Coventry is Huge

[kettering_baggie]

At the end of my last post, I wrote ‘…..expect more of the same’, what came out? ‘Explore of the same’! Damned predictive text. I suppose I really should read it back before touching the ‘post’ button!

[Albionic68]

Unlucky aren't we?

As stated in the opening line I wasn't defending Mr. Lai in the slightest. I just highlighted the circumstances around the players you mentioned on a case by case basis.

[WBA123]

Coventry City (and many others around us in the table) show what can be achieved in The Championship without spending a 'fortune.' Their squad value is about a third of ours and so is their wage bill. We have numerous bench warmers earning more than their top earner. I would love to see us recruit well from the lower leagues (Townsend anyone) hungry ambitious players.

This of course only works if we recruit well. I see our recruitment and the team responsible as a bigger problem than either lack of investment or the ability manager.

I completely agree with this. Look at a team like Brentford and what they have achieved with good recruitment. They've followed a very statistical route to sign their players and they have bought low, and sold high.

Scott Hogan - Cost £750k, sold for £15m
Benrahma - Cost £2.7m, sold for £28m
Maupay - Cost £1.6m, sold for £20m
Watkins - Cost £1.8m, sold for £30m
Ivan Toney - Cost £9m, worth how much??

Meanwhile, we bought Burke for £15m. We were linked with Toney, but many thought it was a gamble paying £9m for a player who had never played above League One before. How we could do with a player like him now.

Recruitment needs to be improved massively if we are to go forward as a club. And as fans we have to understand that when a high offer comes in for a player, it is sometimes in our interest to sell. We have consistently got that wrong. Evans we could have sold for £25m+, we got £3m. Berahino we could have sold for £23m, we got £10m.

We are never going to be able to hold onto our best players, so why not try and polish some younger gems from the lower and foreign leagues and sell them on for a profit, reinvesting it into other players to do the same. Whilst meanwhile getting results on the pitch. The only way their price increases is by performing well on the pitch. It's in both the clubs interest and the players.

[Albionic68]

.......as fans we have to understand that when a high offer comes in for a player, it is sometimes in our interest to sell. We have consistently got that wrong. Evans we could have sold for £25m+, we got £3m.

Completely agree our scouting, recruitment and sell on strategy are in desperate need of an overhaul.

We couldn't have even signed Evans without the £3M release clause though so we were never getting £25M for him. Hence my point to 9 about being able to debate the viability of signing players with such release clauses.

As for Berahino the fee offered was two frogs and a conker with the rest spread across a number of clauses on a layaway plan.

[WBA123]

Completely agree our scouting, recruitment and sell on strategy are in desperate need of an overhaul.

We couldn't have even signed Evans without the £3M release clause though so we were never getting £25M for him. Hence my point to 9 about being able to debate the viability of signing players with such release clauses.

As for Berahino the fee offered was two frogs and a conker with the rest spread across a number of clauses on a layaway plan.

Berahino payment structure from Spurs is a typical way transfers are arranged. A £25m fee for example is usually split over 2-3-4 years rather than up front. Up front payments are very rare.

Evans, I'm a bit hazy was it not £3m release clause, if we were relegated? I think the year before we were relegated Arsenal and Man City were sniffing around him.

[9goals2hattricks3pen]

Berahino payment structure from Spurs is a typical way transfers are arranged. A £25m fee for example is usually split over 2-3-4 years rather than up front. Up front payments are very rare.

Evans, I'm a bit hazy was it not £3m release clause, if we were relegated? I think the year before we were relegated Arsenal and Man City were sniffing around him.

There was indeed a relegation clause. Also why set the release figure so low about half of what we paid.

Ferguson: Who thought it was a good idea to let it go to tribunal. Has a selling club ever been happy with the agreed amount?

Pereira: Proven Premier performer sold for half of what Villa paid for unproven Norwich player.

Johnstone: Is anyone confident we will get a favourable deal?

You can argue the individual rights and wrongs it's the collective where we always seem to end up on the wrong side of the deal.

[WBA123]

There was indeed a relegation clause. Also why set the release figure so low about half of what we paid.

Ferguson: Who thought it was a good idea to let it go to tribunal. Has a selling club ever been happy with the agreed amount?

Pereira: Proven Premier performer sold for half of what Villa paid for unproven Norwich player.

Johnstone: Is anyone confident we will get a favourable deal?

You can argue the individual rights and wrongs it's the collective where we always seem to end up on the wrong side of the deal.

The one I don't mind on that list is Periera.

At least we made a decent piece of profit on him, and he performed well on the pitch whilst he was here.

There are very few signings we make, which make us a profit.

[9goals2hattricks3pen]

The one I don't mind on that list is Periera.

At least we made a decent piece of profit on him, and he performed well on the pitch whilst he was here.

There are very few signings we make, which make us a profit.

Profit yes. Maximum profit or even close?

[Albionic68]

Berahino payment structure from Spurs is a typical way transfers are arranged. A £25m fee for example is usually split over 2-3-4 years rather than up front. Up front payments are very rare.

Evans, I'm a bit hazy was it not £3m release clause, if we were relegated? I think the year before we were relegated Arsenal and Man City were sniffing around him.

I know how transfers and payments are structured but thanks for the recap. The way Levy structured the Berahino deal was such that we'd have been lucky to see anywhere near the figure you've quoted.

The final offer only came in several hours before the end of the window. The initial payment would have been in the region of £4M upfront rising to £12.5M.

The rest of the fee was made up of clauses relating to club and international goals and appearances, Champions League qualifications and success in domestic trophies etc. ad nauseam.

I think you're correct regarding the relegation part of the release clause and we were in fact relegated following a largely indifferent level of performances from Evans than we were accustomed to.

A very rotten egg (in my opinion) in a post Darren Fletcher dressing room that turned in on itself thanks to boredom with Pulis and ridicule for Pardew and 'Best Coach in the World' Carver.

[Albionic68]

1. There was indeed a relegation clause. Also why set the release figure so low about half of what we paid.

2. Ferguson: Who thought it was a good idea to let it go to tribunal. Has a selling club ever been happy with the agreed amount?

3. Pereira: Proven Premier performer sold for half of what Villa paid for unproven Norwich player.

4. Johnstone: Is anyone confident we will get a favourable deal?

5. You can argue the individual rights and wrongs it's the collective where we always seem to end up on the wrong side of the deal.

1. Because he wouldn't have signed for us otherwise. 100% ITK...... allegedly.

2. As far as I'm aware that was down to Dowling.

3. Gutted he left, let alone for so little. Again, the market was skewed by the wages on offer and he did at least drag us up with him. No Premier League club was interested in him at those levels of pay.

I'm led to believe he was more than willing to turn up for training, pick up his wages and let his value diminish until we ultimately agreed to the money move.

I cannot legally confirm this as a fact though so you can either take my online word for it or take it with a pinch of salt. I'm not bothered either way so long as nobody sues me for my own diminishing assets 😊 .

4. I'd be very surprised if we do.

5. Agreed, it's very frustrating.