Steve Waggott addresses Blackburn Rovers budget and Jon Dahl Tomasson’s future as manager
The Blackburn Rovers Chief Executive spoke to in-house media on the eve of the Championship season
Blackburn Rovers chief executive Steve Waggott is determined to support manager Jon Dahl Tomasson as best as possible this summer, but admits the club’s budget issues are ‘not great’.
New laws have been implemented in India which raise tax on overseas investment from five to 20 per cent. Rovers’ owners – the Venky’s – are of course based in India and therefore the club have had to cut its overall budget this summer.
Three signings have been made in Arnor Sigurdsson, Sondre Tronstad and Niall Ennis, with a replacement for departing goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski seemingly imminent. Waggott has openly addressed the challenges facing the club at present, but recognises the importance of matching the ambition of Tomasson.
“We are mature enough to understand there are a few problems in India,” said Waggott. “It’s not great, it is what it is. I am managing it all as CEO. Throughout the restrictions, they have been supported us – a five-year commercial deal worth £4m to the club. We have to support them. It is cost savings. The main driver is the first team. The budget has been trimmed; I am trying to keep it as least cut as possible.
“Jon is fully briefed on the situation. He understands the position of the owners. He is a very ambitious head coach, very talented and sought after. We want to give him the best support to maintain him for next two years and beyond. He has delivered with a young group of players but he wants some experience. We’ve had to put the breaks on and that leads to frustration.
“He is ambitious, very hardworking and wants to move forward. I have to manage that and align that with what we can do. Sustainability of the club is everything. Jon understands that, we have to meet FFP rules. If we manage this window right, we’ll be good for a whilst beyond that.”
Despite the problems at play, however, Waggott assures that Rovers do not need to let players go this summer. But with Kaminski gone and Ash Phillips set to sign for Tottenham Hotspur, the CEO has every intention to reinvest.
“There is no pressure to sell players,” he said. “When you develop a young group, other clubs want their services. Thomas Kaminski has been courted before. Luton came five or six weeks ago and it dragged on too long. Ash Phillips could’ve walked away with one week’s notice for 200K compensation.
“We had to negotiate a complex situation to get a minimum value. The offer period ends today. There has been lots of noise but one solid offer (Spurs). Unfortunately, we will lose him to a Premier League club. With the constraints, if they can’t give me the full budget, that money has to be balanced between on and off field.
“There will be money, I can’t say the exact number, it’s case-by-case. We are signing a GK for a fee, not a really low fee. Jon wants a striker, lots of work is going on to get us an appropriate striker within the budget to add goals to the team.”
