Alex Scott - £25m to Bournemouth- Confirmed

[The Coach]

1 minute ago, Grey Fox said:

I would like us to try to be successful, is that asking too much?

At City? Yes

[Grey Fox]

14 minutes ago, downendcity said:

And Dioni and Engvali!

 

 

 

I know they're not academy players, before anyone points it out.

Actually I forgot Luke Arlington.

But don’t talk to loud , you’re upset all of the accountants on here

Ayling, I hate predictive text

[Davefevs]

2 minutes ago, Grey Fox said:

In other words, sell a quality player and buy a load of average ones instead? How about some ambition for once?

 

No, that was the old regime, sell Webster for £20m, buy 12 players for more than £20m and increase the wage bill hugely in the process.

This regime are different.

Ambition is there, don’t worry…there’s many ways to skin a promotion cat!

[mozo]

15 hours ago, Grey Fox said:

I’ve got a bright idea , why don’t we keep Alex Scott, win promotion to the Premier League, and make loads of money that way ? Just saying

City's promotion odds are currently between 9/1 and 14s.

Whereas if we sell him now the cash is guaranteed.

Keeping him also carries the risk of an injury which could both devalue the player, and derail our promotion push.

I'd love to keep watching the kid every week, but I'd take an offer in excess of £20m with a sell on.

[Ian M]

26 minutes ago, Monkeh said:

And if we don't go up? Are you happy to start on -10 points the following season with a 4 window transfer embargo and massive fines?

That's not the choice though is it?!

The club have so far worked within what the expect the budget to be and haven't pre-spent any Scott fee. At the moment we are still spending Semenyo money.

If we got our sums wrong and we needed to plug a financial hole next Summer to avoid a FFP penalty, Alex doesn't suddenly become a free transfer because he only has 12 months left on his contract.

You are being alarmist.

We can either sell this Summer and reinvest, or see how keeping Alex with greater defensive solidity behind him serves us and sell if that doesn't equal promotion. But failing FFP is very unlikely imo.

[Grey Fox]

And what would our odds be if our squad included :

g/k Heaton

Back four Ayling, Webster, Kelly , Bryan

Midfield Brownhill, Scott , Naismith, Williams 

Forwards Semenyo , Reid 

Or we can just continue to be mediocre, I know what I prefer 

 

[TammyAB]

5 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

No, that was the old regime, sell Webster for £20m, buy 12 players for more than £20m and increase the wage bill hugely in the process.

This regime are different.

Ambition is there, don’t worry…there’s many ways to skin a promotion cat!

Norwich sold James Maddison and got promoted

Sheff Utd sold David Brooks

Leeds sold Jack Clarke

 

Not direct comparisons to us but slightly interesting nonetheless

[Monkeh]

4 minutes ago, Ian M said:

That's not the choice though is it?!

The club have so far worked within what the expect the budget to be and haven't pre-spent any Scott fee. At the moment we are still spending Semenyo money.

If we got our sums wrong and we needed to plug a financial hole next Summer to avoid a FFP penalty, Alex doesn't suddenly become a free transfer because he only has 12 months left on his contract.

You are being alarmist.

We can either sell this Summer and reinvest, or see how keeping Alex with greater defensive solidity behind him serves us and sell if that doesn't equal promotion. But failing FFP is very unlikely imo.

It's not being alarmist, it's explaining to someone what would happen if we actively and willingly breached ffp rules, ask Derby County or Leeds or Sheffield Wednesday or Cardiff or Wigan 

[robin_unreliant]

18 minutes ago, Grey Fox said:

In other words, sell a quality player and buy a load of average ones instead? How about some ambition for once?

 

Which is exactly what we did under LJ/Ashton. Webster, Kelly, Reid, Flint, Bryan all sold for good money and what do we have to show for it? Just hope history doesn't repeat. 

Edited June 30, 2023 by robin_unreliant

[alexukhc]

When’s he due back to pre season with us?

[Monkeh]

14 minutes ago, Grey Fox said:

I would like us to try to be successful, is that asking too much?

So would I, but I would sacrifice the clubs future on a pair of 4s, we are following the correct approach, if it weren't for the investment we put in to the academy, that some sections actively critised as they wanted us to spend it on players, we wouldn't have players like Scott to sell,

We are going about it the correct way finally

[Selred]

18 minutes ago, Grey Fox said:

In other words, sell a quality player and buy a load of average ones instead? How about some ambition for once?

 

We already have a lot of average players. We don't have a squad capable for promotion right now.

Scott is a star, can't deny that. But sell him for £25m and improve in a couple of key positions will make us a better team all round and more likely to be a true force.

[Grey Fox]

2 minutes ago, robin_unreliant said:

Which is exactly what we did under LJ/Ashton. Webster, Kelly, Flint, Bryan all sold for good money and what do we have to show for it? Just hope history doesn't repeat. 

It will because that is the pattern, last year Semenyo, this year Scott with possibly Conway next. History doesn’t always repeat, but it does rhyme.

We need more ambition and less bean counters 

[Davefevs]

4 minutes ago, TammyAB said:

Norwich sold James Maddison and got promoted

Sheff Utd sold David Brooks

Leeds sold Jack Clarke

 

Not direct comparisons to us but slightly interesting nonetheless

The simple answer is:

1. Excellent recruitment and / or
2. academy development

Likely you need both.  We only did no2, we failed miserably with no1.

You need continuity of both too.

If you get both, you keep costs manageable and therefore can sell on your terms, not be forced to sell.  Tgat is where we are with Alex Scott.  Through two years of cutting costs, being better at no1 and excellent at no2 we’ve put ourselves back in the picture to kick on.

Alex is a mighty fine player.  But we can still achieve success without him.  I’d like him to stay.  But I don’t think it’s binary - Scott leaves, promotion is over.

[chinapig]

8 minutes ago, Grey Fox said:

And what would our odds be if our squad included :

g/k Heaton

Back four Ayling, Webster, Kelly , Bryan

Midfield Brownhill, Scott , Naismith, Williams 

Forwards Semenyo , Reid 

Or we can just continue to be mediocre, I know what I prefer 

 

Quite apart from the dire financial consequences you would have had a lot of disaffected players denied the chance to play at a higher level who would have run down their contracts and left for nothing.

[Grey Fox]

4 minutes ago, Selred said:

We already have a lot of average players. We don't have a squad capable for promotion right now.

Scott is a star, can't deny that. But sell him for £25m and improve in a couple of key positions will make us a better team all round and more likely to be a true force.

Your first sentence says it all, how will your strategy do anything other than increase the number of “average players “ in our team?

[JoeAman08]

2 minutes ago, Grey Fox said:

And what would our odds be if our squad included :

g/k Heaton

Back four Ayling, Webster, Kelly , Bryan

Midfield Brownhill, Scott , Naismith, Williams 

Forwards Semenyo , Reid 

Or we can just continue to be mediocre, I know what I prefer 

 

While I agree about ambition, think Scott is the wrong example. The finances have been battered and selling Scott sorts the club out for minimum the next 6 windows. That allows us to be more ambitious for the next 3 seasons not just this one. 
 

Selling Webster was unambitious. Maybe even Lloyd Kelly. Selling both Reid and Bryan was a bit though we did get good value considering the contracts. Perhaps we should have balanced books by selling one and not the other? Idk the answer. Brownhill we kept longer than I thought we would. Semenyo you can argue didn’t change our trajectory one bit last season. 
 

There is a fine line between being financially smart and ambitious. Perhaps look at it as selling Scott means we can be more ambitious for the next 3-4 seasons. We can’t forget Scott himself needs to make a statistical leap this season too for it to be worthwhile. Without the whole goals and assists debate, if he is to play behind the striker most of the season he will need to add more. He probably isn’t a natural fit to how we play as we play more like 2 pivots and an attacking player central. Whereas Scott seems to be best maybe in between those roles

[Grey Fox]

1 minute ago, chinapig said:

Quite apart from the dire financial consequences you would have had a lot of disaffected players denied the chance to play at a higher level who would have run down their contracts and left for nothing.

Or , we would now be in the Premier League, possibly at the expense of the mighty LutonTown

[The Swan and Cemetery]

2 minutes ago, Grey Fox said:

Your first sentence says it all, how will your strategy do anything other than increase the number of “average players “ in our team?

To take Selred’s post literally, think we’d be hopeful for better than average for 2 x £12.5m? 

[ScottishRed]

10 minutes ago, Grey Fox said:

And what would our odds be if our squad included :

g/k Heaton

Back four Ayling, Webster, Kelly , Bryan

Midfield Brownhill, Scott , Naismith, Williams 

Forwards Semenyo , Reid 

Or we can just continue to be mediocre, I know what I prefer 

 

Lovely thought even if it is completely impractical.

I can’t be bothered to go over it all again but, players want to move if an opportunity arises, for two things,

 

1. More money

 

2. Playing at a higher level

 

That is the reality. If a club meets our valuation for Alex, it will then be his decision. The likelihood is that he will go.

[soultrader]

27 minutes ago, Grey Fox said:

I would like us to try to be successful, is that asking too much?

Maybe you're confusing Bristol City with Man City?

[soultrader]

16 minutes ago, Grey Fox said:

And what would our odds be if our squad included :

g/k Heaton

Back four Ayling, Webster, Kelly , Bryan

Midfield Brownhill, Scott , Naismith, Williams 

Forwards Semenyo , Reid 

Or we can just continue to be mediocre, I know what I prefer 

 

With a team like that we could win the Hindsight Cup

[Fontaineofallknowledge]

17 minutes ago, Grey Fox said:

And what would our odds be if our squad included :

g/k Heaton

Back four Ayling, Webster, Kelly , Bryan

Midfield Brownhill, Scott , Naismith, Williams 

Forwards Semenyo , Reid 

Or we can just continue to be mediocre, I know what I prefer 

 

We would be in league one after being relegated with a points deduction pal. 

[Grey Fox]

1 minute ago, Fontaineofallknowledge said:

We would be in league one after being relegated with a points deduction pal. 

With Aston Villa?

[RedRoss]

20 minutes ago, Grey Fox said:

And what would our odds be if our squad included :

g/k Heaton

Back four Ayling, Webster, Kelly , Bryan

Midfield Brownhill, Scott , Naismith, Williams 

Forwards Semenyo , Reid 

Or we can just continue to be mediocre, I know what I prefer 

 

Have you considered the players personal ambitions?

Alot of those transfers were to Premier League clubs or on the fringes.

[Andy082005]

3 hours ago, Kid in the Riot said:

People need to wake up.

The club WANT to sell Alex Scott in this window. You only have to listen to the messaging from Pearson and Lansdown over the past 6 months to see that. Pearson has talked him up. "Premier League player" "will play for England". And Steve Lansdown has literally put a £25m price tag on him. You don't put a number on a player at the end of the season that you think will still be your player come the start of the season.

They know that now (with two years left on his contract) is likely the optimum time to sell him at his highest value. As soon as this window shuts it's very likely his value begins to depreciate as he isn't going to sign a new deal.

I've no doubt we'll play hardball on bids, but City want this deal to happen this summer, ideally as quickly as possible. 

As always - completely nailed this 

Just to add - Alex Scott has also made it clear he would like to leave when the right opportunity comes along. It’s down to us now to get the right price for him 

The clubs long term plan does not include Scott for the simple reason he wants to move up a level 

[Selred]

10 minutes ago, Grey Fox said:

Your first sentence says it all, how will your strategy do anything other than increase the number of “average players “ in our team?

Because the average price for a "good" championship player isn't £25m...

We can probably get 2-3 really good players for Scott.

[Davefevs]

Just now, RedRoss said:

Have you considered the players personal ambitions?

Alot of those transfers were to Premier League clubs or on the fringes.

Yep, Ayling would’ve been really happy to wait 6 years for Naismith to arrive!!!!

[cityexile]

15 minutes ago, Ian M said:

That's not the choice though is it?!

The club have so far worked within what the expect the budget to be and haven't pre-spent any Scott fee. At the moment we are still spending Semenyo money.

If we got our sums wrong and we needed to plug a financial hole next Summer to avoid a FFP penalty, Alex doesn't suddenly become a free transfer because he only has 12 months left on his contract.

You are being alarmist.

We can either sell this Summer and reinvest, or see how keeping Alex with greater defensive solidity behind him serves us and sell if that doesn't equal promotion. But failing FFP is very unlikely imo.

Everything implies you are right in terms of FFP. It would seem that we are (just) ok without any Scott money and that is how we have been trading so far this summer. We can afford in purely FFP terms to keep Scott, although would not have a great deal more left to trade with this summer. 

The slight disagreement I have with some comments (not yours) is that it treats Alex as if he is a kind of financial stock we simply need to decide when is the best time to sell or keep. The great unknown factor in all that is Alex himself. What does he want? Does he back himself to perform in the Premier League and wants that opportunity now? Nothing I have seen from Alex suggests he is a 'down tools' kind of lad, but I would be gobsmacked if he did not prefer a new challenge if it is being offered at a higher level.

I think we will sell now for the most we can get, judging that is overall in our best interests, but as you suggest independent pretty much from FFP considerations.

 

 

 

[The Coach]

26 minutes ago, Grey Fox said:

And what would our odds be if our squad included :

g/k Heaton

Back four Ayling, Webster, Kelly , Bryan

Midfield Brownhill, Scott , Naismith, Williams 

Forwards Semenyo , Reid 

Or we can just continue to be mediocre, I know what I prefer