What's the most important decision for you this summer..

In my original post that's kind of a point I was trying to make mate which you have nailed..

I was only trying to suggest that the stadium in the short term may affect the spending power in the market and people should maybe prepare for that. You and others have swerved me slightly on that but nailed it on the head there.

I think though most people here, with some exceptions, don't expect the owners to loan money for transfers anyway. Transfer budget would always come from the profit and player sales. And a new stadium does not have to affect that budget, it can be self sufficient as far as financing goes.

In my original post that's kind of a point I was trying to make mate which you have nailed..

I was only trying to suggest that the stadium in the short term may affect the spending power in the market and people should maybe prepare for that. You and others have swerved me slightly on that but nailed it on the head there.

It's slightly complicated though.
Arsenal have delicately balanced it for years and should see it pay off when the repayments finish.
If we don't invest in the playing staff then how beneficial is a half empty stadium.
As much as we all hate glory hunters, you need to be successful/entertaining to attract the masses.
Investment in the stadium without investment in players would be a bit like building a motorway without having any cars.

Like I said. The FFP won't factor stadium debt so we should be able to have some good investment if we continue to expand our revenues.

Stadium is a must, but i am more inclined to look at investment in players, and when I say investment I mean just that. Our scouting needs looking at because we need to find players like Alonso, Torres, who, when they did move on we made a profit, other clubs do it regularly.

Does that not fall into becoming a "selling club" though? Ideally you want to build on your stars not sell them on and start again..

Does that not fall into becoming a "selling club" though? Ideally you want to build on your stars not sell them on and start again..

You don't have to sell them all. But you could be smart about your incoming transfers and youth development, make sure that if you do sell it's for a healthy profit. Arsenal is often criticised on here, and ofcourse their policy isn't perfect. But if you look at our club, with our prestige, worldwide support, sponsorship deals and commercial attractivity. Combine that with smart scouting and youth development, kind of like Arsenal do. Then we're able to achieve alot more than Arsenal, dare I say win things. Especially when you do spend some more money, unlike Arsenal who have like over 100 million cash reserve. But, that's just how I see it.

You don't have to sell them all. But you could be smart about your incoming transfers and youth development, make sure that if you do sell it's for a healthy profit. Arsenal is often criticised on here, and ofcourse their policy isn't perfect. But if you look at our club, with our prestige, worldwide support, sponsorship deals and commercial attractivity. Combine that with smart scouting and youth development, kind of like Arsenal do. Then we're able to achieve alot more than Arsenal, dare I say win things. Especially when you do spend some more money, unlike Arsenal who have like over 100 million cash reserve. But, that's just how I see it.

Yes your right, I was just pointing ( possibly the obvious) that selling too many of the likes of Alonso and Torres won't get you moving forward very quickly.
No matter how much I respect Arsenal's policy, possibly the reason they haven't kicked on is that they have sold too many Fabregas and Nasri types..

By the rules you set forth, I pick #2. Because we don't need a stadium decision this summer -- it can be delayed till the fall or winter. But we NEED two excellent attacking players added this summer, it can't wait -- players of the Lucas/Agger/Suarez/Reina quality. Hopefully it's a striker and a winger.

seriously need a decision soon on the stadium, think this should be number 1 priority as for transfers i think if we only had a limited amount then it has to be spent on a striker, sorry andy, dirk, stuart & luis, but the glaring downside of the team has been number of goals scored so if we had cash for only maybe 1 player it would have to be spent on a striker.

Yes your right, I was just pointing ( possibly the obvious) that selling too many of the likes of Alonso and Torres won't get you moving forward very quickly.
No matter how much I respect Arsenal's policy, possibly the reason they haven't kicked on is that they have sold too many Fabregas and Nasri types..

Selling the likes of Alonso and Torres wasn't the killing part of our transfer activity.
For two very different reasons we didn't replace them adequately.
If we can get the recruitment right at youth and first team level then by all means,
buying a player in their teens/early twenties and selling them (At a profit) when the peak
is a very shrewd policy.

The big problem with that is if the player moves on before you have some more lined up
to replace them down the line and end up panic buying or failing to reinvest the funds.

Yes your right, I was just pointing ( possibly the obvious) that selling too many of the likes of Alonso and Torres won't get you moving forward very quickly.
No matter how much I respect Arsenal's policy, possibly the reason they haven't kicked on is that they have sold too many Fabregas and Nasri types..

I don't think that's the reason why Arsenal haven't kicked on. Arsenal have the 4th highest total wages in the Premier League. You can't expect them to pay more than United, Chelsea or City. They could've been a bit wiser with incoming transfers, defensively especially. And maybe spend a bit more, instead of saving up. But besides that they're just about performing to their capabilities without putting themself at financial risk. But our revenue potential is much higher than Arsenal's, so we should be able to compete more with those other clubs. We're already paying similar wages in total now, while not having performed as well as they have the last years, and not having played CL.

By the rules you set forth, I pick #2. Because we don't need a stadium decision this summer -- it can be delayed till the fall or winter. But we NEED two excellent attacking players added this summer, it can't wait -- players of the Lucas/Agger/Suarez/Reina quality. Hopefully it's a striker and a winger.

Agree with this 100%.  If we have another poor showing in the league next year, we may see some of our better players like Reina and Suarez in particular looking for a move away to a club they can win titles and trophies with. 

I would rather see us invest heavily into the squad this summer and build a top side with a lower average age.  Then, we would just need to try to maintain our status as a top team for around 5 years until the debt from the new stadium was close to being paid off.  When you are a top side, it is easier to sign quality players on Bosman transfers, and we already have a good youth setup in place so I think this would be achievable.  We might require a little bit of money here and there, but maintaining a top side is easier than building one. 

Not whinging and moaning every time a result go our way.

Grab the torch and pitchforks.

Not whinging and moaning every time a result go our way.

Grab the torch and pitchforks.

You better row in with the popular opinion or we'll hunt you down.

Didn't want this to appear negative by the way, just thought it was an interesting talking point.

And I'm not putting down rules or anything. If anyone wants to open up the debate and give other ways they would like to go or think we will go then throw it in the pot.

Didn't want this to appear negative by the way, just thought it was an interesting talking point.

It is an interesting talking point, specifically as one of our directors (Ian Ayre maybe) just mentioned the other day that the new/renovated stadium is a delicate subject because the owners have to decide if it is better to invest into that, or directly into the squad.  I don't remember everything from the article, but the basic point was that an additional 20,000 ticket sales per game will only raise an extra 8-13M in revenues per year.  However, when you think that it will cost 300-600M to build a brand new stadium, then you realize that it could take between 25-40 years for a new stadium to really start to pay off.  So, when you think of it that way, the 20M bonus you get from competing in the Champions League seems to be a more realistic and attainable short term goal. 

Edit:  Here is the link to the Ayre interview for anyone interested:  http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/no-simple-stadium-decision-for-liverpool-admits-ian-ayre-7575163.html

To add to the debate on the stadium I agree with JD.  Funding will come from both naming rights (if it's Stanley Park), sponsors (if it's redevelopment) and some sort of loan.

The main issue is getting the decision right.  The cost of redevelopment could end up more than Stanley Park, as we will lose a naming rights partner plus the additional funds from not selling Anfield and the land owned around it for development.

That's how Arsenal have managed to pay back their loan so quickly.  Although not as quickly as they wanted due to the housing markets crashing.

It wouldn't surprise me if NESV have been waiting to see what happens in the City, with the Peel Holdings development, as this could have a massive impact on their plans

The lack of serious match day revenue over the last 20 years has cost us far more than being out of the CL for the last couple of seasons.

There will be money available for transfers in the summer regardless of the Stadium issue as there is still cash in the bank from last summers sales, less outgoings in wages for a season, sponsor money and player sales from this summer. 

I don't remember everything from the article, but the basic point was that an additional 20,000 ticket sales per game will only raise an extra 8-13M in revenues per year.

Interesting figures harry.

Going on what little I know - with a £2m matchday revenue for 45k attendance; a 25% increase in attendance (15k) would work out @ an increase of £9.5m per year - based on only 19 league games and no increase in ticket prices or corporate boxes. A 5% increase in ticket cost would see increase in revenue rise to around £17.5m - again with no corporate boxes. @ 20k extra the upper figure would rise to around £22m additional per annum.

Of course this is 'gross' not net.

Increased matchday revenue is really more to do with long term strategy - I guess it all depends how far-sighted one wants to be. It'll be an interesting Summer.

Interesting figures harry.

Going on what little I know - with a £2m matchday revenue for 45k attendance; a 25% increase in attendance (15k) would work out @ an increase of £9.5m per year - based on only 19 league games and no increase in ticket prices or corporate boxes. A 5% increase in ticket cost would see increase in revenue rise to around £17.5m - again with no corporate boxes. @ 20k extra the upper figure would rise to around £22m additional per annum.

Of course this is 'gross' not net.

Increased matchday revenue is really more to do with long term strategy - I guess it all depends how far-sighted one wants to be. It'll be an interesting Summer.

It all adds up. I think if we went to a new stadium instead of redeloping anfield we would see a shitload money come in.

I think we only need one or two players if we are going to do option 1.

And I'm not putting down rules or anything. If anyone wants to open up the debate and give other ways they would like to go or think we will go then throw it in the pot.

As you wish mate.

The most important decision made in the summer could be if Kenny decides to buy someone to put the ball in the net and more importantly who that player is.

It might seem too simplistic to boil it down to this but I guarantee if we had a player who scores for fun and we converted many of the chances we created this season we wouldn't be having half the debate and arguments we have had over the last month or so.

STADIUM!

As you wish mate.

The most important decision made in the summer could be if Kenny decides to buy someone to put the ball in the net and more importantly who that player is.

It might seem too simplistic to boil it down to this but I guarantee if we had a player who scores for fun and we converted many of the chances we created this season we wouldn't be having half the debate and arguments we have had over the last month or so.

Sad but true.  I truly believe that if we had a finisher of the likes of Benzema, Van Persie, Aguero, Villa, Ibra, etc we would be sitting in the top 4 right now, and possibly even battling it out for the title.  Shame we didn't take a gamble on Ibra when he left Barca for 20M to go to Milan....

For me, it's gotta be the transfer market. Having the revenues from a new stadium or a redeveloped Anfield will be nice, but I'd much rather see the team winning for fun, and challenge for titles and CL spots - and more!. Without going into debt, of course.   

I would like us to sort out the squad firstly but theres no reason why they can't work on both this summer. Personally I don't think we're going to here anything regarding the stadium for quite some time yet. It's extremely important we start getting results in the league and getting back on our perch as soon as possible.

Personally I would like to sort out the squad first. I think there is a lot that needs sorting. I think however there is a lot that can be sold to generate some revenue to assist with this.
The ideal situation would be 1+2. Would be nice to think that stadium has been planned separately and would not directly effect transfers.
There is talk of naming rights etc as well as usual finance deals to fund this so it may not overly effect the transfer policy but who knows.