Remember Gary Reputations Can Be Lost

[citytop22]

You just don't get it do you?

How can we compete with Wolves, Sheff Utd and Charlton? All three are bigger clubs with more money and more support. Even if we meet the asking price for a player he will go to any of those three before us.

I don't really want Trundle but are you for real - that's exactly the position we need to fill. We just need to fill it with players with pace.

Without agreeing with AY I can see where he is coming from, I really am concerned that we have made some good signings but without spending big, and I mean transfer fees and wages on a proven championship striker we might as well pack up and go home (if Trundle is the answer god knows what the question is)

[Nibor]

Well have it your way we need a pace target man if you say that's what Trundle is ok

What? Don't you even read the posts you're replying to?

Trundle isn't pacy or a targetman and with real wingers we don't need a targetman we need pace.

Can you explain how we should have got Sharp or Eastwood in front of Sheff Utd or Wolves? No, thought not.

Without agreeing with AY I can see where he is coming from, I really am concerned that we have made some good signings but without spending big, and I mean transfer fees and wages on a proven championship striker we might as well pack up and go home (if Trundle is the answer god knows what the question is)

Making good signings without spending big is not cause for concern it's cause for congratulating the management.

We're not and never were going to get a "proven championship striker". Did you see how much Chopra went for?

We need to find a couple of quick strikers that are good enough to compete in the Championship, won't cost an absolute fortune like Varney, Sharp and Eastwood all have, and aren't being chased by bigger clubs. That's a hard task and it's no wonder it's taking time.

Lansdown is spot on that the club needs to stand on it's own two feet, it's the only way it has a viable future. He can't just give the club money nor should he. We can't spend millions to compete with the bigger Championship clubs that are getting £11m a season parachute money for signings - unless you want £20m of debt like Forest or to be within a whisker of bankruptcy like Leeds that is?

The attitude that we might as well pack up and go home if we don't blow 7 figures on a striker is utterly wrong in every way. It's not about how much money a player costs or how much we're prepared to pay, it's about targetting what we do spend properly for players who will improve and become top end Championship ones. It isn't an easy job but it's one that GJ has shown he can do in other divisions.

[Guest ashtonyate]

What? Don't you even read the posts you're replying to?

Trundle isn't pacy or a targetman and with real wingers we don't need a targetman we need pace.

Can you explain how we should have got Sharp or Eastwood in front of Sheff Utd or Wolves? No, thought not.

Making good signings without spending big is not cause for concern it's cause for congratulating the management.

We're not and never were going to get a "proven championship striker". Did you see how much Chopra went for?

We need to find a couple of quick strikers that are good enough to compete in the Championship, won't cost an absolute fortune like Varney, Sharp and Eastwood all have, and aren't being chased by bigger clubs. That's a hard task and it's no wonder it's taking time.

Lansdown is spot on that the club needs to stand on it's own two feet, it's the only way it has a viable future. He can't just give the club money nor should he. We can't spend millions to compete with the bigger Championship clubs that are getting £11m a season parachute money for signings - unless you want £20m of debt like Forest or to be within a whisker of bankruptcy like Leeds that is?

The attitude that we might as well pack up and go home if we don't blow 7 figures on a striker is utterly wrong in every way. It's not about how much money a player costs or how much we're prepared to pay, it's about targetting what we do spend properly for players who will improve and become top end Championship ones. It isn't an easy job but it's one that GJ has shown he can do in other divisions.

But the higher you go up the league the harder it gets to find these players and you are taken a chance on whether the player can perform at Championship level if he can great if not you are back to square one.

We have waited 8 long years to get back up to this division we cannot afford to fail it would put the club in disarray with a lot of fans turning there back on the club it would be unbearable for us to go down again with out a whimper

[howey_ducky]

We have waited 8 long years to get back up to this division we cannot afford to fail it would put the club in disarray with a lot of fans turning there back on the club it would be unbearable for us to go down again with out a whimper

that is the best worded cause for worry you've posted in the last 3 days mate. If you were to word every aguement without having a gid at someone and just stating what you think is right, you'd get a lot less people trying to shoot you down.

[Guest ashtonyate]

that is the best worded cause for worry you've posted in the last 3 days mate. If you were to word every aguement without having a gid at someone and just stating what you think is right, you'd get a lot less people trying to shoot you down.

I only have a go a people who need to be got at

[Nibor]

But the higher you go up the league the harder it gets to find these players

Well done you're starting to get it.

and you are taken a chance on whether the player can perform at Championship level if he can great if not you are back to square one.

Rubbish. How many Championship clubs have signed strikers you consider to be proven Championship strikers this summer?

We have waited 8 long years to get back up to this division we cannot afford to fail it would put the club in disarray with a lot of fans turning there back on the club it would be unbearable for us to go down again with out a whimper

Well, last time we did EXACTLY what you're suggesting - spunked all our money away on quality strikers. The result was 8 years in league one with an unwieldy wage bill and if we hadn't sold Akinbiyi we'd have been lucky not to go bankrupt.

This time it seems we're trying to be smarter. Thank christ for that.

[howey_ducky]

I only have a go a people who need to be got at

the probloem with that mate is you're views on certain people cut very close with some. You are allowed a voice, encouraged but i think the problem some have had is with the wording. It's all very pc nowadays. If you feel the need to slate someone, you must have done your homework and have acceptable arguements for each come back.

[Guest ashtonyate]

Well done you're starting to get it.

Rubbish. How many Championship clubs have signed strikers you consider to be proven Championship strikers this summer?

Well, last time we did EXACTLY what you're suggesting - spunked all our money away on quality strikers. The result was 8 years in league one with an unwieldy wage bill and if we hadn't sold Akinbiyi we'd have been lucky not to go bankrupt.

This time it seems we're trying to be smarter. Thank christ for that.

A lot of sides do not need to sign players they have teams that are good enough As signing Akinbiyi proves buy quality and you can sell at a profit by a player thats a gamble can be a nightmare

We are being that smart we could end up back down again

[Nibor]

A lot of sides do not need to sign players they have teams that are good enough

Really. So you think any striker that played for one of the 20 clubs that didn't get relegated last season is what you consider proven quality? How many of them got 15 league goals?

As signing Akinbiyi proves buy quality and you can sell at a profit by a player thats a gamble can be a nightmare

Yes. And what did Tony Thorpe teach us?

If we could find a player like Akinbiyi for what we paid for him then do you think we wouldn't sign him?

We are being that smart we could end up back down again

I don't think so. I believe there will be comfortably half a dozen teams worse than us and I still believe we will sign two strikers before the window closes.

I just don't expect us to be able to bring in players like Sharp when Sheff Utd are offering the equivalent of £2.6m for him. I think it's called realism.

[LSR]

It does not matter who I would have signed what matters there have been players sold that would have done the job, With the players signed I would not have signed two wide players we have more than enough to fill that roll one would have been enough

ah yes betsy ..and murray ....sorry but one is gettuing on and the other ai wasnt impressed ,next you will be telling us get gary out and that he doesnt know what he is doing...oh you already did last seasonn...well lookiiiieee here

[newboy]

I feel that in between all this rhetoric there's a valid point:

We cannot compete with Wolves etc for huge name well-known strikers. We can't afford to go mad.

But! On the other hand SL has said the club must fund it's own players.

Given the lack of profit this club has made, it's an extraordinary statement to say (paraphrased):

"We've got here at last. I've funded the club previously out of my own pocket. Now that we need the money the most in a more expensive arena, you'll have to stand on your own two feet."

In other words, if we do find a gem in the panic-buying end of window state where some decent strikers may want to come to City since the wallet-boys have already spent their load and we're further up the pecking order, will City have the funds to compete?

SL has implied that he won't help out. Other chairmen would in similar situations.

Is that not cause for concern?

[Wally Street]

I feel that in between all this rhetoric there's a valid point:

We cannot compete with Wolves etc for huge name well-known strikers. We can't afford to go mad.

But! On the other hand SL has said the club must fund it's own players.

Given the lack of profit this club has made, it's an extraordinary statement to say (paraphrased):

"We've got here at last. I've funded the club previously out of my own pocket. Now that we need the money the most in a more expensive arena, you'll have to stand on your own two feet."

In other words, if we do find a gem in the panic-buying end of window state where some decent strikers may want to come to City since the wallet-boys have already spent their load and we're further up the pecking order, will City have the funds to compete?

SL has implied that he won't help out. Other chairmen would in similar situations.

Is that not cause for concern?

It could be that he is trying to keep quiet about how much he is prepared to spend. That would be in the interests of the club.

He is a very shrewd operator.

[Geoff65]

I feel that in between all this rhetoric there's a valid point:

We cannot compete with Wolves etc for huge name well-known strikers. We can't afford to go mad.

But! On the other hand SL has said the club must fund it's own players.

Given the lack of profit this club has made, it's an extraordinary statement to say (paraphrased):

"We've got here at last. I've funded the club previously out of my own pocket. Now that we need the money the most in a more expensive arena, you'll have to stand on your own two feet."

In other words, if we do find a gem in the panic-buying end of window state where some decent strikers may want to come to City since the wallet-boys have already spent their load and we're further up the pecking order, will City have the funds to compete?

SL has implied that he won't help out. Other chairmen would in similar situations.

Is that not cause for concern?

Yes a grave cause for concern about the lack of quality journos employed at the EP and a cause for concern when they report "news" as news when it's a rehash of a SL interview on BCFC World a few weeks ago where he said K Dawe and himself were going to continue to put money into this club and he and K Dawe have never taken money from this club.

[Guest ashtonyate]

Really. So you think any striker that played for one of the 20 clubs that didn't get relegated last season is what you consider proven quality? How many of them got 15 league goals?

Yes. And what did Tony Thorpe teach us?

If we could find a player like Akinbiyi for what we paid for him then do you think we wouldn't sign him?

I don't think so. I believe there will be comfortably half a dozen teams worse than us and I still believe we will sign two strikers before the window closes.

I just don't expect us to be able to bring in players like Sharp when Sheff Utd are offering the equivalent of £2.6m for him. I think it's called realism.

Well I liked Thorpe he was a poacher the only thing we paid too much money for him but then even Lansdown done that with Miller

[Nibor]

Well I liked Thorpe he was a poacher the only thing we paid too much money for him but then even Lansdown done that with Miller

Miller cost us £300k and we sold him for most of that. We lost barely £100k overall IIRC.

Thorpe cost £1m and we got nothing back.

Still, don't let the facts get in the way of a good whinge.

[Ian M]

I only have a go a people who need to be got at

Which appear chiefly to be the Chairman and Manager who got us promoted to the Championship in the first place.

You are then criticising them for getting us relegated again before we've even kicked a ball in anger.

There's actually a small chance they might know what they are doing more than you?

[Ian M]

Never... Is he really? Next you'll be telling me that Tony Blair's not Prime Minister any more.

Now, how about answering the question?

Orj, I hate to break it to you but.....

[bh_red]

Which appear chiefly to be the Chairman and Manager who got us promoted to the Championship in the first place.

You are then criticising them for getting us relegated again before we've even kicked a ball in anger.

There's actually a small chance they might know what they are doing more than you?

that's crazy talk! what's johnson ever done! he's a conference manager, surely some old bloke with a winging complex knows more than a manager who has managed his way to the championship?

[rednotblue]

It does not matter who I would have signed what matters there have been players sold that would have done the job, With the players signed I would not have signed two wide players we have more than enough to fill that roll one would have been enough

WE NEEDED A LEFT WINGER WE BOUGHT A LEFT WINGER, HOW CAN YOU SAY YOU WOULD NOT HAVER BOUGHT A LEFT WINGER WHEN WE HAVE BEEN CRYING OUT FOR ONE FOR OVER A SEASON???

Let's look at the strikers who I THINK WE SHOULD OF SIGNED.

Varney - Charlton are a bigger club could well be back in the prem next season and probably offered more money.

Sharp - see above

Personally I'd like us to sign John Hartson but i now reckon WBA would want to keep him. I feel he'd have a point to prove as he was frozen out at the Baggies to some extent.