Vital Manchester City received the following article from member, BitterBlue.
Looking back through the previous Premier League champions; other than United (11 titles), who else has have been crowned champions?
Blackburn (1), Arsenal (1), Chelsea (3).
There’s one common theme and that is spending power. With the possible exception of Arsenals single title, how did Blackburn and Chelsea achieve success?
As to kamikaze spending…
How did Manchester United achieve and maintain their success? Is it a coincidence that they’ve been breaking British transfer records as far back as Dennis Law?
Look at some of their current squad: – Hargreaves (£17m), Ferdinand (£30m+ transfer record), Anderson (£17m), Berbatov (£24m), Rooney (£26m at 18, transfer record for an under 20), Carrick (18m), Nani (£14m+), Valencia (£16m).
Then look at their much glorified youth system since the golden generation (Giggs, and Scholes et al), that have now broken into the current first team squad:- Smalling (bought aged 20), De Silva brothers (bought aged 17), O’Shea (bought aged 17), Evans (bought aged 18), Obertan (bought aged 20), Macheda (bought aged 17), Gibson (bought aged 18), De Laet, (bought aged 20), Corry Evans (bought aged 19), Bebe (bought aged 20).
I have no personal axe to grind with United – honest! In Fergie they have probably the best manager of all time (or certainly of my generation), and their trophy cabinet is the only example needed to portray the clubs great success over decades.
I rightly acknowledge their record of success (through gritted teeth mind) as it’s good to have your benchmark for success as a local rival. As I say, this is no personal dig at United; it’s just that our local rivals also happen to be the most successful club over the last few decades. As to other current contenders for the top 4…
Liverpool has spent massively, as have Aston Villa, and in particular Tottenham whose current squad has cost an estimated £197m.
One final point missed by much of the media is the fact that as of next season, all transfers will have an impact on their qualification to European competitions following Platinis’ ridiculous new financial restrictions; which again will only benefit the currently successful clubs who already share a position on the Euro top table.
By spending a lot now, especially as it’s generally cash paid in a lump sum, we are positioning ourselves to be in a very strong position once these rules are in place. Kamikaze spending or considered and thought-out planning for our future?
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