Written by Cloth Cap
With the release of the fixtures for the new season later this week I have been thinking about what life in the Championship will be like.
We will still be small fry, attendance-wise, alongside Wycombe. Some of the big beasts would, in normal times, be able to attract attendances of three times what we could. But, with the present restrictions, size might not matter as much.
Therefore, with parachute payments which, I understand, could be in the region of £40 million in the first season we could be considered a big beast. True, we will probably have a higher wage bill but with the predicted exodus that might be less onerous. With League 1 and League 2 having wage caps, might it be prudent to anticipate a Championship wage cap over the next couple of seasons, especially after the COVID 19 impact on attendances?
So far we have generated £60 million in transfer fees, and if any three of Joshua King, Callum Wilson, David Brooks, Lewis Cook, Jefferson Lerma and Lloyd Kelly depart that could generate another £60 million. I think we should use this money to square of our transfer account and repay as much of the AFC Bournemouth owner Max Demin debt as we can, and he wants!
We should seek to operate within our means, which will include parachute payments so that we break even or operate at a small loss, which might be satisfied by a Lerma, Cook or Kelly sale as required.
The football world appears to be changing thanks to COVID 19 and perhaps sustainability and the desire to still be around in five years time should be the priority. We should be looking to lower leagues for players, and taking advantage of the loan system. I think we have credit with Premier League sides who might loan us the next Ake for development. Developing our own players and the completion of the training complex should also be possible.
I think we need to be realistic, but also optimistic that we do have a lot going for us. I hope I haven’t changed my view by Christmas.
Your say…
Peterjclements wrote…
Or another way of putting it …
We’ve gone from the 100m guaranteed a year land to one where the money will dry up in 18 months time unless we escalate lower league recruitment & do what we did 1st time round .. i.e. build a hungry young side that will do it again.
Yep, think we need some experienced players in the mix this season, but there has to be a clear shift again to the youth. I personally don’t think there will be much time for clubs to get real now.
Max has been great for the club, but going fwd, rightly, surely the pendulum will shift towards repaying a more cautious Max & then adopting the new path (i.e. lower league recruitment & realistic wage structure).
AFCB assets are assets now, but in the championship, sorry guys, a lot end up as liabilities in my eyes – to be shifted quickly.
Not great if some of the older lad(g)s have to go, but we need to safeguard the club & wake up before we become a Blackpool (no disrespect meant !).
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