Mark Ashton- Transfers.

[BTRFTG]

Hundreds of fine words and posts quoting transfer fees (not the total costs of these deals,) yet elsewhere The Joker sums things up in but 3 words of Shakespearean eloquence - we recruit from a "Carousel Of Crap." 

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Jack Dawe said:

@Countryfile agree with much of your post there, but Baker is an example of us buying a proven Championship player. Quality, and not a pup or over the hill. So we will do this, but only when the price is right/within our range/not extortionate. We won't break the bank to do this. Trouble might be, that transfer was the exception, rather than the rule and there won't be one like that every summer.

I think Baker was bought because we thought Flint was moving on.

He is supposed to have cost £3M which was about half of what we expected to get for Flint.....good business.

Unfortunately (or fortunately) depending on your point of view Flint stayed, Wright and Baker were first choice at the start of the season and Flint only got back in  after the window closed.

Baker was not part of the recruitment plan at the start of the window he became available because of FFP  and the cash spent on him was expected to be recouped, we haven't signed a single other player (except Fammy) for anything like that fee, indeed that is the kind of fee we should have been paying for that elusive midfield general that we needed.

it's clear we are buying cheap potentially decent players and Baker was and remains the only exception to that rule, indeed even Fammy can be said to have been cheap compared to the fees being paid by our rivals for proven championship players.

It won't bring success in this league we need more proven quality, and that costs.

What I don't get is that SL is prepared to bank roll the rugby team it seems, but has set out his football stall in an entirely different way.

[pillred]

14 hours ago, bearded_red said:

Now before I start I'm fully aware that not every transfer is going to work and that fans of other clubs will probably feel they can list just as many unsuccessful transfers, but I can't help but feel that the money we have wasted in the five transfer windows since Ashton has been here is enough to make your eyes water.

It is of course true that it is a slightly unfair playing field at this level due to parachute payments which of course at times leads us to take gambles that other clubs don't need to. For example there were lots of teams linked with Jonathan Kodjia, but the weaknesses in his game clearly put them off, but we had to gamble on him because we couldn't attract the more sure fire success. Obviously and fortunately he was a roaring success. 

Put simply, if we want a player and for example a recently Premier League Norwich also want the player it is highly likely he will choose Norwich. By contrast I'm only half joking to say that when we're in League 1 any fan with a decent knowledge of the game could do the job of recruiting fairly easily as we are a big fish. 'Stevenage's best player? Yeah we'll have him'.

It is of course more tricky for us in this division, but I still feel that the five transfer windows under Ashton's watch have produced a lot more failures than successes and a lot of money spent poorly that had it been spent well we would currently have a much stronger squad.

January 2016 (with added emergency loans made later in the season)

• Scott Golbourne
• Lee Tomlin (loan)
• Adam Matthews (loan
• Richard O'Donnell
• Alex Pearce (loan)
• Ben Gladwin (loan)
• Peter Odemwingie (loan)

Summer 2016

• Lee Tomlin
• Hörður Magnússon
• Taylor Moore
• Gustav Engvall
• Callum O'Dowda
• Diego De Girolamo
• Josh Brownhill
• Adam Matthews (loan)
• Tammy Abraham (loan)
• Jamie Paterson
• Ivan Lucic
• Joel Ekstrand
• Gary O'Neil

January 2017

• Milan Djuric
• Matty Taylor
• Jens Hegeler
• Fabian Gieffer (loan)
• Bailey Wright 
• Dave Cotterill (loan)

Summer 2017

• Famara Diehiou
• Nathan Baker
• Niclas Eliasson
• Eros Pisano
• Luke Steele
• Cauley Woodrow (loan)
• Jonathan Leko (loan)

January 2018

• Liam Walsh
• Lois Diony (loan)
• Ryan Kent (loan)

No doubt I will have missed someone..

Everyone will have different opinions on some players, some have been unquestionable failures, while there have been some successes. But I tend to think that not enough have been successes. Can we really be happy with our showing in the transfer market?

I mean we are currently paying Engvall, Taylor, Diony and Woodrow money to play for us. On their showing in a red shirt (while acknowledging that it is surely impossible that Diony is as bad as he has shown) they don't make a Championship forward if you add them all together.

We have been unlucky with injuries in the case of a couple, for example I am a fan of Milan Djuric, but for the fee we paid and the wages he will be on, the amount of games he has started in a season and a half is difficult to argue it's been a success.

Talking of injuries, Joel Ekstrand?! Sol Bamba, pretty much ever present in Cardiff's team and man of the match at their ground last season and this against us was available on a free at the time. I'm no lover of Colin, but he turned up in bloody October of that season and pretty much the first thing he did was sign the unattached Bamba on a free. We were months into Joel Ekstrand Treatmant Table tour by then.

Of course there are a few there that are still with us and hopefully, who knows, fingers crossed, improve and make an impact in the team. Maybe next season will belong to Niclas Eliasson! But the majority of the evidence wouldn't lead you to be confident. With the exception of O'Dowda and Brownhill which of the younger players we've signed have actually improved and become more important members of the team? Most of them have ended up getting further and further away from the team as time goes on. Taylor Moore/Engvall/ Eliasson all started in the squad to then drift further and further away. Magnússon started as a mainstay of the team and now wouldn't be considered for selection when everyone is fit. Leko's best moments were all within his first week. Who thinks they've now seen the last Kent? When does anyone realistically think Walsh will start again?

Why did we sign Kent to play in a similar way to Eliasson, but block the pathway of the player that actually belongs to us. In December Eliasson started away at Bramall Lane and came off the bench against Man Utd. Just how far way from selection is he now?

Why on earth was Jens Hegeler signed? He won't be earning peanuts and is obviously a talented lad. Where was he signed to play? How does he fit in the team? Just how much money will have earned from Bristol City for barely kicking a ball.

How many failed attempts at an upgrade on Fielding?

I accept this is dodgy ground as others rate him much higher than I do, but Famara Diedhiou? 5.3 million pound on a forward that doesn't fit the way we play when at our best. Our best football came playing without a centre forward and Reid our most advanced player. Now I get the 'clubs in the bag' argument (I've stated my love of Djuric after all), but blow your record transfer fee for a player who I think makes the team play worse. The best football we've played this season looks similar to what Brentford played today, yet they don't fill the need to smash their transfer record to have a big number 9 up front as that doesn't suit them.

Talking of Brentford, when you're next hearing Mark Ashton tell you how great our recruitment now is, and many more players we are now aware of, what a great database of player's stats we look at and what foreign league we watch (ponds, rivers and lakes?!), remember Ollie Watkins. We can spend as much time as we like looking at players in France and Sweden, but we've missed a star in the making there who played for Exeter, was previously on loan at Weston, and didn't sign for a massive parachute payment club, no he signed for Brentford with their ground in which I can't imagine anybody has ever mentioned 'sweating the asset'.

I think Johnson deserves real credit for the level in which the remaining members of the League 1 team, Fielding, Flint, Bryan, Smith, Pack and Reid have got to. But after those players how many members in our squad are we are happy are good enough for this level. Out of the many, many signings..

Of all the players we've brought in, the money thrown around, how many signings have been successful. How many have been value for money? How confident are you that are squad will be stronger in August than it is now?

I've probably ranted on long enough now.

when you talk as much sense as you do rant as long as you like.

[Robbored]

4 hours ago, tinman85 said:

Which begs the question. Now we have the stadium and SL has taken us to this level, do we need a takeover to move us forward to the PL. 

A takeover?  Are you serious about our club being owned by a foreign buyer? 

 

[BobBobSuperBob]

2 hours ago, BTRFTG said:

Hundreds of fine words and posts quoting transfer fees (not the total costs of these deals,) yet elsewhere The Joker sums things up in but 3 words of Shakespearean eloquence - we recruit from a "Carousel Of Crap." 

Hate to correct you BTRFTG but the official line is 

‘Differnet ponds and rivers’

Are you not up with the plan ?

[BTRFTG]

58 minutes ago, BobBobSuperBob said:

Hate to correct you BTRFTG but the official line is 

‘Differnet ponds and rivers’

Are you not up with the plan ?

Clearly not...and if that's the case STAGNANT is the common denominator. you

[Bazooka Joe]

6 hours ago, Countryfile said:

What I don't get is that SL is prepared to bank roll the rugby team it seems, but has set out his football stall in an entirely different way.

As his financial badviser, I suggest he kicks Bristol Rugby into touch (pun intended) and use the money saved to help get City into the Prem.

 

[BobBobSuperBob]

11 minutes ago, Bazooka Joe said:

As his financial badviser, I suggest he kicks Bristol Rugby into touch (pun intended) and use the money saved to help get City into the Prem.

 

Good call

As way of compensation he could give them Diony

Could make a useful centre 

[Curr Avon]

Long term strategies are fine, but the January window required sensible, experienced signings.

We went for the soft options and are paying the price.

 

[Lrrr]

42 minutes ago, Curr Avon said:

Long term strategies are fine, but the January window required sensible, experienced signings.

We went for the soft options and are paying the price.

 

Like who? I've read so many people say this (and while true) but then couldn't suggest anyone who would be within our price range. Proven experience in this division costs and we're opterating on a budget in a the bottom third.

[BS4 on Tour...]

8 hours ago, Countryfile said:

Unfortunately (or fortunately) depending on your point of view Flint stayed, Wright and Baker were first choice at the start of the season and Flint only got back in  after the window closed.

Wright and Hegeler were first choice centre backs at the start of the season....but Baker did partner Wright until Flint came in for the 6th game....

[Guest]

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

Wright and Hegeler were first choice centre backs at the start of the season....but Baker did partner Wright until Flint came in for the 6th game....

Baker was serving a suspension wasn't he? Or did I imagine that?

[Guest]

24 minutes ago, hodge said:

Like who? I've read so many people say this (and while true) but then couldn't suggest anyone who would be within our price range. Proven experience in this division costs and we're opterating on a budget in a the bottom third.

That would have been the job of the people at the club responsible for recruitment,  those who might have been available weren't even on the radar because of the recruitment policy....a mistake in my view.

[t_b]

2 hours ago, Bazooka Joe said:

As his financial badviser, I suggest he kicks Bristol Rugby into touch (pun intended) and use the money saved to help get City into the Prem.

 

The rugby salary cap is £7m (with two wildcards) and there is next to no transfer fees involved across the game. 

The cost involved in bank rolling a rugby promotion push probably wouldn’t even touch the sides of a single Championship marquee signing. 

Our 16/17 football wage bill was £21m...

[Redrascal2]

23 hours ago, bearded_red said:

Now before I start I'm fully aware that not every transfer is going to work and that fans of other clubs will probably feel they can list just as many unsuccessful transfers, but I can't help but feel that the money we have wasted in the five transfer windows since Ashton has been here is enough to make your eyes water.

It is of course true that it is a slightly unfair playing field at this level due to parachute payments which of course at times leads us to take gambles that other clubs don't need to. For example there were lots of teams linked with Jonathan Kodjia, but the weaknesses in his game clearly put them off, but we had to gamble on him because we couldn't attract the more sure fire success. Obviously and fortunately he was a roaring success. 

Put simply, if we want a player and for example a recently Premier League Norwich also want the player it is highly likely he will choose Norwich. By contrast I'm only half joking to say that when we're in League 1 any fan with a decent knowledge of the game could do the job of recruiting fairly easily as we are a big fish. 'Stevenage's best player? Yeah we'll have him'.

It is of course more tricky for us in this division, but I still feel that the five transfer windows under Ashton's watch have produced a lot more failures than successes and a lot of money spent poorly that had it been spent well we would currently have a much stronger squad.

January 2016 (with added emergency loans made later in the season)

• Scott Golbourne
• Lee Tomlin (loan)
• Adam Matthews (loan
• Richard O'Donnell
• Alex Pearce (loan)
• Ben Gladwin (loan)
• Peter Odemwingie (loan)

Summer 2016

• Lee Tomlin
• Hörður Magnússon
• Taylor Moore
• Gustav Engvall
• Callum O'Dowda
• Diego De Girolamo
• Josh Brownhill
• Adam Matthews (loan)
• Tammy Abraham (loan)
• Jamie Paterson
• Ivan Lucic
• Joel Ekstrand
• Gary O'Neil

January 2017

• Milan Djuric
• Matty Taylor
• Jens Hegeler
• Fabian Gieffer (loan)
• Bailey Wright 
• Dave Cotterill (loan)

Summer 2017

• Famara Diehiou
• Nathan Baker
• Niclas Eliasson
• Eros Pisano
• Luke Steele
• Cauley Woodrow (loan)
• Jonathan Leko (loan)

January 2018

• Liam Walsh
• Lois Diony (loan)
• Ryan Kent (loan)

No doubt I will have missed someone..

Everyone will have different opinions on some players, some have been unquestionable failures, while there have been some successes. But I tend to think that not enough have been successes. Can we really be happy with our showing in the transfer market?

I mean we are currently paying Engvall, Taylor, Diony and Woodrow money to play for us. On their showing in a red shirt (while acknowledging that it is surely impossible that Diony is as bad as he has shown) they don't make a Championship forward if you add them all together.

We have been unlucky with injuries in the case of a couple, for example I am a fan of Milan Djuric, but for the fee we paid and the wages he will be on, the amount of games he has started in a season and a half is difficult to argue it's been a success.

Talking of injuries, Joel Ekstrand?! Sol Bamba, pretty much ever present in Cardiff's team and man of the match at their ground last season and this against us was available on a free at the time. I'm no lover of Colin, but he turned up in bloody October of that season and pretty much the first thing he did was sign the unattached Bamba on a free. We were months into Joel Ekstrand Treatmant Table tour by then.

Of course there are a few there that are still with us and hopefully, who knows, fingers crossed, improve and make an impact in the team. Maybe next season will belong to Niclas Eliasson! But the majority of the evidence wouldn't lead you to be confident. With the exception of O'Dowda and Brownhill which of the younger players we've signed have actually improved and become more important members of the team? Most of them have ended up getting further and further away from the team as time goes on. Taylor Moore/Engvall/ Eliasson all started in the squad to then drift further and further away. Magnússon started as a mainstay of the team and now wouldn't be considered for selection when everyone is fit. Leko's best moments were all within his first week. Who thinks they've now seen the last Kent? When does anyone realistically think Walsh will start again?

Why did we sign Kent to play in a similar way to Eliasson, but block the pathway of the player that actually belongs to us. In December Eliasson started away at Bramall Lane and came off the bench against Man Utd. Just how far way from selection is he now?

Why on earth was Jens Hegeler signed? He won't be earning peanuts and is obviously a talented lad. Where was he signed to play? How does he fit in the team? Just how much money will have earned from Bristol City for barely kicking a ball.

How many failed attempts at an upgrade on Fielding?

I accept this is dodgy ground as others rate him much higher than I do, but Famara Diedhiou? 5.3 million pound on a forward that doesn't fit the way we play when at our best. Our best football came playing without a centre forward and Reid our most advanced player. Now I get the 'clubs in the bag' argument (I've stated my love of Djuric after all), but blow your record transfer fee for a player who I think makes the team play worse. The best football we've played this season looks similar to what Brentford played today, yet they don't fill the need to smash their transfer record to have a big number 9 up front as that doesn't suit them.

Talking of Brentford, when you're next hearing Mark Ashton tell you how great our recruitment now is, and many more players we are now aware of, what a great database of player's stats we look at and what foreign league we watch (ponds, rivers and lakes?!), remember Ollie Watkins. We can spend as much time as we like looking at players in France and Sweden, but we've missed a star in the making there who played for Exeter, was previously on loan at Weston, and didn't sign for a massive parachute payment club, no he signed for Brentford with their ground in which I can't imagine anybody has ever mentioned 'sweating the asset'.

I think Johnson deserves real credit for the level in which the remaining members of the League 1 team, Fielding, Flint, Bryan, Smith, Pack and Reid have got to. But after those players how many members in our squad are we are happy are good enough for this level. Out of the many, many signings..

Of all the players we've brought in, the money thrown around, how many signings have been successful. How many have been value for money? How confident are you that are squad will be stronger in August than it is now?

I've probably ranted on long enough now.

Good post. My concern is we don't seem to learn from poor signings and just go on repeating the process. LJ said we had had a good January window. Now that has to be a worry.

[RobintheRed Red]

22 hours ago, Enter Sandman said:

He’s got his list of names but he’s then choosing to follow up on the wrong ones. He’s trying to be clever. But he’s a wet flannel. Full of bull. 

who johnson or Ashton both like Ant an dec

[Chicken George]

38 minutes ago, RobintheRed Red said:

who johnson or Ashton both like Ant an dec

Ashton. He’s a fraud. 

[The Bard]

Too much time on my hands..  I've rated our loans since Ashton was appointed out of 5. Views?

1= Terrible

2 = Mediocre

3= Decent/acceptable

4= Good

5 = Outstanding

Tomlin	4
Matthews (1)	3
Odemwingie	3
Gladwin	1
Pearce	2
Matthews (2)	1
Abraham	5
Gieffer	2
Cotterill	2
Woodrow	2
Leko	1
Kent	1
Diony	1

[Chicken George]

10 minutes ago, The Bard said:

Too much time on my hands..  I've rated our loans since Ashton was appointed out of 5. Views?

1= Terrible

2 = Mediocre

3= Decent/acceptable

4= Good

5 = Outstanding

Tomlin	4
Matthews (1)	3
Odemwingie	3
Gladwin	1
Pearce	2
Matthews (2)	1
Abraham	5
Gieffer	2
Cotterill	2
Woodrow	2
Leko	1
Kent	1
Diony	1

Not sure what Woodrow has done to deserve a 2? Unless it’s 1 for turning up and another 1 for being a clown. 

[The Bard]

1 minute ago, Enter Sandman said:

Not sure what Woodrow has done to deserve a 2? Unless it’s 1 for turning up and another 1 for being a clown. 

He was rounded up from 1.55

[Chicken George]

2 minutes ago, The Bard said:

He was rounded up from 1.55

Generous. Would’ve rather seen what players whom we own could’ve done instead of this useless pile of manure. 

The much-derided Engvall could probably have had a few more appearances and familiarised himself with the club and English football. Instead we pay a loan fee (probably) and his wages (not cheap I’d guess) on a useless lump. 

Our loans have been awful. Why buy so many “young and hungry” & “promising” players if you ain’t gonn give them the “pathway” to the first team by clogging it up with loanee cloggers. 

[Curr Avon]

2 hours ago, hodge said:

Like who? I've read so many people say this (and while true) but then couldn't suggest anyone who would be within our price range. Proven experience in this division costs and we're opterating on a budget in a the bottom third.

That's what the recruitment staff are paid to do. When you sign 3 players during the January window, then one of them should be able to make an impact. Unless there's a dramatic change in form the management of BCFC have blown their best chance of Premier League football in a decade and face the prospect of losing Reid, Bryan and Flint during the Summer.

Paying a little extra for loanees with Championship experience or higher wouldn't have cost the Earth on the back of the TV revenue and gate receipts generated from the Cup run, plus our burgeoning League attendances.

Where's the ambition?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[havanatopia]

On 03/04/2018 at 05:31, BobBobSuperBob said:

I once had a conversation with a very experienced Premier League Manager and in asking him about systems / management he said

‘Ultimately you are only as good as the players you sign’

Simplistic but IMHO largely true - sign the right players in ability and character and they will do the job for you , or certainly make it a whole lot easier 

What is to say of course that City have done that and yet managed to make rather a pigs dinner of managing those assets? Without wishing to be a Lee basher there seems to be quite a bit of evidence, both since January 1 in terms of performances, and in what might be considered reasoned opinion that illustrates and proves that very point, vis a vis how many of these players performed previously, ie very well.

And further, those assets are no longer performing but the new ones, signed in January, never have. Does that not cement the possible view that these were exceedingly poor signings? Of course it does.

The nub of the issue may very well be that SL did not sanction sufficient spending yet management felt the need to bring in some bodies to appease the fans? It has spectacularly unravelled if that is the case.

As others have said Rugby may be one thing but to strictly limit football squad spending, albeit not publicly quoted, and where it was most obviously needed does have consequences. Ashton shot a remark across the bows to prepare us for the worst; he saw it coming.

On 03/04/2018 at 05:40, Moor2Sea said:

Wasn’t it Warnock who said he would only sign players that he thought would improve his first team? 

Don’t be like Warnock eh. Eight promotions and all that.  

I think City have also espoused those same philosophies mind!

17 hours ago, BTRFTG said:

Elsewhere The Joker sums things up in but 3 words of Shakespearean eloquence - we recruit from a "Carousel Of Crap." 

 

15 hours ago, BobBobSuperBob said:

Hate to correct you BTRFTG but the official line is 

‘Differnet ponds and rivers’

Are you not up with the plan ?

Beat me to it squire. There is a whiff of a comedy of errors in all this transfer mallarky.

[Murraysrightplum]

Hits, evens, and Misses:

• Scott Golbourne was promising to start with but a miss overall
• Lee Tomlin (loan) was great on loan, hit
• Adam Matthews (loan) miss
• Richard O'Donnell ??
• Alex Pearce (loan) ??
• Ben Gladwin (loan) ??
• Peter Odemwingie (loan) miss

• Lee Tomlin the signing all the fans wanted. Turned out to be a bad one but imagine the slating the club would have got for not signing him. Sold for 2.25 mill or so to Cardiff. Overall even
• Hörður Magnússon some love him. I’m not convinced. Even
• Taylor Moore great on paper but miss
• Gustav Engvall miss
• Callum O'Dowda hit
• Diego De Girolamo ??
• Josh Brownhill hit
• Adam Matthews (loan) miss
• Tammy Abraham (loan) huge hit
• Jamie Paterson hit
• Ivan Lucic ??
• Joel Ekstrand miss
• Gary O'Neil tricky one but again the type of signing that the fans wanted at the time. Experienced pro but no doubt hefty wages. Miss

• Milan Djuric even. Could be a hit if he can stay fit
• Matty Taylor even. Good squad player, cheap, THAT pass worth it
• Jens Hegeler again another signing that the fans wanted - ball playing midfielder. Maybe better as a sweeper. I want him to be good but inconsistent. Miss
• Fabian Gieffer (loan) miss
• Bailey Wright I know he’s been poor recently but has mostly shown heart and passion. Another signing of the type the fans have been asking for. At least Even if not a hit
• Dave Cotterill (loan) I thought he was pretty good on loan albeit past it a bit. Even?

• Famara Diehiou hit for me
• Nathan Baker hit
• Niclas Eliasson who knows
• Eros Pisano hit
• Luke Steele good back up. At least even
• Cauley Woodrow (loan) who knows
• Jonathan Leko (loan) miss

• Liam Walsh too early to say I think
• Lois Diony (loan) miss
• Ryan Kent (loan) potential but a miss

Overall I don’t think that is bad recruiting. The January window just gone was poor but I think the club were scrambling to keep some of our best players. You know, the ones who are now shite.

One thing that is clear is the ‘type of signing the fans want’ signings don’t seem to work out. Make of that what you will...

[Redandwhitescarf]

On 02/04/2018 at 21:43, Lew-T said:

I was just about to say but you’ve pointed out that only Brownhill aside, LJ’s signings have been pretty poor when you think how much money has been wasted. Our best players are the double winners and that’s a little worrying? Diedhiou to be fair to him has done okay.

Pack, Smith and Flint are the heartbeat of this side though. Without them I could see us lingering at the bottom of the table and that doesn’t bode well for my confidence in the summer.

It looks like a attitude problem at the minute. We look mentally weak and something has to change.

Last think Baker & Patto (until recently) have also been good for us, and Matty Taylor has had his moments (in spite of some of our fans )

[hantsred]

Personally I think the transfer window comments by MA are being way over blown in a desperate search for answers to our current form. Just take a look at what other transfers happened in January in the Championship. How successful they have been and how ambitious they were (how much was invested) and I don't think you could say we under-performed when compared to our peers. The January window is tough, players are mid-contract. Good players are settled and clubs don't want to let them go mid season, struggling clubs are desperate to hang on to there players to stop the rot...etc . There was hardly any permanent transfers and and certainly no mega £multi-million purchases. Probably the best championship signing with hindsight was Fulham's loan signing of Mitrovic but still a loan signing of out of favour striker.

The real problem is our midfield organisation and press has gone awol - and I guarantee that Johnson and co are fully aware of that, even if they don't know quite how to fix it!

[Robbored]

If anyone went through any Championship clubs recruiting record as Murrysrightplum has you'd see pretty much the same hit/miss ratio.

Every signing, whether a loan or contracted carries an element of risk. Some are a great success and others fail to impress. Injuries play a part as well. Can you imagine Famara  how many goals he'd have had he not been injured for so long? How impressive would GoN, Hegeler,CoD and Taylor been if they all hadn't been out with lengthy injuries that can't be predicted when these players join the club.

[oldstandrobin]

On 4/2/2018 at 23:20, RalphMilnesLeftFoot said:

Ohh 

 

Hang on we must be verging on relegation and not not having our best season for a decade.

 

Transfers totally messed up arent they? 

Oh wait they arent. Most are young, many can improve and if they don't likely profit in it for us, given our stronger position.

Why must every time we hit a relatively poor patch must everything be questioned. It's like none of our fans realise that following our team means we're gunna lose a few and the world wont end 

cos after watching them for nearly 60 years Ralph, we do it quite a bit !!

[ashton_fan]

Mark Ashton only joined the club in January 2016 so wasn't responsible for the January 2016 transfers.

Don't know why some people think Diedhiou was a poor signing, he's got 11 goals despite missing nearly half the season, would probably be ahead of Bobby otherwise.

With our policy of signing younger players with promise there are bound to be some that don't make it. Ashton was employed as a consultant for the summer window before our promotion season under Cotts and did a great job.

[joeyb]

Based on the below:

1= Terrible

2 = Mediocre

3= Decent/acceptable

4= Good

5 = Outstanding

January 2016 (with added emergency loans made later in the season)

• Scott Golbourne - 3
• Lee Tomlin (loan) - 5
• Adam Matthews (loan - 4
• Richard O'Donnell - 3
• Alex Pearce (loan) - 2
• Ben Gladwin (loan) - 1
• Peter Odemwingie (loan) - 4

Summer 2016

• Lee Tomlin - 1 (but who wouldn't have taken this gamble)
• Hörður Magnússon - 4
• Taylor Moore - 2 (could improve though)
• Gustav Engvall - 1 (not given a chance but based on playing time in the past and what I think in the future)
• Callum O'Dowda - 4 (could be 5 in the long term)
• Diego De Girolamo - 2 (free and low wages)
• Josh Brownhill - 5
• Adam Matthews (loan) - 1 ( but again, who wouldn't have had him back after his loan)
• Tammy Abraham (loan) - 5
• Jamie Paterson - 4 (especially considering the rumoured price)
• Ivan Lucic - 1 (but cheap and low risk)
• Joel Ekstrand - 1 (cheap but sick note - quickly released, low risk)
• Gary O'Neil - 2

January 2017

• Milan Djuric - 3
• Matty Taylor - 3
• Jens Hegeler - 2
• Fabian Gieffer (loan) - 2
• Bailey Wright - 4
• Dave Cotterill (loan) - 3

Summer 2017

• Famara Diehiou - 4
• Nathan Baker - 4
• Niclas Eliasson - 2 (could be a lot better in long term)
• Eros Pisano - 3
• Luke Steele - 3
• Cauley Woodrow (loan) - 1
• Jonathan Leko (loan) - 2

January 2018

• Liam Walsh - 3 (again, could be better in the long term)
• Lois Diony (loan) - 1 (don't know who scouted this guy)
• Ryan Kent (loan) - 3 (I actually like Kent and don't understand the vitriol against him. He may not have clicked but he offers something different and believe if he sorts his decision making out he will be a top player at this level)

A count of the ratings:

• 1 - 8 times (22%)
• 2 - 8 times (22%)
• 3 - 9 times (25%)
• 4 - 8 times (22%)
• 5 - 3 times (8%)

Gives 55% signings as acceptable or better. Take fees into account (many of the low rated ones were low risk and cheap) as well the long term planning behind some transfers and you're starting to get c. 65-70% as acceptable which seems quite good.