Hodgson’s cash warning to Albion
Saturday 23rd April 2011, 11:30AM BST.
Roy Hodgson has warned Albion they will need to splash cash to consolidate their place in the Premier League.
The Baggies boss does not believe the club can rely only on pulling “rabbits from hats” by unearthing more cut-price gems like midfielders Youssouf Mulumbu and Graham Dorrans.
Hodgson is close to guiding Albion to safety and thoughts are turning to next season with the club expected to adopt a ‘quality over quantity’ approach to summer strengthening.
And the head coach believes they might need to raise the stakes in the transfer market despite being stung three years ago when big-money buys like Gianni Zuiverloon and Borja Valero failed to adjust.
Hodgson said: “Dan Ashworth (sporting director) and his scouting staff have performed wonders.
“There have been one or two rabbits pulled out of hats by Dan and one can only congratulate him on that.
“My fear is how many rabbits in hats there are out there. Once you’ve pulled two or three out I’m a bit concerned the next two or three might take you a long time to find.
“When someone pulls one out of the hat — as Dan did with Youssouf Mulumbu, Peter Odemwingie and Graham Dorrans and maybe Jonas Olsson could be put into that category as well — how many more are there?
“Most Premier League clubs go down a different route. They spend lots of money on tried and tested players.”
Hodgson insisted he backs the Baggies’ prudent spending policy but he still believes ways can be found to up the ante when it comes to transfer fees.
“I don’t think we’re the only club to work within a tight budget,” he said. “Fulham do and I know Wolves do. Most clubs do and I wouldn’t expect any club I am working for to go beyond its means to provide players.
“What we’ve got to do, if we’re fortunate enough to stay in the league, is to try to consolidate and how we consolidate might be another matter.
“I certainly think it’s going to be harder and harder for any club to consistently find players who cost nothing and get sold for a lot of money.”
Meanwhile, reports today linked Albion with a summer move for Norwich City striker Grant Holt.
Club captain Holt has helped the Canaries climb into second place in the Championship but only signed a new three-year deal at Carrow Road earlier this month.
Holt, 30, joined City for £400,000 in July 2009 from Shrewsbury after spells at Conference clubs Barrow, Workington and Halifax as well as Nottingham Forest and Rochdale.
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Roy,
What a well balanced view. We do need two or three more expensive buys to back up our talented squad. I’m sure Jeremy and our Sporting director, with your good self can come up with signings, a little more expensive, to consolidate us in the top bracket. The cash returns would be immense. We are now at the point where we need to hold our position in this league, a better chance we have never had.
BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JtH.
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Mick,
No wonder us BAGGIES call wolves fans HOSTILES, when you’re goading them in that direction. What’s this Black Country derby your blogs on about?.
BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JtH.
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oh dear roy, shouldnt have mentioned spending m8, JP might read this and youll be for the chop, but i totally agree!!!
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Don’t think Roy’s read the small print in his contract.
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Concur. Roy, you were my man for the job and still are, you have proved a lot of doubters wrong. However, what we don’t want is for you to spend and waste similar sums of money on the likes of the Kamara’s and Greenings of this world, both in excess of 5 million quid. One doesn’t seem to be getting a game anymore and the other in the Championship. Zuberbuhler was maybe another one, although didn’t spend as much. Just be very careful how you spend our hard earned cash. Keep up the great work, you have workded wonders.
Gloucester Baggie.
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(3,4)
Sid, BHB,
Roy is being his experienced self, by stating what is needed to stay in the top flight, also, to hold on to our better players by proving our club want to stay in it. In doing this it will attract a higher quality of player. I do believe Roy and Dan have the wherewithal to bring in the correct players within our price range, for our club. He is not asking for the club to live beyond it’s means, but to make steady progression. So save your stupid comments for the dark side, where they’ll be appreciated.
BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JtH.
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Well done E&S you’ve poked the JP knockers with a stick and they’ve come out spitting their predicable garbage. Let’s follow it up with another Scott Carson headline.
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2 Jack.
I’ve just seen the interview you’re talking about. It’s an unbelievably stupid thing for a man in such a responsible position to be saying. The neanderthal minority hardly need any egging on, witness the Notts County incident. As it was pointed out to us by so many Wulfies Lee Hughes should know better I wonder how many will be saying the same of ‘Mad’ Mick.
There’s so much hostility and hatred aimed at our fans when we go to Molineaux it wouldn’t be beyond the realms of possibility for someone to get seriously hurt. I hope if this happens Mick will accept the part he may have played.
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Back in the 90s, we used to go to Moulinex from Walsall and the Wednesfield side, no scarves, hats, no nuffink! We knew what our spies felt like being parachuted into Germany.
This change of behaviour was astonishing to me having never missed a Wolves-Baggies match since 1944. Were we more civilised then? I next remember the concentration camps, the mass slaughter of the War and say, NO, we were not. Why then the difference? That’s an easy one. The punishments meted out for bad behaviour were usually swift and dreadful. No yelling about human rights and mass free litigation. You would not have dared carry a knife, even as protection. Unless you actually liked prison meals and hard labour.
I shall watch on TV our Wulfie game. The coppers and stewards may have a hard time.
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9 Cyril.
I’m not as old as you being a child of the early 1950′s but when so many things are better today, no children go hungry, everyone enjoys a decent standard of living etc, why do I feel that as a nation we’re much worse off?
No need to reply, it’s a rhetorical question that we both know the unnecessary answer to.
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