Summer Transfer Window

[1960maaan]

44 minutes ago, petehinton said:

To add to this, it’s his birthday today. Nothing of the usual birthday celebration post from the media team, told not to post anything….?

I'm sure I saw a post this morning . Just his "signing" photo and a HB message though, nothing special.

[redsquirrel]

edit

Edited April 8 by redsquirrel

[redsquirrel]

22 minutes ago, Merrick's Marvels said:

Next season has the makings of a car crash at this rate.

An injury-prone squad light on numbers, lacking quality, lacking leaders who actually know what success looks like, coached by an inexperienced, negative, charisma-free robot, answering to a teknikal director who's one and only attempt at building a squad, in 2005, was a total failure. Meanwhile, an invisible owner has cut the purse strings and left his manchild, know nothing son in charge of the whole sorry mess.

What could possibly go wrong?   

another problem on top of all that is they probably think they are on to a winner

[Harry]

2 hours ago, Loosey Boy said:

@Harry - do you think that this is purely linked to MJ being a “Pearson Player” - didn’t want to extend, knowing that NP wouldn’t be here beyond this season?

Now NP has gone - JL and BT want rid of any NP “people”?

Like many others have said, subject to terms, I’d like us to keep MJ as we are currently, a better team with him in the side…..will also allow Bird to settle in, if he is seen as MJ replacement long-term.

No. I don’t believe it’s got anything to do with James being a Pearson player. 
It’s more to do with the ‘identity’. Sorry. There’s that word  

As far as I was aware, we want more “knight-types”. 
This is a direct quote from someone “we need to get quicker in centre mid”. And that’s why James was not going to be in the plans. 

Now, this is all dependent on how you interpret what our ‘style’ is. 
If we want to be an out of possession, counter attacking team, then legs in midfield is definitely required. 
But if we want to be a possession dominant team, then we need midfielders who can pass and retain. 
 

“More Knight’s” is good for option 1. “More Knight’s” is not ideal for option 2. 
 

So for me it’s a fundamental shift of plan/style/philosophy/identity if we go a certain way on this. Which of course has always been the major issue with moving from one managerial ‘type’ to another. 

[RedRock]

So, the Manning/Tinnion first window, which the latter described - I think - as ‘brilliant’.

We have TGH, injured, bit of a lightweight and still don’t know his best position; Bird,  injured but presently not ours; Dire, less said the better; Irish bloke, gone home injured, Aldershot bloke, lost form but presently not ours. 

Little wonder SL is now saying there’s no money available. I’d be saying the same after that sort of performance from our recruitment team.

Hopefully, somewhat belatedly, SL now recognises we need to get a comprehensive network of scouts established. Know it’s ’old school’, but this modern desk top stuff fails at our Club. After sorting out the scouting network, get a top medical expert in. These are the best signings we could make and it just frustrating that we don’t seem to be making any progress on these positions with the opening of the Summer Window not that far off. 

Once we’ve done those two things then, SL, release the ‘purse strings’ for 3-4 first team players (NOT ones for the future) that are real improvements on what we already have. 
 

[Davefevs]

1 hour ago, RedRock said:

So, the Manning/Tinnion first window, which the latter described - I think - as ‘brilliant’.

We have TGH, injured, bit of a lightweight and still don’t know his best position; Bird,  injured but presently not ours; Dire, less said the better; Irish bloke, gone home injured, Aldershot bloke, lost form but presently not ours. 

Little wonder SL is now saying there’s no money available. I’d be saying the same after that sort of performance from our recruitment team.

Hopefully, somewhat belatedly, SL now recognises we need to get a comprehensive network of scouts established. Know it’s ’old school’, but this modern desk top stuff fails at our Club. After sorting out the scouting network, get a top medical expert in. These are the best signings we could make and it just frustrating that we don’t seem to be making any progress on these positions with the opening of the Summer Window not that far off. 

Once we’ve done those two things then, SL, release the ‘purse strings’ for 3-4 first team players (NOT ones for the future) that are real improvements on what we already have. 
 

You forgot Twine!  Not ours, was injured, but now fit.  What’s not to be gushing about?

Ian Gay keeps mentioning the impending appointment of the new Chief Medical guy.  Been mentioning it for weeks.  Wonder when it will happen?  Still have the interim appointment in place as it stands.

[RedRock]

8 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

You forgot Twine!  Not ours, was injured, but now fit.  What’s not to be gushing about?

Ian Gay keeps mentioning the impending appointment of the new Chief Medical guy.  Been mentioning it for weeks.  Wonder when it will happen?  Still have the interim appointment in place as it stands.

Struth. How did I forget Twine … and, currently, he’s not injured either!!!!

Hopefully, we’ve got a £1 million ‘buy’ option on him. Otherwise, that seems a disastrous bit of business too. We really are just burning through the Scott and Semenyo money to no great effect. 

[Silvio Dante]

1 hour ago, RedRock said:

So, the Manning/Tinnion first window, which the latter described - I think - as ‘brilliant’.

We have TGH, injured, bit of a lightweight and still don’t know his best position; Bird,  injured but presently not ours; Dire, less said the better; Irish bloke, gone home injured, Aldershot bloke, lost form but presently not ours. 

Little wonder SL is now saying there’s no money available. I’d be saying the same after that sort of performance from our recruitment team.

Hopefully, somewhat belatedly, SL now recognises we need to get a comprehensive network of scouts established. Know it’s ’old school’, but this modern desk top stuff fails at our Club. After sorting out the scouting network, get a top medical expert in. These are the best signings we could make and it just frustrating that we don’t seem to be making any progress on these positions with the opening of the Summer Window not that far off. 

Once we’ve done those two things then, SL, release the ‘purse strings’ for 3-4 first team players (NOT ones for the future) that are real improvements on what we already have. 
 

To be fair, it was apparent in January we weren’t going up or down. With that lens on it, you’d probably say that you don’t spend money needlessly in that window.

I’d stick to the thought that we did decent business on Bird and Stokes (Clearly dependent on how they perform), but the deals wouldn’t have happened without the loan backs - so not sure I’d call those poor, they still look like smart business at this stage.

TGH seems to have regressed but I think you’re right in that we don’t know his best position. However he has looked capable in flashes and at least plays forward. With the age/experience at this level and already a “known” quantity it again looked sensible (unless the “known” was we “know” he doesn’t fit in).

Twine I had an issue with the deal and said so at the time. It was a mental deal as if he did well we’d increase his price on a permanent. As it turns out the injury is probably a good thing as it’s kept the price down and also reduced the desire for a signing.

Murphy looked a worthwhile deal on player alone but the medical issue that’s since come out (and it looks as if we knew in the summer) just makes it look an abysmal decision.

Medube on a try before you buy was fine. The issue there is that he was completely overhyped and seems nowhere near ready which calls into question the scouting.

So, I think you can justify the scouting in January at a push. I liked the window at the time as Stokes/Bird/TGH all made some sense. Twine never did (not based on ability but deal structure) and Medube/Murphy now look horror shows that they didn’t at first glance. 
 

Definitely needs to be better. But I think it’s one bad “scouting” in DM, a shit medical call on Murphy and a bad structure of deal in Twine as opposed to bad scouting per se.

 

 

[Davefevs]

59 minutes ago, Silvio Dante said:

Medube on a try before you buy was fine. The issue there is that he was completely overhyped and seems nowhere near ready which calls into question the technical scouting.

Corrected.  There couldn’t have been physical scouting this season.

1 hour ago, Silvio Dante said:

So, I think you can justify the scouting in January at a push. I liked the window at the time as Stokes/Bird/TGH all made some sense. Twine never did (not based on ability but deal structure) and Medube/Murphy now look horror shows that they didn’t at first glance. 

The proof of January’s pudding will be this summer when we see the ins and outs.

[CodeRed]

3 hours ago, Harry said:

 

 

So for me it’s a fundamental shift of plan/style/philosophy/identity if we go a certain way on this. Which of course has always been the major issue with moving from one managerial ‘type’ to another. 

As Ron Walker said in his excellent Sky Sports article

  "a club perpetually searching for its identity."

[Superjack]

5 minutes ago, CodeRed said:

As Ron Walker said in his excellent Sky Sports article

  "a club perpetually searching for its identity."

"a dictatorship that doesn't have a ****ing clue."

[city52]

On 06/04/2024 at 19:06, Silvio Dante said:

Subtitle of thread needs to be “HIS PLAYERS”

Put simply, if you think Liam needs “His Players” then you should be recommending 5-6 incoming's - and starting ones. If you aren’t recommending that then the conclusion is he’s underperforming with a capable squad.

So, what side you going to fall on? Shit squad or poor manager.

There is no other option.

 

May be know money to spend 

[Mr Popodopolous]

Viktor Johansson is available for £900,000 reportedly.

Edited 6 hours ago by Mr Popodopolous

[Davefevs]

12 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Viktor Johansson is available for £900,000 reportedly.

Saw a rumour of £1m, so sounds like he has one…and it’s around that figure.

[Mr Popodopolous]

3 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Saw a rumour of £1m, so sounds like he has one…and it’s around that figure.

Would we make a play for him? Imagine him and O'Leary who I'm absolutely fine with pushing and competing with each other.

Of course he may not want to go somewhere where he wouldn't be top choice and can't blame for that.

[Davefevs]

2 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Of course he may not want to go somewhere where he wouldn't be top choice and can't blame for that.

That’s my gut feel.

[ExiledAjax]

2 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Would we make a play for him? Imagine him and O'Leary who I'm absolutely fine with pushing and competing with each other.

Of course he may not want to go somewhere where he wouldn't be top choice and can't blame for that.

I think both Johansson and O'Leary will expect (and frankly deserve) to be a largely uncontested No.1 next season. 

[Simon bristol]

Im not sure we would pay a million for a keeper who might not be first choice, though id be happy if he came in!

[Mr Popodopolous]

8 minutes ago, Simon bristol said:

Im not sure we would pay a million for a keeper who might not be first choice, though id be happy if he came in!

I think you always need that competition personally . Granted you have to look at and carefully consider finances too- could be a bargain for someone.

Maenpaa, Fielding, O'Leary one year, although clear third choice he had a fantastic game at Villa Park in particular.

Bentley and Maenpaa the next. Can't recall if O'Leary was loaned out.

Johansson will want to be first choice somewhere so that likely rules out anything here.

Bajic, Thomas and Wiles-Richards are all quite untested.

Edited 5 hours ago by Mr Popodopolous

[GrahamC]

32 minutes ago, ExiledAjax said:

I think both Johansson and O'Leary will expect (and frankly deserve) to be a largely uncontested No.1 next season. 

Yep, our next keeper is far more likely to be someone out of contract at a Championship club like Cameron Dawson at Wednesday or at a League One club (so Marosi at Shrewsbury or ahem, Cummings on loan from Chelsea at Oxford) who join as a second keeper & will hope to dislodge Max.

Can’t see us spending any money on this position.

[ExiledAjax]

6 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

Can’t see us spending any money on this position.

We've recently been spending £200k on wingbacks, £600k on CBs, £1m on CMs and forwards. I agree, no way are we dropping £1m on a goalkeeper.

We're more likely to take Phillips than Johansson from Rotherham - not that I think we'll take either!

Ps. I don't think we need to spend any money on GKs, neither 1 or 2. Max is fine and I don't think a No.2 goalie should ever be a squad's priority.

Edited 5 hours ago by ExiledAjax