Mads Andersen

On the basis we'll sell him for undisclosed (translation: not very much + add-ons), I'd be of a mind to get one more season out of him then let him pick his club. If we're in the Championship as a result, we'd possibly be one of his options.

 

We have too many conflicting views as supporters that literally do not add up.

We have those who want to keep our best players and want "investment" and better players

We have those that realise our financial structure and reluctantly agree that such Mads will stabilise our finances if sold reasonably (and IF being the operative word)

And then we have another thread (almost daily/weekly/seasonal) wanting tickets at discount prices or freebies.

I'd hate to be on our board trying to please everyone, especially this time of year.

But let's be fair, since our recruitment was taken out of Conway's hands, we've brought in some excellent off the radar players.... Luca Connell, Isted and Norwood for example.

For once, I believe our board will make the right choices/decisions and won't be either too risk averse or too scatter gun either.

 

If selling Mads meant that we could sign Bobby Thomas and bring in a free transfer experienced defender then I'd be ok with that but if we go into next season without Mads and Thomas and bring in Cundy then I'd fear the worst.

 

It’s easy in all this to forget that we didn’t come by Mads for nothing. Would have been the usual ‘undisclosed’ at the time but £900k was the fee being suggested in the media at the time so against that £1.5m suddenly doesn’t seem such a big deal.
Whilst Mads might be happy to stay, I fear the desire to settle is his own financial future will compel him to move on.

 

On the flip side, he may feel that he could get a more lucrative deal as a free agent after another season. Think it's unlikely though.

 

I would be happy with that but agree it does seem unlikely

 

You’ve got Leeds, Leicester and Southampton all dropping into the Championship this season who will have players looking to jump ship back to the Premier League or Europe. They’d be mad to not even be taking a look at Andersen, as would most other Championship sides. £2m is peanuts for him in the market, even with only one year to go on his contract.

 

I thought that last season, with Helik. Yet he ended up going to Huddersfield at the very last minute of the transfer window, while Burnley preferred to loan in a defender from Man City

 

Fair point. Although can’t remember what we got for Helik…

 

As long as we get decent money for them and build on it but we don't, we yoyo between divisions.

 

Without him we probably wouldn't have made the playoffs.

 

I think selling Mads is inevitable given his contract status and the finances at the club.
But I hope we don't make the same mistake we did with Pinnock where we accepted the first bid that summer that matched the valuation the club had for him.
As then, this summer there are several Championship clubs that are after a new CB.
So there is no need to accept the first bid that matches our valuation of Mads. Given he has a year left on his contract, it's realistic to think 4 or 5 interested clubs could drive the price above what we would initially hope for (provided we play a bit hard ball )

 

Yep. Definitely. But if he stays and we don't go up we're 1.5 million down AND having to replace him without that money.
There's no guarantees and I'm a very cautious gambler. Plus if you offered me a choice of Andersen staying or a decent replacement plus a quality L1 striker next season I'd take the latter. I'm reasonably confident Duff can organise a decent defence in Andersen's absence.
And let none of that make anyone think I don't value Andersen. He's been superb in every way on and off the pitch.

 

Me too mate. If we sell Anderson or Connell or whoever else it will be for the long term good of the club. The owners have done what I asked and supported the short fall with their own money.

I'm gunna be true to my word and do the same. Hence my attendance at the Play -Offs.

Most ironic thing now is my personal circumstances dictate I'll have George on most match days (he comes first) but I'll be there when I can.

 

Old enough to take him?
Father and son. Be a great way to have that relationship, mate.

 

Don't think it works like that. The player, and more importantly his agent, will be aware of the club's valuation of him and will be letting clubs know. If multiple clubs meet that valuation it will be the player that benefits from an auction, not the club.

Biggest issue when we sold Pinnock (and Lindsay) was we brought in three novices to replace them, in Andersen, Diaby and Halme. We can't do that again.

 

Yeah i agree to an extent with that. And while we always have been and always will be a selling club, I think it's important that we try to lose our reputation within football as a club where other teams can go and pick up a bargain because 'selling is what Barnsley do'.
While you may not get the price you quote initially, you see plenty of examples of other clubs getting inflated fees sometimes that make you think WTF.
I'd like us to show less enthusiasm towards selling and that would help with the price you get - something the new board are much better at than Conway of course

 

He'll be 4 on 13th October mate.

 

The bidding war tends to take place over wages, rather than transfer fee these days.

 

The way the club operates dictates we need to show ourselves to be willing to let players move on.

We won’t as easily attract the next young Mads Andersen or Luca Connell to the club if we show ourselves to be awkward and unwilling to allow a career to progress.

Football can be cutthroat yes and clubs have to look after themselves first and foremost - but we will move players on probably against their will when they aren’t required. We will sack a manager if he’s not performing. Loyalty works both ways, both to and from a club.

So when you have a player who has served the club as well as Mads, then for me, he has earnt the right to decide for himself. If he wants to stay, finish the job, then get a contract on the table for as much as we can sensibly offer.

If, though, he feels he wants to have a crack at a different club at a higher level, then negotiate a fair fee and let him go with our blessing.