I think you need to look at the bigger picture.

As a Club, it's generally accepted that we were only ' treading water ' for a few years under Roy. We have not been financially able to spend significant sums in the transfer market every year. The objective was to be competitive and stay in the Prem - which we did. I don't think there are any lessons to be learned at all as the business was deliberately being run according to plan.

Steve Parish gets offers of either investment or out right take overs all the time. Attracting or identifying the right people is not a simple matter. John Textor has already been more visible than the other American investors, and I think his continued input will be of great benefit.

Edited by NEILLO (07 Jan 2022 11.16am)

Old, Ungifted and White

It is not just transfers fees you need to consider but the whole transfer fee/salary package.

There is no such thing as a free transfer at the top level of football - Sako for example was a championship player who we paid £55k a week, at the time one of our highest earners despite never being a regular. Max Meyer is another classic example - 3 years of £125k a week is the same as buying a £15m player and paying them £40k a week (similar to Eze).

Sakho and Benteke were financial disasters from from a wage and transfer fee perspective which impacted our spending for the next 4 or so years.

Of the players you list as good cost effective purchases all are a certain age so it is unlikely any of them will have any resell value and this was known by the selling club when we bought them - West Ham with both Tomkins and Kouyate in particular were happy to take some money at 27/28 years old as the value in 3 or so years would be nearer zero

Edited by palace99 (07 Jan 2022 3.56pm)

This really seems to have drifted off subject. Can we either get back to it or create another thread?

You can't change the way things are but you can change the way you are with the way things are.

I’d like to see what Willo’s take on this is first

Now Zaha's got a bit of green grass ahead of him here... and finds Ambrose... not a bad effort!!!!

To be honest, I have found in the past Willo to be pretentious (my only problem with him) but now... I kind of miss him.

I hope he and Mrs W are doing well and he is not giving her too much grief. Best to you both.

Success will lie to you but failure always tells you the truth.

Clearly you aren't paying attention, because Willo has been posting regularly of late on other threads. So there is no longer any need to miss him.

Palace since 19 August 1972. Palace 1 (Tony Taylor) Liverpool 1 (Emlyn Hughes)