we don't need a handful of signings for depth, we need a handful of signings for the first eleven and then those currently in it can provide the depth.
"We pretty much have the makings of a starting first-team now and a decent depth."
A comment that certainly won't fill any of us with much hope for the season ahead. We're woefully short. We have 1 left back who's injured, no creative midfielder, no backup for Stockley, no backup for DJ, our 4th choice centre back is 17.
I certainly can't believe Adkins shares his opinion.
He said some (not all) will be last ditch loan signings to add depth to the squad.If you factor in Purrington and Gilbey to come back together with Schwartz and Kirk who is yet to play then another 5 additions will mean we won't be relying on youngsters on the bench.
Why are people hanging off every word about signings?
Do we want to be giving prospective selling or loaning clubs a full spiel on the fact we are trying to bring in a lot of players which might harm our negotiating position; or unsettle anyone already here?
Let's get on with our business and focus on actions not soundbytes. Proof is who is in the building in the next fortnight, not what gets fed to the SLP.
Don’t understand the disappointment in Sandgaard’s comments on here. Do we really want our owner coming out saying we have to make 4/5 signings in the next 2 weeks and are desperate to do so? Maybe Sandgaard and Adkins are being smart in what they are admitting to the press etc.
Bit of damned if he does and damned if he doesn't.
Some people were and still are upset and feel let down by his blow through this league "promise" but when he is playing things down and not making "promises" people are disappointed and see it as negative.
A handful = 5? So maybe five more players. Or more likely around five. Again, he hasn't specified five, it wasn't a promise.
He said strengthen the squad. Well. he's not going to say "the first team were shit at Oxford, we need better than that load of losers" even if he thinks that's the case, which I doubt.
He also said "Some of those will probably be more of the last-minute deadline day loan signings" from which I infer some won't.
Do I think the squad is brilliant? No. Do I think we need more players and more options? Yes I do.
Am I going to give too much weight to what was clearly a more guarded and carefully worded interview that he's done in the past? No, I'll wait to see what is announced on the OS.
All I take from that is we need some more players and we will get more players.
Agree, See that he dropped the word "hope" to get some in, seems he is mellowing in his approach to how things will progress, but no reason to doubt his intentions at this moment
He bigged himself up and said we'd blow away the league, and expectations sky rocketed.
Now he's talking it down and talking about slowly building up and not spending too much and trying to temper expectations, but it's too late.
So now we stick to the build slowly and people are disappointed if we finish 8th, or he spends big and people say it's panic buying and he is just proving that we should have done it that way to start with.
He bigged himself up and said we'd blow away the league, and expectations sky rocketed.
Now he's talking it down and talking about slowly building up and not spending too much and trying to temper expectations, but it's too late.
So now we stick to the build slowly and people are disappointed if we finish 8th, or he spends big and people say it's panic buying and he is just proving that we should have done it that way to start with.
Either way, he loses creditability
Agree and problem is with the current squad we aren’t finishing 8th. Just my opinion but I think it would be a way below that which has the potential to be disastrous
That TS interview is just a rehash, we know we're likely for one maybe two more permanent deals and then bolstering the squad with loans we've been told as such all window? baffles me to see concern over what he's said
"We pretty much have the makings of a starting first-team now and a decent depth."
A comment that certainly won't fill any of us with much hope for the season ahead. We're woefully short. We have 1 left back who's injured, no creative midfielder, no backup for Stockley, no backup for DJ, our 4th choice centre back is 17.
I certainly can't believe Adkins shares his opinion.
his depth does not equate to mine. His depth is using U23's & using a right back at left back. Oh well, his money I suppose. Just hope he doesn't mind if I don't share his or NA's optimism.
He bigged himself up and said we'd blow away the league, and expectations sky rocketed.
Now he's talking it down and talking about slowly building up and not spending too much and trying to temper expectations, but it's too late.
So now we stick to the build slowly and people are disappointed if we finish 8th, or he spends big and people say it's panic buying and he is just proving that we should have done it that way to start with.
Either way, he loses creditability
Maybe he should follow Roland's lead then and just say nothing. Then we'd get people moaning about no communication.
It feels like ever since the RD era every quote ever made by anyone is judged and held accountable by fans in a kangaroo court.
The recruitment team aren't stupid they know what we need, they know the fans know what we need. Everything said in public is all part of a game of poker and while the window remains open all we can do is trust the recruitment process.
The time for judging the window is after it's closed, until then I really think some need to stop hanging off every quote published.
Think people look far too much into what the man says. With all due respect to TS, he doesn’t really know a huge amount the game. Plus I wouldn’t expect the owner to say we are miles off and stick a boot into his own playing staff. I’m sure Adkins, Gallen and Roddy know we aren’t there yet in terms of starting 11 and squad depth. I’m more interested in their comments as an indication of where we are, and they’ve indicated they will bring more in whilst not giving away too much. Still a couple of weeks to do some business.
Think people look far too much into what the man says. With all due respect to TS, he doesn’t really know a huge amount the game. Plus I wouldn’t expect the owner to say we are miles off and stick a boot into his own playing staff. I’m sure Adkins, Gallen and Roddy know we aren’t there yet in terms of starting 11 and squad depth. I’m more interested in their comments as an indication of where we are, and they’ve indicated they will bring more in whilst not giving away too much. Still a couple of weeks to do some business.
Having defended Thomas numerous times across the forum, I tend to opt on the side of optimism for him and his comments. I still haven't yet even come close to criticising his conduct as a whole, but these press releases are starting to add fuel to the fire, even for me.
At the end of the day it's Thomas writing the cheques so for better or worse, his comments are relevant even if Roddy/Gallen/Adkins are closer to the action. The issue for me is whether these three know it or not, Thomas is publically stating we're basically there with a starting 11. This starting 11 with the way Adkins currently has them playing will not hit top six.
Thomas also comes out and says we need to create 'even more chances'. Which chances are we creating exactly? We've played 3 competitive games and have 0 goals from open play. You could argue Wednesday are a hard team to break down but to get nothing against AFCW or Oxford? You don't need to make these kinds of comments when you're playing horrible football - what good would come of it?
Even giving a signed shirt to a TV fan after nearly a couple thousand made the trip up there in-person, these press releases are completely tone deaf. As I said, I'm a huge, huge Sandgaard guy but I think he needs some advice when speaking to the press. Speaking from the heart is an admirable trait but it's really landing like a lead balloon at the moment. Just get a couple wins under our belt and people won't care but this is really the wrong time to be saying these things.
What we know is that at this point we are nowhere near good enough to win promotion. We also know that this “handful” of players need to be good enough to change that. These next few signings will define our season.
Comments
Maybe one short of what is required.
A comment that certainly won't fill any of us with much hope for the season ahead. We're woefully short. We have 1 left back who's injured, no creative midfielder, no backup for Stockley, no backup for DJ, our 4th choice centre back is 17.
I certainly can't believe Adkins shares his opinion.
Given how picky he says we’re being I doubt we’ll be making Bogle/Smith type signings simply to bulk out the squad.
They’ll know we won’t get promoted if for example a new left back can’t properly challenge Purrington.
Saying we’re going to bring in five quality players is what the fans want to hear, but anything less would then be seen as failure.
It would also put agents, players and clubs in a strong position knowing we’re desperate for big signings.
The only thing I’m reading into TS and NAs comments is that we’re going to make signings.
Do we want to be giving prospective selling or loaning clubs a full spiel on the fact we are trying to bring in a lot of players which might harm our negotiating position; or unsettle anyone already here?
Let's get on with our business and focus on actions not soundbytes. Proof is who is in the building in the next fortnight, not what gets fed to the SLP.
Some people were and still are upset and feel let down by his blow through this league "promise" but when he is playing things down and not making "promises" people are disappointed and see it as negative.
A handful = 5? So maybe five more players. Or more likely around five. Again, he hasn't specified five, it wasn't a promise.
He said strengthen the squad. Well. he's not going to say "the first team were shit at Oxford, we need better than that load of losers" even if he thinks that's the case, which I doubt.
He also said "Some of those will probably be more of the last-minute deadline day loan signings" from which I infer some won't.
Do I think the squad is brilliant? No. Do I think we need more players and more options? Yes I do.
Am I going to give too much weight to what was clearly a more guarded and carefully worded interview that he's done in the past? No, I'll wait to see what is announced on the OS.
He bigged himself up and said we'd blow away the league, and expectations sky rocketed.
Now he's talking it down and talking about slowly building up and not spending too much and trying to temper expectations, but it's too late.
So now we stick to the build slowly and people are disappointed if we finish 8th, or he spends big and people say it's panic buying and he is just proving that we should have done it that way to start with.
Either way, he loses creditability
It feels like ever since the RD era every quote ever made by anyone is judged and held accountable by fans in a kangaroo court.
The recruitment team aren't stupid they know what we need, they know the fans know what we need. Everything said in public is all part of a game of poker and while the window remains open all we can do is trust the recruitment process.
The time for judging the window is after it's closed, until then I really think some need to stop hanging off every quote published.
I just cannot watch an entire season with the 11 from Saturday being our starting line up.