I agree with a lot of the initial post at the same time there is a veneer of PR about it. I would never want us to spend daft money we haven't got on players. I would also prefer our team not to consist of loan players. It feels for example that we have be one some sort of rehabilitation centre for Leicester to help get their injured players fit. Loaning players worked relatively well in L1 because we were big fish and could attract the best available to teams in that League. The converse is true in the Championshio where we struggle to get anyone who isn't half injured and who hasn't been picked up by other teams. I would have liked us to be much more vigorous and proactive in our recruitment again sticking to the plan and looking down the Leagues at players coming to the end of their contracts like teams did to us. The seems to be this frantic desire to polarise to make everything black it seems part of the post-fact world and isn't something I subscribe to. The team the management structure the Chairman and the plan get my wholehearted support it doesn't mean that they don't have flaws and areas to improve and it doesn't make them immune to criticism. I would step short of saying the transfer window had been an absolute disaster but we are amongst friends so let's be honest and say it wasn't far off. An already thin squad has been decimated in terms of quality abd whilst yes it's time for others to step up that puts a lot of pressure on them there isn't the easing in period that both Hourigane and Winnall got if they don't hit the ground running then it could be a long few months. Anyway onwards and upwards.
To be honest loaning players in league one didn't work very well for us on the whole. It took us around 100 loaners to get Fletcher and isgrove. We also had some absolute crap
The second half of last season we used the loan market to its optimum. Isgrove, Fletcher, Brownhill were key parts of the promotion run in whatever you think of loans it's difficult to argue otherwise.
It isn't even the first time this season we haven't replaced a big money departure. We let the previous window close without replacing Alfie Mawson. Angus stepped up to the plate, but I don't think even the people who identified him expected him to do that well and so soon. We got away with that one, after a tricky little period when we couldn't decide between him and Jackson. It's a different matter losing the top scoring No.9, without even having a green rookie with similar attributes to call upon.
Take all that on board. Totally. But I hope Hecky's call for us to not be in this position again wrt contracts is heeded. Especially concerning Scowen, Roberts, MacDonald etc. The plan had worked with those, but we're kidding ourselves if we think it'll be easy or cheap to replace what we already have. Especially if we want to progress. Sent from the darkest recesses of a poisoned mind.
I'm get what Whitey is saying. Understand it and get the plan. No real problems with it. I do agree with the above though that comments coming out of the club probably ought not be made. But the reason in my opinion that so much is being discussed is that every deal or sale is undisclosed. Now replaced with significant sum etc. If fans actually know what the fees were they might be more forgiving. Everybody else in the footballing world will know except us. And then it causes untold amounts of rumours and arguments of people who claim to be in the know when they all can't be because they all spout different figures and add ons. Top and bottom. For the fans to accept the plan is working we need to know just how much profit we have made from the 'development and sale' of these rough diamonds
Previous 2 seasons: Ben Pearson Joe Rothwell Kadeem Harris Michael Smith Harry Chapman Dan Crowley Ivan Toney Declan John Marcello Trotta Joe Dudgeon Alex Kiwomya Cameron Stewart Devante Cole Jabo Ibhere George Waring Joe Wildsmith John O'Sullivan Josh Brownhill Ashley Fletcher Kevin Long Callum Connolly Connor Wilkinson This season: Gethin Jones Callum Elder Matty James Sam Morsy Saidy Janko Adam Armstrong Ryan Kent Ryan Williams Nick Townsend Aidy White That's a hell of a lot of loans, and the bottom 3 are the only players we signed up permanently after or during their loan deal. Hmmmm.
As others have said about the op it is spot on but people do have the right to say that we have had this season an opportunity to really go for it but didn't, bfc could have spent a bit offered conor a bonus to see the season out, I don't know really but try something. I have loved this season and excited for the remainder, I thought Williams showed signs yesterday that he could be really good and with elder and hedges coming in, mowatt can definitely play and James will be the top man. All good with yids to come back and the rest who have been superb all season you reds.
If they are we wouldn't have had the stones saga for as long as we did. They might all be rolled into the accounts as player sales under one entry. But accounting features of a balance sheet and profit and loss means **** all to the average fan who doesn't deal with this type of info on a daily basis. Is it so impossible to release a figure in the statement I mean. The player will know. The agent will know more prospective clubs will find out when they are either touted by agents or approached. Just the fans that don't know
It is far far too many but at the end of last season we were definitely using our financial advantage well and using it well n this league we will always struggle.
I agree they were excellent for us but was that down to us utilising the loan market to its optimism or was it actually quite fortunate that after 100 poor loanees (give or take) we finally managed 3 at the same time who were great players for us? Remember that while we had isgrove, Fletcher and brownhill we also had Ivan Toney, Harry Chapman and calllum connolly on loan. That right there is 50% brilliant, 50% utter tripe. Over the course of last season we had I would say 5 good loanees and 7 bad ones Crowley Wilkinson Smith Pearson Toney Rothwell Harris All IMO poor loanees who didn't improve the squad one bit White Brownhill Isgrove Fletcher Long All improved the side.
Eventually our financial advantage got the better players. Most of football these days comes down to cash unfortunately.
Clearly, hindsight demonstrates that a wise club would have invested in the later players as permanent buys and not invested in the former players as permanent buys. I practice, we do not have hindsight and it is entirely possible that this would not be the class. I particularly remember the build-up Dan Crowley was given. It turned out that he had absolutely no discipline and we saved ourselves a lot of cash by sending back as soon as we were able. Hindsight is 50:50. Sadly real life isn't.
Yes its not a bad post that AP White... its just exactly what I was going to post actually I was peed off with the rest on here last night when Hecky totally ballsed it up with that starting line up and formation. And we can't change the fact now that Wolverhampton were completely gifted the win. However in the long run, im still delighted at where we are now in the Champship table (almost a year to the day by the way, since we earned our place at Wembley and Johnson left us!).
I don't think we should throw millions around. But as I said two weeks ago, Conor's departure will make a big difference to us. More than it will help Villa. I'd have insisted he stay, but offer him a contract that ended when his present one does, with an increase to compensate him for loss of earning opportunity, and incentivised for a top six finish. The departure of Bree and Winnall I can live with. That said, I like the look of Matty James, and also Alex Mowatt, provided we can knock the Frimpongs out of him. And I'm generally happy with where we are right now. But what we were thinking about letting Payne go out............. There again perhaps Hedges has potential we are not yet privet to?
Agree with this, time transfer fees and details were out in the open. Maybe its just seen as we are but customers, so whats it to do with us, but that aint in it together is it, Our club, Our tarn or our team etc. We are either open as a club or not.
We're well placed and have had an excellent season so far. The result of the club's policy of not renewing some contracts, selling some players, not spending extortionate amounts on new players is that for the rest of the season we will have a weaker team than the one we had for the first half of the season. The result of this prudent approach will very likely be that it will be very difficult to maintain our position in the top 10 of the table. I fully support the club's approach of living within our means and ensuring financial security but this approach comes with consequences for our league position. I accept that.