I haven't really posted in this thread much over the years, as FSG have been doing OK, managing their investment prudently [make no mistake, that's what it is to them, and when the time is right, they'll sell it for a handsome profit], and allowing one of the best managers in the world [maybe *the* best] to do his job - but a few things have pissed me off recently:
- the Super League - of course they weren't the only owners involved - but that doesn't make it OK - they've lost trust, respect and credit as a result, and combined with the recent lack of investment, now just seem out of touch, hiding gutless and cashless behind JĆ¼rgen's skirts
- JĆ¼rgen has *no money to spend* on squad improvement this summer - NONE - not true? well, if it's not true, then you believe that an excellent manager challenging on multiple fronts [PL, CL, etc] against other teams that have strengthened simply *chooses* not to freshen up his squad. So believe what you will there. And Konate coming in was balanced financially by a fair number of players leaving - I think more money came in from outgoing players that was spent on incoming players
- we've lost a regular first XI player and not added a first XI player - and that's even though many of our first XI players have been first XI players for years now, and the physical effort is starting to take its toll, injuries are cropping up more, some players don't look quiet as sharp as they did - oh, and a particular bugbear, Thiago a replacement for Gini a year early - please ...
- all this contract publicity, pissing down our backs and telling us it's raining, making it sound like something amazing is happening - rather than doing what every other major club does without much fanfare - just to distract from the lack of transfers - and it's worked to some extent, as some people are repeating the line like its some kind of miraculous event
Have said it before, have no axe to grind with FSG - they're just money men, like any other money men - but they don't understand the club or care about it the way lifelong fans do - I look at whether JĆ¼rgen is being given the tools to do his job - and JĆ¼rgen has proven he doesn't need ridiculous sums - just enough to make clinical buys - but he's been left hanging this summer.
Don't think it's rocket science to say that if you don't invest in something, it won't continue to grow and prosper. And, right now, FSG are coming up well short.
I really hope we can challenge this season. Though I don't see us as favorites over the long haul. Hope am wrong though, and JĆ¼rgen and the lads can recreate some of the magic of 19/20. Would be absolutely amazing to do it again, but this time with the fans in there beside them