the1stknowle

5 minutes ago, fisherrich said:

Would prefer it was Bristol City in the Prem chasing players to sign like AS, not Bournemouth. This is a risky move for AS in my opinion. Chances are he will be back in the Championship next season playing against Brizzle City

Nah - Sheff Utd being total dross means basically 2 relegation slots. One likely to be Luton. Bournemouth have very decent chance of staying up. 

8 hours ago, Ska Junkie said:

I wish AS well but I'm in the FFS camp along with many others judging by the last few pages.

When will it be our turn? Sadly, I don't see it coming as we have to sell our best. The money and wages we cannot compete with, I understand that.

Im not anti Bournemouth but pro City.

Gutted, again. Shit week which sounds mad after a 5-1 win but fear for our club if we always have to sell our best.

Completely understood, but some silver linings:

1. Crazy good money in the bank for a championship player and, if he fulfills potential, I assume we have the chance to make another really good sum down the road.

2. Another high profile sale to the prem. Our reputation in that area builds. Promising players want to come to us because they see a pathway. Youth players want to develop here for same reason. That means more gems down the road. We have already signed some.

3. Related to 2, and the biggest silver lining for me, we now seem to have a recruitment operation that knows what a promising young player is and our transfer business and known targets are always really exciting now. Never trusted the football side of City so much as I do today. If Tinnion/Pearson say a player is class and I think he's onions, I know that I'm wrong. Even if they can only spend a fraction of that money over next few windows, I'm excited to see who they bring in. 

4. I know this isn't universal, but for me, there is a massive element of pride in seeing a youth team player achieving like this. I'm not on board with the 'just Bournemouth' stuff. Hope he smashes it in a fun Bournemouth team and is in the England squad in next few years.

5. Players want to play in prem and history says you have to take your chance or you could miss it. Short career that can be over in one tackle. One day, we will be in that league, and we will have a chance to sign the best players from much bigger Championship clubs and their fans will be shouting 'why Bristol City?' and we will love it. 

Saw Aaron Ramsey (Villa one) mentioned earlier as replacement for AS. Hes off to Burnley so it does look like Villa have decided to cash in on some of their youngsters - Archer also available. Hope that means we look again at Iroegbunam. We surely have to sign someone to replace.

4 hours ago, the1stknowle said:

They are spending so much that surely they will have to be very choosy about which of their promising youngsters they can hang on to and which they need to cash in on. Saw a story today that they might be willing to sell younger Ramsey to Burnley and no one is disputing that he is very highly rated. But obviously not when compared to Diaby, Tielemans, Mcginn, his brother etc (at least at the moment).

Maybe they start looking at the Man City route of sell everything but insist on a buy back. 

You are probably right though that he'd be out of our range. I do hope we are a bit ambitious with our Scott replacement targets though. 

And now they are signing Tyler Adams so he will be pushed even further down list. At minimum he will be available for loan. 

1 minute ago, Davefevs said:

Might be 3 down, 1 to go then

Azaz in final year of contract (and Carey).

I think he’d be out of range for what we’d want to pay, and also I think Villa will only want to loan him out at this point too.  I do like him though.

They are spending so much that surely they will have to be very choosy about which of their promising youngsters they can hang on to and which they need to cash in on. Saw a story today that they might be willing to sell younger Ramsey to Burnley and no one is disputing that he is very highly rated. But obviously not when compared to Diaby, Tielemans, Mcginn, his brother etc (at least at the moment).

Maybe they start looking at the Man City route of sell everything but insist on a buy back. 

You are probably right though that he'd be out of our range. I do hope we are a bit ambitious with our Scott replacement targets though. 

5 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

I had four midfielders on my radar this summer (not that it means anything):

2 down (1 here, 1 at Peterborough), 2 to go!

Very different player, I know, but if we are going to invest a bit in an Aston Villa central midfielder, surely Tim Iroegbunam over Azaz. 

Just now, hinsleburg said:

Wouldn't be surprised if this has come from us to encourage any late comers to the party!

The deal probably is close with Bournemouth but making it clear that the door is still open for anybody else for now

Yep - I like James Piercy. He actually does some homework and can write. But I'd trust John Percy's sources over his. Let's see.

51 minutes ago, W-S-M Seagull said:

But Newman has been down Ashton Gate plenty of times to watch Scott as verified by Owers. 

Newman is very much on the side of Moyes so therefore Scott would be one of their targets rather than the new guys.

Not sure of the point here. If Newman is a proxy for Moyes and has scouted Alex extensively and they still haven't bid, does that not say that Moyes isn't into him??? They are not short of money. They are short of midfielders. They have bid for Zakaria and JWP and Paulinha. Because that is the kind of midfielder profile Moyes wants. 

2 minutes ago, KegCity said:

 

Surely we will? Lacking numbers in centre mid and the numbers we have got aren't the most reliable. We need 30+ games from James and Williams each, that's assuming Naismith is playing in midfield. All it takes is Williams' hamstring to go again and we're seeing Andy King play every week.

Yeah, agree we will bring in a Scott replacement. And given the inevitability of this move, you'd think we would have it lined up and can move very fast. 

16 minutes ago, W-S-M Seagull said:

West Ham have given Southampton 24 hours to respond to their latest 30 million pound final offer for Ward-Prowse which is expected to be rejected. 

I might be putting 2+2 together and getting 5 but maybe they are aware that Bournemouth are close and may move for Scott if JWP is a no go? Hence them giving Southampton a deadline.

While Moyes there, I doubt it. Lots of stories coming out of WH about the profile of player moyes wants being very different to what the technical director wants. And Alex feels like a technical director pick (Ward-Prowse very much the type of player Moyes wants). 

If he went somewhere where manager wasn't fully on board with signing, that would be worst possible move. 

26 minutes ago, bearded_red said:

John Percy is very reliable. And same story as yesterday with Peter O'Rourke from (much less reliable) Football Insider. Looks like its happening. But, deep down, we all always knew it was.

Good move if it goes through - I'm not on board with the 'can do so much better' chat. New manager is supposed to be very attacking. And to commit this much, manager surely fully on board with signing so Alex will get starts. Rest is down to him. 

49 minutes ago, Monkeh said:

It is though, it says nothing,

Nothing about a bid being accepted

Nothing about these advance talks

The article is the very definition so speculation,

How can you have advance talks with a player for example if you haven't even bid,

It's nonsense, it's an article designed to filter traffic to a site for add revenue, Nothing more,

I cant believe I'm saying this, but the post is alot better then this rubbish

Let's see. We will know soon enough. 

5 minutes ago, Monkeh said:

Nothing but speculation 

Not sure about that. Football Insider can be absolute dross with literal guesswork and speculation manifesting as news. But Peter O is their actual journalist and article is pretty clear that it is sourced information and advanced talks. You might be right that the 'beat Wolves to signing' is overstating and speculative. But I would suspect there is something in this.

4 hours ago, Roger Red Hat said:

Wolves currently looking a bit of a basket case. Must be in the mix for relegation.

Youd think so from the outside. But they have some decent players still and, crucially, they have a very good manager so - as long as he can stick it out - I suspect they will be ok. Everton looking far worse I think, Luton will need a miracle and Sheff Utd I just don't think are very good. 

Nice to see Tim Iroegbunam getting some mentions as we were apparently looking at him before and he does look very good. Would be a decent fee you'd imagine if they would let him go. But, regardless of how well he is doing pre-season, is he going to get minutes over Mcginn, Buendia, Luiz, Tielemans, Ramsey, other Ramsey, Kamara... 

So would they take say 3-5m rather than turning him into a perennial loanee???

Highly speculative but has been on our list and from the little I saw last season, very good.

5 hours ago, RedEyez said:

Who cares. If he re signs and can prove his fitness it will be another very good centre back option without having to get the cheque book out again in terms of a fee . We all know he always gives 110% for the club when he plays so that’s not an issue for me.

Yeah exactly. Maximising your earnings is pretty normal and doesn’t reflect on anyone in their jobs. Unless you think your employer would be heartbroken to learn you would quit your job if another company offered to double your wages. 

8 hours ago, RoystonFoote'snephew said:

Stepping stone clubs, haven't we tried that. Wasn't Bournemouth a stepping stone for Kelly, Brighton for Webster and Burnley for Brownhill? How's that worked out so far? I want him to stay but if he goes I'll take the highest bidder please from our end (but hope he goes to a club that would benefit his development). 

We will obviously take the highest bid. My point wasn't about that if you read back. 

Think you should give some of the examples you mention a bit of a longer timeline to yield any sell on clause, esp Kelly. But it doesn't really matter. The real point is that none of the three you mention above should be compared with Scott in terms of long term value. We made our big money with the initial sale of those three. But with Scott, he has a potential ceiling much higher than them or any player we have had before. (Marvin Brown aside, obviously). So from that point of view, its a completely unique case.

And, money and FFP aside, as you say, also need to think about his development, as I think most right minded City fans will take a lot of pride in seeing him reach his potential and going to a club where he will play regularly in a top league would be great.

29 minutes ago, Monkeh said:

No it doesn't, people are being snobbish,

Just like we are higher in the food chain then Derby at the moment, Bournemouth are higher then us and have been for a long time now,

People need to accept this, it won't always be the case but it is for now, and will be until we have or sustain ourselves in the prem

Much, much better for us if he goes to a stepping stone club rather than straight to, say, Spurs. Brighton or Brentford would be dream ticket you'd think to max out likely future transfer value (if he goes on to fulfil potential). Spurs currently seem intent on letting their most valuable asset leave for free rather than selling him for a 'reduced' price. 

Issue with Bournemouth is likelihood of staying in prem which would obviously change his value. But maybe this new manager is the nuts like people seem to think and they will do well. In which case, good place for both Alex and Antoine from both our point of view and theirs (assuming we have decent sell ons in deals which is surely a given).

Club just announced. 

On 17/04/2023 at 10:15, the1stknowle said:

I like the Rushworth shout too but don't think it's too crazy to think he might get a go at Brighton next year. 

Brighton just signed new big money keeper so you’d imagine Rushworth might be looking around. 
 

If Brighton do bid for Alex, getting Rushworth as part of deal might be a possibility now. (All very speculative). 

21 minutes ago, formerly known as ivan said:

Wolves about to cash in on Neves which firstly means they will have money to spend and secondly will be looking for a replacement…

And for big money too despite only one year left on his deal. So, yeah, so long as their financial troubles aren’t really bad, they you’d imagine they will try to bid for Alex soon. 

8 hours ago, Davefevs said:

No idea….I purely posted Wednesday night that with the priority (imho) of defence sorted(ish) - Kalas decision to be made, that I think phase two begins.  And that is midfield.  Again imho.

On twitter I also posted a response to someone that Knight, Collins, Azaz and Carey were the four midfielders who I like.  I especially like Knight.  They all have different qualities, could fit in in different ways, just like I saw Bryan fitting in.  

That prompted a few more convos on here, e.g. he’s been at the HPC, his value, contract, etc…stuff from the Ireland manager comes out too from people digging around.

But who I want, who I think fits, etc is pretty much irrelevant, other than filling up OTIB.  It’s nice when a player signs who you’ve championed…even when it’s Cauley Woodrow!!!  But if we waited for the club to give us reason to debate players that are signing / might sign, this place would be very dull / empty.

Hence why I quite like the ITKers, whatever their level of ITK, because they post it’s something to get your teeth into.  Others on here seem to feel the opposite way about them.  But what floats my boat isn’t for everyone.

 

On your list of favourite realistic midfielders, where do you stand on Anjorin? I know he's coming back from another really bad injury but, when fit, he looks the business at this level and like he has capacity to go higher. Really good build and high level ability. And surely not going to get a look in at the Chelsea Player Dumping Ground. Maybe plays slightly further forward than Scott, but, when the inevitable happens with Alex, I would think one to look at.

1 hour ago, Numero Uno said:

Apparently charging people to watch them in an "open training session" with Chelsea. League 2 Wrexham (after many attempts)!! $40 for some tickets..........

The sad thing is there will be very decent players going there and playing well below their level just to earn a quick buck. Ideal next destination for someone like Taylor Moore imo.

That is sad. I feel awful for those very decent players getting paid more, for all the unnecessary exposure non-league and now L2 will get, and for football in general that some people who wouldn't have otherwise cared are being tricked into watching and enjoying it. So sad. 

17 hours ago, Lrrr said:

For me it’s not ‘fairytale’ when you pump a clubs playing budget with huge investment it’s merely meeting expectations 

Yep. As I said in my post, that is exactly my view. 

5 minutes ago, Lrrr said:

One of the biggest lies in British football, don’t get me wrong the owners have been great for engaging with the community and what they’re looking to do for the club off the pitch but the idea it’s a fairytale or an underdog story is just plain lies when you’re paying a player 6k a week to play in the national league. They’re not the only ones, it’s how Stockport went up last season paying players 5.5k to drop down.

Where's the lie? The 'fairytale', such that it is, is that they were bought and put on this enormous international platform having previously been a tiny club constantly on brink of going out of business. Its not that they are some plucky underdog club defying the odds in national league. Nothing in the documentary ever gave off 'How on earth are little old Wrexham going to compete with the mighty Chesterfield!?!' vibes.