Slight Positive?

[Norfolk Mustard 94]

I agree Ray - David McNally''s interview following a very quiet period was rather self serving; he certainly plays a canny game! What isn''t up for debate is that as Chief Exec he has ultimate responsibly for the operational side of things - including 1 point in 30. He''s very well-remunerated to do that job too...

[HertsCanary93 222]

[quote user="morty"][quote user="HertsCanary93"]I agree Splat, Bournemouth are not staying up due to them being backed by a rich owner but because they have looked up for the fight and have stuck by their footballing approach.[/quote]So we''re saying now that money doesn''t make a difference?[/quote]

I''m saying that money is not the be all and end all. If there is any premier league season that sums it up, it is this one.

[morty 0]

[quote user="HertsCanary93"][quote user="morty"][quote user="HertsCanary93"]I agree Splat, Bournemouth are not staying up due to them being backed by a rich owner but because they have looked up for the fight and have stuck by their footballing approach.[/quote]So we''re saying now that money doesn''t make a difference?[/quote]

I''m saying that money is not the be all and end all. If there is any premier league season that sums it up, it is this one.[/quote]So you are saying Leicester ( I presume thats what you are talking about) have managed to do what they have, without substantial financial backing?

[HertsCanary93 222]

Well it''s certainly not money that has them ahead of Man City, Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and Spurs.

[morty 0]

[quote user="HertsCanary93"]Well it''s certainly not money that has them ahead of Man City, Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and Spurs.[/quote]So the money has made no difference, is what you''re saying?

[HertsCanary93 222]

I''m saying that as much as your suggesting that club management makes no difference.

[morty 0]

[quote user="HertsCanary93"]I''m saying that as much as your suggesting that club management makes no difference.[/quote]Can you point out where I said that?

[HertsCanary93 222]

Can you point out where I said that money makes no difference? No you can''t, because I never even alluded to it.

What I have said, is that the team that has spent the most money doesn''t always achieve more success. I have provided Leicester as an example of a team that has spent no where near as much as their rivals over the last few years and yet is competing with them.

Before that I expressed my opinion that Bournemouth aren''t above us due to spending more than us. If we had £25m worth of Max Gradel, Tyrone Mings and Lewis Grabban in the stands watching the Villa away game, I think the result would have been identical. I say in the stands, as that is where most of Bournemouth''s big spending has been this season.

[morty 0]

Why do you think Adobe chose Bournemouth over us?

[HertsCanary93 222]

It probably had something to do with the fact Wolves actually accepted Bournemouths offer. It''s quite hard to agree terms with a player when you''re not allowed to speak to them.

[morty 0]

So money was the difference....

[FenwayFrank 2,448]

Apparently we offered Afobe 40k a week, Bournemouth are paying him 50k

[HertsCanary93 222]

Except Bournemouths bid was actually lower than ours from the Summer.

[morty 0]

So what we are saying is that Afobe went to Bournemouth because they could pay him more....

[FenwayFrank 2,448]

Could be he really likes Eddy Howe and he felt they had a better chance of staying up, but I bet the wages helps

[HertsCanary93 222]

He went to Bournemouth because they actually tried to sign him in January. We didn''t even bid in January. Instead we spent a similar amount of money on Steven Naismith, probably with a similar wage outlay. We also signed Mbokani after our bid for Afobe was rejected in the summer.

[GJP 79]

Unfortunately Smug Eddie Howe has got a better reputation. We''ve all heard plenty about what a good side Bournemouth are and their brand of football. And, to be fair, they have stuck to what they know and are good at. We''ve been all over the place.

He is more of a draw than Alex Neil. Which is generally a problem for our recruitment - we can''t attract players based on who our manager is.

More money helps too, of course.

[Peanuts 150]

I don''t think it''s so much the reputation of the manager, more the perceived ambition of the club. Of course if Bournemouth were offering Afobe more money that''s got to be a huge factor, but if they are generally seen to be spending more money and paying higher wages players are going to see that as a sign of ambition and might prefer that club over another, even if the actual deal was similar.

[Donkey dangler 0]

[quote user="HertsCanary93"]He went to Bournemouth because they actually tried to sign him in January. We didn''t even bid in January. Instead we spent a similar amount of money on Steven Naismith, probably with a similar wage outlay. We also signed Mbokani after our bid for Afobe was rejected in the summer.[/quote]

Afobe was the no brainer signing that we should have made, 23 year old goalscoring striker for £10m v a near 30 year old non prolific Naismith.

[Donkey dangler 0]

[quote user="Peanuts"]I don''t think it''s so much the reputation of the manager, more the perceived ambition of the club. Of course if Bournemouth were offering Afobe more money that''s got to be a huge factor, but if they are generally seen to be spending more money and paying higher wages players are going to see that as a sign of ambition and might prefer that club over another, even if the actual deal was similar.[/quote]

I agree, we do lack ambition.