I'm just saying I don't think the problem is as rampant as some (not you specifically) make it out to be.
I'm not sure "rampant" is the right adjective mate [it's such an emotive word] but it certainly exists and runs to the very core of company 'policy'.
All the evidence is there FL; from Brendan's quotes on "money men" and "financial decisions", to John W's missive to the masses - the PR exercise where he boasted about bringing in "young but significantly talented starters Allen, Sahin and Borini as well as two exciting young potential stars of the future - Yesil and Assaidi".
The 'policy' and I use the word "policy" loosely, of replacing high wage earners with cheaper 'cuts' would be fine if the 'replacements' weren't picked, primarily, because they were easy paid but because they were, indeed better.
In my opinion, the scatter gun approach, of buying lots of cheap but "young with potential", although appealing to the romantic notion of producing stars, is fraught with difficulties.
Let's look at a few of the players mentioned ['good' and 'bad'] - Reina: we saved a fortune in wages on a player who, by some accounts, was "in decline" but spent £9m on young potential; how much better off are we? Agger: a big wage earner who "didn't play enough because of injury" - spent £18m on Sakho & £20m on Lovren "young", "potential" and on less wages: improvements? Heck... lets' even look at Downing: "utter sh*te" by all accounts and a high wage earner - Aspas £7m, Assaidi £3m and Borini(?) £12m; nuff said?
The thing is - we were [are] a team on the up. We had a great spring board to not only build on but to attract players who could help us right now, not next year or the year after but right now. Brendan and the lads were excellent last season. How do you add to what they achieved? "First team improvers" maybe and players who are better right now not cheap but "young with potential", in my opinion, of course.
Buy cheap and hope that they can be moved on for a tidy profit (or a small loss) might be good business but the Suarez's and Sterling's (when that happens) of this world aren't going to be replaced by cheap but young with potential; certainly not in the short term. Every time we do that we are taking one step forward and two back.
I have no problems with any of the lads we have signed this summer - as individuals they're good in their own right but [in my opinion] right here and now there's only one (Adam) who is a genuine "first team improver". The rest are,
at best (right now), on a par with what we already had.
If certain players aren't justifying their high wages, then fair enough, but if it means we can't attract top players because we won't pay their wages ( which seems to be the case, as we "inquire" about certain players, then don't sign them), then that's bad for us in the field.
Exactly O_R... and a myriad of excuses won't hide that. It's false economy mate; certainly as far as the actual football side of things go.