ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

Chelsea Fire Sale

Read in the Times this morning that 'Chelsea stars head for exit in fire sale by Abramovich' irrespective of Grant staying or going.

Is there anyone we would want who we could realistically afford? Think I would go for SWP, Bridge and perhaps Sidwell.
Steve Ashton, Dunstable, Beds Posted 16/04/2008 at 13:24:25

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Lyndon Lloyd

One of the problems caused by the gulf between the "Sky 4" (with the possible exception of Arsenal who seem to operate a more sensible wage policy) and the rest is the exorbitant wages they can afford to pay their players. Assuming we could realistically afford the transfer fee, wages would be our biggest obstacle to buying at a Chelsea "fire sale". They certainly been an issue in the past (e.g. Scott Parker).

Matt Bone
1 Posted 16/04/2008 at 18:49:55

SWP is too inconsistent.
Bridge - Why????
Sidwell - Not good enough

And as Lyndon states all of the above are on probably twice as much as the Yak (assuming he is our highest paid player).

There MUST be better buys than these 3.

I?d have Manny over Sidwell. Valencia (of Wigan) over SWP and its a R back not a L back we need.

Dave Roberts
2 Posted 16/04/2008 at 19:13:12

One of the advantages of a move to Kirkby, if it really could engender extra revenue to the value of £10m per year, is that this could pay the wages for top players. Whether this extra revenue will ensue is another argument (I don?t want to start the ?war of words? Lyndon, I will let you allow others to do that as I am not allowed to do so!) but I am sure THAT would be the way in which we could attract better players.

There are many ways of getting the cash to buy them (Yakubu?) it?s paying them every week that?s a bugger.This is the same equation (but in reverse) which leads to companies looking to save cash by shedding staff as a first recourse. You can borrow £6m to buy Scott Parker very easily but how can you guarantee to pay him 60 grand a week? £10 m a year could solve that problem if we could get our hands on it and the club think they can. If we stay at Goodison we won?t and we can?t.

Neil Humphrey
3 Posted 16/04/2008 at 19:43:19

Anyone we even think about buying will be snapped up by Newcastle, who can somehow still afford extortionate wage demands despite being shit and never having won anything. I anticipate our major signing this summer will be about 6m, with 2 or 3 2.5m bargains. None from Chavski.

Mark Griffiths
4 Posted 16/04/2008 at 19:43:07

I agree Lyndon, and the sad fact is that they go to Chelsea on sky high wages that are way above what they are worth and then due to greed and arrogance price themselves out of a move to a decent club going somewhere and end up at some two-bit club like the barcodes and west ham who throw money at players with dellusions of grandure that they can match the likes of Cheslea, then they fade into the distance and never reach their potential.

Lee Gorre
5 Posted 16/04/2008 at 20:04:30

There is likely to be a substantial clear out at Spurs over the summer and there may be a more realistic chance of trying for some of their players. Wages and fees may be more achievable.

John Charles
6 Posted 16/04/2008 at 20:18:46

Sidwell would be our only real chance and what a good addition but even then we?d have to hope the lrue of Eeuropean football (well hopefully) will make him come to us over taking stupid money from the likes or Newcastle, Villa, City.

John Martin
7 Posted 16/04/2008 at 20:26:12

Cant see us signing any Chelsea players simply because of our wage cap. The likes of Sidwall are on around £60K allegedly, no doubt Newcastle or West ham would match that were we wouldnt go that high.
One of the things that will hold us back is not paying top wages, in the last few years lots of top players have chosen fewer games with higher wages at the Sky 4 over playing regularly for a bit less.
Or even Lucas Neill going to West Ham over Liverpool to double his wages

Davey Militwitch
8 Posted 16/04/2008 at 21:10:13

Looking to Chelsea is not the answer. The type of player they attract tends not to choose Chelsea for the sake of furthering their career, more for the sake of furthering their bank balances, and thats they players we do not want. I mean what is so special about Sidwell? He bagged a few for Reading, had a scrap with Dave Kitson then goes on a free to Chelsea, guaranteed only to sit on the bench every week.

I trust Moyes to sign hungry players with quality, and that American Lad at Heerenveen is a great start. I really beleive that this summer will be one of the best in terms of signings. I think Kenwright will put up, and Moyes wil take us up to the next level. Not with Sidwell.

Steve Williams
9 Posted 16/04/2008 at 22:36:42

Steve

Just look at the 3 you picked:

Bridge - LB - to compete with Baines and Lescott - he wouldn’t even get on our bench.

SWP - a midget who can run fast but produces absolutely no end product - just like Lennon who someone else mentioned on another thread. We’ve got enough midgets and blind alley merchants - no thanks.

Sidwell - comfortably the worst player on the pitch in the recent League Cup semi final - looked completely at odds with all other Chelsea players - again no thanks.

Now I suspect thast there are good young players out there who would do an excellent job for us at a decent price. Stop playing Championship Manager and let Moyes pick them - overall he hasn’t done too badly so far.