Silk from financial sow’s ear

1048

World Soccer Magazine published a fascinating table at the bottom of an article on the respective financial might of Chelsea and Manchester City yesterday, detailing player spend and sales for current English Premier League clubs over the last 10 seasons.

Liverpool have an average net spend of £18.1m as they chase former glories while Manchester United, who stole Liverpool’s place at the top of the English pile, had only a marginally higher net spend of £18.6m.

Fifth on the list is Aston Villa, largely on the back of an attempt to take over the world during Martin O’Neill’s reign, spending a net average of £11.1m.

Most fascinating of all is that 11 of the 20 have a net average spend of less than £4m per season.  They spend big, but apart from the odd team spending some foreign country’s mineral wealth, they also sell big.

Bottom of the table of net biggest spenders in Everton, who sold £7.8m of talent more than they bought during the period.  Newcastle United are also in a surplus, thanks in part to their recently departed director of football, Joe Kinnear, who completed his service without spending a penny.

Crystal Palace clearly have an eye for a bargain.  They successfully negotiated a return to the Premier League, and then bought Joe Ledley as his Celtic contract ran down, with an average net spend of £722k.

The Silk from a Sow’s Ear prize has to go to Arsenal.  The last decade has not been generous to Arsenal, however, their average net spend is only £1.5m per season having sold £277m worth of talent.  Their business model is not right, i.e. they have not been able to compete with those who don’t seem to care if they break even, but they, more than any other club in Europe*, are primed for the Financial Fair Play era.

*apart from Celtic, of course.
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  1. From Alex Smith

     

    Managers and Coaches Association president and Falkirk director of football Smith was appalled and saddened by the events in Gorgie and offered his full support to Lennon. And he insists the reputation of the sport in Scotland will take a huge hit if the Celtic manager is forced out.

     

     

    Smith said: “It would be a blow for our game if this was to drive Neil out. It would be a stain on us because he’s a good guy.

     

     

    “Neil’s a valued member of our football society, he is a member of the Managers and Coaches Association and we would defend him against that type of abuse.

     

     

    “It’s not acceptable at all and he does not deserve that. It’s not in our nature.

     

     

    “Real Scottish football supporters would have nothing to do with that, it’s just not right.”

     

     

    Can you see the agenda??

  2. smoke and mirrors on

    GlassTwoThirdsFull

     

     

    20:06 on 4 February, 2014

     

     

    g69 19:35

     

    The reason I will be voting yes in September is summed up in two words, George Osborne

     

     

    Surely four words – Baronet Gideon Oliver Osborne

     

     

     

    The reason I will be voting NO in September is summed up in four words,

     

     

    Alex JAM TART Salmond

  3. Re- the yes no debate….disnae matter, if the pound sterling

     

    is the currency of a free? Scotland….the rich and powerful

     

    will still call the shot’s……..if you don’t know that, then you’re

     

    as smart as me….and am thick.

  4. Italianhoy

     

     

    Your posts reflect your ignorance. Not once have you attempted to put forward a grown up case to support the narrowness of your views

  5. Gordon_J backing Neil Lennon

     

    20:23

     

     

    You make a very good point, re women choosing not to have kids.

     

    That is exactly the sort of thought-provoking contribution I was seeking.

     

    Whilst not swaying me to support gays, you’ve given my logical brain something to chew over. Thank you.

     

     

    HH

  6. Evening all

     

     

    Just tuning in after work. Hot topics are Gay Behaviour and The Yes/No Show this coming September. I take it Zheng Zhi is still unfit?

     

     

    Jimbo67 supporting Oscar Knox

  7. No Bobby Does It Petta on

    Martim1980

     

     

    You could “write a book on how unprepared Scotland is” for independence. Really?

     

     

    What a blow to the Yes campaign that would be.

  8. Just saw an absolute belter of a goal from the big Swedish Celt playing for PSG against Nantes.

     

     

    Nantes keeper slips on a kick out around 8 yards from his goal but is up on his feet straight away. Meanwhile the ball has arrived at Zlatan 35 yards out who, without taking a controlling touch, sends the ball two inches over the keepers jump and then it dips below the crossbar.

     

     

    I have described the goal but it defies explanation as to how he saw it quickly and executed it to perfection.

     

     

    It is a goal of beauty and you should try to catch it on BT Sports highlights at half time or on You Tube where it must appear soon.

  9. Pogmathonyahun aka Laird of the Smiles on

    As far as the Catholic Church is concerned Marriage is a holy sacrament and it cannot be changed just to score points in the popularity scale. By definition the sacrament of marriage is the holy union between a man and a woman, basically for life and for the purpose of procreation. The Church will not change its stance on this because the sacraments are written in stone. Most of the Christian Churches, including the Anglican Church regard marriage as a sacrament, whereas the Protestant Church does not.

  10. 67Heaven ... I am Neil Lennon, supporting WEE OSCAR..!!.. Ibrox belongs to the creditors on

    john o’neil

     

     

    20:16 on 4 February, 2014

     

     

    I would imagine there are as many ‘good-living’ gay / lesbian people, with good morals, as there are heterosexuals……… perhaps even more, proportionately, when you ‘see’ the behaviour / morals of some / most? heterosexuals….what gets me is the hypocrisy…….how many ministers, priests etc are gay?….actually, it shouldn’t make any difference to right thinking people, since a person’s sexuality is determined before they are born….

     

     

    The common word is ‘people’ and we should be treating all people the same ……….peepul are a different proposition……:)

  11. Oscar positive thoughts unionbearBhind on

    I will be voting yes for Independence, not because of any person or personality’s

     

    what some seem to forget is a yes vote is not an snp vote and if we do get our

     

    independence all bets are off and a government could just as easily be labour led?

     

    I am not trying to sway any doubters, just hope when people make their OWN minds

     

    up they see a yes vote isn’t a snp vote per se.

     

     

    HH

  12. Back to Basics - Glass Half Full on

    Billy Bhoy 05 @ 08:30 – well said on Italiabhoy.

     

     

    You can’t trust italians. Shifty characters that don’t stand up straight. Slanty eyes.

     

     

    Oh no wait – thats italics. :)

     

     

     

    Italiabhoy – don’t know what you said but from many years experience always enjoyed your views.

     

     

    I don’t agree with … blah … but i’ll defend to the death …. blah blah.

     

     

    Hail Hail

  13. JimmyQuinnsBits on

    call me Gerry,

     

     

    “I am discussing sexuality choices…..not religion.”

     

     

    ———————-

     

     

    The start of your post stated the Church’s views?

  14. BIG-CUP-WINNERS on

    Re the vote and what you are voting for. Don’t listen to politicians, the media or the activists on her trying to coax and cajole.

     

     

    Look at the evidence of what Salmond and his crew have done with a smidgeon of power.

     

    Persecution of young Tims, lauding bigots, heavy handed policing and abuse of power.

     

     

    Do we seriously wish to vote for such peril ?

  15. The Battered Bunnet on

    Gordon J

     

     

    What a beautiful analogy. The implied contrast between logic and absurdity is breath-taking.

     

     

    Belter. Cheers.

  16. Gene's a Bhoy's name on

    A yes vote would condemn engerland to a permanent Tory government – now that’s an incentive

  17. No Bobby Does It Petta on

    Smoke and Mirrors

     

     

    What a truly, truly moronic rationale

     

     

    Never mind the politics, it’s all about the football colours

     

     

    Sad.

  18. 67Heaven ... I am Neil Lennon, supporting WEE OSCAR..!!.. Ibrox belongs to the creditors on

    pogmathonyahun aka laird of the smiles

     

     

    20:36 on 4 February, 2014

     

     

    I would not disagree with what you say, but why the aggression against gay people by the establishment …..live and let live….

     

     

    Haven’t read back yet but, why are we discussing all this..?….hahahahahahaha

  19. eddieinkirkmichael on

    Martim1980

     

     

    20:04 on

     

     

    That’s the Guardian mate, that’s just lazy CQN poster lol.

     

     

    You have to admit if you choose to get involved in the debates going on then you will attract reponses, to be surprised at that is a bit naive.

  20. jimbo67

     

     

    20:34 on 4 February, 2014

     

     

    He is mate but the good news is finnbogason is definitely coming this summer HH

  21. 67Heaven ... I am Neil Lennon, supporting WEE OSCAR..!!.. Ibrox belongs to the creditors on

    kevtic

     

     

    20:21 on 4 February, 2014

     

     

    Naw, they need sally to get the orcs to keep buying SBs……that’s the ONLY reason he is there……but ssssshhhhhhhh……don’t let them know, FGS

  22. the long wait is over on

    On the gay marriage thing

     

     

    This, as well as being a brilliant song, says it all for me.

     

     

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlVBg7_08n0

     

     

    I’m not arrogant enough to say that an insitution (or whatever you may call it) and which has brought me true joy should be denied anyone else. Anyone else.

  23. 67Heaven ... I am Neil Lennon, supporting WEE OSCAR..!!.. Ibrox belongs to the creditors on

    setting free the bears supports res. 12 & oscar knox

     

     

    20:44 on 4 February, 2014

     

     

    Hahahaha

  24. Papa John supports Wee Oscar plus The Dam 5 on

    BIG-CUP-WINNERS

     

    Yur bang on Ma Man, aye and ah dont want ma pension paid in Bawbees an shoartbreed.

     

    Awerabest PJ

  25. Pogmathonyahun aka Laird of the Smiles on

    67heaven … i am neil lennon, supporting wee oscar..!!.. ibrox belongs to the creditors

     

    20:41 on 4 February, 2014

     

    ——————————————-

     

    In general I don’t think there is any aggression against gay people it’s just the ole CQN aggro-debate stylee kicking in as per usual.

     

    Who are you looking at!?

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