[Albion] Bloom’s Biggest Bluff

[CaptainDaveUK]

Maybe the narrative about selling our best player each year to balance the books, so the Albion can be financially sustainable long term, is a bluff. Yes at some point in the future that may be the aim, but in the short to medium term, I’m convinced Tony Bloom’s number one objective is to finish as high up the table as we can go. This strategy would mean that we only sell to bigger clubs when we’ve got a potentially better player lined up and the money is silly. UTA.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

I think that some years we'll be selling 2 or even 3 players at big profits - ever increasing the warchest for new signings.

 

[southstandandy]

I suggest we offer Maupay to Man Citeh for £100m

 

[Justice]

He is a bluffer claims he has not a lot to do with Union. What European club sells their top scorer for £8m in January to a PL club? I would say none.

 

[CaptainDaveUK]

I think that some years we'll be selling 2 or even 3 players at big profits - ever increasing the warchest for new signings.

Yes we might, but that doesn’t change my OP. We’ve all bought into the narrative about financial sustainability, so we assume that is why we sold White and Bissouma. Maybe we didn’t need to sell them at all, it was just a way to make money whilst also strengthening the squad.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Yes we might, but that doesn’t change my OP. We’ve all bought into the narrative about financial sustainability, so we assume that is why we sold White and Bissouma. Maybe we didn’t need to sell them at all, it was just a way to make money whilst also strengthening the squad.

It isn’t making money, it is lessening the amount Tony Bloom has to put in to subsidise the club.

 

[CaptainDaveUK]

He is a bluffer claims he has not a lot to do with Union. What European club sells their top scorer for £8m in January to a PL club? I would say none.

Yes it feels like our strategy is to find the best possible young players, develop them at other clubs with a view to bringing them to Brighton to improve our starting XI. The main strategy is not so they can at some point be sold for a profit.

 

[CaptainDaveUK]

It isn’t making money, it is lessening the amount Tony Bloom has to put in to subsidise the club.

Yes I know, that is the exact narrative I’m suggesting is a short to medium term bluff.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

It isn’t making money, it is lessening the amount Tony Bloom has to put in to subsidise the club.

I don't think it is even that,
It's about increasing the available budget.

That may mean that Tony doesn't have to dip his hand in his pocket as much, but I don't think that is the first consideration.

 

[CaptainDaveUK]

I don't think it is even that,
It's about increasing the available budget.

That may mean that Tony doesn't have to dip his hand in his pocket as much, but I don't think that is the first consideration.

I agree, at the end of last season playing with a back three of Veltnam, Dunk and Cucurella, made £50M for White seem like the sale of the century. That money is then used to buy 2 or 3 new players who are loaned out with the primary objective of improving the first team.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I don't think it is even that,
It's about increasing the available budget.

That may mean that Tony doesn't have to dip his hand in his pocket as much, but I don't think that is the first consideration.

I’m fairly sure his long term aim is to make it as sustaining as possible. The Academy was built for that purpose, and to provide players for the first team but any sale of youngsters helps.

 

[Eeyore]

He is a bluffer claims he has not a lot to do with Union. What European club sells their top scorer for £8m in January to a PL club? I would say none.

Mitrovic had a more established record yet went for around £13m, Paul Onuachu can't stop scoring yet is still at Gent. Albion paid about right. Lukaku is the only one who really made it, and he was much younger than Undav.

 

[Swansman]

Similar to 99.9% of the clubs in the football food chain, Brighton will struggle to keep players when the 0.01% clubs are hungry for a player, regardless if there's a "replacement lined up" or not. According to the interview with TB earlier this week there has been no bid for Cucurella, but if City gets involved for real... it will be a struggle to keep Cucurella around.

The club is not too far from being sustainable at this point. With a couple of new TV deals (like for the American market) in place ahead of the new season, a minor transfer profit or just even numbers could perhaps make this desire come true sooner than you could imagine.

I’m fairly sure his long term aim is to make it as sustaining as possible. The Academy was built for that purpose, and to provide players for the first team but any sale of youngsters helps.

Indeed. And if he wants it to be a family club, the club will have to be as close to self-sustaining as possible because you can't really expect every new generation in your family to keep growing the wealth and to make it work in both the good times and the bad.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Similar to 99.9% of the clubs in the football food chain, Brighton will struggle to keep players when the 0.01% clubs are hungry for a player, regardless if there's a "replacement lined up" or not. According to the interview with TB earlier this week there has been no bid for Cucurella, but if City gets involved for real... it will be a struggle to keep Cucurella around.

The club is not too far from being sustainable at this point. With a couple of new TV deals (like for the American market) in place ahead of the new season, a minor transfer profit or just even numbers could perhaps make this desire come true sooner than you could imagine.



Indeed. And if he wants it to be a family club, the club will have to be as close to self-sustaining as possible because you can't really expect every new generation in your family to keep growing the wealth and to make it work in both the good times and the bad.

TB is making as good a fist of the Albion remaining a family club as is possible in the EPL, and full respect for that. If I were to second-guess, I'd say his dream is to one day hand over the mantle of the Albion to his son, maintain the Albion Bloom dynasty. Whether he gets steam-rollered from the top table by the harsh reality of having to compete with the bottomless pockets of dodgy oligarchs and oil states remains to be seen. Hoping for the best but expecting the worst. Tho fair play for giving it a real good go

 

[CaptainDaveUK]

Similar to 99.9% of the clubs in the football food chain, Brighton will struggle to keep players when the 0.01% clubs are hungry for a player, regardless if there's a "replacement lined up" or not. According to the interview with TB earlier this week there has been no bid for Cucurella, but if City gets involved for real... it will be a struggle to keep Cucurella around.

The club is not too far from being sustainable at this point. With a couple of new TV deals (like for the American market) in place ahead of the new season, a minor transfer profit or just even numbers could perhaps make this desire come true sooner than you could imagine.



Indeed. And if he wants it to be a family club, the club will have to be as close to self-sustaining as possible because you can't really expect every new generation in your family to keep growing the wealth and to make it work in both the good times and the bad.

Agree, long term that has to be Bloom’s legacy. It’s what happens in the next 5-10 years I’m intestinal in. If for example City bid £55M for Cucarella does he take it or not? If Cucarella stays I think we are stronger next season than last. Does Tony put the team or finances first? Long term when Bloom’s annual under writing is gone then the club will sell. Now I’m not so sure. Only time will tell and when and how Cucarella is sold will show in part Mr Bloom’s resolve. UTA.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

Southampton must surely be the club anyone of our size wants to emulate. 45 seasons of top flight football to date is a stunning achievement for a ‘provincial’ club.

 

[Swansman]

Agree, long term that has to be Bloom’s legacy. It’s what happens in the next 5-10 years I’m intestinal in. If for example City bid £55M for Cucarella does he take it or not? If Cucarella stays I think we are stronger next season than last. Does Tony put the team or finances first? Long term when Bloom’s annual under writing is gone then the club will sell. Now I’m not so sure. Only time will tell and when and how Cucarella is sold will show in part Mr Bloom’s resolve. UTA.

Probably more variables than just the fee involved in whether he would take it or not. How does the player feel about it? Is there a good connection between the club and the agent of the player that could result in more cooperation in the future? Are City approaching it cleanly or trying to **** the club over with dirty tricks? There is a lot of relations, politics and emotions that can have some impact on a transfer (though the money is obviously the most important thing).

 

[CaptainDaveUK]

Probably more variables than just the fee involved in whether he would take it or not. How does the player feel about it? Is there a good connection between the club and the agent of the player that could result in more cooperation in the future? Are City approaching it cleanly or trying to **** the club over with dirty tricks? There is a lot of relations, politics and emotions that can have some impact on a transfer (though the money is obviously the most important thing).

Yes, how and when he is sold will reveal in part TB’s ambition. I suspect most of us would like two more seasons of Cucarella, but whatever happens we are very fortunate to have such an excellent chairman, to deal with the likes of City when they come knocking at the door.

 

[CaptainDaveUK]

Looks like this OP wasn’t a million miles away. Amazing than TB has rebuffed a £70M offer for Caicedo to go for Europe! UTA.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

in the short to medium term, I’m convinced Tony Bloom’s number one objective is to finish as high up the table as we can go.

Was talking to a couple of chaps up in WSU from Seagulls over Burwash on Sunday. They said that before the Amex was built, or around the time (can't remember, it's me age!), that Bloom had addressed the group with the outline of his plan. I know its fairly well-documented but interesting to say the least to think back even 10 or 11 years ago and see how expectations have raised.

His plan was within 5 years to achieve promotion to the PL, in the next 5 establish our club in the PL avoiding relegation and then the next 5 reach the top 10 as an end of season finish. Well the club did all that and now it is safe to say that the chairman's outlook exceeds almost all of our wildest dreams.

Such exciting times for us Albion fans, specially those of us who lived through all the pain, and we are so lucky to have Tony Bloom as our owner.