Message #418407

[Melbourne Cobbler]

Following KTs recent statements, by my calculations we are losing over 50 grand a week, possibly 60 whilst their are no fans? Given that we were losing a million a season before Covid there is no chance of recovering those losses by operating profit at any point in the immediate future? It won’t happen, league one status maintained or not? So what’s the answer? The truth is we were alright against Plymouth? However, alright isn’t really going to cut it. We had our short comings last season, but what we could often do was take games by the scruff of the neck. There were some big personalities on the pitch, McCormack obviously, Goode, Turnbull etc and I don’t see that same influence so far? So on the one hand there is a need for more influence on the pitch, on the other there are the very real financial risks that are staring all clubs in the face? It’s all well and good demanding this and that and pointing out the short comings but be under no illusion, any extravagant spend contractually or otherwise also comes at a massive risk? With hindsight the answers will be a lot more obvious, but the decisions have to be made now. There were clearly clubs who were far more cavalier in their approach than NTFC, our apparent missing out on a number of transfer targets perhaps bares this out? However, the second wave of Covid will undoubtedly be mounting the pressure on these more financially cavalier clubs now the second wave has hit the UK? For me financial survival has to be the primary objective? I understand this comes at a risk and is massively frustrating given our history of promotion followed by often immediate relegation? However, the difficult decisions without the benefit of hindsight are the ones that you hope those in charge are willing and capable of making? I think coming up with a budget that gives the club as much financial longevity as possible was the correct decision to make? The quality of the squad reflects that decision and that may result in a season that we all wanted to avoid? At the end of all this the supporters who are crying out for a more aggressive recruitment strategy may well be proved to be right? Having said that, given the massive losses being incurred by all clubs at this time, significant comparable budget restraints is the right decision, irrespective of any shortcomings on the pitch?