The £150 million Swansea City question!

After last weekend's match, ForzaSwansea's favourite American Swans supporter JACOB CRISTOBAL somehow found himself on BBC Radio's Sports World talking to presenters about the Swans vs Spurs match (you can listen to it again here). However his connection dropped out as he was asked a very important question - a question he attempts to answer in this blog post!

---

By Jacob Cristobal

If you listened to my broadcast last weekend you will know I was presented with a question of what would/could Swansea City do with “Gareth Bale money.” But before I could answer the question, the connection dropped off. Hey, it comes with the territory of calling from some six or seven time zones away. Coincidentally it did create the narrative that my brief appearance on worldwide radio ended on a cliffhanger. So the question remains - what would I do with a £150 million budget at Swansea City?

Before we jump into the money pit, take note that my approach to this question involves fantasy signings and some general practicality. £150 million to spend is indeed a lot of money, but it’s still not buying you the Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and, now, Gareth Bale's of the world. Yet you can still pick up a lot of talent with that much money. Or Itay Shechter 150 million times over.

So if the Swans were given that much money with the current squad as it is, here’s what I’d do:

• PAY WHATEVER IT TAKES TO KEEP MICHAEL LAUDRUP AT THE LIBERTY FOR LIFE

For me, this is priority number one. I say it because lightning is just not going to strike twice (or is it thrice). Swansea were lucky to continue the climb to where they are after Roberto Martinez became the architect and Paulo Sousa and Brendan Rodgers followed in suit. Yes Rodgers guided them to promotion and in the first year, didn’t become a one and done. He leaves and we then get Michael Laudrup, only one of the greatest midfielders of not just his generation, but all-time. He only improves on what the previous guy did and guided the Swans to European competition. Maybe there is another manager that can easily come in with their own Midas touch, but I’d rather not take that gamble. Add whatever zeroes are necessary to his paycheck and keep him happy!

• PAY WHATEVER IT TAKES TO KEEP MICHU 

I’m a firm believer in that ideology that no player is bigger than a club. But Michu is sure going to be (if he isn’t already) the offensive spark for the club. I want him to be wearing the Swansea shirt as long as possible with the only exception being his personal dream of going back to his local club Real Oviedo where it all began and retire back home playing in the top flight of La Liga.

• THE ADDITIONS 

Swansea City need a strong holding/defensive midfielder. As you saw in the match against Spurs, their midfielders out-muscled Swansea’s. Capoue smothered whoever had the ball and that’s what I’d like to see Swansea have. Your Marouane Fellaini’s of the world, or if you could do some reverse-ageing and get Xabi Alonso a couple years ago. If I may go local flavor here, Osvaldo Alonso of the Seattle Sounders FC would be great. Hands down one of the best box-to-box mids - he will come at you hard and fast and take that ball away from you.

Another fantasy name on my list, one who would probably cost a good deal of that £150 million is Paul Pogba from Juventus. I don’t think I’m telling anyone anything new in terms of the potential he could very well reach while under such tutelage as the legendary Andrea Pirlo.

Remember in January the bookies had Swansea pegged to land the services of one David Villa? From 2010 to 2011 he was unstoppable and only a fool wouldn’t want his killer long shot. I could watch this goal over and over. I am always going to rate El Guaje and nothing short of him committing a major, violent crime is going to change that opinion. With that huge sack of money, I’d resurrect that rumour and turn it into reality!

This next name is strictly based on the fact that whenever I can afford him in FIFA he’s been nothing but gold. Adryan over in Brazilian side Flamengo is a teenage mid/attacking mid who, if you play regularly in the game, progresses very well. It got to the point that I was rejecting offers from Barcelona for his services at four, five times the price I got him. I’m not sure how Laudrup and Jenkins view Brazilian talent but in my fantasy scenario, since there’s plenty of years ahead of him, you can ease him into the system and first team.

Now - a gamble... Fernando Torres. That’s right, I’d take a flier on Torres. Here’s why. Ever since he made the move to Chelsea, people just cannot seem to let go of the running joke: “OMG! HE DOESN’T SCORE ANY GOALS! WASTE OF MONEY LOL!” - those jokes are just so tired now! Like it or not he has a spot on the Spanish national team and they don’t just give those out to anyone for just showing up with a smile. I’d be that guy who’d take Torres and at the presser, tell people to back off because I still rate him as an effective player that could fit well into the Swansea system and take some pressure off offensive threats like Michu and Bony.

• HOW DO YOU SAY “LA MASIA” IN WELSH?

Outside of those major-name moves and picking up various cheap talent to round out depth, I’d put the bulk of the money into developing Swansea’s own La Masia. Hell, if the club already has the nickname of Swanselona why not go all out and invest in resources to develop a youth academy like the Catalan giants have? If that academy could produce even half of the alumni La Masia has over the years, that’s still every worth dime spent on it.

The business model Swansea City have utilised is the ultimate light at the end of the tunnel for all those clubs in various depressing levels of financial plight, so this would only be another notch to claim that the club is doing it right.


£150 million is a lot of money and acquiring some of those marquee name talents will take a big slice of that pie. Yet I think such a sack of money would honestly have Laudrup and Jenkins confused as to what they could do with it. I know they wouldn’t just piss it all away and let it negate the hard work they’ve done to get where they are in the present. The years of hard work now sees them playing in Europe and making full efforts to stay in the Premier League. Stable and continued success could very well see them making savvy moves that translate to a club that operates and brings in quality players like they’re one of the big boys with a £150 million budget every year.

Still if that magical, giant sack of money showed up at the front door of the Liberty Stadium I fully offer my services as to how to use that money!

Swansea City spending: Now is the time!

THERE are big question marks over Laudrup's future because of his urge to spend, spend, spend. In this carefully considered blog post, MATTHEW JACOB outlines why now is probably the best time for Swansea City to back the Dane and move forward.


As is customary at this time of year, the transfer merry-go-round creaks into life bringing with it speculation, intrigue and controversy. It's why we love football isn't it? And we have good reason to be excited by what the summer might bring.

By all accounts Michael Laudrup is planning a busy few months, yet following our final day showing against Fulham I left the Liberty Stadium in melancholy fashion. Yes, it's been a superb year no doubt, and yes I stayed for the well-deserved lap of honour, but having created so many chances during the game and failing to convert a single one, it left a sour taste.

It should have sent a message to everyone at the club that, despite all the success, the squad will require investment to remain competitive in a league where almost every team will be looking to strengthen, namely the sides who had a relegation scare this season, and especially the top six.

So, with Premier League status assured, and European football on offer in SA1 next year, has there ever been a better time for Huw Jenkins and the board to invest some of our hard earned money and bring in the players Laudrup requests to take us to the next level?

There's an argument that Swansea have been in this position before, following the first rise to the top flight. Spending on the squad and bigger contracts inevitably led to the financial meltdown that has defined that fall from grace. Results and poor form played their part but those financial difficulties began a slide that ultimately led to the club being sold for a £1 and being one result away from potential oblivion.

Swansea City came through and Huw Jenkins has always maintained that the club will never ever spend beyond its means again and of course I support that mantra wholeheartedly. For the board, and the fans, the welfare of the club takes precedent above everything, and rightly so.

Despite the need for careful consideration, my feeling is that the board have been presented with a unique opportunity to move Swansea City forward and secure the future of this club not just financially, but professionally in the top flight by acquiring the right players to take us forward. We may never compete for the title (never say never!) and I can't imagine we'll ever have the financial muscle the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea enjoy, yet can we not be ambitious?

With the pull of a footballing legend in Michael Laudrup, the style and quality of the players already here and European football into the bargain, all the ingredients are here for an exciting future. I believe there are a number of real quality players who would be quite willing to come to south Wales for a crack at the 'best' league in the world.

To bring in real quality there comes a cost - it is unavoidable, and what the board and Laudrup do in the next 11 or so weeks before the football season kicks off once more will go a long way to showing us what kind of ambition the board have. Will they choose to back the Great Dane in the transfer market as they allegedly promised to do? Or will they choose to keep a tight hand on the purse strings and hope Laudrup can find another Michu or Chico to push us forward? My hope is that he can spend some money on a couple of his preferred transfer targets AND uncover another gem. It's a lot to ask though

So we may be presented with the choice - move forward or stand still?

I took to Twitter to gauge fan feelings on this and got a fairly mixed response. There were those who want to see us back Laudrup to the hilt, partly because he has earned that backing, partly because they want to see the squad improved, and partly to keep the Dane with us! There were those who urged caution, that we should invest in youth with the hope of building a team for the future from within, and there were those who felt we were only in need of 'one, maybe two' players.

Me personally? I want to see investment in the squad before other plans (such as expanding the stadium) are considered. I'm not suggesting at the expense of the clubs financial stability, but now is our time, and Laudrup deserves the opportunity to build the squad as he sees fit.

Swansea City have worked hard to build a reputation based on style, and for that reputation to be retained along with the club's top flight status we must not neglect substance and strength. They must go hand in hand, and with a gruelling season ahead, I feel we must act quickly to ensure we push on.
Enjoy the summer (if you can)!