I've moaned severally in the past about our obscene wage bill and it seems to keep spiralling out of control with these improved contract extensions we're handing out which in the circumstances, don't seem to make sense.
Just a few weeks back, Djorou was reportedly handed an improved contract extension purpotedly above the 50,000 pounds a week mark. Now, Song who's already on a reported 55,000 pounds a week with a contract expiring in 2014 is about to be handed a 75,000 pounds a week contract. Seriously, who negotiates these contracts? Would Djourou really have left Arsenal if we hadn't improved his already unjustifiably high wages? Are there any higher profile clubs who would offer Song more than he's already getting at the moment? Song's form could collapse (he's still a lot to prove) and like Bendtner, Denilson, Almunia etc, we'll be stuck on another obscene wage earner who no club wants because they can't afford their wages.
We still have improved contracts to hand out to the likes of RVP and Walcott and our projected wage bill at the end of this season should already rise above 130m pounds. I've been saying our property sales and transfer profits have been papering over the cracks in how badly the footballing side is run it shows no signs of abating.
Someone needs to sort it out.
These Inflated Contract Renewals
posted on 27/3/12
"aaron lennon started on 45k a week and is up to 70+"
He spends it all on razor blades for his ridiculous eyebrows.
posted on 27/3/12
I wonder what Bentley is earning? Michael Owen? Berbatov barely players and is earning more than anyone in the entire Arsenal squad. Listen to fans of pretty much every club in the league and they'll think their squad has some deadwood being paid too much.
posted on 27/3/12
also united got held to ransom by rooney over wages so it's hardly a flawless model
posted on 27/3/12
"A team like United and Tottenham would never pay Song that amount. That, I can assure you."
No you can't. Not without slightly more proof than your say so.
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But he assured us....
posted on 27/3/12
The very reason wages
across Europe are exploding
because of sugar clubs like City/
Chelsea etc. Others are paying
more to try and compete, as far
as sustainability goes Arsenal are
in a healthier position that most/
all clubs in the PL, so when you
say our wage bill is obscene and
unsustainable it just sounds like
nonsense. Obscene is what I
would call City's wage bill, where
it's higher than their entire
turnover.
Not a club who have the 4th/5th
highest wage bill and have never
finished lower than 4th, with
wages a reasonable % of
turnover. I could name you
players for United, Chelsea, City,
Tottenham, Liverpool, all other
clubs who have players earnining
much more than they deserve, it
happens because transfers aren't
en exact science. We might have
more than some clubs right now
but a lot will go this summer.
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Your arguments here put things in the best perspective so while I'm willing to concede my alarmist tone is a little exaggerated and we're in pretty good health, I do believe we can do better. For starters high wage earners like Denilson, Squillaci, Almunia, Vela, Bendtner, Chamakh etc really have to go. I'm just a little concerned cos like I said, our property sales and player trading seem to have obscured our less prudent operations.
posted on 27/3/12
Song is worth 80,000 a week and he can get that from five of the top seven clubs right now. Yaya Toure gets double that, and so does Essien, but are they twice as good as him? He is as good as Yaya and Essien
posted on 27/3/12
"For starters high wage earners like Denilson, Squillaci, Almunia, Vela, Bendtner, Chamakh etc really have to go. I'm just a little concerned cos like I said, our property sales and player trading seem to have obscured our less prudent operations."
I think everyone agrees that these players need to be removed from our wage bill. But you need to be able to separate giving average players big contracts and giving our best players big contracts. If they've earned it they deserve it and in my opinion Song has more than earned a pay rise.
posted on 27/3/12
Agree mthierry there's definitely room for a lot of improvement, Gazidis needs to earn his salary this summer and shift these players not in our plans. I don't think we'll need to sell a big first team player like in the past if we can get some extra cash and get them off the wage bill.
posted on 27/3/12
Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't our wage bill include everyone, rather than just playing staff? Something that's always skewed it a bit I thought.
posted on 27/3/12
Song is a KEY PLAYER, he is part of our backbone, he is a first team starter, has been amazing for 3 seasons, and as such deserves an improved contract.
We are not talking about a part time player, squad player or bench warmer, if Songs fit, he starts.
Name a player better than Song in the deepest role of their midfield. Not possible. Add to that his knack of an important assist, his understanding with Van Persie, then Song is not a player that this article should be targetting.
Anyone who doesn't understand that Song is one of the best midfielders in the Premiership knows nothing of football, and i firmly believe that. I would not replace him with anyone.