Joe Bryan - Signed for Fulham CONFIRMED

[Ska Junkie]

1 minute ago, downendcity said:

They're a big club and they need to spend big ignored to resume their rightful place in the premier league, so it's obvious that FFP doesn't really apply to them, does it?

Judging by their histrionics earlier this summer Downend, maybe it does. I agree with your sentiment though.

There are absolutely no guarantees that they will go up so they could get severely shafted at the end of this season. Part of me hopes they have to face the music TBH and I've nothing against Villa whatsoever. 

[Mr Popodopolous]

5 minutes ago, Whitchurch1966 said:

Wasn't he on the bench on Saturday? I assume he must be close, perhaps not had enough 90 minutes yet.

So he was.

Don't know why we got so many early season/pre-season injuries though. Maybe we can front load them this year and get them out the way because last year was fairly ridiculous.

[Harry]

3 minutes ago, BRISTOL86 said:

Shinnie is pretty poor. Rather see Kelly get his chance. Plus he’s a goner as soon as Aberdeen play Celtic 

Id rather see Kelly start at LB too. But what I’m saying is that someone like Shinnie gives experienced cover for Kelly and also experienced cover for Smith in CM. Ideal signing for me and one that doesn’t block the pathway for Kelly, as well as adding a bit of bite to CM, which we need. 

[Unan]

Happy to see him go, get as much as we can + Pack has signed a new contract. I would’ve taken that at the start of the window.

[BobBobSuperBob]

6 minutes ago, Badger08 said:

I really don't know what to make of this. 

Loads of emotions: 

Frustrated - Because yet again another player has gone to a rival in the championship. Why is that? Money, bigger club or can he simply not see us heading where he would like? He's an intelligent lad,  so does he know something we don't? 

Angry - What is the point in spending money on everything (stadium, commercial staff, training ground etc) if you're just going to let our main assets leave? I know sometimes this can't be helped, but surely a couple more thousand a week would have kept him? All good having premier league commercial teams and facilities, but if you're playing in League One, whats the point. 

Concerned - With Reid, Flint and now Bryan off, we have basically lost 3 key members of last years squad.  If Pack hadn't signed, we'd truly be up the creek.  Left backs aren't easy to find! Especially ones that are completely 2 footed, can score and have the engine that Bryan does.  Who will be available at this short notice to replace him? I'd like to think we've at least sounded out a few players, but the goalkeeping situation isn't filling me full of confidence. 
I'm also concerned that all of our biggest performers want to leave! 

Lied to - SL keeps telling us that he wants to compete and that we aren't a "selling" club.  Well, I'm afraid we are. Stop saying we aren't when we've just sold 3 of our best players to league rivals. You can't just dip into the league and replace these kinds of players, its not that easy.  So whats the plan now? Tread water? You aren't going to improve on these, so you're basically showing you're happy to tread water at the very best. 

I'm totally a pint half full kind of supporter, but this has really frustrated me. 

Well written post that Badger

Im sure many feel the same

 

All I can say mate is

Welcome to the reality of Bristol City !

We will continue to lose players season on season until we can convince them we have a chance of promotion 

[Ska Junkie]

AS Bob said earlier in the thread, it's asking a lot of a youngster, backed up by another youngster, to show the consistency across a full season, no matter how good Lloyd is. I would be in the 'play him in a few then pull him out' brigade but we have nothing, apart from another promising youngster, to replace him with.

I've no doubt that LK is our future at LB / LCB but is he our 'now' at Championship level and can he sustain a high level of performance over 45 games? Tough ask IMHO. 

[Harry]

5 minutes ago, BobBobSuperBob said:

Watched him purposely in Aberdeen Rangers Game yesterday

Not sure I’d be too wild tbh

meh at best on yesterday 

He was also almost playing as a 10

On the flip side had 2 decent showings vs Burnley. I didn’t see yesterday but if he was playing as a 10 that’s maybe why he didn’t stand out as much as when he’s more the 6 or 8. 

[Ska Junkie]

2 minutes ago, Unan said:

Happy to see him go, get as much as we can + Pack hasn’t signed a new contract. I would’ve taken that at the start of the window.

Pack HAS signed a new contract Unan.

[Lrrr]

2 minutes ago, Badger08 said:

I get that they want to leave and the club can't do anything about that, I get that. My concern however is why do they want to leave? Bobby aside, something doesn't sit right with me that our players are so quick to jump ship / are so reluctant to not sign a new contract, especially someone like Bryan who has such strong ties with the City! 

Sure jumping to being on £30,000 a week odd helps that decision along with moving to a club with a better chance of promotion

[Guest]

1 minute ago, BobBobSuperBob said:

Well written post that Badger

Im sure many feel the same

 

All I can say mate is

Welcome to the reality of Bristol City !

We will continue to lose players season on season until we can convince them we have a chance of promotion 

While I agree, if a player won't sign a contract there isn't much we can do but sell. 

[Unan]

3 minutes ago, Ska Junkie said:

Pack HAS signed a new contract Unan.

Has** Happy with Pack staying and the others leaving for big money was my point

[sh1t_ref_again]

according to the telegraph we have accepted 6m bid from villa

https://thisisfutbol.com/2018/08/blogs/championship/aston-villa-have-6m-bid-for-bristol-city-defender-bryan-accepted/

[Ska Junkie]

1 minute ago, Badger08 said:

Maybe you were right after all.  I'm trying not to get too despondent, but, its hard not to when you're looking forward to building on last season, but you actually end up just replacing the reasons you were starting to progress. 

Frustrated. 

I'll be honest Badger, I do agree with you but, IF this does go through today, I will actually be relieved. I was convinced JB was running his contract down and going for £0 in the summer so it's £6M more than I was expecting us to get TBH.

[Ska Junkie]

2 minutes ago, Unan said:

Has** Happy with Pack staying and the others leaving for big money was my point

My bad, sorry Unan. 

[Redland]

The thing that frustrates me is that despite the hype from Ashton about how highly we are regarded etc etc etc the reality is that our best players can't wait to get out the door. Even if it means staying at the same level with another championship side.

 Joe is a Bristol lad and if he thought we would be playing in the Premier League any time soon I'm sure he would've stayed. His  decision to leave speaks volumes. 

[Mr Popodopolous]

Hang on a minute though.

How much do Villa owe us for Kodjia? Ideal world vs real world argument though it is, I wouldn't be inclined to sell them- if it's in instalments fair enough, but if they are behind.

Any fee from them, we must make sure we get in one lump sum.

[devoncider]

20 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Could McQueen replace him I wonder? I know a Southampton fan, will ask him about it later...

Strengthening another Championship club that late in the window though, really grates.

I'm sorry to hear that

[Kid in the Riot]

8 minutes ago, Harry said:

Not sure why there is so much surprise and frustration. 

We all knew at the end of the season that we’d be losing Bryan, Reid & Flint. 

We’ll have done bloody well to get in excess of £20m for those 3. 

Lap it up. It’s bloody brilliant. 

Absolutely, we did. Just not to rival Championship clubs and our closest rival in footballing terms for the last few 18 years - Cardiff. 

I think the fees are ok in today's market, nothing more. 

And finally, the reason it's not 'bloody brilliant' is because the loss of these players is systematic of a lack of ambition the club showed in January by not strengthening the squad properly when it was in desperate need of recruits. That pissed off some of the key members of the squad so much that their lack of effort in the remaining months of the season was there for all to see.

Watching Cardiff stroll past us to a second promotion to the Premier League was ******* infuriating. It'll be Brentford next - you watch!

[Phileas Fogg]

2 minutes ago, Redland said:

The thing that frustrates me is that despite the hype from Ashton about how highly we are regarded etc etc etc the reality is that our best players can't wait to get out the door. Even if it means staying at the same level with another championship side.

 Joe is a Bristol lad and if he thought we would be playing in the Premier League any time soon I'm sure he would've stayed. His  decision to leave speaks volumes. 

His decision to leave shows he'd rather earn 25,000 a week over 10,000 a week. He probably also feels it's gone a bit stale for him, and is the right age for a move.

I don't really mind him moving on either, it's a shame to lose your best players but it's hardly a surprise. Looked pretty likely that Flint, Reid and Bryan would be gone before the window opened.

[cidercity1987]

2 minutes ago, Kid in the Riot said:

Absolutely, we did. Just not to rival Championship clubs and our closest rival in footballing terms for the last few 18 years - Cardiff. 

I think the fees are ok in today's market, nothing more. 

And finally, the reason it's not 'bloody brilliant' is because the loss of these players is systematic of a lack of ambition the club showed in January by not strengthening the squad properly when it was in desperate need of recruits. That pissed off some of the key members of the squad so much that their lack of effort in the remaining months of the season was there for all to see.

Watching Cardiff stroll past us to a second promotion to the Premier League was ******* infuriating. It'll be Brentford next - you watch!

I agree Brentford will be next, but they have the same strategy as us! Buy fairly cheap, sell higher when the player has outgrown the club.

I've got no problem with Flint, Reid and Bryan leaving. It was always going to happen.

[BRISTOL86]

11 minutes ago, Badger08 said:

I get that they want to leave and the club can't do anything about that, I get that. My concern however is why do they want to leave? Bobby aside, something doesn't sit right with me that our players are so quick to jump ship / are so reluctant to not sign a new contract, especially someone like Bryan who has such strong ties with the City! 

Because we’re not a very big club and don’t pay massive wages. 

These people have agents and entourage in their ear 24/7 telling them what they can get them elsewhere. 

[JoeAman08]

Don’t mind Bryan going. Was summed up perfectly in an earlier post thanking him for his goals against Rovers, Swindon and Man U. Great moments but his best were goals as a LB. Extremely inconsistent at LB and I know Kelly is young but just personally always felt safer on the left when Kelly played there. 

As far as recruitment I feel we have done well but still feel short imo. Not on numbers but quality. Over 25m in from Flint, Bryan, Reid and Mags. Plus wages freed up from GON and Golbourne too. 10-11m spent and wages probably about even if not less. Still no keeper. CM feels short if we persist with a two. Keeper is a need(quality) and striker we are hoping Eisa hits the ground running otherwise we are reliant on our two starters. 

15m left and I am not saying spend all of it but a couple good loans would be of benefit imo. I can see being patient for a keeper as that is hard to recruit quality. LB now a need to compete with Kelly. We still have to do more business imo and a bit

[supercidered]

21 minutes ago, Andy082005 said:

If he goes for £6m that's £25m of incoming cash this summer 

Any chance of investing some of that in a striker aswell as a left back please? 

It doesn't seem so does it? Our net spend to date one can only guess. However, is it more of a case that whatever City throw at a player to tempt him here the top drawer players just don't fancy it. Christ we can't even keep what we've got let alone attract the finished article from somewhere else.

[BobBobSuperBob]

4 minutes ago, Tomarse said:

While I agree, if a player won't sign a contract there isn't much we can do but sell. 

Oh Totally agree Tom

 

Was merely understanding Badgers well structured frustrations

and pointing out that this is the reality with the current plan

 

We have two major obstructions In signing or retaining the best players

Wages

Sign of Ambition / likelihood for promotion

 

Putting the wages aside we will only be able to get players to stay when we look to be a real threat for promotion

Anyone wanting ‘loyalty’ from a footballer these days has more chance of marrying a Supermodel

Thats the reality  

Flint , Reid and Bryan have p’d me off to varying degrees 

I still think if we’d got it somewhere close to right in January and gone at least close to promotion we would have had a much better chance of starting this season at least , with Flint , Reid and Bryan 

Weve replaced Flint with Webster who looks promising / decent 

Reid with Weimann whose not bad and at worst will do a job

Lets hope we replace JB (Who in theory should probably be the easiest to replace)

Have we / will we replace the quality with similar or better quality

Only time will reveal for us

 

[Phileas Fogg]

I'd be really impressed if City surprised us all, and used the last couple of days in the transfer market to bring in..

• A steady leftback (someone like Shinnie) as a stop gap who doesn't totally block out Kelly..
• A keeper who will immediately become our no.1... or someone like the American keeper who looks a real talent.. 
• A top quality Centre Mid (someone like Ben Pearson, Ryan Woods or even John McGinn). Someone who could be a genuine improvement on what we have who'd add bite, organisation and quality to our midfield. This would cost a bit, but surely would be worth the outlay for the right player.

I don't think this will happen sadly, would probably mean us spending 10m+.. but would be so surprised and impressed if we did.

 

[BRISTOL86]

How many times have we seen clubs throw cash at promotion and fail? Be pretty funny if we ended up finishing above Villa and/or Boro. 

[milo1111]

26 minutes ago, BobBobSuperBob said:

Of course you can

I’m not talking about players making errors with control or a misplaced pass

I’m talking Players half hearted in challenges,  or not making a run they are capable of , not bothering to track back , body language , lots of factors 

Bolton away. The goal we conceded. Watch this and it tells all.

[Nogbad the Bad]

24 minutes ago, Badger08 said:

 

Lied to - SL keeps telling us that he wants to compete and that we aren't a "selling" club.  Well, I'm afraid we are. Stop saying we aren't when we've just sold 3 of our best players to league rivals.

Exactly the opposite.

SL has stated we shouldn't get too attached to individual players and City will sell if it is felt to be in the best interests of the club, and our valuation is met.

If the reported 6m fee is correct, that's exactly what's happening with JB now.

[Dolman Block B]

1 minute ago, billywedlock said:

If we had offered the right wages at the outset he would have signed a new contract. Club wanted to sell. It is part of the business model to make us self financing. If Fama scores goals this season, he will be sold next year too, etc etc. 

It is what we do or have done with incoming fees that matters.

This season we will see the fruits of 35 million (plus plus Bolasie Cunningham etc etc) of transfer income and how well it has been reinvested . It is how we have afforded Baker, Fama, and Webster for example. We are following the Brentford and Peterborough model. 

The problem here is he would have been offered our top pay, at a guess between 18k and 20k a week.

Villa will pay him 35k a week at a blink.

No brainer for the player really.

[Jacki]

Really disappointed by this but when JB didn’t sign a contract it’s sadly inevitable. As others have said money is clearly a big factor, and I can’t help agreeing with @Kid in the Riot that our farcical January window has played a huge part in Flint, Reid and Bryan leaving. They clearly just don’t believe in what Ashton and LJ are doing here after that fiasco.

It’s a real shame but it’s where we are and we need a decent replacement in ASAP.