I also remember Brands had transfers lined up that the Waiter knocked on the head as we were still functioning like a gambling addict in a casino - Dumfries, Nunes, Diaz (with James going the other way).
That squad comfortably finished 10th the previous season. He forced Digne out and sold him for £30mill (now playing champions league footy)
His £10mill payoff hurt the the PSR books than it would've been if he spent that amount on transfers.
So again... deflection from himself like he's done at every club