Worrying Times For Us...

[Devereux]

Not trying to be negative here, just trying to figure out logically where we stand as a football team.

To me, it is extremely worrying the amount of transfer targets we are losing to teams I would consider to be of equal standing to us. Losing all those players to Prem clubs I think is perfectly understandable. Losing players to Leicester is even understandable given their current financial state. However, we are also losing players to Cardiff (Taylor), Reading (Khumalo), Crystal Palace (Parr) ...... you could even considerably add in Crainey (Blackpool) and Spence (West Ham) if you were being really harsh.

Some may say that Reading and Cardiff were both playoff contenders this year (so were we two seasons ago).

These players are choosing to go to other teams for one of the following reasons:

1) Money; in which case a) they are asking for too much and other teams are over-paying; or b) our current financial state is effecting recruitment (in which case is promotion a realistic target?)

2) Ambition; for whatever reason, these players think they have a better chance of Prem football with the teams mentioned above; in which case a) Keith is not selling us as well as others (I don't believe this) or b) they are looking at our squad, looking at our buys so far and not being impressed (in which case we are in a horrible chicken and egg cycle).

3) Environment; Never discount the fact that Londoners may choose to play for Palace rather than us, or West Ham instead of us. I actually think that our City is fine enough to aide us in recruitment and not stifle it.

4) The manager; no matter what you think of Keith (and I personally think he will become a very good manager for City given time) he is inexperienced. This can count against us in an intangible way (through the players perception of what a good manager is); or in a very tangible way...i.e. I think Taylor went to Cardiff purely because of his previous experience with their manager.

Now, lets end this on a positive note. Maybe we are not using our advantages enough. I wonder if Keith has asked James to recommend signings from his ex-collegues. Maybe James could encourage someone and sell the club to them enough to persuade them to take a risk with us.

There is also the Blackpool and Burnley examples to keep us positive. They got promoted without too many key signings, mainly through style, substance and teamwork.

Lets hope we can get a decent loan signing or two to help us up to Christmas, at which point we may be able to persuade other targets to sign on permanent.

[cheese]

indeed, pass the razor blades please.

[Harry]

I'll go for 2.

No matter what the sales job we present, players know the truth. We are not promotion contenders and if they're looking for Prem football next season they're best off playing for someone in with a shot this year. That ain't us. Cardiff, Reading, Leicester & Blackpool are all 'likely' to be contenders, so that's where the players ambitions lie.

The argument that we were in the playoffs a few years back doesn't bear any weight any more. We are a small club in this division (look at the attendance figures), and players are turning us down for what they see as a better prospect for success. I'd hope that we would be able to compete with the likes of Palace for Parr or Doncaster for Spurr, but sometimes that may come down to a players own personal decisions. But we won't be competing with the Leicesters, Cardiff's and Reading's of this world. They're bigger than us, play in front of more fans than us, have better stadiums than us, probably pay more than us, and are more likely to achieve promotion than us.

That's a simple choice for today's mercenary footballers.

[CiderHider]

We should stop worrying about other teams and players we didn't sign. Are you really extreamly worried about it? I have to be honest it takes a whole lot more to get me extremely worried, hearing my mate has been in an RTA,is cause for extream worry. Missing out on players we were not going to sign anyway is just trivial. The players we went in for didn't come here, get over it, its not important now and never really was.

What do you mean about Leciesters current financial state, are they in trouble?

Dont care about London, we are not in London and getting concern about it solves nothing, its just finding negatives for the sake of it.

Ambition is an overused word what does it actually mean? I'm sure Forest green rovers are just as ambitious as Chelsea, its a meaningless use of a word, I really hate it actually.

Hahha, ask James to recommend a player? you've been playing too much football manager haven't you? What a diabolical situation that would be that the club has to ask around in the changing room for ideas about player signings...utter failure of management.

Have to agree about one thing, money. its all about money no one should ever forget that.

[Devereux]

I know it's unlikely but players do talk to each other about clubs and transfers. Look at Bolasie and Albert. And there's always stories of players from other clubs trying to persuade them to move (Fabragas and the Barca players spring to mind)

[CiderHider]

I know it's unlikely but players do talk to each other about clubs and transfers. Look at Bolasie and Albert. And there's always stories of players from other clubs trying to persuade them to move (Fabragas and the Barca players spring to mind)

Its all a load of bullshit I'm afraid mate. The Club will say anything if they think they can score a few easy points with the fans via the media. Thats the cold reality.

[chipdawg]

Most of the players mentioned on here there is nothing to suggest we were ever in for. Even if we were, everyone is presuming that Parr and Khumalo are going to be successful, they could be shocking. I agree its worrying that after stating we want defenders we haven't managed to get any, but we're looking for reasons why we haven't signed players we may never have tried to sign

[icamanicity]

I think the truth is, that we have 2 to 3 three players that we cant move on, which Keith did say that, his hands were tied, we have to big a squad, and that is delaying bringing more players in, that is my take on the situation, i would rather have had, the defense sorted than bring in the players we have brought to the club, barring Kilkenny. The defense is key to our season. IMO...

[CiderHider]

I think the truth is, that we have 2 to 3 three players that we cant move on, which Keith did say that, his hands were tied, we have to big a squad, and that is delaying bringing more players in, that is my take on the situation, i would rather have had, the defense sorted than bring in the players we have brought to the club, barring Kilkenny. The defense is key to our season. IMO...

It pisses me off about this. Are we really not going to buy the defenders we NEED becuase we have the Hunt and Stewart on our books?

I dont buy that for one second. What is their combined weekly wage est? 30k? 30x52 = 1.56m. cost of relegation? not even worth considering imo. I dont think that we would pass up the oppertunity to buy the right defender if he came along becuaqse of Hunt of Stewart.

And wtf! Whats wrong with them? are they shit, lazy both?? If so then Coppell should pay some of their wages the little shit. If they are just here to pick up their wages and cant be assed I would have them working so ******* hard in training that they offered to buy out their contracts, the thought of them doing piss bugger all and picking 10k per week makes me sick to the stomach.

Keith says his hands are tied, that's bullshit and I don't believe he ever said that. CS and SL would not cut their noses off to spite their face. The situation is we just aint found the right players.