Crystal Palace: All About The Money?
Article by Dave Graham.- Follow on Twitter @DaveG_blogClick here to follow e-Crystal Palace on Twitter!
Yesterday, reported target Steven Caulker joined QPR.
Some of us are riled. Some remain calm. Our reported targets are seemingly looking elsewhere.
Now don’t get me wrong, I rate the likes of Caulker (gone to QPR) & Gylfi Sigurdsson (reportedly off to Swansea). But I am proud of our prudency. Our refusal to join in on the types of games Steve Bruce and Harry Redknapp continue to play with their club’s money.
If Caulker, Gylfi Sigurdsson both move elsewhere, what will be the reason?
The answer seems obvious, but what if it isn’t that clear cut?
Most of you will scream “money!” and I agree, in the main. I read in a forum that Frazier Campbell, on 35k a week at Cardiff, wants a pay rise. That Leicester have offered him one. And that we have offered him a decreased wage.
OK, this may not be true (it was in forum after all), but that last part does sound like us.
Amid the talk of being “snubbed” by various players, I have been reflecting upon our current status. Or our perceived status, from inside the club and out.
Are we admired far and wide, after our great escape? As much as any time since the heady days of finishing third in the top flight? I suggest so, in some quarters.
The thing is, this admiration is new – born in the second half of last season. And, said third placed finish was 23 years ago, in 1991. The same year Steven Caulker was born.
I ask, do these footballers see us as Crystal Palace circa 2014?
Or as a club that survived administration not so long ago? A club, who in these players short but impressionable lifetimes, have suffered multiple relegations and very little “success”.
For as long as I can remember, my friends have seen Crystal Palace as a joke. Or at the very least unfashionable. Are footballers as obtuse? I would expect so.
Take Caulker, whom in his lifetime will have known us to bounce between the first and second tier, gaining little credibility along the way.
It is possible that not only are we fighting against our (self-imposed) financial restrictions, but also our reputation. An ever-improving reputation nonetheless.
It’s not a good combination. In terms of luring names like Gylfi Sigurdsson, it may be crippling. Make it very unlikely.
So is it all doom and gloom? Unequivocally - no.
Pulis was always likely to do the majority of his business late. He will have planned for this. Planned to let the market settle. Let QPR (and the likes of) do their thing, again.
When we complete deals they will be shrewd. I point to Chamakh, who took a big pay cut to stay on. And as I write this, Frazier Campbell is reportedly due for a medical with us.
To wait – this approach is for the good of the club.
© e-Football 2014 All rights reserved no part of this document or this website may be reproduced without consent of e-Football
From what I understand Palace offered him more money?
ReplyDeleteYou offered caulker 42, 000 a week plus bonuses hes on 35, 000 a week only with qpr so how as he come to us for the money then ?
ReplyDeleteSo...you're saying that if Caulker signs for you, it's a cracking, shrewd signing that can only spell good things and would no doubt be hailed as a representation of your recent successes...but because he's chosen to sign for us at QPR, perhaps for a couple thousand more a week (who knows), then we're just 'doing our thing' again and Palace have dodged a bullet? Conveniently ignoring the added pulls of Rio Ferdinand who TOOK A MASSIVE PAYCUT BY THE WAY and his old manager, who also has some pull with players.
ReplyDeleteYou know, you talk about perceived reputations etc...bloody tell me about it. As a Rangers' fan, I'm pretty sick of every non QPR-supporter and his/her dog tarring us with the same brush because one ex-manager ruined us by manipulating a then-naive Tony Fernandes into separating with pots of cash to sign a team of mostly foreign individuals with no passion. We've taken our licks, got promoted with an actual squad that isn't based around one player (Adel Taarabt) and are looking to sign 5 or 6 players to bolster it.
We're not 'doing our thing' - what we're doing is learning from the lessons of the past, and doing our best to sign the players we need to add a bit more quality in key areas. If we've still got a bit more money at our disposal than Palace, it's hard cheese isn't it.
I like Palace, and I think Pulis has worked miracles - I mean you have Damien Delaney for crying out loud, I think we released him about 5 seasons ago, and he's done well - but take a moment to fully consider another clubs position before you slag them off, rather than lazily making assumptions based on the past. We were also a top London club once..in fact THE top London club. Are we still? No, of course not, but I'm proud of what our owner is trying to achieve, and confident that our old mistakes are behind us.
I look forward to the day when we can go back to being the little club that everyone liked, and shed this inaccurate reputation we've landed thanks to 2 terrible years. I just hope Pulis will enjoy beating Stoke as much as we will.
...aaaand on top of that, I've just seen that we apparently didn't offer Caulker as much as you did. Excellent!
ReplyDeleteJust a wee thought. Could it be because of Pulis? After all, people who played for him at Stoke didn't get a chance with England.
ReplyDeletePulis, and any club he is with, is seen as a thuggish, kick and run merchant. Whether it is accurate or not, it's a perception that will never leave him.
As such, players with England ambition may well not want to go near him if there are offers from more "footballing" bosses out there.
John G.
Do you know anything about Pulis or Crystal Palace?? Pulis was voted Premier League Manager of the Year!! He was praised for how well he adapted to the way Palace were already set up! Palace were patient, pressed in the right places, defended exceptionally well and used their wide players to attack teams! Not once were we labelled thuggish or kick and run!!
DeleteDear Readers,
ReplyDeleteplease follow the http://hamrofootball.com English premier league Blog for live streaming, highlights and all transfer news update with detail story.