Rumours Rumours - Summer 2021 edition (Deadline Day from p814)

Now it might be the morning coffee buzz I'm currently experiencing but after a few days of despair I'm feeling mildly optimistic this morning.

We keep getting told that we're after 'good' players and they cost money in addition to being wanted by other clubs so they will be difficult to get over the line.

We signed Kirk and I bet we paid a decent fee for him so I'm relatively hopeful that we'll be looking to spend some more dough on some decent players and not just League 2 cast offs. They may well sign but I hope they're seen as a gamble squad type player as opposed to a first 11 starter.

I'll let you know how I feel in 20 mins when the coffee wears off.

Chunes said:

We know that Sandgaard passes his eye over players and approves/disapproves based on ability. We've been told so a few times. I personally think that's insane. He has no professional footballing background and is essentially now at the top of our scouting heirarchy, giving the final yes or no. He shouldn't have put himself in that position.

With all due respect to Thomas for his getting us on firm ground, how has he got himself into a role on assessing ability of players, he has to rely  on Steve and/or Jed for this, or he may as well just carry out a survey on CL for better advice, sure finance and set budgets, but player recruitment is a specialist roll and I would have thought with his business acumen that was second nature.
Leave the player selection to them that know (i hope) Thomas.

ShootersHillGuru said:

Chunes said:

How would we sign a player from India? We can't even sign players from Europe.

How’s his IT skills ?

Call him up.

MuttleyCAFC said:

Happy to be corrected, but wasn't Airman's point about sponsorship backing in terms of money coming in? Sandgaard has stated that he was looking for partners and that can mean something completely different. I suspect that he had one when we were going to blow the league away and for whatever reason, we don't have that one now.

I m not stating this as fact but it would explain a lot of things. And indeed, in some ways would temper expectations, which were built up by the club whether we like it or not. Sandgaard surely has the ability to find another partner, but in the meantime I would imagine we would be far more understanding of less ambitious objectives. For this reason, I can't see why he wouldn't come clean unless it is pride.

Or he is still talking either to this hypothetical partner or new ones and doesn't want to risk that by talking publicly and spurring speculation.

I don't think he needs to be informing all and sundry on every single thing that may or may not happen frankly.

thenewbie said:

MuttleyCAFC said:

Happy to be corrected, but wasn't Airman's point about sponsorship backing in terms of money coming in? Sandgaard has stated that he was looking for partners and that can mean something completely different. I suspect that he had one when we were going to blow the league away and for whatever reason, we don't have that one now.

I m not stating this as fact but it would explain a lot of things. And indeed, in some ways would temper expectations, which were built up by the club whether we like it or not. Sandgaard surely has the ability to find another partner, but in the meantime I would imagine we would be far more understanding of less ambitious objectives. For this reason, I can't see why he wouldn't come clean unless it is pride.

Or he is still talking either to this hypothetical partner or new ones and doesn't want to risk that by talking publicly and spurring speculation.

I don't think he needs to be informing all and sundry on every single thing that may or may not happen frankly.

We don't know but we do know he is looking for partners or a partner because he has previously said so. A reason for not coming clean earlier could be season ticket sales, but that can't be a reason now.

For me, the worry started when we were not mopping up the players on our books that we wanted to keep. JFC didn't seem happy with what he was being offered and there were some other signs that you could read or not read into the situation.

I agree, he doesn't need to involve us in negotiations he is now having, but he could explain why we have a weak squad now and get more understanding and time from the fans. We could see booing on Saturday and just some clarification on where we are and where we still plan to be might help prevent that.

eaststandmike said:

SELR_addicks said:

Renewing Pearce and Watson looks like an even dumber move in hindsight thanks to this squad cap. 

Willingly having poor players in the side that Adkins himself admitted weren't good enough.  

Especially when NA is on record as saying last season we had the oldest squad in League one and something along the lines of we are going to freshen things up and bring down the average age.

Thing is they were only ever supposed to be back up players, and used as and when, but it seems we should have got the first team in, first eh!

MuttleyCAFC said:

I have been critical of Clare, but as a back up player to bring energy on the pitch the signing makes sense.

He’s a very very poor man’s Jordan Cousins

Clare has a first touch that doesn't go 10 yards tbf 

Give Clare a chance. I think he’ll be a grower. Will revisit this post in six weeks and eat humble pie, or not. 

ken_shabby said:

eaststandmike said:

SELR_addicks said:

Renewing Pearce and Watson looks like an even dumber move in hindsight thanks to this squad cap. 

Willingly having poor players in the side that Adkins himself admitted weren't good enough.  

Especially when NA is on record as saying last season we had the oldest squad in League one and something along the lines of we are going to freshen things up and bring down the average age.

Am I missing something here - I am sure I read that both Watson and Pearce were said to have triggered contract extensions unilaterally. Nothing near to the club offereing them new contracts, but smply being obliged to either keep them or pay off the contracts thus spending money on two players who would then be unavailable to play. 

Pearce was offered a new deal on (you'd presume) reduced terms for reduced playing time. Club captain experience and leadership vital to helping youngsters develop (see Deji). It was inferred that Watson took longer to agree as we may have been negotiating new terms after he triggered his year(?), similar to Pearce's. Again, he will supposedly guide the youngsters

Gravesend_Addick said:

BR7_addick said:

JamesSeed said:

Give Clare a chance. I think he’ll be a grower. Will revisit this post in six weeks and eat humble pie, or not. 

Happy to get lol’d off the thread but I don’t mind Clare, he’s been the best out of the three in midfield so far.  

That's a bit like being the world's tallest midget 

Thought I’d get this this response.  Maybe you’re right but as others have said I think there’s some genuine positives with him.  

Chunes said:

Bolderhumphreyreid said:

We keep getting told that we're after 'good' players and they cost money in addition to being wanted by other clubs so they will be difficult to get over the line.

I thought TS said we have our first 11 and we are only after players for 'depth' now

I’m wondering if they might be re-assessing that now. 

Redhenry said:

Aren't there other threads for all this waffle?

How about this kinda waffle? 

Chunes said:

Bolderhumphreyreid said:

We keep getting told that we're after 'good' players and they cost money in addition to being wanted by other clubs so they will be difficult to get over the line.

I thought TS said we have our first 11 and we are only after players for 'depth' now

That XI, even with a subs bench full of equal ability players, will finish between 10th (at very best) and 18th (they won’t go down let’s get real)