Update on Erik Palmer-Brown (23) 👀Per Austria Wien’s sporting director Peter Stöger, exercising the existing option to buy EPB is “completely unrealistic” given financial implications from COVID.The club remains hopeful to reopen negotiations with Man City #USMNT #OneGoal pic.twitter.com/W0QWq4EsYP— OneGoal (@OneGoalUS) May 24, 2020 The Austrian Bundesliga is set to resume play on June 2nd. As Austria Wien finished 7th in the regular season, they will take part in the relegation round. In the relegation round they will play the teams ranked 8th - 12th in the regular season home and away. The relegation round table includes half of each team's points from the regular season, and the group winner will advance to a playoff for a spot in the 2020/2021 Europa League 2nd qualifying round with the fourth and fifth place teams from the championship round. The bottom team after the relegation round is relegated.
I doubt Austria Wien has seen their jersey sales keep their books in the black over the last 2 months.
It's not his value as much as his salary. The salary that Citeh can drop on even a (very) marginal player like EPB would be what Wien could pay to a key player that they've picked up for a song or developed themselves and plan to sell on to Gladbach or Leverkusen. Adding a transfer fee on top is impossible for what is a mid-table BL2 side financially. They couldn't really have afforded him, even before COVID-19. Now it's impossible. It's good news that Stoger (former coach of Koln and Dortmund) is implying that they want him back, but I'd hope he can get a loan in BL2 for next season: the standard is a bit higher and he might catch the eye of a promotion-challenger.
The revenue for clubs outside of England, Germany and a couple others, is heavily based on gate revenue/concessions, and the financial picture can quickly go pear shaped when they aren't getting and fans through the turnstiles.
I can't imagine though that Citeh wouldn't be interested in negotiating a more reasonable purchase price for a guy they have zero interest in during this financial situation.
The business model of the 'loan army' system is to improve the player then sell him on for a profit. If the current financial climate is too poor City have the financial wherewithal to wait until it improves.
We will adjust to COVID-19 and get back to concerts, football, theatre, etc. We have to, psychologically. In the meantime, City are on the hook for the wages of whoever they have on contract in the "loan army" right now. They may decide to reduce the number of recruits until things start getting back to normal but, pandemic or no pandemic, they won't be discounting any of the current ranks because of it. With their resources they'd be crazy to: better to eat the losses so as to put down markers when they sell the EPBs of 2025.
With the ban on CL and the price of oil, I would think the finances are getting a little tighter over there. I know they've gotten pretty fat off of oil for years, but right now they can't be making much money.
Also in the Austrian Bundesliga today, Philadelphia Union loanee Cory Burke with 3 goals and an assist for St. Poelten in a 5-0 win over WSG Swarovski Tirol
EPB part of a 1-0 victory. A shutout is always good but I don’t have any other details at the moment. But 90 minutes of European football is never bad!!
Some fan info, from the Wien forum at Soccerboard: https://www.austriansoccerboard.at/...-wacker/page/8/?tab=comments#comment-10882749 Demaku [CM recently promoted Wien II player, 20] was a positive surprise, he had a decent start. Monschein [their striker who failed to score today] completely tuned-out in front of goal when he was involved. Grünwald [their stalwart defensive CM & leader of the midfield] tried hard, Palmer Brown was actually good, but their blunder was catastrophic and a product of arrogance. He [Admira's keeper, Leitner, formerly from Wien] should have saved that [he let the ball slide off his hands, from a pass to Monschein, and Fitz scored from it]. Klein [their RB] was also fine as well as Martschinko [the LB]. The boys who reached their limits today against this defensive wall: Sarkaria, Pichler and also Fitz (despite the goal). Only Wimmer was a bit more efficient. The "arrogance" in the goal comes from the fact that Leitner saved a couple of good ones before making that blunder, and seemed to feel himself invincible. All in all a very even game, from the comments. Wien had 12/4 shots, Admira 12/5. Wien leads the relegation group and Admira is next-to-last at this point, at risk of relegation.
Uh, I watched those highlights and...I don't know what game they were watching - EPB looked terribad. Ball watching, gave up a major chance, got dispossessed in the box. Maybe all of his play was completely out of those highlights lol.
It's the Austrian Bundeliga. Just because he wasn't actually any good, doesn't mean he couldn't have been the cleanest dity shirt at the same time
Losing right now to Altach at the half. If this holds, they won't be topping the relegation group any longer. Sax got a red at the half hour mark, and Altach's goal was right after the initial whistle. So, they're in big trouble.
EPB just scored an own goal. Crappy stream here: http://www.wizhdsports.net/channel1.php Usual disclaimers apply.