I don’t believe this to be true at all but if it is then I’ll finally believe TS is serious about creating a promotion capable squad. We’d still need a left back. & striker though
Not sure why you think it's totally out of the realms of possibility. As others have said, 'the72' is fairly reputable with transfers. I do agree with you though, my view on this summers recruitment will change if we pull this off.
I don’t see TS stumping up £1m+ and it’s the Sun.
feels more like Gills trying to stump up some more interest. Never know they may get desperate on Tuesday if the need the cash
I don’t believe this to be true at all but if it is then I’ll finally believe TS is serious about creating a promotion capable squad. We’d still need a left back. & striker though
Not sure why you think it's totally out of the realms of possibility. As others have said, 'the72' is fairly reputable with transfers. I do agree with you though, my view on this summers recruitment will change if we pull this off.
I don’t see TS stumping up £1m+ and it’s the Sun.
feels more like Gills trying to stump up some more interest. Never know they may get desperate on Tuesday if the need the cash
I don’t believe this to be true at all but if it is then I’ll finally believe TS is serious about creating a promotion capable squad. We’d still need a left back. & striker though
Given the source is our good pal Mr Nixon I don't know what to make of it. Would be a bit of a statement to get both of them. Left back and striker as the other loans then which wouldn't bother me too much.
Over the last 15 years, The Sun has got 80% of its transfer rumours wrong. The Guardian is streets ahead of the rest, getting only 60% wrong. (It's a shame that they don't have a better breakdown so we can see if newspapers are getting worse or better over the years.)
Be shocked if we bring in a second Goalkeeper before the window closes based on Adkins words
I know its not you Callum, but does make me smile as saw a few comments on twitter yesterday about us having too much in Midfield now - First Sandgaard was skint and didnt have the money that we thought he did - Now its... "We've got too many Midfielders"
Probably the same people that were moaning that the Ipswich squad was massive compared to ours and how nice it would be to have so many options ourself.
We have no-one capable of replacing Stockley when he's knackered or injured.
Absolutely need to replace Chuks.
I just don’t expect it.
Chuks was a one of a kind player, a physical freak who just can’t be replaced like for like.
Either we end up with a lanky lower league target man who isn’t good enough anyway… or a Premier League loan who’s parent club demand gets x number of starts which limits Jayden’s playing time.
We have no-one capable of replacing Stockley when he's knackered or injured.
Absolutely need to replace Chuks.
I just don’t expect it.
Chuks was a one of a kind player, a physical freak who just can’t be replaced like for like.
Either we end up with a lanky lower league target man who isn’t good enough anyway… or a Premier League loan who’s parent club demand gets x number of starts which limits Jayden’s playing time.
It’s a difficult one but we need to find a way to cover him with better than Davison.
What free agents are out there?
Any young target men in this league or below who would see us as a step up?
Or perhaps a loan player who can also play deeper or out wide?
We have no-one capable of replacing Stockley when he's knackered or injured.
Absolutely need to replace Chuks.
I just don’t expect it.
Chuks was a one of a kind player, a physical freak who just can’t be replaced like for like.
Either we end up with a lanky lower league target man who isn’t good enough anyway… or a Premier League loan who’s parent club demand gets x number of starts which limits Jayden’s playing time.
It’s a difficult one but we need to find a way to cover him with better than Davison.
What free agents are out there?
Any young target men in this league or below who would see us as a step up?
Or perhaps a loan player who can also play deeper or out wide?
We have no-one capable of replacing Stockley when he's knackered or injured.
Absolutely need to replace Chuks.
I just don’t expect it.
Chuks was a one of a kind player, a physical freak who just can’t be replaced like for like.
Either we end up with a lanky lower league target man who isn’t good enough anyway… or a Premier League loan who’s parent club demand gets x number of starts which limits Jayden’s playing time.
It’s a difficult one but we need to find a way to cover him with better than Davison.
What free agents are out there?
Any young target men in this league or below who would see us as a step up?
Or perhaps a loan player who can also play deeper or out wide?
Lee is the last of those!
I’d say he’ll mainly play deeper or out wide. There will be times when we need a lone striker and that alternative to Stockley needs to be physical enough to suit that role. Lee’s a good signing but he isn’t that player.
I can confirm We are definitely pursuing becoming a Cat 1 Academy.
Our academy is what has kept us going over the years and being in the South London hotbed means there aremore out there.
We are also coming under pressure from other clubs nabbing kids from our areas hence category one is essential
@Swisdom this is great news, there’s surely a phenomenal bill attached to this? Especially on a training ground we lease. Is there a timescale attached, by when we are planning to achieve it?
I regularly see the development at the p*l*ce academy and it is very impressive. Despite the smell. It’s tremendously heartening to see us try to compete as the catchment for them would easily encroach into our traditional talent base and worried me each time I saw it.
Don’t know timescales and, as you say, there is cost implication and the fact we don’t own the training ground yet to consider but where there’s a will there’s a way. there is a LOT of work going on behind the scenes in the quest for Cat 1 status so hopefully it all gets there
I don’t doubt this at all but am curious (as I just don’t know) what sort of things this includes?
We have no-one capable of replacing Stockley when he's knackered or injured.
Absolutely need to replace Chuks.
I just don’t expect it.
Chuks was a one of a kind player, a physical freak who just can’t be replaced like for like.
Either we end up with a lanky lower league target man who isn’t good enough anyway… or a Premier League loan who’s parent club demand gets x number of starts which limits Jayden’s playing time.
It’s a difficult one but we need to find a way to cover him with better than Davison.
What free agents are out there?
Any young target men in this league or below who would see us as a step up?
Or perhaps a loan player who can also play deeper or out wide?
I look at Adkins’ promotion winning squads of the past and see two main goalscorers. We already have Stockley and Washington in the building. Lee compliments them really nicely.
Southampton 10/11 finished their season with these strikers:
Lambert (21 goals) Barnard (14 goals) Connolly (3 goals) Forte (2 goals) (signed in January)
We have further depth in Davison and even Schwartz.
I just don’t see another striker coming through the door, even if Schwartz and Davison leave.
Or Scunthorpe 2008-09 with these:
Gary Hooper (24 goals) Paul Hayes (16 goals) Jonathan Forte (0 goals) Ben May (2 goals) Kayode Odejayi (1 goal)
Without digging into it too much, given the type of player he was, Jonathan Forte must’ve been the target man back up option in both these squads for Hayes and Lambert. He managed two goals across a season and a half!
I’ve long since resigned myself to not expecting a magic Chuks replacement. And we will be fine without it too.
As has been discussed, a player of that type is rarely both a) good enough and b) happy to play second fiddle. Would it be so terrible if we had Washington and Lee (or even Schwartz!) up front? Davison isn't completely useless either and if our midfield clicks and gives the forwards a bit of service he may even start to seem handy. Not that if there's a good striker available we shouldn't pounce. Likely to be a loan tbh...
I can confirm We are definitely pursuing becoming a Cat 1 Academy.
Our academy is what has kept us going over the years and being in the South London hotbed means there aremore out there.
We are also coming under pressure from other clubs nabbing kids from our areas hence category one is essential
@Swisdom this is great news, there’s surely a phenomenal bill attached to this? Especially on a training ground we lease. Is there a timescale attached, by when we are planning to achieve it?
I regularly see the development at the p*l*ce academy and it is very impressive. Despite the smell. It’s tremendously heartening to see us try to compete as the catchment for them would easily encroach into our traditional talent base and worried me each time I saw it.
Don’t know timescales and, as you say, there is cost implication and the fact we don’t own the training ground yet to consider but where there’s a will there’s a way. there is a LOT of work going on behind the scenes in the quest for Cat 1 status so hopefully it all gets there
I don’t doubt this at all but am curious (as I just don’t know) what sort of things this includes?
Its not Stockley we need cover for, Davison can do that, it is Washington. Our best likely formation is 442 and we have no natural goalscorer to play off Stockley. Washington is an in and out player, sometimes effective sometimes not. We could have had 5 goals yesterday with a natural goalscorer up front, and we are unlikely to play many teams as weak as Crewe this season.
I can confirm We are definitely pursuing becoming a Cat 1 Academy.
Our academy is what has kept us going over the years and being in the South London hotbed means there aremore out there.
We are also coming under pressure from other clubs nabbing kids from our areas hence category one is essential
@Swisdom this is great news, there’s surely a phenomenal bill attached to this? Especially on a training ground we lease. Is there a timescale attached, by when we are planning to achieve it?
I regularly see the development at the p*l*ce academy and it is very impressive. Despite the smell. It’s tremendously heartening to see us try to compete as the catchment for them would easily encroach into our traditional talent base and worried me each time I saw it.
Don’t know timescales and, as you say, there is cost implication and the fact we don’t own the training ground yet to consider but where there’s a will there’s a way. there is a LOT of work going on behind the scenes in the quest for Cat 1 status so hopefully it all gets there
I don’t doubt this at all but am curious (as I just don’t know) what sort of things this includes?
Its not Stockley we need cover for, Davison can do that, it is Washington. Our best likely formation is 442 and we have no natural goalscorer to play off Stockley. Washington is an in and out player, sometimess effective sometimes not.
The Wigan defeat and the reaction, was a big wake up call.. by the sounds of it, more money has been made available
The last few days has reminded me of the James Bond film " Diamonds are Forever" when they finally find Willard White holed up somewhere & Bloefeld has been masquerading as him all the time. Has TS just been untied & he's now given them the code to his online banking....?
I can confirm We are definitely pursuing becoming a Cat 1 Academy.
Our academy is what has kept us going over the years and being in the South London hotbed means there aremore out there.
We are also coming under pressure from other clubs nabbing kids from our areas hence category one is essential
@Swisdom this is great news, there’s surely a phenomenal bill attached to this? Especially on a training ground we lease. Is there a timescale attached, by when we are planning to achieve it?
I regularly see the development at the p*l*ce academy and it is very impressive. Despite the smell. It’s tremendously heartening to see us try to compete as the catchment for them would easily encroach into our traditional talent base and worried me each time I saw it.
Don’t know timescales and, as you say, there is cost implication and the fact we don’t own the training ground yet to consider but where there’s a will there’s a way. there is a LOT of work going on behind the scenes in the quest for Cat 1 status so hopefully it all gets there
I don’t doubt this at all but am curious (as I just don’t know) what sort of things this includes?
@swisdom will know more but it's not just about facilities.
You need a higher ratio of coaches to players plus medical and pastoral care staff.
All of which cost.
And despite the views on Roddy this should be one area he's expert in
I don’t believe this to be true at all but if it is then I’ll finally believe TS is serious about creating a promotion capable squad. We’d still need a left back. & striker though
Not sure why you think it's totally out of the realms of possibility. As others have said, 'the72' is fairly reputable with transfers. I do agree with you though, my view on this summers recruitment will change if we pull this off.
I don’t see TS stumping up £1m+ and it’s the Sun.
feels more like Gills trying to stump up some more interest. Never know they may get desperate on Tuesday if the need the cash
Why? He's spent that on Stockley and Kirk this summer already.
As we found out the other day with lee it all happened very quickly what cawley says now could be true for this time or the last 12/24 hours but we have till tues night for ALOT to change we cld still be in for a few of these players
I can confirm We are definitely pursuing becoming a Cat 1 Academy.
Our academy is what has kept us going over the years and being in the South London hotbed means there aremore out there.
We are also coming under pressure from other clubs nabbing kids from our areas hence category one is essential
@Swisdom this is great news, there’s surely a phenomenal bill attached to this? Especially on a training ground we lease. Is there a timescale attached, by when we are planning to achieve it?
I regularly see the development at the p*l*ce academy and it is very impressive. Despite the smell. It’s tremendously heartening to see us try to compete as the catchment for them would easily encroach into our traditional talent base and worried me each time I saw it.
Don’t know timescales and, as you say, there is cost implication and the fact we don’t own the training ground yet to consider but where there’s a will there’s a way. there is a LOT of work going on behind the scenes in the quest for Cat 1 status so hopefully it all gets there
I don’t doubt this at all but am curious (as I just don’t know) what sort of things this includes?
Its not Stockley we need cover for, Davison can do that, it is Washington. Our best likely formation is 442 and we have no natural goalscorer to play off Stockley. Washington is an in and out player, sometimess effective sometimes not.
Lee is that player
Lee is a midfielder not a striker, 1 goal every 6 games in his career. If we play 442 we need a goalscorer. If we play 433 then Stockley gets isolated as we have seen this season. Washington will do up front, but we could do better. And if he gets injured or loses form there is no back up in the squad or even in the youth team.
Comments
feels more like Gills trying to stump up some more interest. Never know they may get desperate on Tuesday if the need the cash
Over the last 15 years, The Sun has got 80% of its transfer rumours wrong. The Guardian is streets ahead of the rest, getting only 60% wrong. (It's a shame that they don't have a better breakdown so we can see if newspapers are getting worse or better over the years.)
Chuks was a one of a kind player, a physical freak who just can’t be replaced like for like.
What free agents are out there?
Any young target men in this league or below who would see us as a step up?
Or perhaps a loan player who can also play deeper or out wide?
I don’t doubt this at all but am curious (as I just don’t know) what sort of things this includes?
Southampton 10/11 finished their season with these strikers:
Lambert (21 goals)
Barnard (14 goals)
Connolly (3 goals)
Forte (2 goals) (signed in January)
We have further depth in Davison and even Schwartz.
I just don’t see another striker coming through the door, even if Schwartz and Davison leave.
Or Scunthorpe 2008-09 with these:
Gary Hooper (24 goals)
Paul Hayes (16 goals)
Jonathan Forte (0 goals)
Ben May (2 goals)
Kayode Odejayi (1 goal)
Without digging into it too much, given the type of player he was, Jonathan Forte must’ve been the target man back up option in both these squads for Hayes and Lambert. He managed two goals across a season and a half!
I’ve long since resigned myself to not expecting a magic Chuks replacement. And we will be fine without it too.
We could have had 5 goals yesterday with a natural goalscorer up front, and we are unlikely to play many teams as weak as Crewe this season.
You need a higher ratio of coaches to players plus medical and pastoral care staff.
All of which cost.
And despite the views on Roddy this should be one area he's expert in