This wasn't always evident last season.
Actually you're right, poor choice of words by me. But I think he's just preparing defences, in the event of failure (whatever that means) he will point to budget. I can't say that I go along with it when there's good examples of teams with small budgets doing well, and he does labour the point. I say just get on with it and do the best with what you have, that's a good test of management capability in any business