Premiership boss in big spending Hearts and Hibs transfer statement that's created 'biggest gap financially'
Hearts and Hibs spending in the transfer market has been assessed by a rival boss.
Dundee head coach Steven Pressley insists Hearts, Hibs and Aberdeen’s spending has created a widening gulf within the Premiership.
The former Hearts captain’s Dark Blues side start the top flight term at Celtic but Pressley has watched on over what rival clubs have been up to. He feels that with Rangers and the champions already out in front financially, that gap is now extending to Edinburgh’s big two and the Dons, who Pressley feels can outgun the likes of Dundee.
It presents an increased challenge for the Dens Park side as resources from the big five clubs to the rest now vast according to the Dark Blues boss. Tony Yogane’s move to Aberdeen soon after a promising loan to Dundee from Brentford is viewed as clear evidence of that.
Premiership boss on Hearts and Hibs transfer business
Speaking ahead of their league opener with Celtic next Monday, Pressley said: “I think this is the biggest gap I have seen financially in the Premiership. When have Hearts gone out and spent £1million or thereabouts on a number of players? It just hasn’t happened before. Look at Hibs. They are spending big numbers now. Aberdeen are spending big numbers and paying big numbers now.
“You now have the big five clubs for the first time there is the biggest gap financially and resource-wise compared to the rest. That makes it more challenging than ever. I think it is the biggest gap I have seen between the top five and the rest of us in my time in Scottish football. You have always had the Rangers and Celtic but this is the biggest gap between the top five and the rest.”
“Tony Yogane shows that. We really enjoyed having him at the club. He had a brilliant season for us and then Aberdeen just go and take him. That is the gap I am seeing. Aberdeen just go and pay the fee and then pay Tony money we just can’t get anywhere near. That is where we are. The Yogane one is typical of the gap between the top five teams and the rest of us.”
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Dundee are still looking to do whatever business they can in the market. Pressley added: “We’ve lost a bit of size. We had Billy Koumetio, Luke Graham and Clark Robertson, they were all big players in size. We’ve lost a little bit of that, but we have also recruited some size in other areas that will help us. I just think football-wise I am happy. It takes a lot of time and relationship-building before a team is confident enough to play the way we want to play.
“It is not just the player’s ability but the trust between the staff and the player grows and they start to feel comfortable in the environment. All of these things come into it. You don’t show your true version of yourself until you have that trust. We're where we are, and there is a lot of work to be done. It was the same last year.”