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New Manager Will Get Money to Spend
Wednesday, 24th Oct 2012 23:31

Chief executive Simon Clegg says Town’s next manager will be given financial support just as the Blues’ two previous bosses have been, but within the parameters of the Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules. From this season clubs have to spend within their means, although with no sanctions for two years.

Clegg said: “I’m sure that the owner will support any new manager in the way that he’s supported the last two managers as they have come in.”

However, he admits that the lie of the land is very different to when Roy Keane took over as boss in April 2009: “The world has changed out there, I accept that, and we have to accept that.

“I’m highly conscious of the restrictions of Financial Fair Play and I think it would be irresponsible to go down a high-risk strategy which is totally dependent on securing promotion to the Premier League or, if you don’t achieve that, potentially sending clubs into administration.

“We can’t fall foul of that requirement,” he added. “You’re bringing in players on two or three-year contracts in some instances and it’s important to take that into account. And if you don’t take it into account it will be costly to you going forward.”

Jewell recently said that Town’s wage bill was around £6 million a year, which Clegg says puts Town “at the midway point” in the Championship. He says he doesn’t think Jewell was let down in terms of the money available last summer, however, he concedes that plenty of clubs in the division currently appear to be taking the gamble and are ignoring FFP: “It’s a high risk strategy.

“There are no sanctions for two years but one year has already passed and we’re into the second year now, so actually the sanctions will come from [financial] results which are produced going forward [from this year].”

He admits this situation may have put Jewell at a disadvantage when battling other bosses for players’ signatures: “Possibly, in some regards, but it’s not as if we haven’t made any resources available.

“When you look at the number of signings that have been brought in, loan signings or permanent signings, the financial support has been there.”

Clegg believes those signings will impress any incoming boss: “It is an attractive club because any manager will look at it and see the number of players we’ve bought in since the end of last season and the financial support and commitment that the owner continues to give this club.”

Questioned regarding the much-publicised failure to sign some of Jewell and Roy Keane’s targets, specifically Championship top scorer Charlie Austin, who opted to join Burnley in January 2011, he added: “You’re speculating that [wages were] the reason [Austin] left the club without signing.

“Conversely, we got Paul Taylor. You couldn’t speculate that Paul would be injured so early on in the season. I’m incredibly excited about the potential that he has to bring to this football team.

“I think it’s wrong to focus on one individual, but we are working within a budget and it’s not a bottomless pit, as much as many people think it should be.”

Clegg says until the Blues have enjoyed another spell in the Premier League they are always going to be outspent by other clubs while in the Championship: “The increase in parachute payments from two years to four years means that there are going to be more clubs with more money in the Championship who have come down from the Premier League. That’s going to make it harder for those that have not been up there recently to get back up.

“That doesn’t mean that we can’t be creative or effective and still aspire to that goal, which we can do as long we continue to enjoy the backing of the owner.”

He admits that the current total of eight loanees isn’t ideal — “but we are where we are because of a number of different factors” — and he’d like to see a home-produced Town side: “I’ve made it very clear sitting here before that in an ideal world there’s no one more than me that would like to see 11 players all having come through the academy.

“What I can tell you is that I am very excited about some of the youngsters we’ve got in the academy, and certainly, according to our academy director, Bryan Klug, there’s a reasonable chance that two, three or four of those individuals will be on the fringes of the first team by the end of this season. We’re very excited by what’s coming through the academy at the moment.”

Clegg says the club’s debt — which was £66.17 million in the accounts to June 2011 — won’t be a factor in the appointment of the new manager: “The financial position of the club is clear. Unlike many clubs we don’t owe money to the bank, most of the debts that we carry are owed to the owner himself. The best way for him to get out of that situation is for us to secure promotion to the Premier League.”

Regarding the annual interest of around £3 million which is added to the debt — but not physically paid to Marcus Evans as has been erroneously reported elsewhere — he said there will be developments at the PLC AGM, which will be held in early December: “I will be making some announcements in that regard at the PLC AGM and it would be inappropriate for me to announce that at this moment in time.”

Meanwhile, we understand that Dougie Freedman is set to complete his move from Crystal Palace to Bolton, despite late interest from the Blues.


Photo: Action Images



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Sindre94 added 23:39 - Oct 24
I cant keep up with these news flooding through! Hope the next manager is a long-term one, and not someone made out of panic just cause we are bottom, although we need to get out of this hole
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Edmunds5 added 23:40 - Oct 24
All well and good but goes without saying the money must be spent more wisely than our last two managers have. Less over the hill players on big wages and more emphasis on developing our own and looking at lower league diamonds. Too many times we have signed players for large fees who have not had the passion and hunger to succeed at our club, others have just moved on for free.

Wont want to put pressure on the new man though, we can't blame past mistakes on him and so its a clean slate and we just have to see how he goes about things and be respectful and patient whilst he does this.
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Chris_ITFC added 23:58 - Oct 24
Let's spend it on players with hunger and potential this time, rather than funding the retirements of rather average players.
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Lukeybluey added 00:07 - Oct 25
Need to sign a manager from the german division. How many quality home grown youngsters play in the bundesliga? Loads. How many quality players have teams signed with names you've never heard of? Loads. They obviously have a big emphasis on producing your own talent. And have a good understanding on how a scouting should be! Felix Magath, sign him up!
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KernewekBlue added 00:57 - Oct 25
“... we are working within a budget and it's not a bottomless pit, as much as many people think it should be.”


Dear Mr Clegg, the only bottomless pit I'm interested in is the one I hope you stumble into on your way out of the club!
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Len_Brennan added 06:26 - Oct 25
Speculating that the reason why Charlie Austin didn't sign was financial is all the fans can do Mr Clegg. You had the opportunity to clarify and deny it outright, which you didn't, or couldn't. Instead you give a Politician's evading type answer.
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Whymarktonomarks added 07:15 - Oct 25
Have to admit , that there's a hell of a lot of common sense being spouted here .
Lets hope that Mr.Clegg has had an injection of humility and if we could carry out a service on his powers of persuasion , doubled with the appointment of an appropiate Manager , maybe we have a chance .
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Mark added 08:00 - Oct 25
“I'm sure that the owner will support any new manager in the way that he's supported the last two managers as they have come in.”

When Jewell was appointed I believe he just spent £75K on Drury plus the loan of Bullard, as the Austin deal fell though?

I appreciate the FFP constraints but if sanctions do not yet apply shouldn't we invest in the decent centre back, right back and target man up front that we can all see we need? Otherwise we'll end up with a much lower budget based on FFP in League One!
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cooper4england added 08:17 - Oct 25
"The best way for us to get out of the situation is to secure promotion to the premier league"

Ho ho ho ha ha ha tee hee hee (repeat to fade)
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Keaneish added 08:50 - Oct 25
If there's interest on a debt that is owned by Marcus Evans that ITFC are paying....who the hell else is it going to!? That doesn't makes sense to me unless someone wants to correct me.

Evans is a businessman and he bought ITFC as a business investment. Yes getting to the Prem is his primary interest but of course he's profiting on that investment from the interest on money he's offset to bail us out no?

Please explain Clegg as this has been widely reported as the case, it's not a one off source!

Good on Freedman. As Mick Mills said the other night, 'we need the right character of a manager'. Freedman isn't it as well as being inexperienced.
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itfc1981 added 09:57 - Oct 25
Taking the FFP route to early is a major reason why we ended up in this mess this season.

The mere adition of Boyd who only wanted 10k a week would have meant we would have had our heads above water.

Clegg out!
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Wickets added 09:58 - Oct 25
Leg spin off spin Clegg spin!!!!!!
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kingy4978 added 10:04 - Oct 25
How about a match of the day management team? Harry Redknapp - Direcotr of football, Alan Shearer - 1st team manager, Gary Lineker - Striker coach, Alan Hansen - Defensive Coach, Marl Lawrenson - How to grow a rubbish tash coach.
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StowTractorBoy added 11:17 - Oct 25
LesBrennan its pretty clear to me that Austin went to Burnley because he wanted to play for his previous manager Eddie Howe who he was with at Bournemouth. Can't blame Clegg for that. Clegg gets far too much stick on here in my opinion.
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JustSpivvyChops added 12:12 - Oct 25
HAHAHAaaaaaaaaa, oh Major, you're like a broken record.....................the manager will be given fook all to spend and expected to work miracles "within FFP".

Why don't you resign, then we can release your salary for player budget, where it will be considerably better utilised and the fans can expect some sort of return.
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eaii added 13:44 - Oct 25
I have said it before and I will say it again, whilst Simon Clegg is at this club then we will always struggle. Even if the club appoint a very good manager, all he will get is loan signings or secondary targets.

Clegg is responsible for the state of this club both directly and indirectly!
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Len_Brennan added 14:14 - Oct 25
SlowTractor: The point is we don't know why Austin went to Burnley. What is clear to you is irrelevant, as that is merely a viewpoint you have based on whatever your prejudices are. Others have a different view based on their's.
You may be right, you may be wrong, the point is Clegg could have stated that it was not a decision made on wages. He could have said we matched or bettered the Burnley deal & the lad chose to join up with his former manager. Instead he gave a half-assed insinuated comment which tied him to nothing. Austin came for talks, he was interested. Wages often outsell a club over geo
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Len_Brennan added 14:17 - Oct 25
Geography or a manager.
You may be right, but it is certainly not clear what the reasons were for his choice.
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dirtydingusmagee added 16:46 - Oct 25
money to spend ! enough for a pint of lager and a packet of crisps, then go find some more loan players .
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