By CandH blogger Allen Cummings
Isn’t it time we stopped beating ourselves up over whether or not we can or should compete financially with the recognised top six?
Sean’s recent post on the ever-increasing gulf between ‘them’ and ‘us’ – and by that I also include the rest of the Premier League – is another clear indication that in terms of financial clout, it’s a lost cause!
That’s not a defeatist attitude, heaven forbid. I’m the eternal optimist in all things West Ham. It’s a realistic view. With the best will in the world it’s not going to happen.
On the pitch we’ve shown we can compete with the very best. Wins against Manchester United and Arsenal, a ‘moral’ victory over Liverpool, a draw with Chelsea and only a dubious penalty away from a similar result against Manchester City are all clear evidence this current West Ham team are capable of going toe to toe with the top six.
But off the pitch it’s a very different ball game – and sadly always will be.
I’m no mathematics geek pawing over spread sheets, but it’s obvious to me the odds are stacked heavily against us in almost every department of financing. The move to the London Stadium has given us a boost in potential revenue that comes from home attendances in excess of 55,000 compared to 35,000 at the old Boleyn.
But that is not enough on its own to address the imbalance – income streams for the top Premier League clubs go a lot further than just putting bums on seats. Besides hasn’t there just been a local furore over the increase in prices for next season.
So how do you increase revenue – and at the same time restrict price increases? Imagine the response if our board hiked prices through the roof. Mirroring the season ticket pricing of the Spuds, as revealed by Sean on ClaretandHugh today? There would be hell to pay!
With overseas TV money next season likely to be stacked in favour of the already flushed top six, Champions League rewards ever increasing – along with worldwide merchandising, the gap is destined to become even more insurmountable.
The situation could be unbelievably depressing if you allowed it get to you. But is there any point? Not in my opinion. Life’s too short.
I just want to see my team trying to play the kind of football I believe in – hopefully winning more than we lose – with the occasional top scalp to our name – maybe a trophy in our cabinet – and on a stage that remains the best in the world.
Life is too short.But money dictates.Look at the diversity of teams in the FA cup finals in the 70s and compare them with the last decade.Its the big boys every time now and it’s why football has lost something.We can give anybody a beating with our strongest 11 but the weakness of the squad has dictated this season as a punishing injury list has cost us and it is down to money and squad depth.
But I was told that moving to the Souless Bowl would lead us to the ‘new level’.have we
upset and alienated a large part of our loyal fanbase for nothing!
If football was all about money Man U would win every season, as Athletico Madrid have shown in Spain, if you are managed well you can break into the top four on a fraction of the budget, I think we have done pretty well this season considering all our injuries but we do need to improve our focus against the teams in and around us, when we can consistently win those games we will be ready for the next level.
I have been saying for months that the Premiership and probably the lesser leagues to a certain extent is not played on a level playing field.I may be wrong and I’m sure I will be corrected if I am,that this all started when Abromovich bought Chelsea.Since then a variety of owners,Asians,Americans,Chinese with billions in their pockets have bought clubs and spent fortunes on the best players in the world.We have David Sullivan and David Gold who probably are doing the best job they can but cannot compete with the financial clout of the other owners.I think we know who the top 6 will be for the next few seasons.