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A high price to pay for cashing in on costly Ched
Get what you pay for: Ched Evans, proof goals dont come cheap
SHEFFIELD United appear to have found themselves in a Catch-22 situation during the transfer window.
And, unlike the Tyrrhenian island of Pianosa, at Bramall Lane this logical paradox has been proven to exist.
Relegated from the Championship last season, the League One club cannot afford to keep high earners such as Ched Evans.
But neither, having established themselves as automatic promotion contenders, can they afford to lose those names who have played such an influential role in guiding Danny Wilson’s squad to within seven points of divisional leaders Charlton.
So what is to be done?
How best can United, who recently confirmed they will comply with new regulations limiting a team’s spending to a proportion of what it earns, strike a balance between sensible financial husbandry and sporting concerns?
Thankfully, it is not a problem I am charged with solving.
At times like this, journalists, supporters and commentators can simply snipe, carp and profess to have all the answers while knowing full well that, barring some sort of unprecedented job swap, the substance of our answers will never be put to the test.
But I’ll offer one anyway.
And that is, barring a flurry of absolutely stellar bids being submitted for the likes of Stephen Quinn, Nick Montgomery and the aforementioned Ched, the whole process of reducing an exorbitant wage bill takes place over three, possibly four, transfer windows rather than one.
Wilson would undoubtedly prefer evolution to revolution.
Only the most foolhardy of folk would argue that United’s well-being both this season and beyond is best served by relying on the continued goodwill and means of its benefactors.
But neither, with a top two place tantalisingly close, would it make sense to pull the rug from under Wilson’s feet by launching a fire sale of the options presently at his disposal.
Instead, proceeding slowly but surely towards sustainability seems the most sagacious approach.
One which would both allow directors to ensure United remain a viable concern going forward and Wilson to address some of the most pressing issues facing his posse of Championship chasers.
Certainly, his decision to try to identify a striker or midfielder capable of delivering a steady supply of goals makes perfect sense.
Evans, who was yesterday praised by Wilson for not allowing a well-documented personal issue to cast a shadow over his professional life, has scored 39 per cent of United goals since returning to action following injury in September.
A statistic which, whilst being welcomed by Wilson, is also likely to fill him with dread.
After all, what would happen if the Wales international suddenly became ineligible for selection?
Heaven - or should that be Nefoedd? - forbid.
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Comments
There are 12 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
TheBohemian
Saturday, January 7, 2012 at 08:34 PMGood post DD; most of which I'd go along with, other than your Maguire point as I'm convinced he will make a career in the top flight and is an immense talent for someone not long out of puberty. I would imagine Tuesday night will be Beattie's last professional appearance, unless he calls it quits after today. Whilst he retains a touch of class, he was never in love with the game and he needs to be to play in Div 3 at 33 after the career he's had. In terms of transfer activity, I expect Billy Clarke to arrive next week. The most expendable in terms of £10k+ p.w earners are surely Quinn and Monty (though it pains me to say it), but I can't see either happening. Nightmare scenario sales would be, in order: Evans, Lowton and Maguire, though the latter would be expendable IF someone of the calibre of St Ledger was brought in as replacement. I would settle for no ins or outs at this point.
UTO
Saturday, January 7, 2012 at 05:52 PMThe only thing I do not get is from poster 5. You averaged just over 20,000 for the 2010-2011 season when you were in the Championship, so why would that grow to 23,000 on average? Things is with Shed he's a decent player in a rubbish league, would he get the goals in the Championship or even in the Prem.?
SPHINCTER MU5CLE
Saturday, January 7, 2012 at 12:51 AM5,6,7,8. I like listening to STEPS music cos im a BELL END.
SPHINCTER MUSCLE
Friday, January 6, 2012 at 06:41 PM@5,6,7,8.Good lines of thought by you 4,i am a owls fan but whats been said makes sense.if football decisions were so easy an right both teams would be up,but many twists yet to come.
manorblade
Friday, January 6, 2012 at 12:52 PMIf utd keep their best players they are as recent form has proved good enough to get themselves an automatic promotion spot the run in should see at least a 3 or 4 thousand increase in home support the increase in revenue would cover the costs in keeping the likes of Ched and BT but Mcabe has to back DW who is turning out to be one of his best decisions to date i don't think any Blade has doubts about his ability to get the best out of the team will Mcabe back not a chance he will sell any one and everyone if he could
Ldn Rd Blade
Friday, January 6, 2012 at 12:31 PMWe could maybe get £1M for Evans. If someone said to Macabe you can get automatically promoted if you give us £1M i think he would pay it.
silverblade
Friday, January 6, 2012 at 12:28 PMSome good posts on here today,just shows though ther's never a dull momment down at bramall lane, i don't think anyone down there knows what's going to happen in this window and if a big enough offer came in for any player they would snatch thier hand's off.. that's what they allway's do....
Thorne Blade
Friday, January 6, 2012 at 11:29 AMIt all depends where Sheffield United's board of directors want to be at this time next season? Playing in this division with gates that will surely drop to the 12,000 mark or playing in the championship with gates around the 23,000 mark? It's a simple choice to me, but for Sheffield United's as per usual mismanagement committee, nothing would surprise me. They badly mismanaged the season in the Premiership and the possibility of promotion back to the Premiership two seasons later.
Dingle Dickie
Friday, January 6, 2012 at 10:57 AMDoubt Evans will be going anywhere. How many clubs below the Prem could match his wages? And who would take him with the court case hanging over him, when, if he's proved innocent, he is out of contract at the end of the season, and could be signed without a fee anyway? Similarly all the high earners will not earn as much at any club that would need their talents. Which I would say is a blessing. Although I've maligned Quinn in the past, he's decent at this level, as is Evans and Williamson. Keeping those three would give us a great chance of auto promotion. Monty's legs have gone, so I can't see anyone higher up wanting him anyway. And I doubt Morgan will play again, certainly not at Championship level, so we're stuck with paying him. As for Lowton, well he looked promising last season, and has picked up his game in the last few weeks, but he's been generally poor up until December. And Harry at the top level? The Carlisle forward made him look a bit daft on Monday, and his mobility is not great, so I can't see anyone paying big money for him. In fact I'd be happy with no exits and no signings. Hudders may take a big fee for Rhodes, and it looks like Fatima Whitbread is heading back to Stoke from Wendy, so I'd recommend keeping our nerve, and sticking with things as they are. But then, McCabe has probably run out of Grandmothers to sell, so who knows....?
doggtheveryspecialdeputy
Friday, January 6, 2012 at 10:30 AMZZzzzzz......ZZZzzzzzzz...zzzzzzzzzzzZZZZ....
SuffolkBlade
Friday, January 6, 2012 at 10:16 AMFootball is a business so this should be a business decision, like it or not. However, if I were in charge I would be looking at my assets and valuing each and then working out the contribution those assets are or can make to the bottom line. Ched's re-found the form he showed whilst at Norwich and his goals could be what gets us back to the championship. Certainly, without his goals and a definite replacement (Beattie is still a gamble despite showing he still has a quality touch) getting back up there would be more difficult. So the benefits of keeping Ched probably outweigh the costs, but we're not a Man City so we have to balance the books by finding extra income to cover the cost of Evans' wages. Selling Evans to raise that money is nonsensical and would defeat the object. So what other assets can we cash in that would not impact the bottom line so much - the bottom line being that promotion back to the Championship contributes at least an additional £5-10m in revenues... Personally, I'd look at Quinn and Monty first. Both should command at least £500k transfers (maybe £250k bottom for Monty). Both would be a loss to the side, but not catastrophic like losing Ched would be. Alternatives could be selling Lowton or Long. Again, both would be missed, especially Lowton, but not catastrophic in my view. Both would command at least £1m transfers, Lowton possibly more. Macgure's another option but selling him, in my book, would be like selling your pension policy. Like Kyle Waler, it's obvious he's going to be a great footballer, so we should hold on to him as his contribution to the side is already mammoth and his value can only multiply over the next few years. So there you have it. Sell Quinn and Monty to fund Ched's wages, then the extra income from being back in the Championship will cover them next year. If we don't go up? Then sell him in the Summer... Painful, but simple...
doggtheveryspecialdeputy
Friday, January 6, 2012 at 09:38 AMSo what is to be done? Simple, make up some more cr4p about HasBeanttie making a huge reurn to the Lane and saving everyones lives haha. Just extend that smoke screen for a bit longer to keep the fans happy (numb).
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