Originally Posted by
Taksin
Firstly I don't think Roman saw much of a return on his investment (having the club stolen off him set aside). The club owed him 1.2 billion pounds or something. That wasn't the point for him. Nor was it the point in Paris or at City, nor will it be at Newcastle.
Secondly, pouring huge amounts into a club is good economically for the club to some extent, sometimes to a great extent. But money can't buy you everything, including self-respect.
Thirdly, I don't think we could spend more within FFP limits, except with pure gifts that don't form an ongoing part of expenditure. As things stand, we spend everything we earn. The other option would be to lie, as City have done. But for that to happen you need owners who want to throw their money away, which FSG and Lebron don't want. I have no problem with that.
I didn't say your hypothetical situation would be selling the soul of the club. I said the team who beat us sold their soul in the act of massively overspending their budget. In order to spend that way, someone else was getting something out of it - the sovereign wealth fund of the UAE who have attached their identity and prestige to the success of their club, which has become their play thing and everyone knows it. Man City have not earned the right to spend that money, the Royal family of Abu Dhabi have earned that right.
As it happens, FSG and Lebron have put their own money into the club. 320 million or something. They have invested in a business in the understanding that they could move it forwards with skill and improve its value. The improvement in its value is what they were seeking. Not the improved image of a dodgy country, an airline or a childish prince. When they leave, no one will even remember who they are. They will remember what LFC achieved or didn't achieve. And they will notice that our standing in the world of football is far higher, hopefully.
This is a silly question really. There are so many variables involved in the question of why they didn't, but you are implying the only one that counts is miserliness.
Our club is run well enough to know that, if buying him is possible and if everyone believes he is the right purchase, we stand a good chance of getting our man, even if he costs 100 million euros.
To expect that to be a formality, especially when there are so many of these sugar daddy clubs around, is to be spoiled in my view. If we don't get him, we'll get someone else, but I still fancy us to pull it off.
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