Sun Mar 18, 2012 11:00 am
...you to understand the thought processes behind what Malky and the Malaysians are trying to achieve. Yes - I know its about baseball, but it does lay down some ideas about how to scout and recruit players to build a winning team on a small budget, and with a little imagination you can see how it is being applied to our club.
You can also see how teams such as Burnley, Blackpool, Norwich and (dare I say it) Swansea have built teams around some of its principles.
According to an article I read a few weeks ago, a well thumbed copy of this is on the bookshelf in Malky's office.
Basically, it means that you don't buy players when they are at the peak of their abilities in their mid 20s, as they also cost more. You buy players with [i]some [i] proven experience in their late teens /early 20s, and develop them to their peak. I suspect that Turner, Harris, Mason and possibly Gunnarson fall into this category. To go along with this, you buy experienced players who are past their peak but still have much to offer the younger players from their experience (eg Miller).
Of course, this success takes time to build, but if you look at our achievements this season, we have at least been able to compete with teams who have bigger budgets than us, and have done better than some others (Leicester springs to mind).
I still think we can make a playoff place this season, but even if we don't the foundations are being laid for the future.