Asim wrote:The point is he has had to sign players like that to bolster his squad because the quantity and quality of players coming through hasn't been good enough - you can't blame Benitez for that as a successful youth system is a long term project, one he may not even be responsible for, depending on the way the club is structured.

The reason Ferguson can go out and spunk £30m on someone each summer is because he knows his youth development and scouting network ensures enough "filler" will be coming through. When that let him down for a few years even he was wasting money on signings like Kleberson, Miller and Djemba-Djemba for example.

keithcun wrote:There's not much point reading any further as he clearly stated during his contract negotiations that what he wanted was to be given a budget and let him, the best person, decide which player comes into the club.

If you can't even get that fundamental part right, your opinion is worthless.

carl_spackler wrote:But the article I was discussing has him suggesting his budget is not big enough. Maybe a slight exaggeration that he wants no budget, but the point stands that he wants more to spend. If he genuinely wants that, maybe he should mickey off elsewhere to a club who are either in a position to do so or willing to pander to his folly anyway.

All I ever see regarding him has him pleading to be allowed to do his job with no interference whilst not acknowledging the fact that those above him are only trying to do theirs.

keithcun wrote:What part of "the right ones" cost big money do you not understand?

Asim wrote:The point is he has had to sign players like that to bolster his squad because the quantity and quality of players coming through hasn't been good enough - you can't blame Benitez for that as a successful youth system is a long term project, one he may not even be responsible for, depending on the way the club is structured.

The reason Ferguson can go out and spunk £30m on someone each summer is because he knows his youth development and scouting network ensures enough "filler" will be coming through. When that let him down for a few years even he was wasting money on signings like Kleberson, Miller and Djemba-Djemba for example.

keithcun wrote:Hello!!! He's a football manager.

But can't you see, we had the money to sign Barry, his number one target, but the powers that be decided that he wasn't worth the outlay and that money and more was subsequently spent on Keane.

carl_spackler wrote:If it's about being told who he can and can't sign for playing reasons, yes, that's his job and he should be trusted to do it.

carl_spackler wrote:Which is what this part of my post was about:



I was talking about the latest story linked to, which is nothing to do with that point. In that case he would seem to be entirely right. I just think whining again about others spending more is getting boring and achieves nothing.

carl_spackler wrote:Fabregas, Van Perise, Toure, Rafael, Fabio, Macheda. Even Adebayor, Park Ji-Sung, Rosicky, Eduardo. They all are either proven to be or look to be better value for money than any of Benitez's medium-sized dealings.

keithcun wrote:I'm not sure what Rosicky or Park have over and above Benayoun for example.

Of course anyone can pick out and compare a managers decent buys against another managers poor buys.

What about Insua or Aurelio, both cost nothing. Arbeloa, less than £3m. It seems people ignore what's in front of their eyes.

Mark wrote:I agree with some of that, Benayoun plays a similar kinda role if anything he has been more productive although Park is there mainly for his work ethic. I think what people are getting at is that Rafa's strike rate isn't great and that maybe why he wasn't allowed to choose, your wife may doing something similar with your cloth shopping...can't be trusted etc.