Tom Ross Column: Ex Birmingham City boss is proof that money talks in football
It is the same with Roberto Di Matteo and Alex McLeish.
They are football coaches, first and foremost, but are definitely not magicians who can turn average players into world beaters.
I don’t agree with it but it’s a fact that in the Premiership you have to be prepared to spend a lot of money to get decent players. If you try and survive on loans and cheap players, then you will inevitably struggle.
Stoke are a prime example. Tony Pulis was favourite to be the first Premier League manager sacked, with his team odds-on to be relegated, but they battled to hang on in the top flight. This summer they spent a lot of money, not to win anything, but just to ensure they stay in the league.
Sunderland have spent well on good players and with their anticipated January spending could be chasing a Europa League place.
I wish there was a way to survive in the Premier League on the cheap, but sadly there isn’t.
I understand that spending a lot of money doesn’t guarantee success and many chairmen trot out the names of Leeds and Southampton, etc.
But remember, success for most teams is just staying in the Premier League and to do that you have to spend decent money. The key is spending wisely and, of course, there is always a risk attached to any business deal.
■ THIS brings me on to clubs who are not always totally honest when declaring what they have spent to supporters.
Most transfers are paid on the “never never” and, in many cases, over a year or two – or even longer.
For example, if you buy a player for £5 million then you might only hand over £2 million when the deal is done, with the rest payable over a few years.
Surely a club should only take into account what it has actually paid out and not what it might end up paying in the future.
However, lots of clubs, when listing their expenditure to fans, use the full transfer fee even when more than half of it has still to be paid out.
The upshot is that if a club tells you they have spent £15 million in the summer, the reality is that they have only laid out £6 million-£7 million with the rest payable in instalments and, in many cases, only payable in full depending on whether the player completes an agreed number of games or plays for England – or helps you stay in the Premier League etc.
The game is and always has been about players.
And it’s not rocket science that teams with the better players usually win more matches and trophies.
