CL to leave no stone unturned

By rushallsaddler
June 16 2003

Walsall manager Colin Lee has told Brian Halford of the Evening mail that he plans to delve into "every corner" of the club's business as he attempts to find extra cash for his transfer budget in order to try and compete in the first division next season.

Lee has had his thinking cap firmly on after his budget, already one of the smallest in the First Division, was further slashed.

He is reconciled to working with an even smaller squad next season than last time round.

So that sent him on holiday armed with paperwork galore to assess every department of the club for possible savings.

Although plotting cuts is hardly how Lee would choose to spend his holiday, he acknowledges the need for prudence in football's current financial climate.

And he believes that, next season more than ever, it will be the financially astute clubs which prosper.

"We are one of many First Division clubs having to cut our cloth," Lee said. "And next season a lot will depend on how clubs deal with that process. Some will cope better than others and the league table will be heavily dictated by how much clubs are weakened by cuts forced upon them.

"More than ever, football managers have to understand budgets and how the finances work in general. Some do. Others certainly don't.

But it's something I've got a decent grasp of and, although obviously it would be great to have it all laid on a plate at Walsall, it's a challenge I don't mind getting stuck into."

If they gave points for prudence, the Saddlers would without doubt be destined for the Premiership.

They don't though, so Lee is examining all areas of the club to pinpoint savings in areas other than his playing budget.

"We're delving into every corner," he said. "From the youth set-up and stadium management to things like travelling costs and agents' fees. We'll cut where we can so that the first-team squad, which drives the whole club of course, is affected as little as possible."