I'm interested to hear the opinions of the collective regarding little Theo. By a show of hands, who thinks he's worth £100k a week?
Personally, I'll keep my hands firmly in my pants because I really can't see what he's done to deserve to be one of our highest paid players. From what I can gather, that salary would make him better paid than Cazorla, Arteta and Gervinho which is just crazy.
Don't get me wrong, I like Theo. He's a useful player but judging by the form he's shown in his cameo appearances this season, he hasn't displayed a startling improvement on last season which is hardly worthy of the salary he seems to be angling for. I can get on board with £70k-£80k but that would be it for a player who isn't getting first team football.
And before anyone points out that he stated playing position is more important than the money, I'm well aware. I just want to know if the fans feel he's worth the cash he thinks he has earned.
Sigh, fine. I'll do a star rating survey thing you all seem to love:
5 - "OMG! Theo is a God! Give him whatever he wants."
1 - "You're joking, right? Don't give him more than £6.50 a week"
Another Theo Article
posted on 8/10/12
I dont know about you but i think it makes more sense to offer him the 100k a week contract he wants and then sell him in the summer
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The point is that if Theo scores 20 prem goals why on earth would we sell him when an equivalent player at Man City is getting paid £250k a week?
20 prem goals a year strikers don't grow on trees. Look at £12m + £65k a week Giroud who doesn't look close to scoring 20 goals in the premiership.
If Theo doesn't develop in the next 2 years we will still make profit on a Theo sale AFTER paying his wages! We are almost getting Theo for free.
Thats why this whole mess is puzzling. Theo wants to stay. For top players that should be the bottom line. I don't understand what is Gazidis's game because it doesn't make business sense.
posted on 8/10/12
He will never be Titi Henry regardless of wearing the No14 shirt but IMO he definitely changed the game on Sat. I think that we should try our best to keep him. He is quite a good finisher although I do worry about him always passing the ball into the net rather than striking it cleanly.
I'm fed up with us selling our best players and giving our dross extended long term contracts on silly money.
Gazidis is just so incompetent . The day that he finally goes will be a happy one. If he lets Theo go I will be very disappointed. It's not like we are short of money.
posted on 9/10/12
Thats why this whole mess is puzzling. Theo wants to stay. For top players that should be the bottom line. I don't understand what is Gazidis's game because it doesn't make business sense.
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But you have to consider the impact of breaking or bending the wage structure to accommodate one player. This would have a knock on effect when it comes to renegotiate other contracts further down the line.
I suspect Theo will be sold in January. Arsenal seem to be in position where selling top players for a decent transfer fee is essential for balancing the books. I may be way off the mark but that's what I'm thinking.
I'd like to see Theo stay but I reckon he'll be gone by this time next year.
posted on 9/10/12
But you have to consider the impact of breaking or bending the wage structure to accommodate one player.
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What wage structure? We have a wage bill of £140m. Ever asked where the money is going? Because its not to the first team.
How can Man City have a wage bill only £30m more than us but can afford all the top players in the world?
Look a bit deeper. This is not about Walcott. I am sorry to see that some fans have allowed their distaste about money and fav players to get in the way of clear thinking. This is about Wilshere, Gibbs, et al. Basically we cannot retain any players - not just Walcott.
http://le-grove.co.uk/2012/10/09/arsenal-wrote-off-park-chu-young-for-5million-as-we-could-prove-to-hmrc-he-was-useless-finances-analysed/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=arsenal-wrote-off-park-chu-young-for-5million-as-we-could-prove-to-hmrc-he-was-useless-finances-analysed
Read this. Quite interesting.
posted on 9/10/12
What wage structure? We have a wage bill of £140m. Ever asked where the money is going? Because its not to the first team.
How can Man City have a wage bill only £30m more than us but can afford all the top players in the world?
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How is that possible? We pay our top players peanuts compared to City.
I'm the first to admit that my mind glazes over when the chat turns to money so I'm just not getting this at all.
posted on 11/10/12
on the last published figures our wage bill was £50m less than City's, that's £1m a week which is a hell and why they can pay top players more.
posted on 11/10/12
hell of a lot^
posted on 11/10/12
I know you have taken on the role of defending anything Arsenal 8bit I urge you you to support the club and not management team.
Our last published wage bill = £143m
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/sep/27/arsenal-pre-tax-profit-wage-bill
Man City last published wage bill - £173m.
http://www.sportingintelligence.com/2011/11/22/man-citys-40m-wage-hike-and-53-6m-net-summer-spend-highlights-ffp-fears-221101/
With respect £30m difference a year is not a lot when you take into account the amount of wages that Man City right-off every year.
The fact is that Arsenal wages have increased at the same time they have been selling the highest wage earners. This is very suspicious. The board of directors of Arsenal are the highest paid of all in the premier league. Inc the manager.
posted on 11/10/12
City's wage bill of £173m was from 10/11 though, Arsenal's £143m is from last season. I don't think City have released figures from last season yet, in 10/11 the difference was £50m. Wages go up for all Premier League clubs, wages are just inflating in general all the time.
From 10/11
Chelsea - £191m (up from £174m in 2009-10)
Manchester City - £174m (£133m)
Manchester United - £153m (£132m)
Liverpool - £135m (£121m)
Arsenal - £124m (£111m)
City's will have increased again since then, our wage bill is miles off theirs and City's. so I don't see what's so outrageous about our wage bill when it's 5th highest and we've never finished below 4th. The wages we pay seems in proportion with how well we do.
posted on 11/10/12
City's will have increased again since then, our wage bill is miles off theirs and City's.
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That is speculation.
so I don't see what's so outrageous about our wage bill when it's 5th highest and we've never finished below 4th. The wages we pay seems in proportion with how well we do.
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There is a huge difference. Man City have been accumulating wages for years. Including for many players who are not even in the 25 man squad. So it is wiser to assume their wage bill has not increased proportionally to ours. Not greater for sure.
Plus, and that is a point that even non-business minded supporters who have bought into the Arsenal PR machine have started to acknowledge, Man City and most other clubs incl Man Utd spend most of their wages on the playing staff. We don't.
You cannot limp over the CL line, just beating Spurs whose budget is far less than ours, not come near winning anything and then pretend that we are self sufficient when we are only breaking even if you supplement the revenue with player sales. (which is in the remit of the manager and not the management team).
PHW cannot scream blue murder on Theo's demands when the board and Gazidis are being over paid for not doing anything productive for the club.