This summer

[Tipps69]

So now that we are certain to be in The Championship for next season, it means now that MA, LJ and our scouts can get on with trying to persuade players from our a) list to join for next season.

With the noises that are already emanating from the club, it looks like we could be in for a fair few new faces joining the club but who & what positions could they be?

We should already be looking at the possibility of getting Lee Tomlin & Adam Matthews to join permanently & we should already know where we stand & if we really want to keep Nathan Baker & Peter Odemwingie?

Assuming that Baker will be going back to Villa, it really means we need 2 Centre Backs? And that also depends on our ability to keep hold of Aden Flint!!

So we are pretty sure of our Goal Keeper & Full Backs but that to me is the only positions that look sorted!!

As mentioned above, we could end up losing both of this seasons first choice Centre Backs, it wouldn't surprise me if there was also interest in Marlon Pack, Korey Smith, Joe Bryan & Jonathan Kodjia!!

So with what we already have at the club, we could be looking at a whole new midfield & two possible new strikers!!

That leaves us with the possibility of a huge amount of change & may also see us having to release the purse strings a bit to allow us a larger wage budget to enable us to keep the likes of Aden Flint, Korey Smith, Joe Bryan & Jonathan Kodjia as well as helping us to bring Lee Tomlin in permanently.

What / who does that leave us looking to bring in?

Noises have been made towards us signing Alex Gilbey (21, Central Midfielder, Colchester) & Josh Brownhill (20, Wide Midfielder / Winger, Preston) both of these are out of contract during the summer so will mean us having to pay compensation to both clubs but it's highly unlikely to break the bank.

Apart from that, there's been the odd murmurings of Adam Hammill from Barnsly, another who is out of contract & can play Wide Midfield & Jason Cummings (20, Striker, Hibernian).

So these players could fill gaps in the squad but apart from Adam Hammill, the rest are all young & untried at Championship level, so could be a huge risk if we are left depending on these players to take the club onto the next level so that we aren't looking over our shoulders at the relegation spots & we are looking up at the possibility of the play off places?

So should we be looking at already established Championship players? Which inevitably will come at a higher financial cost.........

Then we have the added possibility of the reasonably unknown factor of us bringing in someone via our much made of French & Spanish scouting network..........

Plus there is the added factor that LJ has now had enough time to evaluate the squad that is currently available to him & who he wants here & who he's willing to get rid of, the likes of Kieron Agard, Derrick Williams, Scott Wagstaff, Mark Little, Luke Ayling & Luke Freeman? All of whom that seem to have very little future at the club........

What it does seem to point towards is that there could be a lot of comings & goings at Bristol City this summer & the work should already be starting now to put us in a position to compete with our opposition!!

[INCRED]

2 hours ago, Tipps69 said:

So now that we are certain to be in The Championship for next season, it means now that MA, LJ and our scouts can get on with trying to persuade players from our a) list to join for next season.

With the noises that are already emanating from the club, it looks like we could be in for a fair few new faces joining the club but who & what positions could they be?

We should already be looking at the possibility of getting Lee Tomlin & Adam Matthews to join permanently & we should already know where we stand & if we really want to keep Nathan Baker & Peter Odemwingie?

Assuming that Baker will be going back to Villa, it really means we need 2 Centre Backs? And that also depends on our ability to keep hold of Aden Flint!!

So we are pretty sure of our Goal Keeper & Full Backs but that to me is the only positions that look sorted!!

As mentioned above, we could end up losing both of this seasons first choice Centre Backs, it wouldn't surprise me if there was also interest in Marlon Pack, Korey Smith, Joe Bryan & Jonathan Kodjia!!

So with what we already have at the club, we could be looking at a whole new midfield & two possible new strikers!!

That leaves us with the possibility of a huge amount of change & may also see us having to release the purse strings a bit to allow us a larger wage budget to enable us to keep the likes of Aden Flint, Korey Smith, Joe Bryan & Jonathan Kodjia as well as helping us to bring Lee Tomlin in permanently.

What / who does that leave us looking to bring in?

Noises have been made towards us signing Alex Gilbey (21, Central Midfielder, Colchester) & Josh Brownhill (20, Wide Midfielder / Winger, Preston) both of these are out of contract during the summer so will mean us having to pay compensation to both clubs but it's highly unlikely to break the bank.

Apart from that, there's been the odd murmurings of Adam Hammill from Barnsly, another who is out of contract & can play Wide Midfield & Jason Cummings (20, Striker, Hibernian).

So these players could fill gaps in the squad but apart from Adam Hammill, the rest are all young & untried at Championship level, so could be a huge risk if we are left depending on these players to take the club onto the next level so that we aren't looking over our shoulders at the relegation spots & we are looking up at the possibility of the play off places?

So should we be looking at already established Championship players? Which inevitably will come at a higher financial cost.........

Then we have the added possibility of the reasonably unknown factor of us bringing in someone via our much made of French & Spanish scouting network..........

Plus there is the added factor that LJ has now had enough time to evaluate the squad that is currently available to him & who he wants here & who he's willing to get rid of, the likes of Kieron Agard, Derrick Williams, Scott Wagstaff, Mark Little, Luke Ayling & Luke Freeman? All of whom that seem to have very little future at the club........

What it does seem to point towards is that there could be a lot of comings & goings at Bristol City this summer & the work should already be starting now to put us in a position to compete with our opposition!!

Can't disagree with anything you say but only LJ knows who stays & goes as well as targets and new players so expect a summer melt down on OTIB as I do!

[Davefevs]

Agree with much....apart from. Ayling and Freeman.  Although we'll know more on Saturday re Ayling, especially if Little starts.  I think LJ has mentioned that he thinks Ayling can also play midfield.  If Cheltenham is forgiven (assuming it was an issue for LJ) then I would be amazed to see Ayling depart.  I think he's been one of the players that adapted very quickly.  Of course he's had games where he's been at fault for goals, but tell me one player (even the hero-worshipped Flint) who hasn't.

Most of the fringe players would probably be likely departures in a normal summer, but this will not be a normal summer.

Therefore I can see Williams, Wagstaff and Little being asked to stay.  Agard I'm sure will be go, with hopefully some £s attached to it to offset our busy summer.  You'd  think he'd more a big target for league one sides.

[Robbored]

LJ has said publically that he'd like to sign Tomlin - why wouldn't he? The guys a class act especially in the Championship. 

There will be several obstacles tho. 1) Would Eddie Howe be willing to let Tomlin go? 2) Would Tomlin want to drop a division? 3) Assuming B'muff agree to let him go then there would serious competition for Tomlins signature from other clubs. It could all come down to money.

Im sure we'd all love to see him join us but unless those obstacles can be overcome, it won't happen.

[Loco Rojo]

10 minutes ago, Robbored said:

LJ has said publically that he'd like to sign Tomlin - why wouldn't he? The guys a class act especially in the Championship. 

There will be several obstacles tho. 1) Would Eddie Howe be willing to let Tomlin go? 2) Would Tomlin want to drop a division? 3) Assuming B'muff agree to let him go then there would serious competition for Tomlins signature from other clubs. It could all come down to money.

Im sure we'd all love to see him join us but unless those obstacles can be overcome, it won't happen.

True, but then if we are serious about competing next year and do look at quality players then we'll encounter this issue whoever we go for. Fact is this is what it's like now to compete at this level and we cannot afford to skimp over the summer. Otherwise if that's our strategy I can see us 'doing a Villa'.

I also heard he'd fallen out with Howe/life at Bournemouth so who knows. That could work in our favour.

[Lanterne Rouge]

4 minutes ago, Robbored said:

LJ has said publically that he'd like to sign Tomlin - why wouldn't he? The guys a class act especially in the Championship. 

There will be several obstacles tho. 1) Would Eddie Howe be willing to let Tomlin go? 2) Would Tomlin want to drop a division? 3) Assuming B'muff agree to let him go then there would serious competition for Tomlins signature from other clubs. It could all come down to money.

Im sure we'd all love to see him join us but unless those obstacles can be overcome, it won't happen.

All the between the lines stuff I'm hearing from MA in particular makes me think it`s slightly more in our favour than not. I don`t think he`ll be going back to Bournemouth, he`s burnt his bridges there and I`m sure we can afford the fee for him so it just comes down to the player`s requirements. Given he`s a player who feeds off the crowd and the hero worship he gets here I`m hoping that means more to him than money. I`m sure Leeds, Wolves or whoever could easily offer more wages but if he doesn`t want to go there, he won`t. We can pretty much offer him guaranteed first team football which other clubs can`t so I would like to think it would be realistic to get him.

[GrahamC]

11 minutes ago, Robbored said:

LJ has said publically that he'd like to sign Tomlin - why wouldn't he? The guys a class act especially in the Championship. 

There will be several obstacles tho. 1) Would Eddie Howe be willing to let Tomlin go? 2) Would Tomlin want to drop a division? 3) Assuming B'muff agree to let him go then there would serious competition for Tomlins signature from other clubs. It could all come down to money.

Im sure we'd all love to see him join us but unless those obstacles can be overcome, it won't happen.

Think you can forget obstacle1...

[Robbored]

10 minutes ago, Loco Rojo said:

 

I also heard he'd fallen out with Howe/life at Bournemouth so who knows. That could work in our favour.

He's not been playing under Howe and was spending time on the bench or not in the squad at all. That clearly frustrated him and he hinted at that during one of his interviews recently. 

Talk around the camp fire is that Tomlin is a happy bunny when he's playing but a disruptive influence when he's not. Temperamental. 

[GrahamC]

Tomlin hasn't featured in a match day squad for Bournemouth since last October.

If you then call your manager the "worst man manager you have ever played for" and the pitch their reserves play on "a disgrace" you're not playing for that club ever again.

Whether he joins us or someone else this summer, he won't ever play for Bournemouth again.

[1960maaan]

52 minutes ago, Robbored said:

LJ has said publically that he'd like to sign Tomlin - why wouldn't he? The guys a class act especially in the Championship. 

There will be several obstacles tho. 1) Would Eddie Howe be willing to let Tomlin go? 2) Would Tomlin want to drop a division? 3) Assuming B'muff agree to let him go then there would serious competition for Tomlins signature from other clubs. It could all come down to money.

Im sure we'd all love to see him join us but unless those obstacles can be overcome, it won't happen.

 

21 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

Tomlin hasn't featured in a match day squad for Bournemouth since last October.

If you then call your manager the "worst man manager you have ever played for" and the pitch their reserves play on "a disgrace" you're not playing for that club ever again.

Whether he joins us or someone else this summer, he won't ever play for Bournemouth again.

Graham beat me to it, slagged the training facilities off and had a row with Howe so it sounds like bridges have been burnt. LT has stated he wanted to play and that's why he's here so dropping a division wouldn't be an issue, if an offer came in from a Prem side that would be different. One thing in our favour is that he has enjoyed playing here and got on with the team. So too me two issues, wages and a prem side taking a chance on him, and at £2-£3m why wouldn't you?? 

[Super]

Every chance we can get Tomlin no future at Bournemouth and they don't exactly need him.

[Ian M]

Don't rule out going back in for Dack either if Gills stay down. An early bid may tempt them with money to reinvest. 

[Kid in the Riot]

Are we really going to try and sign Odemwingie? Unless I'm missing something he's only scored two goals since being here and hasn't started enough games to suggest LJ wants to keep him here.

Either that or we know of his summer intentions and it doesn't involve us.

Keeping hold of Kodjia and Flint will be key. 

Sure we'll try and sign Tomlin and go back in for Dack.

[1960maaan]

4 minutes ago, Kid in the Riot said:

Are we really going to try and sign Odemwingie? Unless I'm missing something he's only scored two goals since being here and hasn't started enough games to suggest LJ wants to keep him here.

Either that or we know of his summer intentions and it doesn't involve us.

Keeping hold of Kodjia and Flint will be key. 

Sure we'll try and sign Tomlin and go back in for Dack.

As he's not even starting games I'd doubt it , letting kodjia go would be bad business for me. Flint , if rumours are true , could end up in the Prem and I don't think it would be fair to stand in his way (specially if that way brought us £4m or so) . There is a lot of rebuilding to do, and I hope they do it early otherwise this place will be like a modern day Bedlam or Arkham 

[Lanterne Rouge]

There is no way SL, MA and LJ will allow a repeat of last summer`s cluster****. Hang on for the ride in June IMO - get most of it done before the Euros.

[The Gasbuster]

30 minutes ago, Kid in the Riot said:

Are we really going to try and sign Odemwingie? Unless I'm missing something he's only scored two goals since being here and hasn't started enough games to suggest LJ wants to keep him here.

Either that or we know of his summer intentions and it doesn't involve us.

Keeping hold of Kodjia and Flint will be key. 

Sure we'll try and sign Tomlin and go back in for Dack.

If it transpires that it is Pulis who will sign Flint; then the price, whatever it may be, needs to be doubled !!

[Davefevs]

Think it may need to focus on clubs without much money or on a downward trend.  We could easily get held to ransom by clubs with no need to shift players.

There are enough clubs in financial mess...just hope they've got players we want.

I wonder whether Colchester wish they'd accepted our bid for Gilbey.  Now relegated, out of contract, his value in compensation will not be great and £300k, might pay a huge proportion of a whole season in League 2, had they done a deal in Jsnuary.  Moncur and Massey are useful, Moncur more so.

Fulham are still under embargo.  Dembele will be off, out of contract.

Blackburn - Shane Duffy if we need to replace a Flint.

[Northern Red]

Not sure of the circumstances in which it came up, but I'd have thought LJ wouldn't have mentioned wanting to sign Tomlin if he knew there wasn't at least a better than 50% chance that we'd be able to.

[MarkRed!]

We need to do some mega business (bearing in mind the squad was already light) and I think a whole raft of changes will be seen. I think we will sign the following players:

Ins

Matthews

Tomlin

Baker

Pearce

Cummings 

Dack

Gilbey

Hammill 

Smith

 

 

Outs

Wagstaff

Little

Agard

Osborne

El Abd

Williams

 

 

 

 

[CITYAREREDANDWHITE]

2 minutes ago, MarkRed! said:

We need to do some mega business (bearing in mind the squad was already light) and I think a whole raft of changes will be seen. I think we will sign the following players:

Ins

Matthews

Tomlin

Baker

Pearce

Cummings 

Dack

Gilbey

Hammill 

Smith

 

 

Outs

Wagstaff

Little

Agard

Osborne

El Abd

Williams

 

 

 

 

My god would I be happy with that summer, but I don't think it'll happen. And I'm guessing that's Matt smith? Won't happen, the club have moved on, quite literally, with Lee Johnson, and we should to.

[MarkRed!]

I can see Matt Smith being brought back - target man and played for LJ at Oldham. I am sure though that we will see a huge turnover bearing in mind that we had a very small squad anyway which had been propped up by loans. With the new stadia and I reckon gates of 18 to 20K, we will be able to compete and will be quite attractive for most players. I would also go back in for Clough. He aint gonna stay at Bolton. 

[Davefevs]

4 minutes ago, CITYAREREDANDWHITE said:

My god would I be happy with that summer, but I don't think it'll happen. And I'm guessing that's Matt smith? Won't happen, the club have moved on, quite literally, with Lee Johnson, and we should to.

Agree.....think Smith will be partnering McCormack next season....although I'd be amazed if some of the promotion contenders aren't trying to entice him away.  Brighton are already rumoured to be on the brink of offering £15m!  In which case it will Smith and Woodrow.

[Aipearcey]

28 minutes ago, MarkRed! said:

We need to do some mega business (bearing in mind the squad was already light) and I think a whole raft of changes will be seen. I think we will sign the following players:

Ins

Matthews

Tomlin

Baker

Pearce

Cummings 

Dack

Gilbey

Hammill 

Smith

 

 

Outs

Wagstaff

Little

Agard

Osborne

El Abd

Williams

 

 

 

 

I'm not saying I wouldn't want to sign him but don't get why he want to stay or why the club will want to sign him when he's only been a bit part play whilst on loan to us

[Ian M]

1 hour ago, MarkRed! said:

We need to do some mega business (bearing in mind the squad was already light) and I think a whole raft of changes will be seen. I think we will sign the following players:

Ins

Matthews

Tomlin

Baker

Pearce

Cummings 

Dack

Gilbey

Hammill 

Smith

 

 

Outs

Wagstaff

Little

Agard

Osborne

El Abd

Williams

 

 

 

 

That would only increase our squad by 3 players and with emergency loans being abolished we will need more than that. 

[Clarky89]

Would love us to sign Matthews and Baker! 

Think we should look at Scott Wilson currently playing down at Weston. Guy has been tearing that league apart - surely worth a gamble for nothing?!? I mean, in the era of Vardy, Mahrez and Alli etc. 

Kemar Roofe would be decent but it's the central midfield spot we need add some real quality to back up Smith. The dreams Will Hughes, but I understand it's injuries, rather than selection ke ping him out the Derby squad? 

[AshtonGreat]

13 hours ago, The Gasbuster said:

If it transpires that it is Pulis who will sign Flint; then the price, whatever it may be, needs to be doubled !!

Flint's been at the heart of a defence that's shedded goals all season. Would be surprised if he made a serious impact in the Prem. 

It also slightly worries me that Tomlin openly berated the Bournemouth manager while still on their books. Disruptive influence?

[cidered abroad]

16 hours ago, Robbored said:

LJ has said publically that he'd like to sign Tomlin - why wouldn't he? The guys a class act especially in the Championship. 

There will be several obstacles tho. 1) Would Eddie Howe be willing to let Tomlin go? 2) Would Tomlin want to drop a division? 3) Assuming B'muff agree to let him go then there would serious competition for Tomlins signature from other clubs. It could all come down to money.

Im sure we'd all love to see him join us but unless those obstacles can be overcome, it won't happen.

If wages and dropping to League One, then I would consider that signing Tomlin is unlikely.

But all of, including footballers, want to feel loved and secure. So if he has genuinely enjoyed the last three months, we could well be his first choice if he does leave Bournemouth.

On a totally separate tack, if we are plucking names from thin air. There is a very useful midfielder, warming the bench at Stoke City. Aged 30. As hard as nails but also has a very good football brain. I know he's not under 24 and would not come cheap. 

[Lrrr]

Been told Ben Marshall wants out of Blackburn, doesn't see them going anywhere any time soon, would be a great addition for us.

[PHILINFRANCE]

On 4/25/2016 at 10:15, cidered abroad said:

If wages and dropping to League One, then I would consider that signing Tomlin is unlikely.

But all of, including footballers, want to feel loved and secure. So if he has genuinely enjoyed the last three months, we could well be his first choice if he does leave Bournemouth.

On a totally separate tack, if we are plucking names from thin air. There is a very useful midfielder, warming the bench at Stoke City. Aged 30. As hard as nails but also has a very good football brain. I know he's not under 24 and would not come cheap. 

Ex-Blackpool and Liverpool?

Takes a very good free kick.

[BigTone]

On ‎24‎/‎04‎/‎2016 at 17:20, Robbored said:

 

Talk around the camp fire is that Tomlin is a happy bunny when he's playing but a disruptive influence when he's not. Temperamental. 

You at Girl Guides camp again ?