Caylen Vickers

Probably a more consistent threat than MW is!!

 

Not just whether Hourihane has the tools for the job Archey but if he himself is up to his job.

 

Considering the trust between the fans and the owners is at an all time low according to the engagement survey released a month ago or so and they want to "build bridges" I think the supporters would appreciate transparency and honesty rather than BS.
It's becoming more evident by each passing transfer window the man is not upto the job, but here we are with the insistence of keep defending poor performance, by his own admission he'd clearly identified we needed to be at it from the word go improving on past Windows.
More time for pre season, more squad integration time, avoiding inflated transfer fees, less panic buys, more strategic squad planning, all the advantages we recognised as part of doing early business.
You are still saying the same things you were 4 weeks ago, yet we are 2 weeks away now from kick off not 6, I mean come on Archey it's not like they've only got the transfer window to plan and prepare it's an ongoing day in day out operation.
There's many things behind the scenes that would make people astounded, he isn't the right fit for the job it's nothing personal against the guy, I've saying it for 12 months but he isn't a Sporting Director.

 

Aye well, there's that too. Though it's clear he's not going anywhere either.

 

I've changed what I was going to reply with because I can't keep going around in circles, nor trying to defend things I've not even said.

The long and short of it is, I'm not defending anyone, but have a bit of patience.

 

I think nearly 7 weeks in and 2 weeks off the start of the season is understandable to feel frustrated especially given the track record of the last transfer window.
I'd like us to appear ever so slightly organised, a don't think asking for us to have wingers and full backs in a team playing 433 a couple of weeks before the start of the season is a lack of patience, its called deep concern.
Anyone would think we didn't know who's contract was expiring this season or they weren't approachable from January onwards.
It's a shambles

 

Again though mate, you make it sound like the club aren't trying to put all of that in place. Which I reckon isn't true. Anyway, as I say, we're going around in circles so I'll leave it there.

 

under promise and over deliver key to anyone in that role. You do it the other way round and you will (quite rightly) get a kicking. An effective window has all business being done by the time the team reports back from training. Anything else is varying degrees of failure but can also give you a success like DKD

 

Think it's also worth considering that what the club can do is dictated by the state of the market. Unfortunately relying on loans and fee transfers means we're always gonna be waiting till nearer the window closes. It's crap, but it's also quite difficult to avoid. In terms of actually paying out for someone that's also dependent on who we sell - so again waiting on other clubs. Not ideal, and maybe mladen should've kept his mouth shut, but some context needed when bashing the club.

 

You say to have an effective window all business should be done before teams report back so every club in the world is a failure just to varying degrees bit harsh really

 

But if we're being told the budget is competative them forgive me, you can hardly blame people for having a pop can you?
Let's say then for arguments sake that the budget is non existent, then wouldn't it have been prudent of us to be fully prepared in our preparation for the piles of out of contract players that Mladen referred to and that this summer would be a more productive market.
The later the market, the less choice, inflated costs and players with no pre season behind them.

 

Define competitive.

 

Absolutely. As I say, I'd rather they didn't say anything. And I agree with what you're saying. I think in reality, unless you're paying well over the odds for every player, you're not going to get all of your business done before pre-season starts. In fact, because there's so many moving parts in the transfer window, I'd argue it's nigh on impossible, even with money behind you. Hence why even the likes of Birmingham made deadline day signings last season.

 

Yet in the history of transfer windows virtually no team has ever done all their business before they get back from training.
In an ideal world yes but in reality it doesn’t happen.

 

Read an article the other year where it basically showed the reason why the majority of transfers are done last minute is because that’s when the PL teams complete theirs and until then everything is waiting for them to start the conveyer belt that cascades down.

 

I agree, he shouldn't have said that if not the case. But also it's a pretty throwaway statement. What even is "competitive". The point I'm making is that there's a lot of external factors that hinder us and other clubs in our position in getting a squad together until after a few games in. So I don't think there's much point judging whether we've had a good window or not until it closes. For me, if we kept the current squad and added 2-3 more wingers/full backs I'd be quite content. Not sure how likely that is like.

 

Yep and prem teams aren't gonna want to end window early again because European market will still be open.

 

When the aim is to get out of the Division whether that be automatic or through the playoffs and be challenging, then I'd assume when they said competative it is relative to other clubs similarly looking to gain promotion.

 

Season starts in 2 weeks, whilst I appreciate there are challenges in the transfer market, but those challenges present themselves to other clubs similar to us, the focus this year according to the Sporting Director was "signifact early progress"
We are about to embark on our season opener against a fellow promotion rival playing a new system putting square pegs in round holes.

 

What about the long list of released players and returned loans?