LJ wanted to sign Ollie Watkins 2 years ago

[Lrrr]

For all the comments on here about how he was under our nose but didn't sign him etc, from the BP website:

"I wanted to sign Watkins and he was top of our list when we signed Niclas Eliasson actually - and I'm not speaking out of hand because I spoke to Niclas and he knows all about it.

"But at the time the price was hiked a little bit for us, which we didn't like, but he is a good player.

So if we're talking about being interested in him over Eliasson does that indicate the price for Watkins was higher than what we paid for Eliasson? Transfermarkt seems to be indicating that Brentford paid £1.8m for Watkins which is similar to what we paid for Eliasson.

[Loco Rojo]

Could he have meant Agent fees or sign on/loyalty fees or sell on %'s maybe? 

[1960maaan]

3 minutes ago, hodge said:

For all the comments on here about how he was under our nose but didn't sign him etc, from the BP website:

"I wanted to sign Watkins and he was top of our list when we signed Niclas Eliasson actually - and I'm not speaking out of hand because I spoke to Niclas and he knows all about it.

"But at the time the price was hiked a little bit for us, which we didn't like, but he is a good player.

So if we're talking about being interested in him over Eliasson does that indicate the price for Watkins was higher than what we paid for Eliasson? Transfermarkt seems to be indicating that Brentford paid £1.8m for Watkins which is similar to what we paid for Eliasson.

I thought we payed less than that, not that I know much or my memory is any good.

[Harry]

Well, we could’ve signed him 3 years ago for under £300k. So more fool us. 

He was scouted dozens of times, everyone who watched him liked him, everyone wanted him. But for some reason we wouldnt act until the year after when his price was too high (supposedly).

Its a regular story of our recruitment. We don’t take a chance when it’s available cheaper - it’s almost as if we don’t want a bargain. We’re too scared to take the chance. 

[The Nest Egg]

We have happily shelved out similar amounts for more 'optimistic' punts. Ollie had won L2 Young Player of the Year and really suited our playstyle. I had watched him all season before he got signed and knew they had someone special on their hands. Here was a player in our own back yard, and now we're made to look like idiots by a club we are directly competing with. Granted Eliasson is an exciting player too, but the club needs to learn from this incident as Watkins could be sold on for a huge profit should he leave Brentford. I know it is impossible to look at this without incorporating an element of hindsight, but it was this sequence of events that seriously dented my confidence in the recruitment procedures that this club has, which remains unconvincing at best.

[t_b]

9 minutes ago, hodge said:

So if we're talking about being interested in him over Eliasson does that indicate the price for Watkins was higher than what we paid for Eliasson? Transfermarkt seems to be indicating that Brentford paid £1.8m for Watkins which is similar to what we paid for Eliasson.

A “proven” player in the domestic league probably demands a lot more in basic wages than someone coming in from abroad I would suspect. 

Transfer fee isn’t the full consideration; at a basic level an extra £2.5k a week would be £130,000 annually and/or disrupt our structures. 

[old_eastender]

even worse when we do take the chance, we then don't play them - i.e. Mo Eisa!

[Lrrr]

1 minute ago, tommy_b said:

A “proven” player in the domestic league probably demands a lot more in basic wages than someone coming in from abroad I would suspect. 

Transfer fee isn’t the full consideration; at a basic level an extra £2.5k a week would be £130,000 annually and/or disrupt our structures. 

Yeah would be interesting what Brentford are paying him coming from League 2

[22A]

11 minutes ago, Loco Rojo said:

Could he have meant Agent fees or sign on/loyalty fees or sell on %'s maybe? 

Or the sellers thought "Bristol City are a wealthy club, so we can ask for more from them".

[shelts]

LJ trying to dig himself out of a hole . He was on our doorstep and as always City tried to do it on the cheap . 

[A Horse With No Name]

So we nearly signed Ollie Warkins and ended up with bloody Marley Watkins. Just typical.

[INCRED]

13 minutes ago, Harry said:

Well, we could’ve signed him 3 years ago for under £300k. So more fool us. 

He was scouted dozens of times, everyone who watched him liked him, everyone wanted him. But for some reason we wouldnt act until the year after when his price was too high (supposedly).

Its a regular story of our recruitment. We don’t take a chance when it’s available cheaper - it’s almost as if we don’t want a bargain. We’re too scared to take the chance. 

I think we have taken a lot of chances on lower league players if you look at our buys but none have been able to shine just yet

[Loosey Boy]

Exeter wanted near on £3m from us - ended up going to Brentford for £1.8m!!

[Fordy62]

Johnson speaks so much bollocks in his interviews that I’m inclined to call this as bullshit. 

[Davefevs]

31 minutes ago, Harry said:

Well, we could’ve signed him 3 years ago for under £300k. So more fool us. 

He was scouted dozens of times, everyone who watched him liked him, everyone wanted him. But for some reason we wouldnt act until the year after when his price was too high (supposedly).

Its a regular story of our recruitment. We don’t take a chance when it’s available cheaper - it’s almost as if we don’t want a bargain. We’re too scared to take the chance. 

Can’t believe you weren’t the second post on this thread Harry   

Chatting to our mutual friend, this one grates massively!

[gamon]

LJ the master bullshitter.

[Hampshire Red]

Useful, informative points from the last entry. My view comes from talking to Brentford fans after the game. They would swap any of their forwards including OW for Patts or Big Fams. I didn't rate OW at all today but I don't want to invite gamon to give even more insight

Interesting watching the game from different sides of the ground? 

[Lrrr]

1 hour ago, Harry said:

Well, we could’ve signed him 3 years ago for under £300k. So more fool us. 

He was scouted dozens of times, everyone who watched him liked him, everyone wanted him. But for some reason we wouldnt act until the year after when his price was too high (supposedly).

Its a regular story of our recruitment. We don’t take a chance when it’s available cheaper - it’s almost as if we don’t want a bargain. We’re too scared to take the chance. 

Interestingly that would put it under Cotts time here? Given we were struggling to bring in players that summer strange that we wouldn't go for him (not doubting what you say) and then again not go for him in January, we got Golbourne in before LJ arrived with no manager at the time.

57 minutes ago, Loosey Boy said:

Exeter wanted near on £3m from us - ended up going to Brentford for £1.8m!!

Could understand that putting us off, difference in cost being what we paid for O'Dowda at least.

[lenred]

13 minutes ago, Hampshire Red said:

Useful, informative points from the last entry. My view comes from talking to Brentford fans after the game. They would swap any of their forwards including OW for Patts or Big Fams. I didn't rate OW at all today but I don't want to invite gamon to give even more insight

Interesting watching the game from different sides of the ground? 

Would they bollocks! 

[Lrrr]

1 minute ago, lenred said:

Would they bollocks! 

I'd swap any 2 of our forwards for Maupay and Watkins 

[Hampshire Red]

Great response! I suppose goal tally per game may just be relevant for fans talking about strikers?! 

[lenred]

1 minute ago, hodge said:

I'd swap any 2 of our forwards for Maupay and Watkins 

I’d swap all of them for Maupay! 

[Lrrr]

4 minutes ago, Hampshire Red said:

Great response! I suppose goal tally per game may just be relevant for fans talking about strikers?! 

For me I think a mobile, fluid style striker would work well with our current system, just a case of rather than floated crosses have them whipped in low behind the defensive line.

[David Brent]

Ollie Watkins wouldn’t have been the same player if we signed him.

[Fordy62]

23 minutes ago, David Brent said:

Ollie Watkins wouldn’t have been the same player if we signed him.

Isn’t it sad that this is the case. And would be the case for any player out there. 

[cidered abroad]

1 hour ago, old_eastender said:

even worse when we do take the chance, we then don't play them - i.e. Mo Eisa!

It would not be fair to play Eisa with our midfield who play only sideways and backward passes!

Even Messi would struggle with us.

[glynriley]

2 hours ago, hodge said:

For all the comments on here about how he was under our nose but didn't sign him etc, from the BP website:

"I wanted to sign Watkins and he was top of our list when we signed Niclas Eliasson actually - and I'm not speaking out of hand because I spoke to Niclas and he knows all about it.

"But at the time the price was hiked a little bit for us, which we didn't like, but he is a good player.

So if we're talking about being interested in him over Eliasson does that indicate the price for Watkins was higher than what we paid for Eliasson? Transfermarkt seems to be indicating that Brentford paid £1.8m for Watkins which is similar to what we paid for Eliasson.

He'd probably be on loan at Cheltenham or Newport now. 

[formerly known as ivan]

1 hour ago, Harry said:

Well, we could’ve signed him 3 years ago for under £300k. So more fool us. 

He was scouted dozens of times, everyone who watched him liked him, everyone wanted him. But for some reason we wouldnt act until the year after when his price was too high (supposedly).

Its a regular story of our recruitment. We don’t take a chance when it’s available cheaper - it’s almost as if we don’t want a bargain. We’re too scared to take the chance. 

Yet we take £2m punts on players from Sweden???

[frenchred]

Just more absolute bullshit spouted from the mouth of the clueless one

[Davefevs]

56 minutes ago, lenred said:

I’d swap all of them for Maupay! 

Been admirer of him for a while.  Needs a few chances but like his predecessor Scott Hogan has bloody good movement.  He has a nasty streak too.

Not sure he suits our current style....he would’ve suited pre-Xmas last season’s set up though.