65 & Counting
Well-known member
It's the salary that gets a player to sign.
Training ground D-day
- Thread starter Jdseacidre81
- Start date
LA1 Seasider
Well-known member
I’ve no idea of Blackpools current reach tbh. It’s perverse our academy is based in a Preston post code though and has been for years now !!The Bilbao things is based on Basque regional pride and it's desire to be independent. They are the regions football focus and as such carry the flag, moreso than Sociadad and Alaves (I think?). To give the kids that training is akin to conscription.
It's still great though!
Does BFC go out say LSAHS and St Aidens and do anything? Genuine question as football on the Fylde should be Blackpool- nothing else apart from the small lower non-league teams. Shrewsbury I know do things in Ludlow which is roughly 25 miles away.
On your point about the CAT 1 & 2 and the exclusive use, that's an absolute joke of a rule when you consider Clubs making losses.
Enjoyed reading your posts
I do hope with the new facilities we keep expanding our reach.
Places like Garstang, Over Wyre even Lancaster and the South Lakes needs to be areas we target.
Even Northern Ireland and the IOM should be areas we have a strong presence geographically speaking
LA1 Seasider
Well-known member
That’s not completely true though.
If you’re a young player or recently released by a top club your eyes aren’t necessarily on the immediate salary but where you are in 12/24 months time.
If Blackpool can give you the facilities and training to get to a move to or back to the big time then that plays a big role in your decision - also arguably that helps make sure your attracting players who have the right priorities too
fcblackpool
Well-known member
100%
65 & Counting
Well-known member
It's the reason for us missing out on players who would improve the current team / squad.
Also, how many of our young players manage to make the step up, very few. Young players will still favour signing for bigger clubs than Pool of which there are many.
You happy for the club to go from zero debt to £50m of debt then in the 'hope' that we bring the odd player through?
LA1 Seasider
Well-known member
The reason now is cash because we don’t have the facilities and infrastructure to offer anything else.
Our young players haven’t been that great and haven’t made any great strides almost certainly because the facilities and infrastructure are a massive barrier to that being any different.
And of course kids will want to sign for Man U, Liverpool and City - but they can only sign so many and when they reach 15/16 and start thinking about their actual career prospects and agents become involved it’s not going to be about the shirt they’re wearing at training, but being able to play a game in any shirt and getting paid for it.
Also attracting the very best 16/17 year olds released by the biggest clubs will be much much easier.
Also we’re not in zero debt. We’re already in debt and it’s growing whilst we tread water. It would grow even quicker spending more on players and there’s zero to show for it if those players don’t get promotion.
I’d much rather be in debt with something to show for it then debt for nothing.
65 & Counting
Well-known member
It's not all down to the facilities. Did the greats of the past have them, no they didn't.
It's about a combination of talent, desire and luck, and I know this first hand.
When Sadler began his reign the club had no debt but we must be heading for the biggest debt in lower league football and this is where we will stay unless and until there is more investment on the playing side in the short to medium term.
Chunkylad
Well-known member
What transfer fees should we be spending on players?
It is strange how the owner has had to spend all that money to run the club at this level competitively. If he could just put that extra £5m a season in every year for the players we expect to see we can get it to £100m a bit quicker
LA1 Seasider
Well-known member
That’s absolutely ridiculous.
Let them train in a shed and run on the dunes because a squad of players 70 years ago won an FA cup doing just that.
Should we use old leather balls and play in heavy cotton rugby style shirts too?
The games moved on we’ve got to keep up and we’ve got to find advantages to give us the extra 10% that our direct competitors can’t match - because financially we’re always going to struggle to compete.
Just to clarify - if it’s all down to talent, desire and luck why are there elite training centres all over the world in every sport ? Are you the one sane voice? Are the experts all wrong and wasting money, time and resources?
If so maybe your talents are wasted on AVFTT
65 & Counting
Well-known member
Now you're being stupid. You've obviously never played the game at a decent level and don't have a clue what it takes to make a professional footballer.
Also, if you're happy to see our club go into massive debt in the feint hope that it will cure our ills then I question your sanity and / or current well being.
65 & Counting
Well-known member
It didn't take £5m back in 2010 did itWhat transfer fees should we be spending on players?
It is strange how the owner has had to spend all that money to run the club at this level competitively. If he could just put that extra £5m a season in every year for the players we expect to see we can get it to £100m a bit quicker
LA1 Seasider
Well-known member
No I didn’t play to decent level and obviously I don’t personally know what it takes to be a pro.
I do however know it likely helps to have adequate facilities - especially as EVERY top club has excellent facilities…
I also know what happened under Holloway isn’t likely to be replicated any time soon even if Sadler threw tens of millions of pounds at the squad. I know this because plenty of other clubs try just that tactic and have zero success.
I know our current facilities aren’t suitable and haven’t been for a few generations. Holloway called it a hell hole and the football experts we’ve had at the club who have played at a much higher level than you and I and who know a damn site better than me and you what it takes to become a professional also want new facilities.
After all it wasn’t me who designed the new TG. But experts did.
So I’m not expert enough for you which is fair enough. But you disagree with actual experts !
And the clubs already in debt - debt which is growing. Your solution is more debt with nothing to show for it. My solution is more debt which does have a guaranteed pay off and at least provides potential pay offs over its 30-50 year lifespan.
Your idea is feasible for maybe 5 years at a push and then we’re back to square one if it doesn’t work - only with more debt
Chunkylad
Well-known member
It took Belekon a damn sight more than that.It didn't take £5m back in 2010 did it
65 & Counting
Well-known member
Not in terms of the money allocated for recruiting players.
65 & Counting
Well-known member
It doesn't take tens of millions of pounds on player recruitment to equip the team for promotion and to consolidate a championship place. It didn't take huge sums for our most recent promotion did it?
LA1 Seasider
Well-known member
We could double our League 1 budget and there’s no guarantee of promotion. Plenty have, are and will fail to get promoted with bigger budgets.
We can do both without splashing cash on players - just we we did first time around.
Repeatedly in this thread you have told us you don't understand how a directors loan works. But by all means keep on going.
65 & Counting
Well-known member
There's no guarantee that spending £30m on a training complex will make much difference.
Could still be operating in the lower leagues playing in front of a half filled stadium and with a £50+m debt hanging over the club.
Matesrates
Well-known member
Who knows
65 & Counting
Well-known member
I'll keep going. It's
like you on here who keep me interested. Pray tell me what will happen if and when Sadler sells the club and / or wants part or full repayment?LA1 Seasider
Well-known member
But we’ll at least have a facility we need. For decades to come. An asset for the club
65 & Counting
Well-known member
A scaled down version would suffice. Also, it should be utilised in a manner that generates some income.
Let's not forget that it's a successful first team that attracts the crowds. It has to be more than adequately funded.
JJpool
Well-known member
This bit is interesting.
"While the training ground will focus on first team and academy players, Mr Winter said there would be community events and open days held “so local people can get involved without losing the opportunity to create a top class sporting environment for the football club.”
So it looks like there will be some element of community involvement, but they probably wouldn't get planning permission for a full multi use facility, nor might they want it as a professional TG.
A professional TG plus some community events and open days when things aren't happening there seems acceptable, but that doesn't specify how many there would be or the nature of the events themselves. So there might not be a money making side like Fleetwood but there will be some community benefit plus savings from our current setup of renting pitches and facilities everywhere.
So not quite the totally closed off, only for players facility some thought, but still retaining that element when necessary.
"While the training ground will focus on first team and academy players, Mr Winter said there would be community events and open days held “so local people can get involved without losing the opportunity to create a top class sporting environment for the football club.”
So it looks like there will be some element of community involvement, but they probably wouldn't get planning permission for a full multi use facility, nor might they want it as a professional TG.
A professional TG plus some community events and open days when things aren't happening there seems acceptable, but that doesn't specify how many there would be or the nature of the events themselves. So there might not be a money making side like Fleetwood but there will be some community benefit plus savings from our current setup of renting pitches and facilities everywhere.
So not quite the totally closed off, only for players facility some thought, but still retaining that element when necessary.
Sadler's Brylcreem
Well-known member
100% - they don't give a rat's ass about training.
We should be getting it right on the pitch long before we plough money in to a training ground.