I never really expected anything different to be honest this window, however, it's really frustrating that we're going into the second half of the season much weaker than we did the first half. For context, I know we're never going to be able to replace Conor & Sam in January for the long term - completely get it. We might never be able to replace them period but it does feel a little underwhelming that with a bit of cash in our pocket we've either not been able to identify who we want (which considering the thoroughness of our recruitment is unlikely) or we've not been able to get the deals over the line. Overall, we've over the last 3 years pulled together a core group of players that could've taken us far. They still can & maybe it's just the disappointment of the window talking but if I'm Scowen & Watkins I know I hold all the cards & would expect them to leave in the Summer whilst their stock is highest. Or we sign them on big contracts and it doesn't look like that's an option. If we take those two out of our squad next season we have under contract: - Davies - MacDonald - Roberts - Hammill - Bradshaw - Mowatt - Hedges That it? The strategy we've put in place needs us to reinvest the cash we generate through signings. As you move up the league, your targets alter - when Peterborough got a windfall from Gayle, they went out and bought Assombalonga. Transfer record for them. 12 months later, another £5 million in the bank. I worry that we're going to bleed the well dry in terms of players from L1/L2 and at some point it's gonna bite us. I really hope we continue to give us as good as we get in the second half of the season to maintain some confidence but on last night's viewing, and considering the lack of options we've got up front & in central midfield I'm worried for Hecky more than anything.
You may have seen the first eveidence of that given where our signings have come from. having said that, the evolution of the plan to me is the signing of players further along the development cycle who's careers have stalled - Morsy and Mowett being perfect examples. Are you worried that Hecky will move elsewhere?
Worried is maybe a strong word, the structures we've got in place require the board/recruitment to deliver good players to Heckingbottom. So far, it's done that. Now we've sold our good players (that we've spent 3 years developing) and we start again. Whether or not that is even possible is what we need to see.
And I hope he comes good. Interesting that we played last night with a formation that allegedly suited him, attacking free role etc & he's still not had a sniff.
And that's always going to happen - there'll be signings that don't work out and that doesn't particularly bother me. We'll see.
Me neither. But folk need to remember that when saying everything is perfect with the plan...it is inevitable some will not work out...Payne/Jackson/Tutton/White/Khan/Moncur
Going into next season with your 1st choice centre halfs in last 12 months of contracts is not ideal, can't keep paying peanuts to get these lads to stay.
Oh yeah. Early for saying Kpekwa has not worked though, will wait and see on him given he has only played out of position so far.
We've only been able to do that with Mawson and Bree so far in all honesty. Chances are we will also do so with Roberts in the summer.
I'm sure I read once that Hecky said that they have very high hopes for Kpekawa. They're coaching him very hard and that he will be a valuable player for us in the future.
Eight players mentioned in this thread who haven't done it for us since signing for us shows that the recruitment spreadsheet that people hail isn't as successful as it's been made out to be. We are reliant on loans and I guarantee if we had a Celino or Oyston type on the board our fans now would be asking where our money has gone. Millions banked to be replaced heavily by loans to the point where if all are able to play we will be paying a player that we don't own to sit in the legends suite and have the afternoon off. Surely we have players already identified for replacements that we could have signed this month? Other clubs have signed players this month (including our own) so no reason why we couldn't do the same. We've heavily weakened a squad that had the best chance in years to get back to the top flight. We've become dependant on loans again that we said we'd not do. Some on here said wait until the window shuts before seeing where we are. Well the window has shut and best we can hope for with the current squad is mid table I feel. Lessons need to be learned with contracts. Sell them the summer before they run out of they won't sign a new one. Have put in contracts that we can automatically extend them like we apparently had with Davies. Protect our investment we put into these guys. Oh where we could have been had for this whole season we'd had Mawson, Winnall, Hourihane and Bree to choose from.....
I do worry about Hecky that despite all his efforts, we have to rebuild again and again due to contract situations that we have allowed to happen or because we flatly refuse to reinvest some of the profits. Hecky told us we wouldn't allow players to leave until we had replacements lined up. I presume that's what he had been told, which hasn't happened. False promises usually result in unhappy personnel.
