OK, first off, this is not about FSG lining pockets, or stripping us down ready for sale.
I think it's a valid question.
Is it needless cost cutting, or is it about working smarter with the money we have.
We all know that wages, transfers, bonuses have increased hugely since the Premier League came into being, along with Champions League replacing the old European Cup.
For years, as fans, we have bemoaned the amount players get paid.
We have moaned about players on 100k a week being sat on the bench or kids being paid huge sums when they get their first contract.
Again, it's something we all know, and I daresay most (if not all) of us have had a moan about it at one time or another.
We also know (or should do) that competition for players is fierce, and that wages etc play a big part in a player joining a club.
However, what I'm talking about here is using the money we have in a better way.
Few would argue that getting rid of Cole and Downing was bad business. They just weren't justifying the amount they earned.
Suarez, Gerrard, Agger and others however, were justifying their wages and got wage increases last year.
We have sold a number of players who weren't playing regularly, and in some cases probably never would, but were still paid a good wedge.
So, is cost cutting a bad thing?
Well no, not in my opinion, as long as costs are not being cut for the sake of it or to take money out of the club.
Any business has to run as a self sustaining entity, unless you have a sugar daddy owner and even then you are at the mercy of his continued interest.
So with that in mind, I'd say we are in a reasonable position right now, with a solid platform to build on.
We have trimmed our wage bill to a more realistic level, no more paying hundreds of thousands for players to warm the bench and got rid of players who couldn't cut it for whatever reason.
I say reasonable, because we also know the 1st team needs improving.
We may only be 1 or 2 players short, but short is still short.
I don't think we are in a bad position because we have only the cups and league this year.
I don't think we are in a great position because we are still short a couple of players (maybe more) who can improve the first team.
I also think we are in a healthier financial position, simply because we are no longer supporting dead wood: players happy to sit on the bench (or in the treatment room).
We have a decent squad which will get better.
We have players to rotate in and out for the early cup rounds.
We may even do more business before the window closes.
So, all things considered, I would say that the so called cost cutting is more about using our money wisely instead of pissing it against the wall, which is what we seem to have been doing for the last 20 years or so.
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