[WBA-Josh]

Giuliano Terraneo is still at the club identifying targets so the slow progress could be him and Big Dave struggling to work together or Terraneo is finding players that Big Dave simply doesn’t want.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing but the club should really have brought in a permanent Sporting Director first rather than Terraneo as a consultant and then the Sporting Director could have gone about identifying a Head Coach (Big Dave, Dean Smith etc) and then transfer targets. Instead we used a consultant to appoint Big Dave first and now have to identify a Sporting Director who could come in and not be able to work with Big Dave.

[Blue Baggie]

Reality check time.
In case anyone has forgotten we got relegated last season and face a drastic reduction in our income (yes, even with the parachute payments). We will still have one of the highest wage bills in the Championship and as a result, as it stands, we were never going to be investing huge sums in our playing staff.
At present we have sold 2 players and bought one - if the Bartley transfer goes through, our spend to date will be above our transfer income. The other players who have been released were, at best, bit part players and can be replaced by our youngsters coming through - I for one would rather see the likes of Field, Fitzwater, Leko etc on the bench than Yacob, Macauley, Myhill etc, good players though they may have been (note the past tense).
All indications are that we will only sell other players if we get an acceptable offer - and in that case nothing has happened to say they wouldn't be replaced, if rumours are true generally with younger players. Yes they may not be "proven" Premier League quality but based on last season neither are the ones likely to leave.  
In addition according to the E&S, the release clauses on Rondon, Hegazi and Chadli expire before the transfer window deadline, so we shouldn't be left with last minute holes in the squad.
So some old, out of contract pros are training with us.....just like as happened most years without us signing any of them. It's normal, we haven't signed anyone so why get so upset?
For my final rant, anyone with an "ounce of sense" will know that the vast majority of our money from TV or transfers will go on paying our wages bill and player purchases. If anyone knows of how our owners will magically salt away significant funds back to China, I suggest they contact HMRC.

Chill everyone, wait until we see what the squad looks like at the end of August before moaning. As it stands today, it looks pretty strong to me.

While I have full respect for your opinions - I would like to say the approx wage and running cost for the coming season is expected to be lets say approx 40 million, down from 70 million last year - with the 95 million PL money coming our way that leaves a surplus of 55 million
Lets say 5 million to pay the overdraft off - that leaves a clear 50 million. Wait for it "we need to balance the books" we have costs to pay and that 50 million will be in Lai's pocket. Its nowt to do with HMRC, as long as he pays the tax - legally its his to do with as he likes. I'm keeping it simple and not including any additional income from TV this year, gate receipts, ST sales, sponsorship, etc, etc  
Just like JP did with his 1 million a year bonus - every year while he owned the club. He didn't need anyone's permission, Lai can do the same.
Like I have said before these are just my opinions / thoughts - some are rubbish and questionable but some do ring true.
Lai did not buy our club for fun, he's shown he has little or no real interest, so that leaves it as a business venture - from that we must assume he will want a return on his investment. on 175 million a reasonable ROI would be 35M/annum (20%) If this does not happen and we balance transfers costs (in vs out) we will have a 50 million nest egg ? somehow I doubt it. 
Anyhow we will see how it pans out - I hope i'm totally wrong and i'm talking nonsense.

[Zinman]

Where do you get your £95m? I believe the parachute payment for this year is £40m - which just about equates to your estimate of our wage bill. Secondly, yes Lai could appoint himself as an employee of the club and pay himself a massive salary....and pay a huge amount of tax. This would also be apparent from the company's accounts. If he had wanted to do this why didn't he last year? Or, he could declare a dividend (we haven't paid a dividend for about 15 years) - again, if he wanted to (and it would also need to be paid to the minority shareholders) why hasn't he previously done so?
The only way Lai gains from his investment is to get us back to the premier league - under the scenario you have selected he has merely reduced the value of his investment by reducing the net worth of the club.
Not getting at you personally but there is no evidence that any of what you suggest is happening or going to happen. Personally I don't tend to worry about pure speculation.

[Beefy 1965]

Zinny WBA collected almost 100 million for finishing bottom !!,
I dont think we get the first parachute payment until the end of the season,
If we do get it sooner plus the 100 million from finishing bottom ..
Bonus

[Zinman]

The £100m was paid throughout the year and is accounted for in 2017/18 accounts, it doesn't just come in in one huge payment. We are expected to make a loss in 2017/18 (with the £100m income) and, if reports are to be believed, will end the year with a (small) amount of debt. Last season's TV income is irrelevant to next season.

[Blue Baggie]

Where do you get your £95m? I believe the parachute payment for this year is £40m - which just about equates to your estimate of our wage bill. Secondly, yes Lai could appoint himself as an employee of the club and pay himself a massive salary....and pay a huge amount of tax. This would also be apparent from the company's accounts. If he had wanted to do this why didn't he last year? Or, he could declare a dividend (we haven't paid a dividend for about 15 years) - again, if he wanted to (and it would also need to be paid to the minority shareholders) why hasn't he previously done so?
The only way Lai gains from his investment is to get us back to the premier league - under the scenario you have selected he has merely reduced the value of his investment by reducing the net worth of the club.
Not getting at you personally but there is no evidence that any of what you suggest is happening or going to happen. Personally I don't tend to worry about pure speculation.

I got the figures from https://www.totalsportek.com/money/premi...ize-money/ I have not checked, but believe this will be distributed in 3 equal payments throughout the coming season? Unless i've lost the plot? I'm unsure the value of or the payment dates for parachutes. 
Have I made some massive error with the figures? I wouldn't want to mislead anyone, let alone myself.
Your correct in stating nobody knows whats going to happen, none of us knows whats going to happen tomorrow.
Sincere apologies if I have upset anyone that's not the intention.

---

The £100m was paid throughout the year and is accounted for in 2017/18 accounts, it doesn't just come in in one huge payment. We are expected to make a loss in 2017/18 (with the £100m income) and, if reports are to be believed, will end the year with a (small) amount of debt. Last season's TV income is irrelevant to next season.

Looks like i'm talking rubbish, I am going to have to backtrack now as I am confused as to how I could have made such a fundamental error with the payment dates.

---

Zinny WBA collected almost 100 million for finishing bottom !!,
I dont think we get the first parachute payment until the end of the season,
If we do get it sooner plus the 100 million from finishing bottom ..
Bonus  

I do know the parachute payments are 1st year 55% 2nd year 45% 3rd year 20% based on last PL prize money.
I don't know the dates they are paid though (I'm searching for the info)

---

The calculations do not include all parts of the last PL prize money (facility fees, central commercial money and finishing merit payment are not included in the parachute payment)
So the payments are approx 40 million 33 million and 14 million over the next 3 years - I still cannot find payment actual dates.
As the 2017-18 tax year ended in March/April and final payments are calculated in June I cant see how they are in the previous years accounts / tax returns? Unless the dates are different, but cant see it.
I'm getting more confused - maybe better I go with the flow and say I don't know what I'm talking about.

[Beefy 1965]

I agree

[4evaabaggie]

Phil, don't feel bad, football finances are convoluted, shady, difficult to understand ..... Don't even try .... just hope it all goes well and we dominate the league we're in cause we sure as bell won't dominate the league we're trying to get back into ....

[Blue Baggie]

Phil, don't feel bad, football finances are convoluted, shady, difficult to understand ..... Don't even try .... just hope it all goes well and we dominate the league we're in cause we sure as bell won't dominate the league we're trying to get back into ....

Thanks - I'm my own worst critic. I'm unbelievably stupid to post opinions based upon assumptions.
Ah well every day is a learning day. I didn't even know the parachute payments were only based on less then half of the actual final PL prize money. I've given myself a good kicking. 
Fingers and everything else crossed for the coming season. COYB.

[SomersetBaggie]

Must be the end of the world cup....Chadli is injured again!!