Come on 10cc that's disguising the situation pure and simple!
Agree. Not very good at disguising either.
As I mentioned no issue with spending at grassroots and coaching. The problem is paying players to come in who are only after the money! If you wish to pay coaching services, pay coaches you already have or players who may have come through the juniors themselves or been at the club for many years. That's returning investment
So what to do if you don't have any of them and still want to revive a legendary club? What is Halswell doing not to fall in the same hole? What is Western doing? Same old will only give you same old. In Halswell's case poaching players (with or without spending money) is no longer an option as either the coffers are empty or players are choosing coaching over empty promises.
Probably 'easier' for the newer aspirational clubs like Waimak and Selwyn as they have had to start with very little/nothing. Anyone that credits their growth to just the earthquakes has his head in the sand.