Time for Mike Garlick to do what is expected of him and get some players of premier league standard in. The coaching staff and players have made us fans see things we never thought we would see through sheer determination and hard work.

SD will be getting of this situation and despite happy clappers saying otherwise he is clearly not happy with how things are panning out. We as fans have kept saying about SD and how he wants character and that is why we shop at home rather than abroad. I watched an interview with Garlick not long ago and it seemed to be more his brainchild.

Get signing players Garlick or do one

Dyche has too much integrity to publicly shame the board. But I dread to think what he’s said behind the scenes

Not to worry though hey....at least when we are fighting relegation this year we can say well remember the orient game...we have it so good now compared to then

The problem with throwing all the stick at Garlick is that we don't know how the recruitment team actually works. There are a number of murmurings across a variety of different 'sources' but how do we know which is correct?

It's mooted that Dyche wants a particular character and that there are only a couple of targets that fit the bill. Do we know that's true?
It's mooted that Garlick is a tight arse who is reluctant to sign off the cheques. Not convinced by this one myself. We've probably spent £100m since he's been chairman.
It's mooted that Dyche wants the club to be cautious and won't let the club go to certain fees for players. Do we know that's true?

What are Baldwin's and Williams' role in this?

Plenty of questions. Whilst zero signings right now might be worrying, there are still 11 days left. I still think we'll get 3 in. Here's hoping.

Cleveleys_claret wrote:
Get signing players Garlick or do one

He could do one to Cleveleys and smack you around the head with an Aberdeen programme.

The one where we drew 1-1 against a team worth about 100k u mean. A team who sold their star star striker to Salford last week. Lets not kid ourselves...that result was a joke and an embarassment

Or he could of course be looking to sell and be maxing his value by ensuring there is a healthy cash balance when the new owners come in.....

Cleveleys_claret wrote:Not to worry though hey....at least when we are fighting relegation this year we can say well remember the orient game...we have it so good now compared to then

What’s all this got to do with you?

Cleveleys_claret wrote:The one where we drew 1-1 against a team worth about 100k u mean. A team who sold their star star striker to Salford last week. Lets not kid ourselves...that result was a joke and an embarassment

I'll bet that you are a Man Utd fan at heart.

MDWat wrote:The problem with throwing all the stick at Garlick is that we don't know how the recruitment team actually works. There are a number of murmurings across a variety of different 'sources' but how do we know which is correct?

It's mooted that Dyche wants a particular character and that there are only a couple of targets that fit the bill. Do we know that's true?
It's mooted that Garlick is a tight arse who is reluctant to sign off the cheques. Not convinced by this one myself. We've probably spent £100m since he's been chairman.
It's mooted that Dyche wants the club to be cautious and won't let the club go to certain fees for players. Do we know that's true?

What are Baldwin's and Williams' role in this?

Plenty of questions. Whilst zero signings right now might be worrying, there are still 11 days left. I still think we'll get 3 in. Here's hoping.

I agree with your points on this post.

There is however clearly something which needs addressed regarding our recruitment. This hasent happened overnight either.

Limiting ourselves to a few targets is all fair and well providing you are prepared to pay over the odds to land them.

I would suggest that 3 signings unless they are of a very high standard would be disappointing this summer considering the position we set off from.

Cleveleys_claret wrote:Get signing players Garlick or do one

Ah great, are you taking over CC?

No really not and a die hard burnley fan but we are just so amateur at this kind of thing. Yes we have signed some really good players. Yes we are in a better state than ever before. Yes we have a legacy that should stand us in good stead for the next 10-20 years regardless of division.

BUT..... everybody knows the kind of wages the likes of Mawson, Dawson want. Mawson was linked with top clubs only 12 months ago. Just because they went down he still believes he is good enough and expects to be paid as such. We seem to think because we are shopping with relegated sides that the players will jump ship and thank us for rescuing them

MDWat wrote:The problem with throwing all the stick at Garlick is that we don't know how the recruitment team actually works. There are a number of murmurings across a variety of different 'sources' but how do we know which is correct?

It's mooted that Dyche wants a particular character and that there are only a couple of targets that fit the bill. Do we know that's true?
It's mooted that Garlick is a tight arse who is reluctant to sign off the cheques. Not convinced by this one myself. We've probably spent £100m since he's been chairman.
It's mooted that Dyche wants the club to be cautious and won't let the club go to certain fees for players. Do we know that's true?

What are Baldwin's and Williams' role in this?

Plenty of questions. Whilst zero signings right now might be worrying, there are still 11 days left. I still think we'll get 3 in. Here's hoping.

Who the hell is Williams?

Wokingclaret wrote:Who the hell is Williams?

General manager

Jmw wrote:Or he could of course be looking to sell and be maxing his value by ensuring there is a healthy cash balance when the new owners come in.....

To be honest I'm surprised that MDWat omitted to add this option to his list of questions in post#4.

MDWat wrote:The problem with throwing all the stick at Garlick is that we don't know how the recruitment team actually works. There are a number of murmurings across a variety of different 'sources' but how do we know which is correct?

It's mooted that Dyche wants a particular character and that there are only a couple of targets that fit the bill. Do we know that's true?
It's mooted that Garlick is a tight arse who is reluctant to sign off the cheques. Not convinced by this one myself. We've probably spent £100m since he's been chairman.
It's mooted that Dyche wants the club to be cautious and won't let the club go to certain fees for players. Do we know that's true?

What are Baldwin's and Williams' role in this?

Plenty of questions. Whilst zero signings right now might be worrying, there are still 11 days left. I still think we'll get 3 in. Here's hoping.

Agree with most of that, but 3 would be the lower end of what we ought to be hoping for.

I think he should relinquish to someone that has money to make the squad better garlick has not got the neccacery funds just look at clubs like wolves Fulham Huddersfield and Brighton all spending lots of money improving their squads while we are doing nothing get some rich person in

BOT likes the OP a lot

Cleveleys_claret wrote: BUT..... everybody knows the kind of wages the likes of Mawson, Dawson want. Mawson was linked with top clubs only 12 months ago. Just because they went down he still believes he is good enough and expects to be paid as such. We seem to think because we are shopping with relegated sides that the players will jump ship and thank us for rescuing them

You should know how we play the game by now, just like everyone on this board should. We've been doing it for a while now.

Yes it can be frustrating at times but I'm happy with not splashing out just because others do.

It's all about building (slowly) and not upsetting the applecart.

I wish I could see how negotiating with a player over a contract goes, as I just don’t understand the whole “Fee’s aren’t an issue, it’s just the salaries” argument.

Am I a moron for suggesting if player X (this could even include the likes of Ben Mee) says he wants 70k a week, but we don’t want to break up our wage structure and have folk on more than others etc, we make the difference up by way of the signing on fee? I.e, 40k basic (whatever our ceiling) then X millions straight fee, no strings, covering remainder of contract (paid in annual installments in case sold etc) if he was on 70k a week. If the fees are no issue but the salary is, why is this never seemingly done?

I know that’s a slight deviation from the Garlick debate, but it’s from the same topic in my eyes. We are messing up recruitment and I don’t understand how - surely we just need a bit of outside of the box thinking.

Cleveleys_claret wrote:Time for Mike Garlick to do what is expected of him and get some players of premier league standard in. The coaching staff and players have made us fans see things we never thought we would see through sheer determination and hard work.

SD will be getting of this situation and despite happy clappers saying otherwise he is clearly not happy with how things are panning out. We as fans have kept saying about SD and how he wants character and that is why we shop at home rather than abroad. I watched an interview with Garlick not long ago and it seemed to be more his brainchild.

Get signing players Garlick or do one

Hissy sister alert

Cleveleys_claret wrote:Not to worry though hey....at least when we are fighting relegation this year we can say well remember the orient game...we have it so good now compared to then

Prick list candidate.

Cleveleys_claret wrote:Time for Mike Garlick to do what is expected of him and get some players of premier league standard in. The coaching staff and players have made us fans see things we never thought we would see through sheer determination and hard work.

SD will be getting of this situation and despite happy clappers saying otherwise he is clearly not happy with how things are panning out. We as fans have kept saying about SD and how he wants character and that is why we shop at home rather than abroad. I watched an interview with Garlick not long ago and it seemed to be more his brainchild.

Get signing players Garlick or do one

What a load of self-indulgent and self-entitled bilge.

Under Mike Garlick's chairmanship, it is true, we last year finished below Man City, Man United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham, and Arsenal. In my opinion there's no disgrace in that; you might disagree and think that Burnley last season were below par and should have been higher. Or you might think we were about where we would be expected to be; or you might even think we were pretty good.

And you disregard all that body of work, and want him sacking, because we haven't signed the players you want?

Here's a suggestion. Bear in mind that there is a reason why we play a 38 game season, and it's to establish who's best. There are no relegations issued to people that don't signt he players you want. Why not wait and see what happens on the field, and then (if we fall below eight or fail to win the Europa League, then you can dish out all the oppobrium that failure deserves. In your opinion, of course.

Cleveleys_claret wrote:The one where we drew 1-1 against a team worth about 100k u mean. A team who sold their star star striker to Salford last week. Lets not kid ourselves...that result was a joke and an embarassment

The referee was a joke, you are the embarrassment.

jedi_master wrote:I wish I could see how negotiating with a player over a contract goes, as I just don’t understand the whole “Fee’s aren’t an issue, it’s just the salaries” argument.

Am I a moron for suggesting if player X (this could even include the likes of Ben Mee) says he wants 70k a week, but we don’t want to break up our wage structure and have folk on more than others etc, we make the difference up by way of the signing on fee? I.e, 40k basic (whatever our ceiling) then X millions straight fee, no strings, covering remainder of contract (paid in annual installments in case sold etc) if he was on 70k a week. If the fees are no issue but the salary is, why is this never seemingly done?

I know that’s a slight deviation from the Garlick debate, but it’s from the same topic in my eyes. We are messing up recruitment and I don’t understand how - surely we just need a bit of outside of the box thinking.

Your proposed structure would be a salary and it would still mean they are on a lot more than others.

levraiclaret wrote:Prick list candidate.

Go follow Melksham you tool

Robbie Brady 12 wrote:I think he should relinquish to someone that has money to make the squad better garlick has not got the neccacery funds just look at clubs like wolves Fulham Huddersfield and Brighton all spending lots of money improving their squads while we are doing nothing get some rich person in

Venky's? The money that has been stuffed into BRFC, and is still being stuffed into them, is phenomenal. "Some rich person" is a bit simplistic.

This thread is an embarrassment.
Reading the OP I just have to assume he knows sod all about football and even less about Burnley fc

Robbie Brady 12 wrote:I think he should relinquish to someone that has money to make the squad better garlick has not got the neccacery funds just look at clubs like wolves Fulham Huddersfield and Brighton all spending lots of money improving their squads while we are doing nothing get some rich person in

Like who, Chinese or American investors? Like they would have connections with or feelings for the club.

Not sure this thread has much point.
These last season's have proved that we make decent signings, which can add to the asset base, not deteriorate. They may arrive late on, in most cases, however, arrive they do.

Patience and support is what is required.
Up the Clarets.

Cleveleys_claret wrote:Go follow Melksham you tool

Bore off you numbskull.

Robbie Brady 12 wrote:....get some rich person in

Yeah, they're queuing up aren't they, ya donut.

Its amazing how much the entirely ill informed seem to know about this. The club has issued no statements related to any particular target and all the public information we know is gossip.

We have made signings (eg Defour) that were not telegraphed in the pages of News Now, and much of what has been stated in recent weeks is agent talk and surmising on a grand scale. We do not know who the targets are, what has been offered, what progress is being made or how likely we are to get them. What we do know is that both Chairman and Manager have stated their ambition to bring players in if they fit the financial and playing model of the club.

Many posters are guilty of simply inventing a theory of what is happening, based on gossip and tittle tattle or postings from other ill informed people, then beating the club about the head assuming their theory is true. Might I suggest you all hold off until the Transfer Deadline is over? These threads are all genuinely pathetic.

I would say that in the past 5 years this club has done very little that we supporters should be upset about, and has provided a steady upward trajectory of success that we could only have imagined in our wildest dreams. I'm prepared to believe the club hasn't suddenly taken leave of its senses.

What makes you think given the long list of criteria for a signing that the board haven’t said no to several interested parties?

Cleveleys_claret wrote:Time for Mike Garlick to do what is expected of him and get some players of premier league standard in. The coaching staff and players have made us fans see things we never thought we would see through sheer determination and hard work.

SD will be getting of this situation and despite happy clappers saying otherwise he is clearly not happy with how things are panning out. We as fans have kept saying about SD and how he wants character and that is why we shop at home rather than abroad. I watched an interview with Garlick not long ago and it seemed to be more his brainchild.

Get signing players Garlick or do one

You need to go and lie down in a very dark room and quietly forget your login and password details.

You might forget the old days of lower league football af a club that was living hand to mouth, season to season. I do not. Nor would I ever wish us as a club to put in jepody the sound financial state of the club EVER. I am eager to see new signings, to ensure we stay up and benefit from the riches of the new deal in 2019/20 but never at the risk of the club sliding into financial ruin like Blackburn, Blackpool, Leeds et al.

Supporting a football club is a lifelong commitment and having a financially stable club around in 10/20 years time that my three year old son can watch is more important than bankruptcy.

I'll throw a curved ball into this discussion and suggest the stubbornness of Dyche is causing the current lack of signings

Nobody can doubt he has done a brilliant job over the last few years

The idea of the previous "rolling contract" has always been a cause for concern not just for us supporters, but maybe also for the Board and, it must have really bolstered his ego when we offered him his latest contract on big money and on a long deal that financially he could not really turn down (and clearly one that showed the high esteem that the Board held for him)

He is seen, not just by us, but also by the media as a "special one" and I suspect he is fully aware of this and, understandably, uses it to his advantage

People keep questioning the role of our Recruitment Team unable to find new talent but maybe they are being led by the manager, ie he decides who he wants and he makes it subtly known who his preferences are, therefore shielding himself from any blame if those targets do not materialise

Given our performance last season and the new Europa League spot maybe SD thought we could easily attract players of a higher quality than in the past. Don't forget that Cork was the only previous signing who had held down a fairly regular place in a Premier League side (the rest coming from leagues below or reserves from the likes of Stoke/Huddersfield)

The likes of Dawson, Jay Rod and Mawson would certainly be attractive as far as we are concerned, but are we really in a financial position to compete for their signings (WBA are not going to let players go who they think could get them promotion and back into the top league, and Fulham have far more money than us)

Mike Garlick has no doubt put himself up to be shot down ie publicly saying our transfer budget would be more this year than last, and then the manager following this with saying he thinks we would have to break our transfer record to get in his targets

Football is a team game and I just wonder if SD and the Chairman are on the same side

Just a thought

Danieljwaterhouse wrote:You need to go and lie down in a very dark room and quietly forget your login and password details.

You might forget the old days of lower league football af a club that was living hand to mouth, season to season. I do not. Nor would I ever wish us as a club to put in jepody the sound financial state of the club EVER. I am eager to see new signings, to ensure we stay up and benefit from the riches of the new deal in 2019/20 but never at the risk of the club sliding into financial ruin like Blackburn, Blackpool, Leeds et al.

Supporting a football club is a lifelong commitment and having a financially stable club around in 10/20 years time that my three year old son can watch is more important than bankruptcy.

I think we're all well aware that the new deal from '19/'20 will ensure annual Income from broadcast revenue will approach £150m compared to the current £120m, but with an Operating Profit to Jun'18 of some £58m about to be revealed, the existing cash flow situation is perfectly healthy.

jojomk1 wrote:I'll throw a curved ball into this discussion and suggest the stubbornness of Dyche is causing the current lack of signings

Nobody can doubt he has done a brilliant job over the last few years

The stubbornness of Dyche causes this situation every transfer window. It's how he works. And yet, in the end, the recent transfer windows have been on balance sensationally good, beyond most of our wildest dreams.

I feel for Garlick, I think he was honest when he said he'd be prepared to spend more money this to reflect our ever increasing income.

I think Dyche is hanging him and the club out to dry when it's his intransigence in the market that is the primary cause of this gridlock.

Robbie Brady 12 wrote:I think he should relinquish to someone that has money to make the squad better garlick has not got the neccacery funds just look at clubs like wolves Fulham Huddersfield and Brighton all spending lots of money improving their squads while we are doing nothing get some rich person in

Almost as stupid as the OP.

jojomk1 wrote:
Football is a team game and I just wonder if SD and the Chairman are on the same side

Just a thought

Stupid thought when you look at the last 5years.

jojomk1 wrote:I'll throw a curved ball into this discussion and suggest the stubbornness of Dyche is causing the current lack of signings

Nobody can doubt he has done a brilliant job over the last few years

The idea of the previous "rolling contract" has always been a cause for concern not just for us supporters, but maybe also for the Board and, it must have really bolstered his ego when we offered him his latest contract on big money and on a long deal that financially he could not really turn down (and clearly one that showed the high esteem that the Board held for him

He is seen, not just by us, but also by the media as a "special one" and I suspect he is fully aware of this and, understandably, uses it to his advantage

People keep questioning the role of our Recruitment Team unable to find new talent but maybe they are being led by the manager, ie he decides who he wants and he makes it subtly known who his preferences are, therefore shielding himself from any blame if those targets do not materialise

Given our performance last season and the new Europa League spot maybe SD thought we could easily attract players of a higher quality than in the past. Don't forget that Cork was the only previous signing who had held down a fairly regular place in a Premier League side (the rest coming from leagues below or reserves from the likes of Stoke/Huddersfield)

The likes of Dawson, Jay Rod and Mawson would certainly be attractive as far as we are concerned, but are we really in a financial position to compete for their signings (WBA are not going to let players go who they think could get them promotion and back into the top league, and Fulham have far more money than us)

Mike Garlick has no doubt put himself up to be shot down ie publicly saying our transfer budget would be more this year than last, and then the manager following this with saying he thinks we would have to break our transfer record to get in his targets

Football is a team game and I just wonder if SD and the Chairman are on the same side

Just a thought

I liked this other than blaming Dyche.... without a dounbt he will want the best players he can he have to add to his team, because the better we do the better he looks.
Dont think the board are to blame, they are in contact all the time with targets, it's the corruptness of agents after giving good word, that then costs us.

Its like a lot of people on here aren't team players, shooting at the board and the best English manager!! Stick together, we'll win this one!

dsr wrote:The stubbornness of Dyche causes this situation every transfer window. It's how he works. And yet, in the end, the recent transfer windows have been on balance sensationally good, beyond most of our wildest dreams.

It pretty much cost us Premier League survival when we ballsed up the Jan transfer window in 2015

I am no financial expert, nor have I any idea how the inner workings of a football club are organised, but I do feel pretty certain that having gained promotions with Sean Dyche as manager, the club wouldn't be so naive as to alienate him or be obstructive for no good reason.
Sean Dyche will be fully aware of the situation at the club with regards all its affairs.
The suggestion that he of all people would be shut out, or needlessly frustrated by his own employers is nonsense.
Dyche has been roundly praised by all in the national footballing world, and rightly so.
We finished top ten in the Premier league, and are now in European competition.
He has been here a long time now, and as we are about to embark on another campaign in the top flight, does anyone really think he would be inwardly cursing his own board for their lack of ambition ? I doubt it.

Garlick will do the right thing.

This article appeared in The Times on 4th May 2018. I posted on here at the time - but I guess everyone was to taken up with finishing 7th to read the important bits re the club's wage structure and approach to recruitment.

Happy reading, guys.

UTC

Don’t give more money to big six, says Burnley chairman

Mike Garlick says a TV deal cash grab would spell the end of smaller clubs’ dreams

These are historic times at Burnley: they are poised to play in Europe for the first time in 50 years and to achieve their highest league finish since the early 1970s, but the club’s chairman Mike Garlick fears that moves to give the “big six” more TV money could end such “unscripted drama” unfolding in the future.

Burnley have the smallest turnover and wage bill in the top flight apart from those sides promoted last season, yet are virtually guaranteed seventh place and Europe — and could even overtake Arsenal, whom they meet on Sunday.

Next month is the Premier League’s annual meeting, where its executive chairman Richard Scudamore wants a resolution to demands of the “big six” — Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and the two Manchester clubs — for a greater share of the overseas TV money.

Garlick is among those opposed, saying: “The balance we have now means Burnley can beat the champions Chelsea on the opening day.

“I just hate to think that the balance is upset. If you give the bigger clubs a load more money it’s bound to have an effect on the competitiveness of the league. You only need to look at Europe — Spain, Germany, where Bayern Munich have won it the last six years. Is that what we want?

“Surely the attraction of our league is that five or six teams could win the Premier League, and on the day the other 14 can beat one of the top six. That adds to the unscripted drama of it. If people know what’s going to happen they are going to turn their TV sets off.”

Garlick, born within sight of Turf Moor, is an out-and-out fan: one who has travelled to support England in every World Cup since 2002, though he has decided against Russia this summer because of the security situation.

Sitting in the Shoreditch offices of the global recruitment firm he founded in 1989, he admits that Burnley being in Europe is the stuff of fantasy, built on team collectiveness, with an excellent manager in Sean Dyche at the core.

“We were last in Europe in 1966-67, reached the quarter-finals of the Fairs Cup and I was aged five,” he says. “I didn’t see it, and I never thought I’d see European football at Turf Moor. It’s ironic because all our fans are chanting, ‘We are all going on a European tour,’ and Burnley was one of the biggest Brexit towns . . .

“I think we pay our players quite well. Our wages have gone up, so what we spend on wages might keep you in the Premier League but no one was expecting us to be seventh and in Europe. There’s less variance from the lower wages to the higher wages in our squad, where at other clubs you might have people on 25 grand a week and others on 125 grand. I don’t like the sound of that. That would cause us big problems.

“In the programme notes for the last time we were in the FA Cup final — 1962 against Tottenham — it says Burnley’s strength is its collectiveness. We never really had superstars then and the same is true today. Jimmy Robson, who played in that final, worked down the pit. Most of the lads in the early Sixties had part-time jobs, four or five of them down the mine. They are great stories from the past but we have to keep looking forward, we don’t want to be this romantic little club that always looks back.”

Garlick has introduced the rigour of the recruitment industry to signing players, a tactic that has led to the club focusing on those playing in Britain.
“Our recruitment team prefers to keep it focused on things that are easily accessible to us,” he says. “In terms of personal characteristics, what they do when they are off the pitch? Do they go off to the casino or home to their wives?

“That detail is really important and it’s a lot easier to do that and reference people in the UK or Ireland. Who are his last five managers, sporting directors and chairmen, and speak to them all. I’m in recruitment so that’s what I do, it’s my bread and butter. If they have bad habits we don’t want them, and for those in Germany or Spain and so on it’s just harder to get that real data.”

Garlick laughs when Joey Barton, whose reputation went before him when he arrived, is mentioned. “He’s a great player and if you can manage him then he’s great to have on your side. His past was mixed, but at least we knew that and then could make a decision.”

Garlick admits it was hard to stick to his guns when the latest TV deal riches arrived last season, with fans pushing for signings and clubs asking “crazy money”. “Everyone was going bonkers. You have to find that balance. We are not billionaires, we can’t bail the club out by saying here’s another £10 million or £20 million every year. We can put a bit in but it’s not of that ilk.”

Burnley boast four England internationals and Dyche’s name is constantly linked with managerial vacancies. Garlick hopes that a new contract agreed in January and Burnley’s set-up will stop his head from being turned.

“Sean has been here five years now and he’s always going to get attention because he’s being doing very well, but I hope he’s here for the next five years.

“One thing he has got with us is his ability to shape his infrastructure. He has not got someone else telling him who to recruit, it’s his decision.”

The stage is set at Turf Moor: the Premier League will remain the priority next season but do not rule out some more drama, this time in Europe.

Paul Waine wrote:This article appeared in The Times on 4th May 2018. I posted on here at the time - but I guess everyone was to taken up with finishing 7th to read the important bits re the club's wage structure and approach to recruitment.

Happy reading, guys.

It certainly makes me happy to know that the foundations of our success are not being destroyed. Incidentally, all those comments about recruitment could be lifted from a Sean Dyche interview. They are singing from the same hymnsheet.

dsr wrote:It certainly makes me happy to know that the foundations of our success are not being destroyed. Incidentally, all those comments about recruitment could be lifted from a Sean Dyche interview. They are singing from the same hymnsheet.

And, quite possibly it is why the Board appointed Sean Dyche. They knew what they were looking for. Who knows, they might have even written a job spec. We are told that Sean was the only candidate who turned up with a powerpoint presentation. And, we are told that Sean Dyche's Dad was a management consultant - maybe he's taught Sean a few things about running a football club that most other managers haven't been taught.


Tough business running/owning a football club if you are trying to "live within your means" when many others see know need not to "splash the cash."


Enough examples of those that have got it wrong.

You're all ferkin barmy.

Jmw wrote:Or he could of course be looking to sell and be maxing his value by ensuring there is a healthy cash balance when the new owners come in.....

Sounds plausible to be honest