Post by QPR Report on Jan 28, 2010 23:31:29 GMT
Mirror
'Will the last one out of Upton Park please turn off the lights... and the radiators!'
Published 23:00 28/01/10 By John Cross
Karren Brady has introduced an amazing string of cost cutting measures at hard-up West Ham - even ordering staff to turn the lights and heating off.
West Ham’s new owners David Gold and David Sullivan are desperately trying to save the club and vice-chairwoman Brady has been put in charge of cutting their crippling debts.
Sullivan has claimed the club has debts of £110m and Brady has already:
SACKED legends Tony Cottee and Tony Gale, as well as TV star Matt Lorenzo, as
£40,000-a-year club ambassadors...
ORDERED massive reductions in manager Gianfranco Zola’s medical staff...
BEGUN a battle with the FA to get £15m compensation after Dean Ashton was forced to retire after injuring his ankle on England duty...
TRIED to force out big-money reserves as they believe the current squad is far too big...
SUSPENDED injured defender Calum Davenport’s £20,000-a-week wages until his court case is resolved...
TOLD staff not to leave lights on and insisted the heating should be turned off.
Ruthless Brady, star of Sir Alan Sugar’s The Apprentice show, gained a reputation at former club Birmingham for being a no-nonsense operator.
But West Ham co-owner Gold insists that Brady’s tough measures have his and Sullivan's full support as they desperately try to save the club following their takeover.
Gold said: “Karen is our financial doctor. She identifies problems and helps us fix them. This is what we are good at and it is a great challenge.
“All non-footballing costs are being looked at. We are looking at absolutely everything. We will not damage the footballing side, but we need to cut costs to increase income. It’s not brain surgery.”
West Ham are desperately looking to bring players in, namely strikers Benjani and Benni McCarthy.
But it could be that they still sell players as they are determined not to let England defender Matt Upson run down his contract, as he has just 18 months left on his deal.
They have shipped out Luis Jimenez back to Italy to join Parma and Nigel Quashie has joined Queens Park Rangers.
But it is the off-the-field cutbacks which are really beginning to bite as Gold, Sullivan and Brady make their mark, having been scathing about the club’s previous owners.
West Ham defender Davenport has been hit hardest, having his wages stopped until his court case is resolved.
Stab victim Davenport has been accused of assaulting his sister in the incident which led to him being stabbed in both legs and the club has insisted that until his case is resolved his wages will be suspended.
Davenport is still training with West Ham and legal experts, the PFA and Premier League have been called in.
The PFA is looking at whether West Ham are breaking any rules and are hopeful of overturning the club’s ruling.
Davenport, whose wife recently gave birth to a baby daughter, is hoping the Premier League also rule in their favour and order West Ham to backdate the wages.
Zola had previously backed Davenport, while it was former chief executive Scott Duxbury who broke the news over the suspension of his wages.
Supporters were also shocked to hear about Cottee, Gale and Lorenzo, who all worked at the club on match days.
Cottee and Gale are both West Ham legends and are still highly regarded at Upton Park but the new owners have decided against them in a move which is unlikely to please fans.
Technical director Gianluca Nani is facing the axe after making a string of signings which have turned out to be expensive mistakes.
But the medical team could also be hit hard, even though that was a department that Zola championed and was keen to improve.
One member of the medical staff is likely to be axed, with some of them on up to £200,000-a-year.
Ashton’s retirement was a major blow and yet the club are determined to recoup some of their compensation pay-out on his contract as he suffered the first ankle injury problem while on England duty.
They have gone to the FA to try to reach an agreement and the club’s recent injury record has also alerted them to a potential review of the medical team
www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Karren-Brady-gets-tough-at-West-Ham-as-new-owners-David-Gold-and-David-Sullivan-start-to-cut-costs-by-ordering-the-lights-and-heating-to-be-switched-off-article304287.html
'Will the last one out of Upton Park please turn off the lights... and the radiators!'
Published 23:00 28/01/10 By John Cross
Karren Brady has introduced an amazing string of cost cutting measures at hard-up West Ham - even ordering staff to turn the lights and heating off.
West Ham’s new owners David Gold and David Sullivan are desperately trying to save the club and vice-chairwoman Brady has been put in charge of cutting their crippling debts.
Sullivan has claimed the club has debts of £110m and Brady has already:
SACKED legends Tony Cottee and Tony Gale, as well as TV star Matt Lorenzo, as
£40,000-a-year club ambassadors...
ORDERED massive reductions in manager Gianfranco Zola’s medical staff...
BEGUN a battle with the FA to get £15m compensation after Dean Ashton was forced to retire after injuring his ankle on England duty...
TRIED to force out big-money reserves as they believe the current squad is far too big...
SUSPENDED injured defender Calum Davenport’s £20,000-a-week wages until his court case is resolved...
TOLD staff not to leave lights on and insisted the heating should be turned off.
Ruthless Brady, star of Sir Alan Sugar’s The Apprentice show, gained a reputation at former club Birmingham for being a no-nonsense operator.
But West Ham co-owner Gold insists that Brady’s tough measures have his and Sullivan's full support as they desperately try to save the club following their takeover.
Gold said: “Karen is our financial doctor. She identifies problems and helps us fix them. This is what we are good at and it is a great challenge.
“All non-footballing costs are being looked at. We are looking at absolutely everything. We will not damage the footballing side, but we need to cut costs to increase income. It’s not brain surgery.”
West Ham are desperately looking to bring players in, namely strikers Benjani and Benni McCarthy.
But it could be that they still sell players as they are determined not to let England defender Matt Upson run down his contract, as he has just 18 months left on his deal.
They have shipped out Luis Jimenez back to Italy to join Parma and Nigel Quashie has joined Queens Park Rangers.
But it is the off-the-field cutbacks which are really beginning to bite as Gold, Sullivan and Brady make their mark, having been scathing about the club’s previous owners.
West Ham defender Davenport has been hit hardest, having his wages stopped until his court case is resolved.
Stab victim Davenport has been accused of assaulting his sister in the incident which led to him being stabbed in both legs and the club has insisted that until his case is resolved his wages will be suspended.
Davenport is still training with West Ham and legal experts, the PFA and Premier League have been called in.
The PFA is looking at whether West Ham are breaking any rules and are hopeful of overturning the club’s ruling.
Davenport, whose wife recently gave birth to a baby daughter, is hoping the Premier League also rule in their favour and order West Ham to backdate the wages.
Zola had previously backed Davenport, while it was former chief executive Scott Duxbury who broke the news over the suspension of his wages.
Supporters were also shocked to hear about Cottee, Gale and Lorenzo, who all worked at the club on match days.
Cottee and Gale are both West Ham legends and are still highly regarded at Upton Park but the new owners have decided against them in a move which is unlikely to please fans.
Technical director Gianluca Nani is facing the axe after making a string of signings which have turned out to be expensive mistakes.
But the medical team could also be hit hard, even though that was a department that Zola championed and was keen to improve.
One member of the medical staff is likely to be axed, with some of them on up to £200,000-a-year.
Ashton’s retirement was a major blow and yet the club are determined to recoup some of their compensation pay-out on his contract as he suffered the first ankle injury problem while on England duty.
They have gone to the FA to try to reach an agreement and the club’s recent injury record has also alerted them to a potential review of the medical team
www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Karren-Brady-gets-tough-at-West-Ham-as-new-owners-David-Gold-and-David-Sullivan-start-to-cut-costs-by-ordering-the-lights-and-heating-to-be-switched-off-article304287.html
