Time for a sale?

[BCFCGav]

I was hoping to see a 'big' outgoing in the summer to give us financial wiggle room, and wonder if January is the time to finally do it. Obviously, losing our best players is frustrating but this squad needs bolstering. I'm weighing up what's more valuable, keeping the Scott/Semenyo or utilising money from a sale to give us squad depth and maybe an important defensive player. 

I understand we seem likely to remain within FFP which is really great news. This is definitely an argument for trying to keep the top talent at the club, as we don't need to sell to swerve a potentially devastating points deduction. But even with this factored in, is making a sale still in the clubs best interest? Could we cash in on Antoine if he excels in Qatar? Do we really bite the bullet and listen to Scott offers? As things are at the moment, could we afford to sack Nige even if we wanted to?

Just trying to gauge peoples opinions, really interested to hear poeples' takes. 

[marcofisher]

I think generally offloading big earners is just as important than making a big sale. Kalas, Massengo are two not playing and commanding a lot more than some of the current regular starters.

[Shuffle]

If we can get a sale for Scott & a loan back then take it as we need strengthening elsewhere. Agree with comments if getting high earners off books bit easier said than done 

[t_b]

14 minutes ago, Shuffle said:

If we can get a sale for Scott & a loan back then take it as we need strengthening elsewhere. Agree with comments if getting high earners off books bit easier said than done 

Why would someone buy him and loan him back to us? He can’t be learning a lot from our senior players apart from how to down tools when it gets tough. 

[Major Isewater]

[Rob k]

I’m my opinion we have to keep Scott until the end of the season - anyone else (bar conway possibly) is fair game for a Jan transfer 

[Mr Popodopolous]

45 minutes ago, tommy_b said:

Why would someone buy him and loan him back to us? He can’t be learning a lot from our senior players apart from how to down tools when it gets tough. 

Other clubs do.

Tottenham with Clarke, Crystal Palace with Liam Delap, in the case of the latter Derby were deeper in the mire (albeit with 21 pts deducted).

[Mendip City]

1 hour ago, marcofisher said:

I think generally offloading big earners is just as important than making a big sale. Kalas, Massengo are two not playing and commanding a lot more than some of the current regular starters.

And Bentley. Shift one or more of those in January on free transfers and we might generate some of their wages to be ploughed into incoming free transfers. 

[Clutton Caveman]

1 hour ago, BCFCGav said:

I was hoping to see a 'big' outgoing in the summer to give us financial wiggle room, and wonder if January is the time to finally do it. Obviously, losing our best players is frustrating but this squad needs bolstering. I'm weighing up what's more valuable, keeping the Scott/Semenyo or utilising money from a sale to give us squad depth and maybe an important defensive player. 

I understand we seem likely to remain within FFP which is really great news. This is definitely an argument for trying to keep the top talent at the club, as we don't need to sell to swerve a potentially devastating points deduction. But even with this factored in, is making a sale still in the clubs best interest? Could we cash in on Antoine if he excels in Qatar? Do we really bite the bullet and listen to Scott offers? As things are at the moment, could we afford to sack Nige even if we wanted to?

Just trying to gauge peoples opinions, really interested to hear poeples' takes. 

For me Antoine typifies us at the moment. In the rare game he is unplayable other than that he can't shoot on target, cannot retain the ball with his back to goal and gives away a free kick just about each time he tries to close down. I think at this stage of his career he desperately needs a mentor to bring out his best and we don't have one. At todays prices if we got an offer of £3 million I would accept immediately

[mozo]

Seeing Scott or Conway go would be very sad.

[Shuffle]

2 hours ago, tommy_b said:

Why would someone buy him and loan him back to us? He can’t be learning a lot from our senior players apart from how to down tools when it gets tough. 

Lots of clubs use it as an incentive to get deal done…… he’d be playing in the championship getting games. Why would any team loan players it’s to continue their development. Agree on senior players in the main setting the wrong example 

[Simon bristol]

2 hours ago, Shuffle said:

If we can get a sale for Scott & a loan back then take it as we need strengthening elsewhere. Agree with comments if getting high earners off books bit easier said than done 

They will mostly be gone next summer,,, hopefully! If we can do a palmer style give them away deal in january, then all well and good. Such a waste though, massengo kalas bentley dasilva wells and martin will have cost us an absolute fortune in fees and salaries, none have contributed much and have taken out far more than they have given.

[Merrick's Marvels]

Richard Gould deferred starting his new job until the end of January 2023. Let's hope that isn't a coincidence. 

[DT The Optimist]

1 hour ago, Clutton Caveman said:

For me Antoine typifies us at the moment. In the rare game he is unplayable other than that he can't shoot on target, cannot retain the ball with his back to goal and gives away a free kick just about each time he tries to close down. I think at this stage of his career he desperately needs a mentor to bring out his best and we don't have one. At todays prices if we got an offer of £3 million I would accept immediately

Sadly on recent performances, any premier side  looking at him now would not not be paying a big wedge, I just hope after the World Cup we get back the Sem that  we know  he can be.  
would not be surprised if he is on bench Saturday 

[Bazooka Joe]

Unfortunately, we won't get much for a second-hand Bentley or a clapped out "Ashton" Martin.

But the savings in wages would enable us to bring in some affordable, quality performers (from either the Championship or lower leagues).

 

[phantom]

1 hour ago, Merrick's Marvels said:

Richard Gould deferred starting his new job until the end of January 2023. Let's hope that isn't a coincidence. 

I didn't realise that was the case, I assumed he had to serve a period of notice

[BLRed]

Sell off semenyo for whatever we can get and reinvest. Scott is more influential so needs to stay.

bin off the high earners running their contracts down (kalas, Bentley, massengo, wells) and we should then be in a much better place to reinvest wages on a more even keel

[Merrick's Marvels]

29 minutes ago, phantom said:

I didn't realise that was the case, I assumed he had to serve a period of notice

No idea about notice periods but staying in post until the January transfer window closes is too much of a coincidence, surely?

January is never the best time to be wheeling and dealing and we don't have a pot to piss in but a relegation battle is on the cards if we carry on with the status quo. 

The other alternative is to sack the manager but I don't sense an appetite for that amongst the suits, albeit Guernsey is probably fuming about last night - join the queue mate. The worst 13 quid I've spent in a long, long time.   

[Merrick's Marvels]

32 minutes ago, BLRed said:

Sell off semenyo for whatever we can get and reinvest. Scott is more influential so needs to stay.

bin off the high earners running their contracts down (kalas, Bentley, massengo, wells) and we should then be in a much better place to reinvest wages on a more even keel

Or at least re-negotiate some of those expensive contracts that are currently a millstone around our neck. 

Don't forget, if you let Kalas and Wells leave, the club's stated policy is that we'll be shopping at Poundland (free transfers, players ooc) for their replacements. Last summer, this policy delivered a player from the Fourth Division, a player from the Third Division and a player from Luton Town. The result - we've stagnated at best, probably gone backwards. More of the same next summer is not a pleasant thought but that's where we find ourselves thanks to Ashton and Lansdown. 

So let's hope Wells can be persuaded to stay, on half his current wage, to build on his partnership with Conway as our first choice strikers.

Let's hope Kalas can actually get fit. Then be persuaded to stay on half his current wage. Kalas - Naismith - Atkinson isn't too shabby, although I'm far from convinced by Naismith, personally.

Let's hope we can find some sucker to pay us a squillion quid for Semenyo. It'll have to be a squillion because we have no wing backs good enough and central midfield needs a complete revamp in support of Scott/Weimann.  

And we'll need another keeper because Bajic is a Ronnie Sinclair midget. 

Not much to do then.  

[pongo88]

Unfortunately the very big and just big earners haven’t got much of a resale value if anything at all. Bentley, Kalas, Wells and Dasilva might have to go in the same way as Nagy - i.e. given away or they’re out of contact and just leave. When their contacts end City might be able to renegotiate à la Weimann.
 

As for Semenyo, based on his performances this season, his value goes down each time he plays. As @Clutton Caveman said - “. In the rare game he is unplayable other than that he can't shoot on target, cannot retain the ball with his back to goal and gives away a free kick just about each time he tries to close down”. Any club buying him will be taking a punt based on potential not current form. The sort of sums suggested should be the minimum City should accept, that were banded about in the summer, are now pie in the sky. IMO, City should retain Conway as he has more ability than Semenyo and his value is likely to increase next season. He seems to be sensible so, hopefully, he realises that at this stage of his career he’s better staying at City and playing first team football. If he went to a Premier club now he probably wouldn’t start matches and could just be sent out on loan 

[Davefevs]

3 hours ago, BLRed said:

Sell off semenyo for whatever we can get and reinvest. Scott is more influential so needs to stay.

bin off the high earners running their contracts down (kalas, Bentley, massengo, wells) and we should then be in a much better place to reinvest wages on a more even keel

Can you just explain what you mean re “bin off the high earners”?  And do you mean in January?

[BLRed]

Yes I mean in January but you will of course tell me it’s not that straight forward. Bin off as in get rid of them. At least the ones that have basically not featured like kalas, massengo and Bentley who are in their last year anyway with zero intention to renew. Their wages could be better utilised elsewhere if we can offload them asap and might allow us to have a successful Jan window if we can sort their departures before then or early in the window.

[Sleepy1968]

5 hours ago, DT The Optimist said:

Sadly on recent performances, any premier side  looking at him now would not not be paying a big wedge, I just hope after the World Cup we get back the Sem that  we know  he can be.  
would not be surprised if he is on bench Saturday 

I said to my mate earlier that he shouldn't be starting. The problem is that we can't leave all the underperforming players out the side and manage to put out eleven players.

[tin]

Assuming his stock is still relatively high, I’d try to cash in on Semenyo in January and find suitors for Massengo and Bentley. 

I’m resigned to losing Scott in the near future, but Conway is the one we need to keep longer term IMO.  

[Davefevs]

40 minutes ago, BLRed said:

Yes I mean in January but you will of course tell me it’s not that straight forward. Bin off as in get rid of them. At least the ones that have basically not featured like kalas, massengo and Bentley who are in their last year anyway with zero intention to renew. Their wages could be better utilised elsewhere if we can offload them asap and might allow us to have a successful Jan window if we can sort their departures before then or early in the window.

How many times…you can’t just bin a player off.  They have a contract.  The player has a value in the books that if we don’t achieve gets classed as a loss (towards FFP).

if we did what you suggest in both Football Manager and real-life it costs us.

Who is gonna pick up Kalas’s £25k p.w. and the £1m value in the books?

[frenchred]

The best sale we could have is lansdown selling the lot

[Ivorguy]

14 minutes ago, frenchred said:

The best sale we could have is lansdown selling the lot

If this sentence had stopped after the word ,selling’ lots of us would be over the moon

[Spike]

January

Massengo and Bentley could be sold for a fee, we won't get full value due to the contract but anything would be better than nothing. Semenyo I'd put in the window and see what happens. 

We should be looking for a midfielder of quality if possible and possibly a rwb with good crossing ability but this shouldn't be forced off there isn't a viable option. 

The summer

I think a big clear out, going to have to recruit cleverly, if sales of players happen then any spending will need to be on quality. 

A lot of mentions of selling Scott but I think we should be holding onto him for dear life, we won't find a player of his quality for any price we can afford. That said, if a Prem team comes in with a very high value he may request we accept the bid. 

[frenchred]

1 hour ago, Ivorguy said:

If this sentence had stopped after the word ,selling’ lots of us would be over the moon

Agree! 

[Cityboy1954]

11 hours ago, BCFCGav said:

I was hoping to see a 'big' outgoing in the summer to give us financial wiggle room, and wonder if January is the time to finally do it. Obviously, losing our best players is frustrating but this squad needs bolstering. I'm weighing up what's more valuable, keeping the Scott/Semenyo or utilising money from a sale to give us squad depth and maybe an important defensive player. 

I understand we seem likely to remain within FFP which is really great news. This is definitely an argument for trying to keep the top talent at the club, as we don't need to sell to swerve a potentially devastating points deduction. But even with this factored in, is making a sale still in the clubs best interest? Could we cash in on Antoine if he excels in Qatar? Do we really bite the bullet and listen to Scott offers? As things are at the moment, could we afford to sack Nige even if we wanted to?

Just trying to gauge peoples opinions, really interested to hear poeples' takes. 

Think theyre value has decreased at the moment would get nowhere near the fees we would be looking for  now .

Edited November 9, 2022 by Cityboy1954