W-S-M Seagull Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 15 minutes ago, Ian M said: Plus if you watch the First Day video it’s clear they know each other (presumably from the Scottish U21s) and Tommy seems absolutely buzzing that he’s signed. It’s genuinely the happiest I’ve seen TC since AS was sold. Yes it stuck out to me that they clearly have chemistry between them. I look forward to seeing them play together. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W-S-M Seagull Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 21 minutes ago, Ashtongreight said: I agree, they were also the targets set, which by the way were met. My question is what is the plan now, what is the target this season?, and what is the target next?, also what do we judge success by for LM? , because from where I I’m Sat they seem to be vague and changing. Is the target this season top 6, top 10, top half, I’ve no idea. Apart from, its a work in progress, or words to that affect. I’ve also got absolutely no idea what the hierarchy’s expectations are for next season. Some on here appear to know the plan where as the majority of us don't. I'm disappointed that the season is pretty much a write off. I am happy with the Fa Cup run tho and hope we can have some more excitement in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SydneyCity Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 I have literally no opinion on this one as have no idea who he is, or where he’s come from. I have to admit though, this signing does excite me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuber Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 42 minutes ago, red panda said: You said "we all". I didn't. So it's not we all. Simples I mean. If you still can't see the results in the accounts in context of the league position(s) at this stage with the clarity of hindsight. Then sure, OK. Others, myself included, saw a manager who got results while under severe cost cutting restrictions lowering the wage bill by 30% and sorting perhaps the most toxic playing staff culture the club has had - in a long time. This a forum, can agree to disagree. Alternatively, if you want to see where we could have ended up without Pearson, look at QPR the last 15 months. Huddersfield. Blackburn. Swansea. Cutting costs and falling down the league season after season. No momentum nor culture. 32 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said: Definitely not. We were building but NP was starved of funds somewhat...We cut the wage and amortisation, stayed up, style had 3-4 phases of team tactics which finally finished with a 4-3-3 and over the last year especially improving baseline stats. Scott sadly had to go but things were definitely until the Autumn injury crisis trending in the right direction, injuries stalled us somewhat. Gist of it. We were stable. I prefer underpromising and overachieving. No we've lined up four signings (Mebude, Murphy, Stokes, Bird) for next season in what looks to be a changing of the guard, TGH clause activated. Twine TBD No money remember, but if sources are correct, between the first five of the above, we're talking £3m+ spent. Just grates of what could have been, this season. Now we have to see for next, instead, outside of something utterly remarkable and out of nowhere. 8 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davefevs Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 4 hours ago, Hocca said: We have an option to buy according to Westerlo’s statement on twitter Yes, the big question will be how much that option is for, especially at they paid circa £1.65m for him just 6 months ago on a 4 year contract. Appearances wise it hasn’t worked out there. You wonder with his older brother in Belgium whether that was the attraction, albeit different club (100miles away) 4 hours ago, Silvio Dante said: Positives: Man City Youth Record Negatives: Couldn’t get in mediocre Belgian team. This is one where if we signed him directly from Man City I think there would be universal acclaim, potential pathway blocker or not. Westerlo being happy to get rid after six months does raise an unwanted question though. Could easily be that he didn’t settle. With the option in place to allow us to assess if it was just that, or as others have been he’s a bully in a top prem academy but not as hot in the real world, it seems an overall sensible deal. Been busy tonight but did spend a “few minutes” watching clips from Westerlo. I don’t take tonnes of notice of YouTube highlights, especially of Academy stuff, because it’s hard to judge levels. So I watched some warts n all stuff, no filters, just every action, with, without, winning the ball, losing the ball, etc. FWIW I didn’t see anything too special. But that’s not to say he won’t be. He looked a bit lost in “senior football” stuck predominantly on the left wing, a bit uncommitted in the challenge. He looked like an Academy player getting his first taste of senior football…which of course he was. He certainly didn’t look powerful. Funnily enough, Tammy looked like a gangly Crouch-like youth in some stuff I watched of him, but the boy was a man by the time he stepped onto the pitch against Wigan. He’d bulked up from the previous season. But it will be what he does in a City shirt that matters. 3 hours ago, GrahamC said: No, you’re right. Can’t face Forest either (wasn’t signed before first game). In the squad for Boro, I guess. Seeing as he trained yesterday (assume in the morning) it wouldn’t surprise me if they might’ve registered him before midday. We will see. 3 hours ago, Robbored said: This new guy must be the player that Ian Gay knew about but couldn’t tell us………. In fairness to Ian, when I spoke to him as we readied for the pod on Wednesday I asked him if he knew the name of the incoming players. I wasn’t asking him to give me the names. He could’ve easily said “Dave, yes of course I know but I can’t tell you”, but he actually said “no, I don’t, just the details / positions he put in tweets”. It was very unlike Ian. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCulturalBomb Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 Puzzled here, we've signed a player who can't even get in a Belgian team I've never even heard of. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exAtyeoMax Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 3 hours ago, Harry said: Your eyes are wide shut when it comes to the new manager though. Your strict allegiance to Nige means you wouldn’t recognise a Manning plan if you walked down Plan Street, turned into Plan Lane, over Plan Bridge, along Plan canal, into the Plan shop, perused the Plans in the window and a Plan came up and smacked you in the face screaming “Hey, Look. I’m a PLAN”. Tony Robinson might know of a plan… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashton_fan Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 2 hours ago, TheCulturalBomb said: Puzzled here, we've signed a player who can't even get in a Belgian team I've never even heard of. They're mid table in the top Belgian league, other teams Anderlecht, Standard Liege, Royal Antwerp, Bruges etc so it's probably a slightly higher level than the Championship Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
City oz Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 1 hour ago, ashton_fan said: They're mid table in the top Belgian league, other teams Anderlecht, Standard Liege, Royal Antwerp, Bruges etc so it's probably a slightly higher level than the Championship Been watching video clips all day. What an exciting player. I have now a good feeling about this season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Skin Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 7 hours ago, petehinton said: Option changes things, as I say, and he hopefully ends up being a worldie, but I personally get more joy out of seeing the gradual blooding and development of our own youngsters vs having them ‘signed over’ for more short term reasoning. I am with you on seeing our young players come through. I haven't seen anything of Nelson but Yeboah is still very young and very raw. He was a hand grenade in Pearson's era, all energy and enthusiasm but I don't think he really has the discipline to play in a LM team just yet. The club do favour looking to academy first - it's cheaper after all - but you have to accept the coaching staff see these players everyday and make a much more informed assessment than we can, so I am happy to trust that this guy is better than what we have (and potentially have once they develop). I know nothing about this signing other than from comments on here, but it seems like a gamble worth taking. I am not overly concerned he has predominantly played as a winger. I think he'll be deployed as one of the front 3 so basically an inside forward. Plenty of wingers have successfully converted to strikers, and more commonly to wingbacks if that's where the coaching staff see him. He is young enough to be coached to play a different role, and to spend so long in the Man City academy he must have something about him in terms of talent and coachability. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvio Dante Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 1 hour ago, ashton_fan said: They're mid table in the top Belgian league, other teams Anderlecht, Standard Liege, Royal Antwerp, Bruges etc so it's probably a slightly higher level than the Championship With no comment on the players ability, it’s not - and it’s common that people get drawn in by big names like you mention. The latest (2024) opta rankings on league strength confirm the Championship ranks 6th in the world (Behind Premier League, Bundesliga 1, La Liga A, Serie A and Ligue 1). The Belgian league is 9th - not a mass difference in coefficient but he is moving to a stronger league having not got in the side for a lower team in his current league. What he does here that counts, and as I said, direct from Man City it’s probably more exciting. The Belgian spell tempers that a bit so it’s about seeing what he can do in his loan period. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One Team Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 9 hours ago, Rudolf Hucker said: Scotland football fans adopted this didn’t they? TBF it does fit perfectly: Oh, yes Sir, Dire Mebude But I need a certain goal Dire Mebude, bude bude, all night long Yes Sir, Dire Mebude If you stay, we can't go wrong Dire Mebude, bude bude, all night long 3 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveInSA Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 9 hours ago, petehinton said: One rhat doesnt “block the pathway” for those involved in the periphery of the first team, potentially ready for first team exposure, for want of a non wanky phrase. Becoming overloaded in positions where we have good enough talent in the 21s to blood through. If he does have an option as the parent club suggests, that changes things a bit vs just having someone else’s player take Nelson/Yeboahs wide player ‘spot’ for example. However not exactly sure how he’d fit with how we’ve played here the last month or so, unless they see him becoming a central striker. I think they know that Tommy is out the door in the summer and want to have a closer look at this lad, possibly as a striker. we’ll see… 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curr Avon Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 22 minutes ago, One Team said: Scotland football fans adopted this didn’t they? TBF it does fit perfectly: Oh, yes Sir, Dire Mebude But I need a certain goal Dire Mebude, bude bude, all night long Yes Sir, Dire Mebude If you stay, we can't go wrong Dire Mebude, bude bude, all night long It's a yes from me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One Team Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 2 minutes ago, Curr Avon said: It's a yes from me. Opening song for the next FBC mate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigTone Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 Never heard of him but lets hope he is what we need and his name isn't an omen. Good luck to the lad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marina's Rolls Royce Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 1 minute ago, BigTone said: Never heard of him but lets hope he is what we need and his name isn't an omen. Good luck to the lad. Perhaps an anagram will help put your mind at rest, Tone? RED DUMBIEE or my favourite BUM DIED ERE and the other signing we loaned back? DRAB MIX 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnheadbcfc Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 8 hours ago, Mr Popodopolous said: It ain't happening. Midtable top 10 maybe. We are miles ahead of 2 years ago thanks in no small part to NP and Gould plus Tinnion on the Academy side but we would need crazy form now to get 6th. 8 pages to mention the dynamic duo It's getting better lads! 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnheadbcfc Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 8 hours ago, Harry said: Exactly Dave. I think some people think we should never sign anyone again. They seem to think we can reach the Premier League by just continually churning out players from the academy. Ain’t gonna happen. As for pathway blocking. Just because this kid is 19, why is he considered to be blocking a pathway whereas is we’d signed someone who was 28 would not be considered to be doing so? Maybe it’s a simple fact that there aren’t any players coming through this current age group who we think can step up in the next 2-3 years. As for Sam Bell - maybe the new manager doesn’t think he’s capable of taking us any higher. Maybe he sees him as a mid to lower champ player and we want to bring in upper level champ players. Having a successful academy doesn’t mean we can’t sign young players. Fair play Harry 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KegCity Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 9 hours ago, TheJudge07 said: completely different level of football. Lets see how he does. i just dont think our approach is right. We’ve struggled with creating chances so have signed two players who can help with that. What’s wrong with that approach? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Army 75 Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 Welcome to Bristol City Dire, watched the couple of you tube videos city have done. And he genuinely looks happy to be here. Could be a gem 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shuffle Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 8 hours ago, Harry said: Exactly Dave. I think some people think we should never sign anyone again. They seem to think we can reach the Premier League by just continually churning out players from the academy. Ain’t gonna happen. As for pathway blocking. Just because this kid is 19, why is he considered to be blocking a pathway whereas is we’d signed someone who was 28 would not be considered to be doing so? Maybe it’s a simple fact that there aren’t any players coming through this current age group who we think can step up in the next 2-3 years. As for Sam Bell - maybe the new manager doesn’t think he’s capable of taking us any higher. Maybe he sees him as a mid to lower champ player and we want to bring in upper level champ players. Having a successful academy doesn’t mean we can’t sign young players. Brilliant post. I think some people just look for negatives in literally everything the club does. I’ve never heard of the Man City lad but hope beyond doubt that he’s a success but if he isn’t, the same old will be saying should have tried Yeboah or Nelson and saved the money. I’m no happy clapper but the constant point scoring is becoming tedious. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Army 75 Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curr Avon Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 54 minutes ago, One Team said: Opening song for the next FBC mate? Accompanied by hordes of cats screaming in pain and swiftly muted. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nugget Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 Thing I like about it, completely out of the blue, nothing online / rumoured at all. Be interesting to know if it did get out of other clubs would have been alerted, if quietly going about the business like this, letting us chat about random Indonesian players on here helps secure targets, that’ll do. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelksRed Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 9 hours ago, Harry said: Your eyes are wide shut when it comes to the new manager though. Your strict allegiance to Nige means you wouldn’t recognise a Manning plan if you walked down Plan Street, turned into Plan Lane, over Plan Bridge, along Plan canal, into the Plan shop, perused the Plans in the window and a Plan came up and smacked you in the face screaming “Hey, Look. I’m a PLAN”. Ha...there's a plan....ha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1960maaan Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 Had a look at the videos , looks calm in front of goal which is good. Described as skilful with blistering pace , also good. We did need another central forward so he fits that as well. Age wise, he fits recruitment and option to buy is good too. It is a bit of a dark horse signing , looking at the games he played for Westerlo they were searching for a team . Lost 6 on the bounce, he was sub for the first 2 then started the 3rd. Seems like he made an impression from the bench, but was subbed at 45 for that one so.... read in to that what you will, but they were struggling to get points and someone always gets thrown under the Bus. Apparently Man City wanted to extend his contract , shows they thought something of him. I'm guessing Manning knew of the lad from his contacts, so this is the first of that route/path so I find that interesting. Not played a full game in League football yet, so will take time. TBF Tammy had a decent start here, but to me didn't look a player until well into his loan. Seemed to get stronger and realise he needed to be more physical suddenly and started flying. We could have uncovered a raw gem, or someone who will go back to Belgium in the summer. Going to be an interesting watch. I wonder how long he will be into his debut before someone says he's shit? 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
transfer reader Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 First of all, caveats about every player having a highlight reel, and the video being entirely youth football, but... I do like how much he's running with his head up scanning, quite a few unselfish moments where he lays it off to someone, even when in a decent position himself. And that Man Utd side probably couldn't wait for that game to end, as he scores 1 and gets 5 assists! (maybe generous giving the last as his assist) He also looks genuinely comfortable with both feet, and plays on both wings and centrally in the video (but mostly on the right). There's no way he'd have been awarded that penalty for us though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazooka Joe Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 1 hour ago, One Team said: Scotland football fans adopted this didn’t they? TBF it does fit perfectly: Oh, yes Sir, Dire Mebude But I need a certain goal Dire Mebude, bude bude, all night long Yes Sir, Dire Mebude If you stay, we can't go wrong Dire Mebude, bude bude, all night long Good song for our new buddy. Even though some will say “Oh dire me” Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
INCRED Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 For one so talented and getting player of the year 22/23 to signing for a random Belgium team seems a strange career decision. If he was badly advised and now hoping to get back into main stream English football than hopefully his talent will make him and us a better team. We don’t have a player like him who has raw pace & skill so I’m looking forward to see where he plays and how he adapts to our style and the Championship 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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