Hughes defends spending policy

"We understand how people may view us at a time in the world when times are hard for a lot of people and the economics of the world skew to a negative slant.

"But football sometimes bucks that trend, and we're in the business of trying to make our club better and we have to spend significant amounts of money to get significant players.

"That has never changed, irrespective of the economic situation in the world. We haven't had the benefit of Champions League money over a long period of time and we haven't had the success to generate the large amounts of money you need to build a squad that is capable of winning trophies."

>>telegraph.co.uk

Hughes hits the nail on the head here. The club have received continued critcism over the past few months for transfer bids, fees and wages paid and offered to players.

The sums of money that are being banded around may be astronomical, and indeed unpalatable, but from the clubs perspective it is something that at this stage in our progress is regarded as a necessary evil.

Whilst the club has a history, it does not have a recent one in terms of tangible success, so whlst there is a clear target in terms of what is being aimed at, it is at a distinct disadvantage in comparison to the top four and other top sides around Europe (something we saw with the efforts to sign Kaka).

Whereas the likes of Chelsea or Manchester United can offer competitive high end wages, they also have the recent success in terms of trophies and Champions League qualification that we are unable to. Instead, we have a vision that can be offered, and whilst it is an ambitious and impressive one (which Gareth Barry was clearly sold on) for us to compete at this stage with the likes of the top four we are going to have to offer above and beyond the 'going rate' in terms of wages.

The idea being that you can then secure top calibre players to get to the Champions League and win trophies. Then, and only then, can you entice players with the lure of trophies, medals and Champions League football needed to take the club on even further.