Kyle Walker

[Jurgen the German]

I am not saying Levy would change tact, and just think it is something to consider. I was just wondering what Levy would do if Madrid came in with an offer for £25m-30m, do you sell him to Madrid or sell him to City for £50m?

Madrid for less money. Can't put a price on getting the player out of the league where he can't hurt you as much.

 

[Jurgen the German]

I actually think Poch has told the lot of them, Toby, Levy etc.. No contract talks until end of season. Ignore the rumours dont get involved.

I do think that Walker isnt happy, however tonight will tell us how bad the issue is. Walker certainly isnt a bad apple.
If Poch wants to keep him, he plays tonight and then again v Utd where we go to a 3 at the back with Rose back.

He is a level above trippier

Maybe, hopefully you are right. I seem to recall Eriksen coming out and saying that the rumours of him going were gonads when his contract was in negotiation but I hope what you say is right in that he has told the players to shut up.

 

[Jurgen the German]

What would be the total cost of paying our entire squad "the going rate" if we're comparing ourselves to the richest clubs around?

I don't think he is saying that we would raise wages for the entire squad. And I also don't believe we would need to increase wages to Emirates Marketing Project/Chelsea level, just pay more than we do now.

 

[braineclipse]

I don't think he is saying that we would raise wages for the entire squad. And I also don't believe we would need to increase wages to Emirates Marketing Project/Chelsea level, just pay more than we do now.

You don't think other players would want parity with Walker? And of course those currently getting more than we're offering him would think it fair for them to get even more?

I just thought whatever other clubs were willing to offer Walker was the "going rate". But fair enough. Perhaps he (and others) would be happy to stay getting somewhere in between what he gets now and what City would offer him.

What do you think the total cost of that kind of wage rise across the squad would be?

 

[Jurgen the German]

You don't think other players would want parity with Walker? And of course those currently getting more than we're offering him would think it fair for them to get even more?

I just thought whatever other clubs were willing to offer Walker was the "going rate". But fair enough. Perhaps he (and others) would be happy to stay getting somewhere in between what he gets now and what City would offer him.

What do you think the total cost of that kind of wage rise across the squad would be?

I'm sure they would want parity. Do I think it is fair to offer those players (Toby, Kane, Alli etc) more money to keep them and fend off the bigger clubs? Yes I think it's fair.

Not sure if you want me to guess or offer a figure but I acknowledge the increased wages would significant but isn't that why we are moving to the new stadium? I'm sure the increased tv money has to be factored in also, it surely has to be at least considered that the extra tv money would contribute towards paying our payers more money. Not to mention that we are a better team than we were 2 years ago, the manager and the club have raised their own profiles.

 

[Olle73]

By the way how good is Kyle Walker-Peters?

Like Kyle Walker with an extra surname?

 

[Bullet]

By the way how good is Kyle Walker-Peters?

Good; talented, skilful, clever
But lightweight and young

Looks good on youtube at youth level for Spurs and England
But at that level, Onomah looks like Pele

I thought Adam Smith looked a great prospect and would break into the first team
He has shown he can play at Prem level, but would we want to sign him?

Before that I thought Phil Ifil would be the next big thing.
Before that Luke Young...

 

[milo]

I'm sure they would want parity. Do I think it is fair to offer those players (Toby, Kane, Alli etc) more money to keep them and fend off the bigger clubs? Yes I think it's fair.

Not sure if you want me to guess or offer a figure but I acknowledge the increased wages would significant but isn't that why we are moving to the new stadium? I'm sure the increased tv money has to be factored in also, it surely has to be at least considered that the extra tv money would contribute towards paying our payers more money. Not to mention that we are a better team than we were 2 years ago, the manager and the club have raised their own profiles.

We haven't paid for the new stadium yet and the TV money applies to all clubs in the league. The cost of the loans to pay for the stadium could be higher if the club's financial position was worse because the proportion of income spent on wages increased.

 

[braineclipse]

I'm sure they would want parity. Do I think it is fair to offer those players (Toby, Kane, Alli etc) more money to keep them and fend off the bigger clubs? Yes I think it's fair.

Not sure if you want me to guess or offer a figure but I acknowledge the increased wages would significant but isn't that why we are moving to the new stadium? I'm sure the increased tv money has to be factored in also, it surely has to be at least considered that the extra tv money would contribute towards paying our payers more money. Not to mention that we are a better team than we were 2 years ago, the manager and the club have raised their own profiles.

More money up to a point is fair, sure. We have already offered most of them more money to sign long term contracts with us. With both them and us knowing about the new stadium, TV-money, the spending power of other clubs and football inflation. We've seemingly signed them on long term contracts within our wage structure.

I would like some guesstimate on how much it would cost to spend the "more money" you (and others) are suggesting we should pay up.

Some back of the envelope numbers:
-11 starting players each getting £10k p/w more would mean an increased spend of £5.7m a year.
-11 starting players getting £50k p/w more would mean an increased spend of 28.6m a year.
-16 players in and around the regular starting 11 getting an average of £25k p/w more would mean an increased spend of £20.8m a year.

Deloitte has our 2016 turnover at £209m. Most numbers I've seen has our wages a bit over half our turnover. Assuming current wages at £100m for simplicity the above estimates would mean an increased wage budget of 5.7%, 28.6% and 20.8% respectively.

How much more would you be happy to see us spend on wages right now?

 

[imcallingbullsh*t]

I do think that Levy probably has big bonus clauses into the contracts, but lets just say

Tier 1 90-100k
Tier 2 60-80k
Tier 3 40-50k
Tier 4 25-35k

Tier1
Kane, Toby

Tier2
Alli, Walker, Eriksen, Rose, Dembele, Verts, Son, Dier

Tier3
Trippier, Davies, Janssen,

Tier4
Winks

However there is a argument for several Tier2 to move to Tier1, i have no doubts Toby is being offered a Tier1 contract.
Then added onto this bonus payments that are quite high for Champs League qualification
Then added onto this bonus payments for cup wins etc.

So if Walker got moved to Tier1 he could look at 120k once bonus payments were added. Thats pretty competitive.
Issue is probably a few of those players are a tier lower and need moving up.

 

[Gazzasrightboot]

I am quite disappointed with this news to be honest, as I would have hoped that if a player had signed a contract not long ago, he would at least look to see out half of it! But it is what it is and I guess is a sign of the times.

There is no doubt in my mind that Walker is one of the best right backs in the league, but that is more to do with Poch than it is him. He was not a £30m player before Poch. And that's when I feel that what we will do is simply take the money, reinvest and unearth the next Kyle Walker. In Trippier we have someone that softens the blow and actually could be quite decent for us. In KWP, we have someone that may fulfil that potential and more, but if there is one thing that Poch can do, it is take an underachieving right back with potential, and improve them over the course of a season into a seasoned right back.

The good thing for us is that we don't need to sell. We can dictate where he goes, and for how much. My personal preference is that we sell him abroad, but if he goes to a Emirates Marketing Project, then so be it. I would trust Poch's judgment in this as he will do what is best for the club, not what is best for Kyle Walker.

Personally, I am hoping that this is just noise to renegotiate his contract. He signed a new one last year, and has seen Kane sign another contract and others which no doubt are on better terms. Just a sad state of affairs that no footballing person seems to think it is unacceptable for a player to sign a long term contract with no intention of seeing it out.

 

[Finney Is Back]

As I said in another post – our income next season will be at least £50 million higher than this season.

If we assume our usual model of wages allowed to account for around 50% of our turnover then that allows £25,000,000 to be added to the wage bill. That is around £500,000 a week that can be added to our wage bill.

The key for Spurs right now is to keep this team together. If we do that then we have an excellent chance of winning the title next season. You could share three quarters of the above around the 13 or 14 players who are the mainstays of our first team and it should be enough to keep them all happy for at least another year.

I don’t think we need to be paying our players the same money that they would earn at Emirates Marketing Project, Man Utd, Chelsea or even Arsenal. I think our players know that we are on to a good thing and would all be prepared to stay for less than they could earn elsewhere. However I don’t think we can get away with paying them half of what they would receive at those clubs. There is a sweet spot somewhere in between that I think we will certainly be able to afford with the additional revenues from Wembley, the PL and the CL.

Also - let's not assume that Walker is going before it happens. It may well be that at the end of the season his agent negotiates a new contract for him and he stays here for the rest of his top level career. Let's not forget that Walker is the best right back in the league. That doesn't mean he needs to be the absolute best paid one, but his wage should be up there at least on a par with what the clubs outside the top 6 or 7 pay their best paid player.

 

[StephenH]

The things that are happening at Spurs are fantastic ATM.
Levy has and will continue to look to the long term success of Spurs above all.
A player or manager 'whoever' they may be, will not be allowed by Levy to interfere with the long term financial 'stability' of Tottenham.
It is sad to see players move on, but they come and the go. What is paramount it he stability of the club.
We must not be afraid to lose a player if their financial demands do not fit our long term financial plans.

 

[milo]

I do find the arguments that we should loosen the purse strings a bit funny when if you go over to the Levy thread people will be saying what a good job he's made of running the club and how we are punching above our weight.

That success and the progress the club has made is partly down to the business side being run so well. Maximising our income and controlling expenditure. Whilst we are halfway through the biggest project that the club has ever undertaken seems to be a silly time to argue for abandoning the approach that got us here.

 

[imcallingbullsh*t]

I do find the arguments that we should loosen the purse strings a bit funny when if you go over to the Levy thread people will be saying what a good job he's made of running the club and how we are punching above our weight.

That success and the progress the club has made is partly down to the business side being run so well. Maximising our income and controlling expenditure. Whilst we are halfway through the biggest project that the club has ever undertaken seems to be a silly time to argue for abandoning the approach that got us here.

I actually dont think its about loosening the purse strings. Ultimately what Levy and Poch decide will be correct.

It seems to be a both brilliant and nightmare solution, as somebody said above, and with the difficulties choosing a player of the season, how do you structure pay when you could argue paying them all the same. Toby contract offer is a no-brainer, walker is more difficult having signed one beginning of the season.

My guess is walker signed a contract based on being first choice, poch needs to give him a cuddle and tell him he is first choice.
However i dont think Poch is the cuddling type especially during a run-in. If walker starts tonight then i dont think he will leave

 

[90291Spur]

Surely this thread needs to be moved to 'General Football' as it's glaringly, blindingly obvious form rumours, twitter profile pics and body language that Walker despises the club, hates the fans and disrespects the very hallowed turf of our beloved White Hart Lane. Blasphemy!

 

[Jurgen the German]

I do find the arguments that we should loosen the purse strings a bit funny when if you go over to the Levy thread people will be saying what a good job he's made of running the club and how we are punching above our weight.

That success and the progress the club has made is partly down to the business side being run so well. Maximising our income and controlling expenditure. Whilst we are halfway through the biggest project that the club has ever undertaken seems to be a silly time to argue for abandoning the approach that got us here.

He has done an incredible job, However, success brings these kind of headaches when it comes to players wanting more money. I'm not saying all our best players will get the hump with earning half what they could get at Emirates Marketing Project/Chelsea but you can't blame them for considering their options at the very least when they could go elsewhere and challenge whilst doubling their wages at the same time.

 

[Jurgen the German]

More money up to a point is fair, sure. We have already offered most of them more money to sign long term contracts with us. With both them and us knowing about the new stadium, TV-money, the spending power of other clubs and football inflation. We've seemingly signed them on long term contracts within our wage structure.

I would like some guesstimate on how much it would cost to spend the "more money" you (and others) are suggesting we should pay up.

Some back of the envelope numbers:
-11 starting players each getting £10k p/w more would mean an increased spend of £5.7m a year.
-11 starting players getting £50k p/w more would mean an increased spend of 28.6m a year.
-16 players in and around the regular starting 11 getting an average of £25k p/w more would mean an increased spend of £20.8m a year.

Deloitte has our 2016 turnover at £209m. Most numbers I've seen has our wages a bit over half our turnover. Assuming current wages at £100m for simplicity the above estimates would mean an increased wage budget of 5.7%, 28.6% and 20.8% respectively.

How much more would you be happy to see us spend on wages right now?

Assuming our turnover increases from the new stadium, increased tv money, CL tv and prize money etc then I would be happy if we increased the spending on wages say £20m - £25m a year based on the kind of figures that have been mentioned in this thread with regards to turnover.

I'm not saying we need to match the likes of United/Emirates Marketing Project/Chelsea because we can't but at least try and get a bit closer to them.

 

[Bullet]

Money is only motivating for a couple of weeks. My boss gives me a few grand and it is nice, but feels normal after a month and is no big deal, as long as it is roughly fair compared to my colleagues at the same company doing similar roles.

Money can be a huge demotivator, but in terms of motivation it is quite short term. A better motivation is a good manager and good discussions, working environment, targets, success etc. I.e. El Poco.

 

[milo]

He has done an incredible job, However, success brings these kind of headaches when it comes to players wanting more money. I'm not saying all our best players will get the hump with earning half what they could get at Emirates Marketing Project/Chelsea but you can't blame them for considering their options at the very least when they could go elsewhere and challenge whilst doubling their wages at the same time.

I don't blame them but I don't think that we should give in to them either. I think that we should probably stick to roughly the same percentage of turnover spent on wages as we do now but not tie ourselves to contracts that would have us exceeding this if we do not qualify for the CL.