and let someone else try and build bridges

 

[mill]

This thread has turned into the love child of covid and aids

 

[soflapaul]

So Luis Campos, Ralf Rangnick and Michael Edwards walked into a bar...........

 

[shelfboy68]

OK where are Aston Villa on the richest Club list over the last 20 years. Then explain why as a club when looking at Net spend we've only managed to spend 15m more than them. I'm not cherry picking anything in fact you providing that list only makes it worse and shows the lack of investment is even more inexcusable. We have had at least 4 managers moan about the lack of investment and the need to go for it in the transfer market, according to a few wise ones in here they are wrong and we have invested correct. We posted near 200m profit over 2 seasons while signing no one for 18 months. Yet we have spent in line with our capabilities. That fact alone suggests we haven't. Like I said get someone in and put them in total control of recruitment. People hated dealing with levy before this ESL debacle. He needs to step aside and let someone else try and build bridges

Yes those people who profess to be wise will defend levy if he ran over a guinea pig in front of kids, when countless managers complain you know where a lot of the for the clubs failings lay.
If you have this happening then you have to question whether this club can ever move forward under this leadership.

 

[paulcumpstone]

Sorry thought this was the Sporting Director thread. Not knickers in a twist over net spend one.

They all go that way at some point

 

[RichieS]

This thread has turned into the love child of covid and aids

And Brexit. That's what the ENIC "debate" most resembles now.

 

[brasil_spur]

OK where are Aston Villa on the richest Club list over the last 20 years. Then explain why as a club when looking at Net spend we've only managed to spend 15m more than them. I'm not cherry picking anything in fact you providing that list only makes it worse and shows the lack of investment is even more inexcusable. We have had at least 4 managers moan about the lack of investment and the need to go for it in the transfer market, according to a few wise ones in here they are wrong and we have invested correct. We posted near 200m profit over 2 seasons while signing no one for 18 months. Yet we have spent in line with our capabilities. That fact alone suggests we haven't. Like I said get someone in and put them in total control of recruitment. People hated dealing with levy before this ESL debacle. He needs to step aside and let someone else try and build bridges

By repeating the Aston Villa rhetoric you’re literally cherry picking. What about Liverpool - they’ve massively underinvested over the last 5 years by your standards and it’s won them the PL and CL. There’s other examples here but the point is we’re investing at a slightly conservative rate to our wealth but within reasonable levels. By citing the likes of Villa your just making an argument that ENIC should be putting their hands in their pockets and funding us so we can spend outside of our means. It’s a crap argument IMO.
The ESL debacle is also a crap argument, if it had gone ahead without us as one of the 12 (maybe with Villa in there) then there would be people screaming at Levy for fucking our club up for the next 20+ years.
What we need IMO is a proper DoF that can use the funds we have to drive a proper and successful player recruitment strategy.

 

[brasil_spur]

And Brexit. That's what the ENIC "debate" most resembles now.

Haha, great analogy. Some fans will whip themselves into a frenzy over ENICxit with dreams of us spending 350m a year on transfers only for us to be bought by a greedy, corrupt owner, probably American, who is hell bent on rinsing as much money from us possible and champions things like ESL and other franchise based sports models. Suddenly 2 years after ENICxit when all the ENICxiteers are wondering why we're not signing mega players and instead struggling to attract any decent players to the club, with the memory of Kane, who has since gone on two win 2 x CL medals with Real Madrid, the one thing the fans are clinging onto.

 

[Trees]

By repeating the Aston Villa rhetoric you’re literally cherry picking. What about Liverpool - they’ve massively underinvested over the last 5 years by your standards and it’s won them the PL and CL. There’s other examples here but the point is we’re investing at a slightly conservative rate to our wealth but within reasonable levels. By citing the likes of Villa your just making an argument that ENIC should be putting their hands in their pockets and funding us so we can spend outside of our means. It’s a crap argument IMO.
The ESL debacle is also a crap argument, if it had gone ahead without us as one of the 12 (maybe with Villa in there) then there would be people screaming at Levy for fucking our club up for the next 20+ years.
What we need IMO is a proper DoF that can use the funds we have to drive a proper and successful player recruitment strategy.

Player identification and scouting. Arguably the Most important job in any club. We bought the best of young British talent and we went away from that.

Also knowing when to sell a player when their stock is at their highest.

 

[allatsea]

And we weren't 9th richest club in the world for last 20 years...

I blame Levy for getting us up to the 9th richest club in the world.

 

[McArchibald]

Bestätigt: RB Leipzig und Krösche gehen getrennte Wege

Markus Krösche wird RB Leipzig nach zwei Jahren verlassen. Noch ist unklar, wohin es den Sportdirektor zieht - Interesse zeigt aber wohl ein Bundesliga-Konkurrent.

www.kicker.de

RB Leipzig DoF Markus Krösche is leaving the bundesliga-outfit after 2 years.

Linked to Eintracht Frankfurt, but we should be all over him as far as I'm concerned...

 

[DiVaio]

Bestätigt: RB Leipzig und Krösche gehen getrennte Wege

Markus Krösche wird RB Leipzig nach zwei Jahren verlassen. Noch ist unklar, wohin es den Sportdirektor zieht - Interesse zeigt aber wohl ein Bundesliga-Konkurrent.

www.kicker.de

RB Leipzig DoF Markus Krösche is leaving the bundesliga-outfit after 2 years.

Linked to Eintracht Frankfurt, but we should be all over him as far as I'm concerned...

HIs transfer record at Leizpig isn't that impressive...

 

[GetSpurredOn]

Here’s a question, is Hitchen’s problem that he actually isn’t that good a talent spotter?
Or is it that maybe his suggestions are just being rejected by the manager, or even that the deals are simply being cocked up Levy?
You look at some of the gems other clubs uncover, and we don’t seem to be as cute in the market anymore, spend time chasing known quantities where rivals can blow is out the water with their finances.

 

[danielneeds]

Here’s a question, is Hitchen’s problem that he actually isn’t that good a talent spotter?
Or is it that maybe his suggestions are just being rejected by the manager, or even that the deals are simply being cocked up Levy?
You look at some of the gems other clubs uncover, and we don’t seem to be as cute in the market anymore, spend time chasing known quantities where rivals can blow is out the water with their finances.

He put deals on the table for Grealish and Bruno. We wanted Ruben Dias, so it doesn’t seem like he can’t spot a player, but we don’t seem to uncover any cheap players that explode in the way some of the top recruiting clubs do.

 

[philip]

Have only just about skimmed through this thread, and predictably list of it wasn't about DoFs.

I know I'll get lambasted for this, but was reading an article on the BBC on Ivan Toney, who's just scored 29 goals for Brentford this season after signing for £5m last summer. Mentions that David Pleat wanted to sign him for Spurs last summer as backup for Kane.

Clearly Pleat still works for the club and definitely has a good eye for spotting good talent lower down the leagues. Our rebuild a few years after Levy came in which first pushed us into the top 6 and event
was mostly off the wealth of talent Pleat had identified (Defoe, Keane, Dawson, Davis, Carrick, Jenas, Reid, Huddlestone, Lennon, Routledge, Robinson, all the way up to Bale, Rose & Walker)

I'd love him to be given a free-er role to snap up y lower league talent again