Fundermentally we are viewed by the likes of Joe Lewis as purely a business. Building a stadium, training facilities etc ups the worth of the club so they are generous with that but transfers are a gamble and cost lots of money.
As businessmen they probably look at the quater and the year profit without taking the long view that if we bring in top players, get top 4 for a season or two and then attract better players we will make even more money by getting CL football, more sponsorship etc. spend money to make money, perhaps they view it as too much of a gamble.
Your right though it would be nice to be able to get one or two top targets who can get us to the next level as it where, basically get the managers top targets even if it costs a bit.
er..so when we got top 4 who did we attract?
It's not all about top 4 as much as it's about the wages.
Can't attract the top players now unless you pay the wages. I mean when we beat City to CL qualification we signed nobody of any note & they signed Kolarov, Toure, Silva, Blotelli, Milner and Dzeko.
Over the last 10 year Woolwich have been in the CL and have spent what on their most expensive player before Ozil and Sanchez?
It simply does not work like that, unless you have big backers. Chavs only have 5k more capacity than us.
They pay a £179m wage bill and bring in £105m in broadcasting & £71m in match day - £176m - £3m less than their wage bill!
It's made up from commercial of £84m from who Gazprom ( who have bought a massive stake in Sibneft) who's Gazprom's founder? Roman.
Yokohama ( who are owned by furukawa who have investments in Russia in metals and shit)
Gazprom are now paying all their utility bills!
Same goes for Man City £128m in matchday/Gates and TV money combined yet a £233m wage bill? They also pump in money through subsidiaries for commercial activities which total £143m. ( Eithad, Etisalat, Abu Dhabi, Aabar etc,.) That enables them to buy and attract top players.
That's how they do it.
Not because the are in CL.
As for Man U, they are Man U. The exception.