Sam Explains Player Cuts

Last updated : 12 January 2005 By Mark Heys

Sam Allardyce has explained his reasons for putting seven of his first team squad up for sale and says that short term deals for the likes of Youri Djorkaeff and Fredi Bobic have become a thing of the past due to the better financial packages which are being offered by other clubs.

Allardyce has made Henrik Pedersen, Anthony Barness, Florent Laville, Julio Cesar, Blessing Kaku, Fernando Hierro and Kevin Poole available as he seeks fresh transfer funds to improve his squad.

"I have to do it because we need to raise some cash. If we are to bring anybody in during the transfer window then the only way we can do that is on a permanent basis.

"There are no longer the opportunities available that we have gained from in the last few years, like Youri or Fredi. What little there is is being competed for by many clubs throughout Europe and the Premiership, and we are not at the top. That means it is unlikely we will get them, so if we are to do anything it has to be on a permanent basis." he told Wanderers World

Allardyce had done his homework on the players that he wanted to bring to the club in January but remains continually frustrated as none of his targets are happy with the deal which Wanderers are prepared to offer.

"We did all our work prior to January and found the players we wanted to target on a short-term basis, but none of those have come off and it looks like they are going to go to other clubs, The only option now is a permanent deal, moving into the transfer market and buying somebody, or taking somebody's contract over for a longer period of time than just from now until the end of the season and getting on with it."

The Bolton chief wanted to hold onto those who are up for sale but says he has had to cut his cloth accordingly so that he can bring the right players to the club. Unfortunately part of that means he will have to swap and change his personell to free up some much needed funds.

"Ideally you would like to keep all the players, but one of the biggest parts of a manager's job today is accountancy and budgeting, If you are not doing your facts and figures then you can't get what you want, so if it is about creating your own revenues to bring another player in, then that is what I will have to do.By moving one or two players out, that may cause one or two clubs in the Premiership to come and buy and then we may move.

All depends on whether Allardyce can become active in the market. If players want to move to the club then it will mean some of the seven listed will have to go, yet if recruitment hits a dead end then the squad will more than likely remain as it is at the moment.

"But we may leave it as it is and stay with the same squad of players because if I can't get players in, there's no way I will let players go out.
It just gives me another alternative in a market that has become very restrictive now."