Locked: Summer 2007 ins and outs

Al Fayed drives me crazy to say the least. I am extremely appreciative of everything he has done for the club. He took them from the depths of the second division to the Premiership, spent loads of money on players to retain the club's Premiership status and he also renovated Craven Cottage much to the joy of the supporters.

What some newer fans may not know is that the manager before Chris Coleman, Jean Tigana, really hurt Al Fayed and in my opinion it was Tigana's reckless spending and rumoured kickbacks on transfers like the Steve Marlet one that left Al Fayed untrustworthy of many people with his money.

Thus, instead of his continued spending buying players like Boa Morte, Marlet, Van Der Sar, Malbranque and Legwinski, Al Fayed has seemingly decided that he did NOT want to invest as much into the club to get it to another level and that he was satisfied with just NOT getting relegated.

The past has dictated the future for Al Fayed. It would be nice if he would spend some more than he does in the transfer windows, but Fulham is NOT and will NOT be a money-making team each season. Thus, he is dipping into his own pockets. While he does have deep pockets, he does NOT dig deep for Fulham and that is a shame.

As I wrote in an article a week or two ago, Al Fayed talks the talk, but he rarely walks the walk when it comes to spending on new players. I hope this summer is different, but I really doubt it will be anything out of the ordinary.

Lastly, when Fulham was promoted after the 2000-2001 season, Al Fayed declared Fulham the "Manchester United of the South." I have a feeling he thought with the spending he was doing that Fulham would truly be a big club. As he quickly learned, it is NOT that easy to build a club this way and it was NOT going to be easy to win Championships and titles that he likely envisioned.

It is time for spending now though! The team clearly needs some help this summer and if Al Fayed can't see that and help out perhaps he it is time for some new leadership to run this club.

 

There was news just recently about the continued bust up between Tigana and Fayed. You are probably right that Fayed will be hesitant to invest that much money into Fulham's signings for some time. Unfortunately that will hamper Fulham and may even get them relegated, especially with all of the new owners entering the epl ready to invest. Man City, Blackburn and Newcastle are the latest I've heard of.

Those are teams that are just above or are on the same level as Fulham. If they have the spending power now of Arsenal, Tottenham, Liverpool, Pompey then we are in trouble. Wasn't going to put Chelsea and Man Utd in there because they are on a whole other level.

 

I would doubt Man City and Blackburn will ever have the spending power of the big four, but Newcastle does have a lot of money and 50,000 Geordies packing St. James Park every match. Thus, if Sam Allardyce does things his way and is given the time he needs to revamp the club from point A-Z, this team will be in the thick of things in the next five years. Mark my words.

Even if these clubs you mention just spend a bit more than what they are, they are still way above us spending wise. I read on TFI this morning that Wigan is planning on spending between 16-20 million pounds. Effin' Wigan!!! They are a team that knows they were lucky not to be relegated last season and they are going to do their best to make sure that does NOT happen again. It would be nice if Fulham felt the same way, but that does NOT seem like the case at all. Time will tell.

 

ToC.
Ivar Ingimarsson, Brnjar Gunnarsson - Iceland
Adam Federici - Australia

 

you forgot to mention Bikey...they got him from some team in France...and he looks promising

 

Bikey, Ingimarsson and Gunnarsson are all fantastic finds. Especially Ingimarsson. He is a tough defender that tackles well and has a no nonsense mentality. Plucking players from Iceland of all places. Well done Reading's scouting department.

 

I don't blame al Fayed for not spending money. I mean money doesn't grow on trees and Fulham is NOT a financially successful football club. Fulham is a program that is probably lucky to break even in any given season. And technically they're deep in the red because of al Fayed's personal loan. I mean, Fulham is a losing (moneywise) venture for him and his family.

If he spends too much and were to sell the team, the team could be in a precarious financial position. So it is prudent of him to not go crazy in the transfer window.

... and remember Fulham really isn't competing against the top clubs in the Premiership.

 

FFC must invest in players. Assuredly not to the extent of the big 4, but enough to stay competitive in the mid table.

As stated, Fulham's debt is owed to MAF and/or his holding companies. Unlikely the owner will make a cash-call on his own business. Unless the debt owed to MAF was forgiven, potential purchasers of Fulham won't be beating down the door as they would have to satisfy MAF's debt in addition to the purchase price. Fulham's current debt structure insulates the club from many potential outside purchasers.

The failure to buy or sell players, despite some rebuffed attempts, is a subdued off-season. If the club wants to achieve financial strength, it must remain in the Premiership and collect the ever-increasing media revenue. To remain up, it must make investments in the short term and improve the club. Failure to invest in players will send FFC down, and thus lose all revenue but the parachute payments. The financial ramifications of a few years in the CCC, or lower, would be economically harsh. All of us would rather the club avoid the drop, but it must, at least, modestly spend.

"Ok, let me see if I've got this straight. In order to be grounded, I've got to be crazy. And I must be crazy to keep flying. But if I ask to be grounded, that means I'm not crazy anymore, and I have to keep flying."

 

I agree! Baseball teams have setups like this in the Dominican. Facilaties with fields, a school, gym, and so forth. I recall seeing a peice on ESPN a while back, the scouts go out and around, if they see a 16,17 year old who looks promising they bring him in and sign him to a contract worth like $1,200 and they do their best to develop him. If its worth it they get them in their minor league system in the US and bring them up.

Has anyone ever heard of a football club using such a system? Clubs do it in their own local area, but not in another country or continent.

I've mentioned this before, I really think Leroy Rosenior, now Serra Leon manager, could be of real use to us in this area in the future.

 

Spencer and Tom, you guys are preaching to the choir here. I agree wholeheartedly in a foreign academy. Palace, and Alaves (sp?) are doing it in the U.S. Avoid the work permit issue and a foreign academy would be a great asset, if for none other than scouting and then selling the players.

 

From what I have read the academies are doing quite well, maybe not table wise, but the communities have embraced them and the players are flocking to them as well.

Surely if Palace can do it Fulham can do it. The benefits are limitless for the US as well. Players developing earlier, getting loads of experience, playing at the highest level for their age group and receiving instruction from seasoned coaches. Fantastic... Palace will soon be reaping the benefits. I have not heard of a player being sent to Palace to play yet, but then again the academy hasn't been open that long.

 

Well looks like we finally are going to sign someone, and he is a striker!!! Walter Pandiani (http://www.fulhamweb.com/fulhamweb/news ... le_id=6538)

 

I read this on sky: Fulham will offer Collins John and Moritz Volz, plus £3m, to West Brom for Jason Koumas and Diomansy Kamara - Star

I must admit that I had a bit of a laugh when I saw the players involved in the deal and then the funds going with the players. Volz and John plust 3 million, you've got to be pulling my leg. Can' see Fulham parting with John who is just 21 and an established player such as Volz who also seems to have a great following at Fulham.

 

Yay another 30+ year old target forward! Pandiani seems like just another Helguson, redundant IMO when we already have him and McBride. I haven't seen Runstrom play yet, but wasn't he supposed to be in that same mold as well?

I really hope we don't give up Volz and John for Koumas and Kamara. Kamara has had ONE good year in the championship. John is 5 years younger and already has more Premiership success. Volz may not be as good as a midfielder as Koumas right now, but I think he could be. I'm not convinced that he's any better than Dempsey or Simon Davies either.

I'd love to sign these players, but WBA's asking price is way too high. No way are they worth John, Volz, and cash.

 

Agreed, that was why I was taken back when I read it. I am hoping it is just a wind up by the press.

Pandiani would be a waste of funds IMO and Espanyol will definitely attempt to get full value out of him, because he had a decent season. Koumas and Kamara definitely seem to be the prime targets as of now...what about a cb though?

 

I hope this is true and it happens. I like Volz, but he is a substitute, not much more. Thought the praise for him last season was overdone.

As for Collins John, please, oh please get him off our squad!

 

PCB...you are ready to sell off the whole squad from the way it sounds. The fee is too high IMO. 3 Million is a bit steep, but at least Koumas and an exciting Kamara will be in the side.


Found a link to the Belfast Telegraph that Aaron Hughes wants to leave Aston Villa and is set to rejoin LS at Fulham. The fee that will be worked out will be around 1 million. I for one think he would be a fantastic signing. He is captain of his nation, has loads of experience, a tough tackler and LS knows what to expect out of him.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport ... 660461.ece

 

Not the whole squad, but quite a few. Lawrie apparently feels similarly.

 

So what is the over under for the number of players leaving the side and coming in? You and LS seem to be on the same page, just wanted your take.

 

Between 4 and 8 out, between 1 and 6 in.

My crystal ball is a bit murky these days.