So let me get this right. As long as we agree with the original post we get to keep our comments. If we "argue" or oppose the original post, then it'll be debate until such point where I can no longer accept being contradicted, at which point you'll start to delete them.

Now who's being childish ?

Cue deleting this comment.

Stevie, if you want to debate, great, if you want to try and start arguments, please go elsewhere. Not on this thread please.

It's not an argument, its a point of view Jonty.

VOF, no, it's about the trying to start petty arguments, not going to have it on this thread today.

Think he's seen how you pay for English players and decided not to bother.

I don't care what he brings in as long they work, we have some good English players coming through the academy, lets hope they make it, as he won't be paying the going rate to buy them.

Harrogate, Watford's academy was run down when thy brought in the Italian loans but that was quite a different situation to here.

However, its a concern that Naylor and Bromby and now Carbone have gone. Maybe with Gibbs still on the books he'll look after the youth along with Redfearn, but if we are going to rely on our youth moving forwards need to have a plan there.

LST was quite decently debating. they maintained their view point and then suddenly we have a deletion.

Anyway, away from that.

From what I witnessed on Saturday the team appears to be coming along. They were better than I expected. Good passing, good control and we kept possession better than I've seen for a while.

When the ground gets bought I couldn't give tuppence about if i'm honest. Whether it's within 10 mins of MC buying the club, or 10 weeks - it's simply a non-issue being used as a weapon against the owner. As long as the intent is to buy the ground, then that's a positive. The fact it'll be his asset, so what - it's the same throughout the land. Owners own the clubs, ergo the grounds invariably.

Squad still thin in places. Press/media speculation today hints that he knows this and is looking to bring in players. Looks like those 2 weeks away weren't totally spent sipping cocktails and swimming. Maybe some business was mixed in with the pleasure.

New season is now upon us. The team and management need a few games to be judged - it may well take time. Hopefully there won't be a crescendo of abuse if things don't go to plan immediately.

Patience is a virtue ......................

Gate...what's the going rate? Because for British players its extortion. Would u not bring in equally or more talented from a less inflated market?

Add to that the difference between, cheap and frugal. Cellini has already proved he is no mug, with the whole Ross fee.

Jonty

Last top talent we had was Delph, Howson was probably next after that and Byram 2/3 years ago. So we need it producing better if you ask me, that's someone making sure we don't loose local talent to the prem clubs as well.

Lewis Cook, what little I've seen of him is maybe almost ready to show what he can do for the first team.

Certainly looked a livley player and has strengh too.

Michael

That's what I was saying.

English players are over priced.

VOF, I worry about the ground because we've seen the fiasco Cagliari have experienced.

I don't mind if its now or next year either UNLESS I'm led to believe one thing to try and get me on side and am then told it's something else. I think if we could have less of that it's better for all concerned, but can't see Cellino changing.

I think first month will be tough with current squad, if we can get through it still in Cup and get some points on board, no injuries and a clean sheet or 2 then that's a good start.

Soon the season will start and maybe expectations will become more realistic rather than thinking all is well because we beat a Scottish team at home in a friendly.

.................................

Doesn't make them world beaters but lets give Leeds United some credit here. Full of youngsters they might be but Dundee United came 4th last season in the Scottish Premier League.

If you read the comments from their management and players alike, this was a game that they wanted to win.

Doesn't make us world beaters either but it was a good performance and represents progress.

Stefano .......... most in the ground where I sat thought it was a good performance - but with the caveat that we don't know how good/bad that Dundee truly were.

An excellent debate about the current state of affairs as far as we are informed by various sources from within and out of the club.

I read the threads every day and am impressed by the passion shown for our club. I very rarely comment on the forum as I do not profess to know enough about the full set up. I watch the games, when I can from afar, and live in hope that things will gradually improve.

I would think that all contributors to this forum have one thing in common and that is the success of Leeds United. This is the main reason this is one of the most successful team forums on ja606.

I applaud those of you who take time to fully support the club and also contribute to this forum. We all have opinions, which is only right, and would expect those opinions to differ in many cases from our own.
I would hope and expect that there is no place for abuse towards our fellow contributors.

We all have very little knowledge of what is actually in the minds of the people owning/running the club. Every season starts the same way, an anticipation of a move in the right direction ...upwards

This season we have a new beginning, a completely unknown expectation of what is about to happen but one thing is sure, we will continue to support Leeds United.

As ever, I live in hope.

Well said dave

We might have a clearer picture of where we are by 5PM on Saturday. If we run out winners with 2+ goals and a clean sheet I'd be highly delighted.

If, on the other hand, the Wallys rip us a new Rsole then it's back to the drawing board, and I'll be as gutted as every other Leeds fan.

I'd be gutted aswell Jamie.

But not because I thought the long-term direction was unsound nor that we were "back to the drawing board", because I think that would be such a knee-jerk reaction.

But solely because we had lost a game that I want us to win.

It's a marathon, not a sprint. Our downfall is traditionally post-Christmas.

If we can be reasonably placed by Christmas but then do the unthinkable and actually have a good second half, we could be in with a shout.

1.6M rent for ER is 4,384 pounds a day, so it make absolute sense to buy it if the cash is available.

Transfers can often only go through when the selling club has a replacement secured. e.g. Mark Hudson and Cardiff, so much as we would like to have some of our targets signed up you can only buy when the seller is ready to sell.

dubai, only if the cost of purchase is less than 1.6 mill per year.

If we pay 16 mill cash, then it doesn't pay for itself for about 15 years if you take interest into account.

If we borrow, then there is a cost associated with that too.

If you have 100 mill cash sitting there then it makes a lot of sense, but we were losing money hand over fist, so apart from Ross money, which before we get add ons and sell on clause is taken into account is more like 6 m than 10.75 I don't think we have 10 mill knocking about unless MC uses Cagliari sale money which he stated at time was to buy ER back for the people.

Keen to see how this is going to be financed.

Jonty, can you clarify your second paragraph where you talk about the cash payment and interest?
If we pay true cash, ER's purchased outright?
So no interest. Or do you mean the loss of interest gained by keeping that 16 mill in bank, growing interest?

batty, exactly the latter, lets assume its 16 mill to buy and 1.6 mill p.a. to rent and ignore rent increases for simplicity's sake.

If we pay cash now, in simple terms, it would take 10 years of rent before we're starting to save on not having to pay rent.

However, if we's left 16 mill in the bank or invested it safely/wisely, it could be worth 22 mill in 10 years time, so would need another few years to yield and ROI.

It's great saving the rent but it's weighing up what you could do with that money otherwise.

For example, if we bought ER back, but couldn't buy decent players for 2 years, is that worth it more than buying decent players today and getting promoted this season?

All ifs and buts, but saving on the rent is only one side of the equation.

thanks Jonty. I had a feeling I had wrong end of the stick there. Your point makes sense on a monetary level for sure.

What it does do, is give the club security.

Security to know we won't be kicked out and can have confidence developing the stadium, also security for finance, but one would hope that mechanism would only be used to develop stadium or maybe an alternative to TA.

It also gives us something to sell if we want to build a stadium elsewhere.

Long, I take it as read you'd be as p'd off as myself, and EVERY other Leeds fan if we got a repeat of one of our many trouncings in the last couple of seasons. I think a defeat of that type would, and should, start alarm bells ringing.

Unless ownership of the ground is required for other strategies, or just because Cellino likes to own assets, especially as he had his problems with Cagliari.

He has a bulk of money having gained it from the McCormack sale. He is choosing that he will sink it into bricks and mortar and provide a solid foundation, ratehr than use it on running costs and have it squirreled away.

This is a strong, slow move. A strategy with real foundations, a capital asset for the club. Which is actually worth how much? The price is set at £16m, but it may be worth twice that.

As for desperately wanting to know how it is being financed. Pfft.