Just so so disappointing. They will literally have to go hell for leather this week to sign up the quality of player we need.
It ain’t going to happen, is it? I’ve been way more negative than I normally am about our transfer business this summer because it just didn’t feel right. Let’s see.
Why haven't we signed a single player on loan when the majority of other teams have by now?
Because we're tinpot and run by people who think they know better. We're too smart for our own good!
So, who are these people who know better than our owners how to run this "tin pot" club of ours as you put it, certainly not me and I dare say you, we are on the outside looking in and for whatever reason it has not been possible to get loans done, no-one knows the definitive reason, and until the window closes, then we just have to trust in Thomas and the SMT to get us out of this shithole we find ourselves in.
“Our work never stops. We’re always talking to player representatives, I’ve been doing that all day today, which is probably why my voice is a bit gone at the moment – let’s see how it in 10 days’ time.
“I’m confident that we’ll get the players in that we need to help us. In an ideal world, we’d have everyone in for the first day of pre-season but it never works like that, even with all of us wanting that – a lot of the better deals happen right at the end and you have to be patient. I’m confident that we’re going to get a few more players in, the chairman has said that as well and is going to support us, so fingers cross we get it all done, right by the end.”
Do they?
That might apply to loans - and even then for all your Cullen, Bielik or Gallagher brilliant deals, there's always a Joe Dodoo or Paul Smyth - but a lot of purchases at the end of the window (talking in general here) are overpaid panic buys or "that'll do" type purchases, rather than your main target
Or worse, the "we'll take him then" when Man U or Arsenal.offer someone you haven't been after but is the only thing left at 22.59 on deadline day.
And I say this kindly to SG and the rest of the "transfer committee".......if a lot of the better deals happen at the last moment, why have Ipswich, Wigan, Sheff Wed and a host more clubs in this division (and loads of others across the leagues) not waited until then but have "jumped the gun" and got players in before the season even started.
TS is approaching this summer the same as last. Thinking we’d pick up cheap players that’ll get us through to Jan and then see where we are and spend more if needed. He mentioned recently in an interview we just need to invest a little bit more than last season, which is naive to say the least with the players that have left and the current squad. This summer window has been an epic failure.
TS came out with the "we'll spend a little bit more than last season" line in a bid to play down previous comments from him & NA about doing a Hull City etc. He will definitely have been advised that his persistent "premier league in 5 yrs" type comments are increasing expectation levels & empowering agents to demand big fees....so shouldn't be repeated unless he can back it up with the finance that is needed to storm the league.
TS appears a decent guy but he looks to have completely underestimated the cost of succeeding in English football. He himself has admitted that he bought the club on the back of no more than a friend suggesting he should buy an English football club....who knows how much reaearch actually went in to understanding & forecasting how much investment it would take to get a L1 club to the Premier League (its starting to look like this critical part may have been hugely underestimated).
The problem is that even a stable Championship side loses as much or more money than a league 1 side.
Our owner seriously under estimated the cost of running a football club in this country. Besides which wages are ridiculous in football .
I wouldn’t blame TS if it decided it was too much. Standing still appears to cost 10 million a year and the cost of a ticket is way short of covering the true cost to break even.
That is why we have signed players others didn't rate and our midfield isn't anywhere near good enough to accommodate 433. Without it our wingers have no threat plus we are short on full backs to support it. We lack a threat so opposition teams just suss us out in 10 minutes.
In which case he then needs to do what Peterborough and Brentford do, and sign talented youngsters who can help the team for a couple of years before being sold on.
But that again needs investment. You are highly unlikely to find these players if you are signing players who were ultimately unwanted by Oxford, Sunderland and Tranmere.
The problem is that even a stable Championship side loses as much or more money than a league 1 side.
Our owner seriously under estimated the cost of running a football club in this country. Besides which wages are ridiculous in football .
I wouldn’t blame TS if it decided it was too much. Standing still appears to cost 10 million a year and the cost of a ticket is way short of covering the true cost to break even.
That is why we have signed players others didn't rate and our midfield isn't anywhere near good enough to accommodate 433. Without it our wingers have no threat plus we are short on full backs to support it. We lack a threat so opposition teams just suss us out in 10 minutes.
That’s not necessarily true. At least in the Championship you have about £7-8m more in income to play with and you are more likely to develop players that command big fees. Millwall are losing less in the Championship than Charlton are in L1, despite having a smaller season ticket base, and they are still there.
The problem is that even a stable Championship side loses as much or more money than a league 1 side.
Our owner seriously under estimated the cost of running a football club in this country. Besides which wages are ridiculous in football .
I wouldn’t blame TS if it decided it was too much. Standing still appears to cost 10 million a year and the cost of a ticket is way short of covering the true cost to break even.
That is why we have signed players others didn't rate and our midfield isn't anywhere near good enough to accommodate 433. Without it our wingers have no threat plus we are short on full backs to support it. We lack a threat so opposition teams just suss us out in 10 minutes.
That’s not necessarily true. At least in the Championship you have about £7-8m more in income to play with and you are more likely to develop players that command big fees. Millwall are losing less in the Championship than Charlton are in L1, despite having a smaller season ticket base, and they are still there.
This is a big point. There is a lot of money to be had developing players that can play in the top league. Look at the money we would bring in if Pope was sold. The key for lower league teams is to find a way of getting some of that obscene money flowing their way.
The problem with League One is the Championship is where the big clubs look. We sell Konsa to Brentford and Aston Villa see he can step up and buy him from them. They don't buy him from us as a League One club. Championship clubs buy from League One and they don't spend so much.
At this rate to get to the Premiershit in 5yrs we will need to do what no team has ever done. Go from league 2 to Premiershit with 3 successive promotions.
Man City 1998/2001...and we all know who they were 2nd to in 1999/2000
I do have some sympathy with the recruitment team. Players that are consistently good is the key to any successful side. So ideally we'd like to find players that have been consistently good at this level for a fair period of time. The problem is,players within that category tend not to stay in league one. They are looking for bigger and better things and Championship clubs are willing to take a punt because of the consistency. So we are left trying to find rough diamonds. By that I mean players that have shown flashes of quality but not consistently for long periods. I put DJ and Kirk within that category. Gambles for want of a better word. No guarantees So then we are looking at Prem loans. This has served us really well in years past. Cullen,Gallacher Beliek all spring to mind. But transfers in the prem are stagnant at the moment and clubs are reluctant to let anyone go until they know who is walking in/out of the door. We have shown our own naivety,by letting our more creative players go,Shinnie,Chuks without getting replacements in quickly.
I used to think that to aim for a higher level, you sign players that can complete at a higher level. Not one of our players could make a Championship first 11. Many wouldn't even make a League One first 11 and our new signing couldn't even make a League Two first 11.
Significant factors now in any transfer dealings;
1. All clubs, players and agents know we are desperate so extra £££ for TS. 2. Players looking for a club want one that might be challenging for something, whatever level they are at (unless they are merely squad players & journeymen, much like most of our own and likely to add fuck all). 3. Will prospective players believe that we can get back on track with the resources in the team 4. Will they believe Adkins will still be manager in 4 weeks time. 5. Other clubs are already way ahead now on points and with multiple signings, thus showing a strong commitment to success, which might present as a more desirable prospect. 6. We aren't (the) massive, even at League One level.
The problem is that even a stable Championship side loses as much or more money than a league 1 side.
Our owner seriously under estimated the cost of running a football club in this country. Besides which wages are ridiculous in football .
I wouldn’t blame TS if it decided it was too much. Standing still appears to cost 10 million a year and the cost of a ticket is way short of covering the true cost to break even.
That is why we have signed players others didn't rate and our midfield isn't anywhere near good enough to accommodate 433. Without it our wingers have no threat plus we are short on full backs to support it. We lack a threat so opposition teams just suss us out in 10 minutes.
That’s not necessarily true. At least in the Championship you have about £7-8m more in income to play with and you are more likely to develop players that command big fees. Millwall are losing less in the Championship than Charlton are in L1, despite having a smaller season ticket base, and they are still there.
Mostly it is true though. I can't imagine what miracle it is that allows a club to pay Championship wages on a smaller fan base and loose less money than Charlton .
The problem is that even a stable Championship side loses as much or more money than a league 1 side.
Our owner seriously under estimated the cost of running a football club in this country. Besides which wages are ridiculous in football .
I wouldn’t blame TS if it decided it was too much. Standing still appears to cost 10 million a year and the cost of a ticket is way short of covering the true cost to break even.
That is why we have signed players others didn't rate and our midfield isn't anywhere near good enough to accommodate 433. Without it our wingers have no threat plus we are short on full backs to support it. We lack a threat so opposition teams just suss us out in 10 minutes.
In which case he then needs to do what Peterborough and Brentford do, and sign talented youngsters who can help the team for a couple of years before being sold on.
But that again needs investment. You are highly unlikely to find these players if you are signing players who were ultimately unwanted by Oxford, Sunderland and Tranmere.
We have been missing out on talented young players in lower teams by not offering enough, and we are a team that has sold its good young players cheaply. How come Gallen never spots them and Brentford and Peterborough do, every time.
Because Perborough buy them and pay decent money for them - we haven’t been able to compete in the past.They have developed a lot of their current crop through their academy, and they have started to lose a few of those to prem clubs before they play in the 1st team.
Yes, and he’s streets ahead of what we have. Add Purrington for four full backs across both sides. Bite the bullet and accept that Gunter and Matthews will have to be cover for both right and left back until at least January.
Anyone that's ever been involved in any sort of committee will probably tell you they result in compromise and are slow to react to changes in circumstances.
I still believe we had a good recruitment plan in April for if we didn't go up, which was always the most likely outcome. Like all plans it was only good until we were punched in the face.
We have been punched in the face 5 times and only changed course once. That plan has now resulted in a massive shortage on quality on the pitch. Because there are 4 massive wholes in the current squad that they didn't plan on filling and seem to have done nothing about.
Resign Stockley and Famewo ✅ Replace Pratley and Shinnie with younger midfielders ✅ Sign a left winger, even if you have to wait to get the right one ✅ Sign a first choice left back ⏸️ Sign a first choice midfielder ⏸️ Sign a back up keeper to allow AMB out on loan ⏸️ Sign a another center half ⏸️
That would have been fine, what they haven't done is: Replace JFC ❌ Replace Gilbey ❌ Replace Aneke ❌ Priorities the left back when Purrington got injured ❌
The way they replaced Amos straight away shows they can move quickly. I still think they will do 3 of the original 4, but I don't think they will get the extra center back.
It's what they do with the other 3 that will make or break our season. If they do nothing it will hopefully be 3rd time lucky because we won't be going anywhere this season. We won't be relegated.
Comments
I’ve been way more negative than I normally am about our transfer business this summer because it just didn’t feel right. Let’s see.
TS appears a decent guy but he looks to have completely underestimated the cost of succeeding in English football. He himself has admitted that he bought the club on the back of no more than a friend suggesting he should buy an English football club....who knows how much reaearch actually went in to understanding & forecasting how much investment it would take to get a L1 club to the Premier League (its starting to look like this critical part may have been hugely underestimated).
But that again needs investment. You are highly unlikely to find these players if you are signing players who were ultimately unwanted by Oxford, Sunderland and Tranmere.
The problem with League One is the Championship is where the big clubs look. We sell Konsa to Brentford and Aston Villa see he can step up and buy him from them. They don't buy him from us as a League One club. Championship clubs buy from League One and they don't spend so much.
Is he mustard?
Players that are consistently good is the key to any successful side. So ideally we'd like to find players that have been consistently good at this level for a fair period of time.
The problem is,players within that category tend not to stay in league one. They are looking for bigger and better things and Championship clubs are willing to take a punt because of the consistency.
So we are left trying to find rough diamonds.
By that I mean players that have shown flashes of quality but not consistently for long periods. I put DJ and Kirk within that category. Gambles for want of a better word. No guarantees
So then we are looking at Prem loans. This has served us really well in years past. Cullen,Gallacher Beliek all spring to mind.
But transfers in the prem are stagnant at the moment and clubs are reluctant to let anyone go until they know who is walking in/out of the door.
We have shown our own naivety,by letting our more creative players go,Shinnie,Chuks without getting replacements in quickly.
Significant factors now in any transfer dealings;
1. All clubs, players and agents know we are desperate so extra £££ for TS.
2. Players looking for a club want one that might be challenging for something, whatever level they are at (unless they are merely squad players & journeymen, much like most of our own and likely to add fuck all).
3. Will prospective players believe that we can get back on track with the resources in the team
4. Will they believe Adkins will still be manager in 4 weeks time.
5. Other clubs are already way ahead now on points and with multiple signings, thus showing a strong commitment to success, which might present as a more desirable prospect.
6. We aren't (the) massive, even at League One level.
I still believe we had a good recruitment plan in April for if we didn't go up, which was always the most likely outcome. Like all plans it was only good until we were punched in the face.
We have been punched in the face 5 times and only changed course once. That plan has now resulted in a massive shortage on quality on the pitch. Because there are 4 massive wholes in the current squad that they didn't plan on filling and seem to have done nothing about.
Resign Stockley and Famewo ✅
Replace Pratley and Shinnie with younger midfielders ✅
Sign a left winger, even if you have to wait to get the right one ✅
Sign a first choice left back ⏸️
Sign a first choice midfielder ⏸️
Sign a back up keeper to allow AMB out on loan ⏸️
Sign a another center half ⏸️
That would have been fine, what they haven't done is:
Replace JFC ❌
Replace Gilbey ❌
Replace Aneke ❌
Priorities the left back when Purrington got injured ❌
The way they replaced Amos straight away shows they can move quickly. I still think they will do 3 of the original 4, but I don't think they will get the extra center back.
It's what they do with the other 3 that will make or break our season. If they do nothing it will hopefully be 3rd time lucky because we won't be going anywhere this season. We won't be relegated.