Actually my problem with our DoF is not the selling of players. For the most part he (or they - as we have no clarity on who makes decisions and is accountable) have largely sold players at a good time and for a very good return. 35 million for Siggy, 12 million for Llorente, 12 million for Shelvey, 10 million for Cork, 12 million for Ash, 25 million for Wilf, 20 million for Ayew etc. These deals have largely had my support.
HOWEVER... when you strip the squad and acquire resources you really need to be able to recruit quality replacements in a timely fashion and develop the club as a whole. Timely is a key word because as we found with the Ash and Siggy sales we grabbed the cash with no plan for replacement (at least I struggle to see a cohesive plan!). Quality is the second aspect - and with revenue of around 120 million from those mentioned above, what have we actually seen?
Firstly a net "profit" of 9 million trousered (on average) over the past 5 years (money deployed to other priorities and away from the first team).
Secondly an investment in modestly priced journeymen - many with a track record of relegation - Naughton, Olsson, Fer, Clucas, Carroll.
Thirdly a punt on youngsters for the academy and first team - a strategy I prefer to the second approach (above) IF it was a supplement to a more targeted and thought out recruitment program - included here are the likes of Mawson (jackpot), McBurnie, Read, James, Byers, Harris, Birghetti, Biabi, Garrick, etc. etc.
Worse of all (for me) is the scattergun approach to buying - which is the equivalent of walking around Walmart while pissed - you see lots of things that look attractive and are pretty cheap so you slip them into your basket. This is regardless of whether they are good for you, or whether the sell by date has passed.
What ever happened to recruiting with a clear player profile:
* Comfortable in possession
* intelligent and able to adapt to game situations
* Young and hungry and with something to prove
* An obvious fit to the style of play and ethos of the club
* Potential for resale and profit when the player is successful
IF by some chance we survive this year, it is essential that we rediscover our identity and the recruitment team are charged with finding the players that can make us the best version of ourselves - not a shit version of Stoke or Burnley.
Rant over.