Ritchie has been sacked because money was available to improve the squad but didn't. On that basis, where was the money in the summer when we tried to get Eddie Johnson, Jay Tabb, Kevin Mcleod, Steve Foster who all went elsewhere, to offer contracts to Mcphail and Shuker, and to keep Flinders? Ritchie wasn't backed in the summer so went with what we had and now the Chairman has sacked him for not improving the team. Crazy.
Programme notes for Cardiff game Ritchie didnt want to improve the quality of the squad and asked the board to back him in doing so. which they did. Despite having set a budget aside for team strengthening. Its his own fault, as bizarre a situation is that sounds, he got the sack for not strengthening the squad cos the squad isnt good enough for the Championship.
RE: Programme notes for Cardiff game So who tried and failed to get all the players that have been mentioned?
RE: Programme notes for Cardiff game I'll wait for Richie's side of the story. If he's ever allowed to tell it.
What he's saying is he did try to strengthen the squad but those he offered contracts to turned them down and went elsewhere, presumably cos they were crap offers. So where's the money come from now all of a sudden to make great offers?
Not sure how many of them we really tried to sign what I can state is the deals were done for players that Ritchie did want (eg Kazim Richards, Zesh Rehman) then he changed his mind at the last minute, and other players were offered (eg Ritchie Jones, Matthew Bates) and Ritchie declined to take them cos he didnt want to drop someone or didnt rate them above what we've got. The two players we did sign we deals arranged by the Chairman and the only signing Ritchie has delivered is Colin Healy, and presumably Danny Cadamateri wouldve been his 2nd. If we'd have got Chopra, maybe one signing wouldve been enough. But to refuse to take people cos he didnt want to drop anyone, thats gone beyond loyalty. cost him his job ultimately.
totally agree the players mentioned amongst others were offered contracts but went elsewhere? So i would like to know what happened with these players? Also significant funds? how signifiacnt, for example would making a bid for chopra have been realistic and then going for other players!?
I think.... PC may have been willing to fund the Chopra transfer, hence his 'Box Office' comment. However, it seems likely that GS put a stop to that, stating the club needed to be run under it's own funding and be self sufficient. Has GS decided to change his mind now? All if's and but's though............
Another question Was AR (and thats exactly who I mean) reluctant to bring in players (loan or permanent) who would be on more money than his promotion squad (or indeed himself). Did he ask that his existing players were given pay rises over and above what they may have had for promotion to be on a par with any incomers?</p> Was this the sticking point..??</p>
If that's true, and we genuinely could've had Chopra... GS wants a public flogging.</p> Something is not right down there. I hate the fact that we only get one side of the story.</p> Maybe PC has had enough, and he's put his hand in his pocket quite recently and said 'FFS get this spent, I can't take any more'.</p>
Someone recently told me that we were negotiating with Chopra and Newcastle when AR went on Holiday?</p> He is just as convinced his source is reliable as Micky Finn is that Chopra would never have signed for us.</p> I am not convinced by either argument.</p> We never made an approach IMHO.</p>
I don't believe me made an approach either. But I think that Chopra wanted to play for us more than Cardiff, which has to be a good starting point.
I never said that your source was unreliable. As I know not of whom you speak. And if you told me would I believe you?</p> I am merely saying that another person has said that he is convinced that his version of events is correct.</p> My argument with you is that you used the word Never. </p> Which is B*ll*cks IMHO.</p>
RE: Another question Sticking point was he wanted ceratin experienced players in and for whatever reason (wages ?) they turned us down. So he kept the budget and waited for someone we could afford....but waited too long !
Which I fully stand by. For obvious reasons. I'd hope you'd have put two & two together by now re. the 'source'. Cheers fella.
