Keith Fahey

Being released by Birmingham. Always liked the look of him when he's been at 'well. Would be an excellent addition to our midfield.

 

are midfield is the best in the league we need a good centre back and a striker with pace

 

Agree our midfield is good, but if it was the best in the league would we have survived relegation on the final day due to a last minute goal elsewhere?

 

absolutely no need what's so ever for a midfielder unless we lose one, defenders goalkeeper and strikers we need,

 

Best midfield in the leauge? Are you deluded or something?

Could name 7 or 8 sides that have better midfielders, This is what I mean about us being far too optimistic in our thinking. We avoided relegation by the skin of our teeth due to a mixture of man management, motivation and good tactics by Flicker.

If we have the same squad at the start of next season that ended the last we will again do very well to avoid the drop. In my eyes we need 5 new additions and DF knows that.

 

Yet worryingly of the four released only Foster got games so we are basically trying to keep together the core of a team that only stayed up due to an 89th minute goal elsewhere.

 

Alternatively the core of a team that averaged 1.6 points per game under Flitcroft ? Equal to 74 points a season ?

 

Birmingham are starting 'massive' (the words used on the local radio station) cost cutting and I think he was one of the higher earners. I suspect that might mean we couldn't afford him even if DF was interested.

On the cost cutting thing, it appears that continual losses may be catching up with some clubs and the playing field might be a bit more level this year. I guess financial fair play is also a factor although the driver at Birmingham in particular seems to be more about staying in business. Either way, the fact that our costs are under control puts us in a strong position. The challenge is loosening the purse-strings a little to support Flicker without over-stretching ourselves.

There has to be a big shift in football finances over the next year or two in the championship surely? And hopefully that'll work in our favour.

 

I'd say yes, only because we share the same last name so if he scores the winner the headlines would be a dream

 

I personally think we need an out and out right winger,i like JOB but his final ball at times is poor and we lose momentum. Plus if he gets injured we are playing people out of position which is never a great solution

 

I'm confused as to why this will work in our favour. I agree it will stop clubs from going massively into debt but the clubs with big stadiums and attendances will have more money to spend than we will.

Our turnovers is pennies. This new rule will create an even bigger divide than the one we see now imho.

 

I agree - to an extent. But other clubs haven't been living within their means, they've been racking up debt. We haven't, and thus the gap between us and them is likely to narrow with financial fair play. Yes, they will still spend more than us because of their attendances - but I believe the gap between us and them will narrow.

And in the short term I think we might benefit even more by the immediate need to cut costs and reduce debt. The cost cutting at Birmingham is being being driven by their huge losses and debt. Birmingham not only have to live within their means but they also need to create a surplus so that they can repay some of the existing debt. This will mean their better players and high wage earners (I know the two don't necessarily follow) will leave and be replaced by others, possibly from the lower leagues. They've already signed a midfielder from Barnet and there are rumours about other players I wouldn't have expected them to be linked with in the past.

I know we've shopped in the lower leagues in recent times and I think we've made some great signings so am not saying it's bad - but it does level the playing field a bit. I think there'll be several other clubs adopting the same approach.

 

A big nasty basterd centre half (say this every year), a young striker with pace on loan from the Greed League, and a few un-polished turds from the lower leagues to add a bit of depth.

*All the above depends on the lads offered contracts actually signing them.