Kodija - Departs for 11 Million (Merged)

[Calculus]

11 minutes ago, BS4 on Tour... said:

Cracking business and what modern football is unfortunately all about.

We pluck a guy out of relative obscurity and give him a foundation to benefit both the club and himself.

He keeps us in the Championship and gets his dream move. We get around seven times what we paid for him. 

Clinical and modern.

But, if we'd found ourselves back in league one with this stadium it would have been a disaster.

So we owe JK a lot for that magical scoring season and he owes us a lot. 

And to quote a horrible phrase that I despise, it's a "win win" situation....

.... agree with all that and it's a good pitch to any young promising player that they can come to City and progress. 

[Davefevs]

8 minutes ago, BS4 on Tour... said:

Cracking business and what modern football is unfortunately all about.

We pluck a guy out of relative obscurity and give him a foundation to benefit both the club and himself.

He keeps us in the Championship and gets his dream move. We get around seven times what we paid for him. 

Clinical and modern.

But, if we'd found ourselves back in league one with this stadium it would have been a disaster.

So we owe JK a lot for that magical scoring season and he owes us a lot. 

And to quote a horrible phrase that I despise, it's a "win win" situation....

Missed reading the last 10 or so pages, but my sentiments too.

I know you disagree, but for me, he became a cult hero 2 minutes into his home debut.  He got fans off their seats both in amazement at some of his skills, and was frustrating too.

He worked hard for us all last season, we flogged him at times.  

This season, he's had to play second fiddle to the impressive Abraham, and as such, £15m represents a deal we couldn't turn down, no matter what division it came from.

We don't know the true story behind Tuesday's team selection, neither Jimmy or Tammy started.  Let's not make unsubstantiated claims.  LJ has told us about Saturday, let's leave it at that, and remember what he did for us.

I don't begrudge him a move to a club of the reputation of Villa, however I think he has helped give us some further financial clout to go and chase targets that can make us into a real challenging for play-offs team.

Thanks Jimmy and also great work Bristol City.

[Out of his pie crust]

2 hours ago, Olé said:

I have literally no idea what prompted this photo, but..... Caption Competition. GO!

Kodjia and some poles

[BS4 on Tour...]

2 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Missed reading the last 10 or so pages, but my sentiments too.

I know you disagree, but for me, he became a cult hero 2 minutes into his home debut.  He got fans off their seats both in amazement at some of his skills, and was frustrating too.

He worked hard for us all last season, we flogged him at times.  

This season, he's had to play second fiddle to the impressive Abraham, and as such, £15m represents a deal we couldn't turn down, no matter what division it came from.

We don't know the true story behind Tuesday's team selection, neither Jimmy or Tammy started.  Let's not make unsubstantiated claims.  LJ has told us about Saturday, let's leave it at that, and remember what he did for us.

I don't begrudge him a move to a club of the reputation of Villa, however I think he has helped give us some further financial clout to go and chase targets that can make us into a real challenging for play-offs team.

Thanks Jimmy and also great work Bristol City.

Well said Dave. I'm not sure I disagreed with him being a cult hero, I disagreed with him being called a City legend...

[RumRed]

2 hours ago, redsince66 said:

Speechless. See you in League 1.

Really? 

How anyone can be cheesed off with this transfer window, even with no more incoming, is beyond me.

The bloke wanted out (v. poor choice of team to go to though, think he's been a bit of a plank there)

We cashed in and have a championship record fee under our belts which will help us attract other players from foreign/lower leagues in future.

I would have been annoyed if we cashed out cheaply, or if he wanted to stay, but this has to make our life easier attracting others in future.

This is long term thinking by the club, Kodjia wasn't going to be the player that catapulted us to the prem this season imo and especially if he didn't want to be here.

 

Good work by all.

[everreddy]

48 minutes ago, Phileas Fogg said:

All he has is an Instagram that the public can view, his Facebook has been made more private now. He left a message there. 

 

Hasn't he taken his bandage wiv im? Or is that gonna cost Villa another £15m?

[Alex_BCFC]

He is a decent Championship striker and will get 15-20 goals. But for £15m and he wants out - great deal for us. Would have taken £7m upwards. Especially with Tammy on board for the season.

Really good feeling about all the business we are doing. Very smart. Looking for the gem at £2m then selling big.

[RumRed]

13 minutes ago, everreddy said:

Hasn't he taken his bandage wiv im? Or is that gonna cost Villa another £15m?

When he gets sold for £25m he'll take his shirt off, it's like an expensive version of buying the peanuts in the pub to see the KP girl.

[Lanterne Rouge]

23 minutes ago, everreddy said:

Hasn't he taken his bandage wiv im? Or is that gonna cost Villa another £15m?

He`s left it at City as an exhibit in the new museum,

[The Red Planet]

Good business for City and good luck to Jimmy. He did us proud and deserves to progress.

BUT - when talking about speculation about Kodjia moving on, Geoff Twentypence played a recording of a (pre-season)  interview with SL on last Saturday's RB programme in which SL said he would never be sold to another Championship club. 

Oh well @ £11M + more to come, we forgive you SL.

Come to think of it, when sitting in my seat in the Dolman, now looking over to the magnificent new Lansdown stand, I could forgive him almost anything ! 

The new AG is now a stadium fit for Prem League football - After thrashing Villa in the 2nd half,  I say - bring it on ! 

 

 

 

[Tin Soldier]

For someone who gets caught offside so many times, got to be good business? I did like Kodjia but everyone has a price.

[Kingswood Robin]

4 hours ago, Olé said:

I have literally no idea what prompted this photo, but..... Caption Competition. GO!

Sorry Jonathan, yours should have said "Quick Bucks"

[Red Exile]

Good luck to him. No hard feelings, he's got a young family to think of. Worked hard for us last season and did the business.

But was he the player to lead the line in a more tactically adept side?...I don't think so.

Regardless of that...a profit on this scale is preposterous! And unprecedented for us. Great bit of business for City. As of now I can't help feeling that Villa have been fleeced. Time will tell. Need to invest that profit wisely.

[Offside]

Kodjia was an exciting player last season and I was looking forward to seeing him this season as well...but getting at least £11 million for him is great business by the club.

[WhistleHappy]

2 hours ago, BS4 on Tour... said:

..............

So we owe JK a lot for that magical scoring season and he owes us a lot. 

And to quote a horrible phrase that I despise, it's a "win win" situation....

Try this little phrase then... how about .....

 

ELEVEN MILLION QUID.. PRO QUO !!!! ......    

[ScottishRed]

6 hours ago, Welcome To The Jungle said:

Hope we go for two relative unknowns upfront, maybe younger guys and spend no more than 4 million. That leaves us well in the black regarding transfers to balance the books and maybe we will turn a profit with the new stand for the first time in years.

And what is the point in that? We are talking about a football club not a bank! We should aim to breakeven yes, but make a profit and go backwards or stand still is not the point after creating a 27k fantastic stadium. The point is the EPL, like it or not, and to get there the money for JK needs to provide a solid replacement.

[Manon]

Great bit of business there. 

No doubt Kodge will be missed, he was a fans favourite in a similar sense to that Adomah was - a flair player who could occasionally repay you a large proportion of the entrance fee in an instant. There was always an anticipation whenever he picked up the ball, but an equal amount of frustration too. 

It was hard to see Albert go - he was all we had - but we understood and wished him well. He was a refreshing ray of light in an otherwise bland, utterly forgettable team.

This time it is easier for a number of reasons. He has only been here a season, the personnel left behind are immeasurably better, and of course that stupendous price tag/profit! 

[Welcome To The Jungle]

24 minutes ago, ScottishRed said:

And what is the point in that? We are talking about a football club not a bank! We should aim to breakeven yes, but make a profit and go backwards or stand still is not the point after creating a 27k fantastic stadium. The point is the EPL, like it or not, and to get there the money for JK needs to provide a solid replacement.

The best way to take a step back is to splash the cash and have the signing flop. Forest, Derby and Blackburn have all tried and failed to buy their way out of this league with expensive flops. And breaking even is more important than playing top flight football. The Lansdowns won't be here for ever. That profit can go towards a better academy, perhaps one day a new stand funded by the club and not SLs back pocket. This is not football manager or Fifa where the aim is to spend your entire budget every window. I'd rather we turned a profit for a few seasons, then upgraded our academy and youth scouting network meaning we don't need to buy as many players but produce our own. Anyway, we have proved that you can get a 20 goal a season striker for 2 million, and we already have an excellent one in Tammy.

[IAmNick]

1 hour ago, NeilS said:

You are way off the mark, wanting to put on the shirt, and perhaps just a bit of loyalty too is a an ingredient that matters, a hell of a lot if you are to be a team that wins things. I don't want a player anywhere near the club who doesn't want to play for us, and neither do the staff owner, and 99% of the fans I suspect. 

But you post sums up the self serving money grabbing ethos that many footballers buy in to, and you think that's fine? I don't, I rather anyone that wants to 'talk to another club(s)'' get the hell out asap. Fact is he wasn't worth £11/15m we just completed what is perhaps the most remarkable day in the Clubs history, and hopefully a big turning point in our future, this is a fantastic football club at the moment, and there is no room for the likes of any Billy B00locks, so thanks JK , and thanks for the 9mil  

So I take it we should send back all our recent signings from this summer for behaving that way to their old clubs? And you've always hated JK since he joined for doing the same thing to Angers a year ago? In fact just abolish transfers completely, everyone just plays for £50 a week for their local side, any more and you're a billy big bollocks out for cash and nothing else in life? I'm sure you ignore any interesting job offers that come your way in your personal life as well just like you expect them to.

Why you think he doesn't want to wear the shirt (and it is just that, a shirt at the end of the day representing his employer) seems odd to me. Probably means more than that to some players, probably means less to others. He tried his best and did extremely well for us for a year while he was here. He's a lad in his prime years moving to a more prestigious club to play football with in his mind a better prospect of playing in the Prem at some point which is what he wants - and who can blame him? Players can be passionate and play their best for a club, move on, and then do the same elsewhere - look at Flint, plays his heart out here, but if he got an offer from a Prem club he'd probably go and do the same there, and good luck to him if that happens.

Why shouldn't he be self serving - who else should he serve? He's a football player, not a slave to the club. If you want anyone that wants to "talk to another club(s)" to get the hell out asap then we're going to be left with 0 players I'm afraid.

You just sound very bitter that he's giving it a shot somewhere else.

[RaspberryRed]

1 hour ago, NeilS said:

You are way off the mark, wanting to put on the shirt, and perhaps just a bit of loyalty too is a an ingredient that matters, a hell of a lot if you are to be a team that wins things. I don't want a player anywhere near the club who doesn't want to play for us, and neither do the staff owner, and 99% of the fans I suspect. 

But you post sums up the self serving money grabbing ethos that many footballers buy in to, and you think that's fine? I don't, I rather anyone that wants to 'talk to another club(s)'' get the hell out asap. Fact is he wasn't worth £11/15m we just completed what is perhaps the most remarkable day in the Clubs history, and hopefully a big turning point in our future, this is a fantastic football club at the moment, and there is no room for the likes of any Billy B00locks, so thanks JK , and thanks for the 9mil  

Strange terminology! So for you when did it become fantastic & when would that cease in your opinion?

 

[Up The City!]

He's 27 and technically behind and can't speak English and can't seem to understand the offside rule.

This is a magnificent deal for the club.

 

[kiwicolin]

One of the biggest transfer records between two championship clubs and it's not on the BBC transfer list !!!!!

Someone missed that news 

[Aizoon]

9 hours ago, GasDestroyer said:

For someone who gets caught offside so many times, got to be good business? I did like Kodjia but everyone has a price.

H'mm. Junior Bent used to be "caught offside" quite a lot. Often when he wasn't...

[B1ackbird]

7 hours ago, Just Red said:

He's 27 and technically behind and can't speak English and can't seem to understand the offside rule.

This is a magnificent deal for the club.

 

I felt that last season he did very well for someone who hadn't been to any of the clubs before, let alone played against those opponents.

Of course, it workes both ways, but I think he'll benefit from last seasons experience and to be fair we didn't want to sell him, but, he wanted the opportunity to talk to potential buyers and with that in mind we would have been naive to stand in his way.

we got what we wanted for him as their was more than one suitor and I agree with other posters that he (like Hartley) wasn't here long enough to be considered a City legend. 

[ScottishRed]

8 hours ago, Welcome To The Jungle said:

The best way to take a step back is to splash the cash and have the signing flop. Forest, Derby and Blackburn have all tried and failed to buy their way out of this league with expensive flops. And breaking even is more important than playing top flight football. The Lansdowns won't be here for ever. That profit can go towards a better academy, perhaps one day a new stand funded by the club and not SLs back pocket. This is not football manager or Fifa where the aim is to spend your entire budget every window. I'd rather we turned a profit for a few seasons, then upgraded our academy and youth scouting network meaning we don't need to buy as many players but produce our own. Anyway, we have proved that you can get a 20 goal a season striker for 2 million, and we already have an excellent one in Tammy.

Why would " splashing the cash" which, BTW has come from the sale of a player not from SL's pocket, guarantee a 'flop'? Its about spending the money wisely on the right player(s), that is not easy but its why LJ,MA and DK get paid to do what they do. Tammy is excellent, but he is 18,( and he is also not ours and probably never will be) heaven forbid he gets an injury as under your plan our only striker is 37 and clearly not up to it at this level any longer, time waits for no man. Yes we unearthed for £2m a 20 goal striker, how often does that happen? if it was that straightforward every team in the championship and above would be doing it.

I am all for developing the academy but for every Joe Bryan you will get ten fails that end up in L2 or playing non league. Don't misunderstand, I despise what football has become but the genie is out of the bottle and for clubs like ours to prosper we need to get into the EPL ASAP. We would probably become a 'yo-yo' club for a few years but we would have the funding, even when relegated, to build and grow.

The key to sustainability is to get Ashton Gate as full as possible every second Saturday and to do that moving forward you have to capture the youth before they become addicted to Sky / BT as their football fix. In order to do that you have to have a number of things and one of those is 'ambition' which , as a club, you have to keep showing.

[samo II]

He came, he scored, he left for a record fee.

At times he lit up what was a very tough season, and I certainty don't hold anything against him.

Onwards and upwards for us.

[Fordy62]

So here's my analysis the morning after...

He was a very good player at our level. Frustrating at times, but up there with the best we've seen. 

However, amidst rumours (which I choose to believe) his end at the club has left a sour taste... More so than when Maynard seemed to anger all and sundry by merely refusing to sign a new contract. 

Will I applaud him in the future, I'm not sure.

The board did an excellent job of selling a player whose stock was high while they had the chance. A player who made it childishly clear he didn't want to be here.

I hope his career has seen its highest point. 

Au revoir Jimmy and thanks for last season.  

[Jack Dawe]

1 hour ago, NeilS said:

Again you have it all wrong! I am delighted he is off to Villa, it's a steal for us.

And the rest of you post probably best reflects the attitude of a number of players who are in it just for the big bucks, have no passion for the club the play for, and is the root cause why the England Football win nothing. The squad that LJ is assembling I believe do care about the club, and that for me is the most important factor, it's a simple logic that team spirit can win you things, without not having any Big Time Charlies, I give you Leicester City!

Footballers care about themselves and their families, like most people in other lines of work. Some footballers develop an affinity with certain clubs, ones where they enjoy a bit of success, like winning a promotion. Finishing 18th doesn't qualify as that sort of "success." And footballers have been "in it just for the big bucks" and as many of them as they could get for longer than any of us watching now have been alive. Nothing new there.

Oh, and England won nothing in the 70s and 80s when there were very few overseas players, so I don't think we can put that one on them (Wales did alright with fewer players to select from).

[Welcome To The Jungle]

2 hours ago, ScottishRed said:

Why would " splashing the cash" which, BTW has come from the sale of a player not from SL's pocket, guarantee a 'flop'? Its about spending the money wisely on the right player(s), that is not easy but its why LJ,MA and DK get paid to do what they do. Tammy is excellent, but he is 18,( and he is also not ours and probably never will be) heaven forbid he gets an injury as under your plan our only striker is 37 and clearly not up to it at this level any longer, time waits for no man. Yes we unearthed for £2m a 20 goal striker, how often does that happen? if it was that straightforward every team in the championship and above would be doing it.

I am all for developing the academy but for every Joe Bryan you will get ten fails that end up in L2 or playing non league. Don't misunderstand, I despise what football has become but the genie is out of the bottle and for clubs like ours to prosper we need to get into the EPL ASAP. We would probably become a 'yo-yo' club for a few years but we would have the funding, even when relegated, to build and grow.

The key to sustainability is to get Ashton Gate as full as possible every second Saturday and to do that moving forward you have to capture the youth before they become addicted to Sky / BT as their football fix. In order to do that you have to have a number of things and one of those is 'ambition' which , as a club, you have to keep showing.

I never said don't spend the money. On this thread or another I said I'd rather we bought in two youngish strikers (under 24) for no more than 4 million. Gustav (the swedish guy we seem to be about to sign) is ideal for me. What we must not do is spend a huge wad on one player. SL making his millions in stocks knows that you spread your money out and that's what we must do. And over time we can gradually get bigger and bigger players. 

 

[Guest WestfieldRed]

Mark Ashton has played an absolute blinder in my opinion. Here are my reasons why it's a good deal:

1) JK is 27 years old & his stock is still on the rise, a quiet 2nd season and he's back to £3m valuation by the summer (& another year older)

2) He was technically/tactically quite a way behind where you'd expect a 27 year old to be (see offside count & communication issues)

3) The player wanted out & keeping him against his will would have hurt us. (14-15 squad dynamic & team spirit in the dressing room was huge.)

4) Cash is king - £12,500,000 profit to re-invest now or in January may make all the difference to our season.

I must admit to being more excited by Kodjia's arrival than anyone in recent memory (even Tomlin), but when a player wants to go you can really only cash in as much as possible and wave them off..

Another new face or 2 on deadline day would be top, if not then we march on to January when (hopefully) our improving league position will attract a few big names.