Loco Rojo

Am i the only one that this sits uncomfirtably with? So many people have been injured, missing or have died in this tragedy but because he's a footballer and used to play in the PL he gets his own article - a bit like he is getting special 'celebrity status' attention.

It feels distastful and disrespectful to so many others impacted.

Not singling out OTIB as its the same over on the BBC.

Don't get me wrong, i'm pleased he's been rescued and is safe - as with many others they are rescuing.

One of the PLs pized assets. I can't see anything too impacting happening to them.  The footballing powers that be will want to protect the cash cow Premier League and vast sums of money it and teams like Man City attract.

Fine at most in my opinon + i bet this will take years to get through the legal process and various challenges and appeals that it'll be old news by the time the slap on the wrist is given.

The moaning on here! What do people think is going to happen to prices (ST and match day) if City ever get to the PL?

I still think we need to be pragmatic here.  We're had a good transfer window on paper and i like what Nigel and the team are doing. We've been able to free up wages (releasing Klose and Martin) and bring in some fresh faces, but they will need time to settle and integrate with the team and Nigel's tactics and instructions.

Hopefully OTIB won't have a melt down after 5 minutes in our next game if the new guys have scored a hatrick of goals or assists!

16 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Google translate

 

Good to see the article suggesting they'll cover the wages too. So assume saving us c£150k (my calculation could be way off) between now and the end of June plus the compensation? Every little helps.

It's a real shame it may end like this though as i think he's a great player and would've loved for him to stay.

Also, doesn't the window for transfers abroad stay open for a bit longer beyond Tuesdays domestic deadline?

Wow - insane how short that was.

Only 59 days in the job.  Zero wins in 9 puts the pressure on.

8 minutes ago, ExiledAjax said:

I understand reality. I've been a corporate lawyer for ten years, I know just what business is and how the capitalist dog-eat-dog world works.

However, I put it to you that this attitude, this historic modus operandi, this is why football is in the state it is and why we are where we are. Where clubs can exploit loopholes in financial controls, cherry pick bright talents from lower clubs half way through a season, and generally do what they will because they have deeper pockets (whether in real terms or on paper), smarter lawyers and accountants, and are immune from any backlash. Football is not the same as other industries. Clubs do not exist in a vacuum and the whole pyramid operates as an ecosystem despite rivalries and competition. If any part of that system becomes too dominant or too weak, the whole system suffers.

This isn't the thread for the full argument, and I apologise to those who came here for pure Semenyo-related news. I'll shut up now.

However - it can change.

I can't disagree with your frustration, but the business of football is all about greed and wealth (whether that's financial, status or obtaining the best players). 

It'll never change (or enough) to make it more sustainable for the lower leagues because there's too much greed for making the PL the best.  The whole sport is driven by getting to the top, stepping on others to get there and being rewarded for it. 

If i'm honest, it's difficult for me to complain about what's fair or unfair when being on the receiving end, when i know our club would do the same.

Like you say, i'm sure it could change - anything can - but those in charge wouldn't want it to, or would make it impossible if it meant damaging the brand financially.

28 minutes ago, ExiledAjax said:

I well know why it's possible. I've made my opinions and thoughts on how to try and fix it well known on the forum, and have spoken to the club and to fan groups about this subject as well. I'm not just moaning about it on here. I am actively trying to do something about it (so far as I can). It's still crap. 

Hand on heart I hope we would try not to raid the Championship. Brentford have 'only' done so in respect of taking Lewis-Potter from Hull for £19m. It is possible to stay in the Premier League, and do well there, without taking advantage of desperate clubs in the division below. Football clubs do not exist in isolation and a stronger pyramid with better depth and a wider spread of talent is to the ultimate benefit of fans of all clubs, and ultimately creates a better product for the broadcasters. 

No disrespect intended, but i disagree completely (i guess that's what a forum is all about).

We'd be attempting to 'raid' which ever club we could to try to get the best players we felt could help save our PL status - and we'd be trying to do it for as cheap as possible (or at least i hope we would). 

I don't believe for one second there would be any sort of principles of honour or lost sleep from City for trying to take the best talent from lower divisions if we were in Bournemouths position. 

In fact, i would prefer we did that (if it meant we could get the best players that improved us/could develop) rather than we spend larger sums of money on players in the PL/from abroad.

All clubs would do the same. That's just football and business. 

13 minutes ago, ExiledAjax said:

It's crap that even relegation threatened Premier League teams are able to cherry pick our brightest talents, double or treble their wages, and chuck £10m our way for fun. I do not blame players in the slightest for taking the payrise, getting a few months of top flight football on their CV, and then probably playing at the very top of the Championship if/when they do get relegated. 

Still shit though.

We'd be doing the same to save our PL status if positions were reversed. Just business.

So attempted Fraud then.

If this was the average person, there would be severe consequences. 

If i was a Cardiff fan, i'd have walked away from that club by now but this would certainly be the last straw.

I'd be ashamed to be associated with them. Vile club. Feel sorry for the fans.

1 hour ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

It all depends on the new contract tbh well IMO anyway. If he won't sign at all we will have to reassess this summer and try to get as much as we can for him in summer 2023 or at a push January 2024.

Think if he develops as he should and of course injuries are key and can wreck or badly stall a trajectory then value definitely would grow or be retained if we sell at the right time of course.

Buying from abroad or even PL to PL does seem to be on the rise, worth watching where PL cash goes in the next few windows I believe- blip or trend, time will tell.

So many variables to consider aren't there?  Hopefully we can get a really good deal out of this (and of course, he stays injury free, develops and can have a great career for himself).

For all his faults, Ashton did manage to get some great income from the outgoing star players. Hopefully people behind the scenes can keep that trend going.

I hear what peoples arguments are that the longer we keep Scott his value increases (assuming he continues to develop) which i agree with BUT, are clubs likely to pay an increased fee above what we'd accept now (say for example the £25m people put on here) whilst his contract is running down in say 1 year, 2 years? (assuming he doesn't sign this new offer). 

Thats a lot of money for a bottom end PL club to spend and I think we're more likely to see teams wait until this contract expires and then get him for free/compensation ala HNM. 

I know there's potential for desperate clubs to splash out to save their PL status if near relegation but could they spend the money better elsewhere. Buying from abroad seems to be cheaper.

I wonder if we're going to see more players winding down contracts and then moving on and it'll become the norm that ours (and other clubs star players) often leave for nothing/very little.

3 hours ago, pillred said:

Looks like we have at last learned from some of our past mistakes and are no longer a easy target for clubs looking to get our players for a song. I know nearly all clubs are selling clubs but the reason we never seem to progress beyond Championship standard is because we keep losing our better players, if only we could hold on to some of them for long enough to get to the top flight it might be us poaching promising players. I hope I live long enough to see us nick Bournemouth's best player off them god it annoys me that they are in a position to tempt away our best players. 

I don't think i'll ever see City in the top flight in my lifetime.

If i was in Alex's position knowing i could potentially play in the PL sooner and earn a bucket load more, i'd only sign an extention here with an agreed release clause fee that i was happy with (at the moment i assume there isn't one in his current contract). Because at least then i'd have some control over a future say in leaving.  If the release clause fee we include is unrealistic, I wouldn't sign it.

Of course, Alex might be the type of person that just loves playong football and wants to play his entire career here and won't include a release fee! 

So whilst it might be a clause that puts some clubs off, it means we have less strength in having a say on him staying (e.g. if someone matches that clause fee i assume City have no say in accepting it or not). Of cpurse, there could be endless additional clauses City could include i assume but if it gets too complicated i wouldn't sign it.

I think our only position of strength now is the length of his current contract which is slowely ticking down.

1 hour ago, Taunton_BCFC said:

There’s a machine in the club shop you put your reg in. We did it when did stadium tour 

Wow, i didnt know that. A good idea.

I've parked there before on non match day and was in and out quite quickly. I've just checked the City Website and the rules are detailed here https://www.ashtongatestadium.co.uk/getting-here/ (scroll down to the 'By Car' section.

Not sure if the link will work so...

Bournemouth are preparing a £50,000-a-week deal to tempt Ghana's 23-year-old forward Antoine Semenyo from Bristol City. (Sun on Sunday)

from the BBC Gossip page

Who ever dors it, can you tell them we always have £50m transfer war chest to spend each season?

I hate starting with £0.

3 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

That won't happen in Scott's case. Combination of trajectory, age and contract length all things being equal.

3 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

PL clubs haven’t really stopped spending big fees, and that will be where he ends up, so we ought to be ok. 

3 minutes ago, Marcus Aurelius said:

Well that’ll be another 3.5 years which is fine 

Thanks chaps. I feel like i have my own support group  (i'm not getting nervous, honest).

14 minutes ago, And Its Smith said:

Assuming Scott is happy enough to stay with City until we get a bid we are happy with then all is well. If anything, his value will keep increasing 

Or no club is willing to meet our valuation/s, his contract winds down  and he leaves for nothing/compensation like others have done. 

I feels like more clubs are coming around to the idea of not spending huge sums of money anymore and waiting for contracts to end and get players for very little/free.

Tricky one isn't it.

Ok, can i be the first to say Ryley Towler?

Or is it too soon?

JET!

Remember thinking at the time, it was like that one relationship that ended when you didn't want it to.  (tragic, i know).

A frustrating player to watch at times, but one of the most gifted.  What a talent he had.

46 minutes ago, Port Said Red said:

Selling our crown jewels to Bournemouth, has it really come to this? 

This must be how the landed gentry must feel when they sell up to the Nouvelle Riche.

Does it matter who we sell our best players to? As long as we get the best price we can so we can improve the clubs finances and hopefully re-invest some as well then i'm happy. 

Ultimately, i'd prefer not to have to sell any of our better players but this is football and you can't stop players from moving on, especially to the PL  (plus we need the money).

6 minutes ago, Olé said:

"Popular demand". Get over yourself FFS. Pearson didn't select Atkinson because RedNachos on OTIB told him to, nor did he drop him for such a spurious reason either. Maybe, just maybe, Pearson makes decisions based on things that happen at the club that none of us have visibility of, that he's not about to share with the rest of us (to protect the players) and which all evidence suggests players don't resent and, respond to.

Very well said. 

I know Fevs and he did this on purpose. He's evil i tell ya - if his stats dont get you, his horrific thread titles will.

There's only one thing for it OTIB!

The Messi love in on social media is embarrassing now. I don't know why the rest of the Argentinian team bothered turning up to this World Cup.

They may as well have taken the month off for R&R cuz it's ok, Messi has got it covered. Embarrassing.