Immense Signing, but...

There can be no doubt the signing of Bellamy will rightly go down in City folklore, comparable even to the legendary John Charles from back in the day. However, there are many potential downsides to this most incredible of signings, whether they outweigh the huge and obvious positives, only time will tell. What is obvious to me is that there are many positives AND negatives. When his mind is right, there are very few footballers around of such quality, but Bellamy’s footballing ability never has been an issue. Never mind the uproar that he shouldn’t leave the Prem, he shouldn’t be out of the the top 4/ 6 and would quite simply get in ANY team in the Prem bar none. Also, the huge interest he will garner will be unprecedented, at least as much as the legendary John Charles himself, and put many thousands of pounds on the gate money.

Now, the negatives! Firstly, a minor bone of contention is the potential to upset the dynamic of the squad, much as imo the signing of Chopra did last year by marginalising McCormack so dramatically. Barring player sales, Chopra & Bothroyd will always start, leaving one of Whitts or Burke to play a more marginal role this season to accommodate Bellamy, something players of that stature are unlikely to embrace. I stress, this is only a minor bone of contention, but there is a potentially cumulative effect of ever increasingly important negatives. Player sales to compensate for this would be madness given he is only here for 6 months, a point about loan players I have mentioned before and will come back to later. Another issue must surely be the unsettling effect of having a player on £90k a week and being paid £45k a week by the club, around 3 times more than the other big earners and light years away from many others. Given our history of late payment for wages, how would other players, some on infinitely less than Bellamy, feel with such a high earner having his wages ring fenced by alternative payment methods while they have to wait for yet another transfer of International funds to make ends meet, something I’m sure is not a problem for the multi-millionaire Bellamy? It would not be human nature were envy from at least some more than evident.

A more obvious issue is Bellamy’s abrasive, egotistical and hugely disruptive characteristics that have decimated many a dressing room. I know of few, if any clubs, Bellamy has left without a sour taste in the mouth. His injury problems are also well documented, whilst how on earth will creditors react when with vast overdue debts to be paid, we plead poverty having just committed to paying one player £45k a week?! How that is funded is utterly irrelevant and will be to all creditors including HMRC, a debt to whom we have consistently racked up and that is clear from Gethin Jenkins comments we will do so again, effectively using it as an interest free overdraft system certain to make those at HMRC rightly incredulous at us. There is no place for it in football it would seem, less so if it involves most football fans clubs, but given our huge debts, it’s also completely and utterly immoral given we can’t pay our debts, have arranged to pay creditors a fraction of what is owed, then sign Bellamy for £45k a week! You couldn’t make it up!

Finally, he is yet another loanee. Having already heavily invested in Olofinjana, Koumas and now Bellamy, around £320k per month is being invested on 3 players we do not own, maybe even more if other signings such as Loovens come to fruition, thus making our monthly payments to HMRC that we already can’t afford even bigger. While the positive is they come off the wage bill should the even bigger gamble on promotion than Ridsdale took ultimately fails again, the negative is we will have an ever decreasing pool of players that we actually own to cash in on if need be.

Ultimately, Ridsdale rightly got vilified for gambling so recklessly on promotion, a “plan” that so very nearly cost us the club at all, yet the gambles being taken this year are far bigger again. If it comes off, fantastic, but I thought the aim of the Malaysians was to ensure such massive gambles were a thing of the past and that a more sensible, pragmatic approach was to be order of the day to ensure that we have a club at all? Also, from a purely football point of view, can we have a centre half that can actually defend please?

I'm glad someone else has looked at the bigger picture, and to add to your points, to compliment the strength of our midfield and attacking, the club needs to invest even more to get the central defence to the party, it'll be another exciting season ahead but ultimately its just another boom or bust policy with a different jockey.

Difference PR gambled with other peoples money and stood to lose nothing

Difference PR gambled with other peoples money and stood to lose nothing

how is it diffrent its still the club we watch and roar on i see this signing and the lons players we have in will put us more in the red how thats possible i do not know but ill be there whatever the outcome ,there must be a % of wages being payed by cardiff for sure ,what that is i doubt we will ever know

We just signed Bellamy.

All due respect but I aint readin all that. I'm going to celebrate.

ITS DIFFERENT because people are actually paying bills and putting money into the club

Difference PR gambled with other peoples money and stood to lose nothing

how is it diffrent its still the club we watch and roar on i see this signing and the lons players we have in will put us more in the red how thats possible i do not know but ill be there whatever the outcome ,there must be a % of wages being payed by cardiff for sure ,what that is i doubt we will ever know

The difference is clear, TG and VT are spending money that they will be liable for. Ridsdale gambled with other people's money (including our own )

These are two clued up business men. This is clearly a deal that was outside of their original business plan but something they feel will push the club forward and, in the long run, recoup the money they are spending.

Of course, any income generated from this deal will depend, after the honeymoon period, upon the team getting results but there aren't many people who would have bet against us at least reaching the play-offs after Saturday's performance and last weeks signings. This deal now cements that view and very view, experts or not, would now bet against us being in the top 2 and if that happens this deal will be small change to what can be gained.

Don't forget, they have always said that they would target the Malaysian market and this will accelerate that process in a way that they wouldn't have dreamed of a couple of weeks ago

Was expecting a far more negative response in truth guys as I presumed anyone daring to suggest anything other than bellers can walk on water to be a sacrilege! Apologies for the 6 month thing, presumed that was so from prior comments and only came out whilst writing!

I see one of the negatives has already come true with a quite rightfully aggrieved chairman chasing a long overdue payment. While this will I'm sure soon be dealt with, far bigger fish in more ways than one will be swimming our way demanding to be fed.

I like the rest of us can't wait to see a player who could play for any club in Britain play for us, I just hope it doesn't end in years as it also has the potential to do so.

bloody hell, ok maybe a slight gamble, but we now have the backers to pay our bills & wages & alot of bellamies is being paid by man city & I would have thought the others players would understand this, they know his ability and I really believe this will push the players around bellamy to up their game!!

Also dave jones will be able to manage bellamy and the fact this is his hometown club, he will have more respect for the team, fans, manager & the club!!

A far as i'm concerned this loan of bellamy could almost fund itself, the amount of people in work with me today who arent really city fans said they would now start going to the stadium just because bellamy has signed!! fickle fans yes but more fans = more spent in the shopm= more revenue = extra money to fund the his wages!!

Completely agree about the part financing aspect of the deal as I alluded to initially, but completely disagree that we can now pay the bills, or at least the willingness to do so quickly. If we were, why were we recently under an embargo, by Jenkins admission will be again, possibly more than once and for long periods and still owe many people pots of money?y point remains, get promoted and all is fine, if not, what will the position be then?

Completely agree about the part financing aspect of the deal as I alluded to initially, but completely disagree that we can now pay the bills, or at least the willingness to do so quickly. If we were, why were we recently under an embargo, by Jenkins admission will be again, possibly more than once and for long periods and still owe many people pots of money?y point remains, get promoted and all is fine, if not, what will the position be then?

I think the malaysians will support us all the way now they are just dangling the gold carrot to all the other board members saying they will do it their way and in their time!! if they werent in it for the long haul they would not have bailed us out so many times!! I have full trust in these to take us forward!!

We still need a midfield that can link up with the strikers!!!!

Chopra great striker, great runs but up at Derby think we only had about 2 shots on goal second half!!!!!

We have the strikers now, but do we have the link up players to feed them the balls they crave.

There can be no negatives to the Bellamy signing. We are paying next to f**k all of Bellamy's wages as Manchester City simply wanted rid now they have James Milner.

I also see no problem in loan deals. The players brought in on loan are way beyond our present purchasing power and are here to do a specific job i.e. Get us promoted.

If we succeed then we can think of making their presence permanent, if we fail they return to their clubs and we are not liable for 3 or 4 more years of high wages.

Whilst I don't like making a small club like Motherwell wait for their money, I accept that whatever it is the Malaysians are doing is part of a much bigger plan to repay the debt.

For me VT/TG are playing a blinder

Did Stoke get promoted with a lot of loan players?

how do you know 4 certian how much we are contribuating towards bellas wages it is now fact that he only wanted to play 4 ccfc therefor we had man city over a barrell and what ever we said was the most we could afford was probably the best they could get craig said they were very good in there dealings with ccfc and so did dave jones and i for one believe them i also strongly believe bellamy will finish his carreer with us and stay beyond his loan deal further more stop all the negative moaning and start believing in and supporting our malaysian saviors they must know what they are doing and what they are doing looks very good to me come on bluebirds do the

signed one of the best players in the premier league, giving us more air time than we have had in years
what the f..k is there to be negative about.
negative alert ffs

great post by saladthedragon, yes it is a gamble but i honestley feel with the squad he have (as long as hudson is dropped for gerrard) automatic promotion is a dead cert !!! i trust the malaysians, they know what they are doing and the more money they invest the less chance they will walk away any time soon....

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE lets all just raise a glass to the great future instore for Cardiff City, we play outstanding football and that is down to DJ he has worked wonders for our football team, its now time to sit back and enjoy the football

our days of travelling to exeter, barnet, leyton orient, oxford, bury and darlington are now over, we all deserve premiership football and its time to live the dream

Ultimately, this excellent piece by Blue Plato that Bob put me onto earlier (from CCMB which I rarely go on, should do really as Plato is one of the few contributors who always delivers excellent pieces) says everything I feel and more http://www.ccmb.co.uk/fudforum/index.ph ... &goto=2049 358&rid=4944&S=2b5d5b21181ba4dce34e76601c983328#msg_ 2049358.

the link dosnt work my friend

Salad, He is signed on a Season long loan, not a six month loan as you have stated Geek

Salad, He is signed on a Season long loan, not a six month loan as you have stated Geek

Thanks for that, have pointed out in prior comments that only came out as I was writing the original post. Geek is quite a compliment actually...

the link dosnt work my friend

Sorry, hope this works...?!

http://www.ccmb.co.uk/fudforum/index.ph ... sg_2049358

Edit: It does!!!

Salad, He is signed on a Season long loan, not a six month loan as you have stated Geek

hope this was not a dig and just meant to be funny.

Good post, a lot of relevant points that could ring true when the dust settles and the euphoria subsides, but for the moment let's wallow in all this good karma while we can, after the gut wrenching turmoil we've endured over the close season.

Right!!

If indeed Vincent Tan is paying our share of Bellamy's wage then its got f**k all to do
with the clubs overall debt. Why? Because Vincent Tan is not a major shareholder, he
is NOT liable for Cardiff City's debts.

If he, as an individual, decides to fund a footballers wage then its up to him. The Football
League cannot turn around and say

"Woh, pay Motherwell!!".. cos its NOT his problem

When VT and TG are ready, and when they have re-negotiated with our creditors in a manner
that satisfies everyone (but most of all THEM)... they will take overall control of the club!....

And f**k PMG off *****

As for Bellamy possibly causing disruption with certin players being left out? Well tough shit..
thats what you get when you have a decent squad. Ross spat his dummy out and is being dealt
with accordingly. The remaining players should learn from this and realise nobody's position in
the side is written in stone (not even Craig Bellamy's)

***** A lot of supposition from me here, feel free to correct me

I'm just glad he has signed and hope with his help we get where we deserve to be via one of the top two slots, cant be going thru the stress of another play off final.........

* sorry, geek was that emoticon making my self seem like a geek, not a dig at all, very much liked the post!

Even though I disagree with the Original Posters message I understand where he is coming from.

In response I would suggest that, when we are winning matches, others in the team will be more than happy at the win bonuses they are receiving - not to mention any promotion bonus.

If anything I believe having Bellamy in the side will bring a lot of the side together.

For me, this is a good signing - irrespective as to which way you look at it.

I don't post as often anymore, though am quick to point out the ambience of the board isn't all it perhaps should be at times, but this thread (and it has nothing whatsoever to do with my contribution, but everyone's comments) epitomises everything that is good about it; good, respectful comments with those disagreeing doing so the right way.

Got a bit more time this morning so will try and pick up on some points. Would also strongly advise anyone with the will to read Plato's comments here http://www.ccmb.co.uk/fudforum/index.ph ... sg_2049358 which says everything I feel and more.

A number of you guys have commented on the Malaysians. I too believe they are fully committed and despite my comments have faith in them and immense gratitude for rescuing the club from the years of profligacy of the Hammam & Ridsdale era's that so nearly resulted in there being no CCFC. My concerns are that the recruitment policy is at least as unsustainable as the previous regieme's were. I would have little or no problem were we debt free, but given our huge debts that many of which have not been paid at all, I would be a little more content if a few more debts had been cleared before such extravagance with Bellamy. I know Bellamy has the potential to part finance the deal himself, but as stated it will almost certainly be counter proouctive to the Malaysians in renegotiating terms with creditors having signed Bellamy. Taffyapple touched on this and said it doesn't matter, I feel it absolutely does. Putting it in layman terms, if somebody owed we a substantial ammount of money, only for a friend to lend them some to then buy a brand new car, I'd be more than a little peeved that they didn't use it to pay me back, regardless of how they got that money. I have no doubt creditors will react the same.

As for the loan system, personally I have always despised the system and believe it should have long been abolished, apart from emergency deals for keepers. It enables bigger clubs to keep a larger pool of players content, when if promisisng young players were playing reserve team football rather than being passified by being farmed out on loan for first team football, they would be forced to drop down a division. That would surely be only good for the player and most football clubs, especially the bigger ones. That said, I of course completely appreciate and understand the loan system is a huge tool to use as indeed Stoke did with excellent results. In some cases it can make complete sense, but if you go down the road of selling players to fund loan deals then surely that is madness, or at the very least a huge gamble?

For instance, come the seasons end should we not get promoted, we wil have spent approximately £3m on 3 players wages, rough figures being £20k each for Koumas & Olof, £40k for Bellamy. Open to correction on that as details are still sketchy, but will be a considerable outlay nonetheless. Again, the wage bill was supposed to be reduced, not increased, regardless of increased income from the stadium. Income will be approximately £18m, maybe pushing £20m if things go well, which is not enough to fund a wage bill of more than around £12m. The player wage bill is already around £10m not euating for other staff payments so is clearly stretching the club beyond what it can afford. These rough figures do not equate at all for any debt repayments which are of course substantial percentages of our entire turnover, some of which need paying soon. (Did an in depth piece on our finances called Cardiff City's Business Strategy around 2 years ago for those who can remember) It also does not address the season ticket issue. While the positive is they will come off the wage bill, who will there be to cash in on if need be? Or from a footballing view, how many players to build upon for the coming season? Surely at least one of Chopra, McCormack or Whittingham will now move on, leaving an ever diminishing pool of players that we actually own, at least those of a high standard.

Either way, this is a huge gamble investing so much money in players who ae not our assets and will also put huge pressure on the squad and especially Jones. While by and large I've been a huge fan of Jones, since last summer he has made many mistakes that I believe he has got away with almost scott free. Failure to not get promotion last season in such a poor league having spent so much was just that, failure, to do so again wll surely not be acceptable this time around.

"would surely be only good for the player and most football clubs, especially the bigger ones"

Edit, should have been especially bar the bigger ones!