'We won't get ourselves in a financial mess' - Dariio (From Warrington Guardian)

'We won't get ourselves in a financial mess' - Dariio

CREWE boss Dario Gradi says they will never break the bank and risk the club's long-term future in pursuit of new players.

Mansfield's highly-rated free-scoring midfielder Liam Lawrence was a prime summer target for the Alex but following talks they look likely to miss out now that Sunderland have declared their interest.

Port Vale's Steve McPhee is also interesting several clubs in the Championship but apparent wage demands also rule him out of Crewe's reach.

Gradi's happy to keep the club's financial future intact and keep looking for those David Dickinson bargain buys.

"The Leagues are getting bigger and we struggle to pay the same sort of wages as the clubs in our division because of the gates we get, but that has been the case ever since I've come here and we just get on with it," he explained.

"There are quite a few clubs below us who would pay more than we do, so if a player has the option of going to Bristol City or even a Huddersfield then we would more than likely lose out because of the wages we can offer them.

"We accept that because we are not prepared to get ourselves into a financial mess.

"It's been drummed into me from day one here that we will always pay within our means and that is the right thing to do.

"What other clubs are paying their players doesn't really bother us because they can do what they like."

Gradi says the wage structure at Crewe cannot be broken.

"Clubs pay their top players high wages so they can secure their contracts and maybe make the money back when it comes to transferring them but it doesn't always work out like that," he added.

"Take Port Vale and McPhee, he could end up going for nothing if he elects to move abroad and they won't get a penny back for their investment.

"Now we could go out and get ourselves in debt and pay someone like McPhee high wages and then have seven of our own players knocking on the door and asking for a rise or to have their salary matched with the highest earner.

"It goes up and up and we won't do that here.

"We may miss out on a few of the better players in the lower leagues but we won't get ourselves into a financial mess trying to attract them here.

"There is no logic in it for us."