[Archived] Financial problems?

[Stuart]

Why a club that even in the good old days lost an average of 4 million a year should be expected to take 40 people to Dubai every year for a jolly is beyond me.

The economy drive, which could have been implemented somewhat better, is long overdue imo. It should've happened when the Trust turned off the tap.

To be honest, I never really agreed with the players jetting off to sunnier climes but even in the Souness era, it always seemed to really help the players re-charge ready for the run-in. The majority of the times, it worked too, and in the great scheme of the costs of running a club, a trip to Dubai or Austria, wasn't a large amount.

If we take it as a given that all Premier League quality players are basically primadonnas who need this kind of pampering then let's hope Harrogate gives them the motivation they need. Mind you we don't have many Premier League quality players left, so maybe Harrogate is a luxury after all.

All this "cutting our cloth" wouldn't be so bad if other clubs were doing the same but all we are doing is making the club less well equipped to attract and retain the talent needed for this league.

We either pay the going rate and compete... or we won't. It's that simple.

[Mattyblue]

Hope Keano's bodyguard is on the trip, don't want him on the end of a crockery attack in a Harrogate Tea Room,

[Ozz]

Yep.

[den]

Why a club that even in the good old days lost an average of 4 million a year should be expected to take 40 people to Dubai every year for a jolly is beyond me.

The economy drive, which could have been implemented somewhat better, is long overdue imo. It should've happened when the Trust turned off the tap.

The players have been going abroad for the past thirty years. This "economy drive [ ]", is a result of owners who have paid agents a fortune, lost the fans, the shirt sponsors, the corporates and - because of their support for a useless manager, income from PL place money.

[bob fleming]

Why a club that even in the good old days lost an average of 4 million a year should be expected to take 40 people to Dubai every year for a jolly is beyond me.

The economy drive, which could have been implemented somewhat better, is long overdue imo. It should've happened when the Trust turned off the tap.

Very true. Hopefully we'll never make another utterly pointless trip to India again either to play The Nags Head Second XI. Especially when embarking on a season long battle against relegation. Or perhaps that trips funding came from a separate "special" budget labelled "Venkys Advertising" - then again maybe Phil Jones paid for it.

Who knows? But I do agree, in a season where we're giving players away for free because we can't afford to pay them then a trip to Harrogate is probably a bit extravagant. That's life under Venkys in "The Best League in The World" for you.

[imy9]

The players have been going abroad for the past thirty years. This "economy drive [ ]", is a result of owners who have paid agents a fortune, lost the fans, the shirt sponsors, the corporates and - because of their support for a useless manager, income from PL place money.

Don't care if they have been going for 40 years, the point being made is valid, why go on their jollies when we are making 4 million plus losses a year??

[John]

Why a club that even in the good old days lost an average of 4 million a year should be expected to take 40 people to Dubai every year for a jolly is beyond me.

The economy drive, which could have been implemented somewhat better, is long overdue imo. It should've happened when the Trust turned off the tap.

It was done under the Trust because guess what, funnily enough, the managers (during that time) liked doing it because they thought it made the players fresher/energised for the run in.

I think most times it worked pretty well too (which is the important factor) - in the overall scheme of things, with money involved in finishing high up the table, cost of relegation, to cite finance not to do it is a bit strange.

[Majiball]

Don't care if they have been going for 40 years, the point being made is valid, why go on their jollies when we are making 4 million plus losses a year??

Because these little team building events have a habit of helping our form and aiding in us staying up.

You could argue that not going on their jollies could result in us having a 50M pound hole to fill. So -4M a year or -50M, I'm sold jollies it is.

[Exiled in Toronto]

The players have been going abroad for the past thirty years. This "economy drive [ ]", is a result of owners who have paid agents a fortune, lost the fans, the shirt sponsors, the corporates and - because of their support for a useless manager, income from PL place money.

And your means of running a club that lost 4 million a year would have been what exactly?

Because these little team building events have a habit of helping our form and aiding in us staying up.

You could argue that not going on their jollies could result in us having a 50M pound hole to fill. So -4M a year or -50M, I'm sold jollies it is.

Allardyce just took WHU to Dubai and they've repsonded by drawing at home against 2 teams near the bottom.

I love how everyone on here would happily run the club at a continuing loss when there was no benefactor and the overdraft was maxed out.

[den]

And your means of running a club that lost 4 million a year would have been what exactly?

I'll take that as a serious question.

Run the club as it was run pre Venky's.

Read Mick Rathbones book, rovers were going abroad even in those days when money was really tight. This isn't an economy drive EIT. It's a bunch of owners who have screwed up in every way possible.

[Majiball]

And your means of running a club that lost 4 million a year would have been what exactly?

Allardyce just took WHU to Dubai and they've repsonded by drawing at home against 2 teams near the bottom.

I love how everyone on here would happily run the club at a continuing loss when there was no benefactor and the overdraft was maxed out.

No one kicked up a stink when we went abroad or to Gleneagles, results improved and it helped us over the line.

I don't care about WHU, they worked for Rovers, in the main.

[Alan75]

Group accomodation can often be cheeper abroad.

[John]

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/8132069.print/

[cn174]

Northern Rover ‏ @Northern_Rover

So Rovers first team training camps which used to be held in locations such as Dubai now held in Harrogate! #cheapandcheerful.

Maybe it's just to make it easier for Jordan to get there?

[EwoodDawn]

team building in Dubai vs team building in Yorkshire? Unfortunately buttering up the staff is deemed a necessary evil these days. It's obvious that in football, as in city banking, as in many other professions, a mercenary streak has crept in when it comes to thinking about changing employers. And it means that if you want to have the best personnel working for you, you do have to shell out on little perks. Otherwise, if you become seen as the stingiest of employers, offering the most rubbish bonuses, the worst team building jollies, Chrsitmas dos, etc., then you won’t attract the best workers to come and work for you. How are BRFC seen by decent or even half decent footballers just now? Hmmm…

[tomphil]

I hope they enjoy Harrogate because at this rate next year it'll be Blackpool and the year after it's Eddisford Bridge campsite in Clitheroe

[Majiball]

team building in Dubai vs team building in Yorkshire? Unfortunately buttering up the staff is deemed a necessary evil these days. It's obvious that in football, as in city banking, as in many other professions, a mercenary streak has crept in when it comes to thinking about changing employers. And it means that if you want to have the best personnel working for you, you do have to shell out on little perks. Otherwise, if you become seen as the stingiest of employers, offering the most rubbish bonuses, the worst team building jollies, Chrsitmas dos, etc., then you won’t attract the best workers to come and work for you. How are BRFC seen by decent or even half decent footballers just now? Hmmm…

Come on now Dawn, we all knew that once the Venky's had their feet under the table it would be all about the cheap seats.

Indian company in cheaper alternative shocker.

[EwoodDawn]

Maybe it's just to make it easier for Jordan to get there?

Maybe the cost cutting's gone uberdaft and half the team are pitched up in a tent in Jordan's back garden?

[Brfcrule1]

I think most of youare missing the point if it helps us stay in this league this year then it would be worth it and IMO Venkys should be funding this out of their own pocket they have led us into this mess they need to lead us out of it and I can confirm everytime we have been away to Dubai etc... when we have come back we have always seemed to run further look more energized and everytime we have returned we have never lost and personally anything that helps the players should be funded by Venkys own fortune.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

I hope they enjoy Harrogate because at this rate next year it'll be Blackpool and the year after it's Eddisford Bridge campsite in Clitheroe

Nowt wrong with Edisford Bridge

[purplegrover]

Nowt wrong with Edisford Bridge

Looks really quite pleasant.

And how could they complain ? - River close by, and there is even electricity available on request !

http://www.edisfordbridgecaravanandcamping.co.uk/

[broadsword]

We can't be going on extravagant trips to Yorkshire when we're busy subsidising agents. There's just not the budget for it.

We'd be far better off having a survival weekend in Bowland. The players can bring their own bivvies and live off of road kill. Expenditure = 0.

While we're at it, we should exchange the team bus for National Express and charge players for a seat. That's a bit more trimmed off the expenditure.

Whatever you do, don't spend money on activities that are likely to help team morale when we're fighting relegation, not when there's more deserving causes like taxis for Steve and a spetsnaz ninja to pay for. We only have a limited pot, and that must be spent on agent's fees, Balaji bling, paying off competent staff and wages for Myles.

Please, whatever you do, don't spend the mega-wad of money we get for staying in the prem on things that might make the players feel valued. They're employees and must toe the line.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

It is funny - the average footie fans moans about the huge wages that average players are on. We moan when the club don't stump up for a jolly to Dubai for players that can easily afford to go themselves during their summer holidays.

[Amo]

It is funny - the average footie fans moans about the huge wages that average players are on. We moan when the club don't stump up for a jolly to Dubai for players that can easily afford to go themselves during their summer holidays.

Eh, missing the point, taking posts out of context.

Next.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Eh, missing the point, taking posts out of context.

Next.

But I think that is what is missing some context - yes our owners are doing an unbelievably bad job, but in the current financial climate is it not appropriate that the club tightens its belt ? Put in context - we made huge losses last year - the owners are trying to do something about it. I don't agree with most of what they do - but as a cost cutting measure this surely isn't up there with keeping Kean in a job because he is cheap !