Ambition!!!

Fully agree with this. Main area i would like us to improve on is talent identification and acquisition. Our transfers post Ange have been long drawn out affairs. We paid wat over the odds on idah and I don't think we had any viable alternative to him at the time. We had no plan b with kyogo leaving and id imagine will be similar affair with Kuhn in summer. We need to be more proactive in that area, that is the lifeblood of our model..

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Our bench on Sunday proves otherwise.
Selling your best striker in january with no replacement is not ambitious either

 

Ultimately I think we are a well run club. Just need to look across the city to see what a shambolically run club looks like.

I think the board have accepted certain realities with Europe. The way the footballing world is now we dont have the muscle to to realistically make a dent in the Champions League. The level of domestic competition we play week in, week out makes it difficult to adapt to playing in the Champions League. Even if we spent the every last penny in the bank we wouldnt be able to attract the level of quality player needed or retain our top players for sustained periods.

Our level is probably closer to Europa League, and if we were regularly appearing in that rather than the Champion League I think there would be a case to be made about spending with the intention of sizing up some deeper runs in that as a competition. But financially its much more more advantageous to be a whipping boy in the Champions League than a contender in the Europa League.

 

Good post this. I always make a point to remind myself of the difficult position we're in with playing against daftys in Scotland, and how hard it is to hold CL levels throughout. It's a point too many just refuse to acknowledge.

This season we've done very well with it, and hopefully next season we go up another level, but if we fall short I don't put it down to lack of ambition. Would be amazing to get it right all of the time but that's near impossible playing in this league.

 

Ambition is imperative for us - we need to ensure we are maximising return on our cash and that is by creating asset value I.e. players sales.

We should be utilising working capital instruments akin to the recveiables purchase arrangement our good friend across the city have recently agreed when appropriate. People were taking the * but it is a good tool to facilitate growth which is used in the corporate space naturally

Working capital instruments like this would circumvent the absolute caper we are about to hear about “we can’t spend until we have the CL money guaranteed” which we will undoubtedly hear in the summer.

In addition, hoarding cash attaining a c3% interest rate is not wise use of funds when the rate of return on assets (I.e. players) is so great. You just need to look at even flops like Bernabei and Oh generating >100% returns.

We really need an investment banker/markets/private equity guy supporting at the top of the tree at the club - folk hardwired into taking risks. Guys like Nicholson and Lawwell are lawyers and accountants by trade - the epitome of conservative (small c) in the professional world. We need balance.

We do need more ambitious innovators at the club.