Don't post much on here, but am a regular spectator. I thought I would put a different view to the perceived short termism shown by BFC recently. I was looking through the squad today and it seems the majority are/were signed on long term contracts. Davies - 2 year Townsend - 3 year Bree - 3 year Roberts - 3 year Mawson - 3 year Watkins - 2 year Williams - 2 year Hourihane - 3 year Winnall - 3 year Scowen - 2.5 year Nyatanga - 2 year In my opinion this is far from short term. Yes we use the loan market a little more than expected, but the core of the team is still built on long term contracts. Let's face it we can't seemingly spend cash like we maybe thought. I would have also thought a large percentage of the budget went on mawson, watkins, and Williams. We will also be spending quite a bit on the wages of hammill and white. In this case loans to bulk up the squad is seemingly the chosen route. People moan we should use the academy players rather than other teams, however I believe for some reason academy players are too hastily dismissed. Take for example on Saturday, Abbott plays for the first time in months and some people instantly slate his performance. I believe George Smith will become a better player getting games at Crawley and will become the long term left back. Bree is also hopefully getting a good run in the team, Templeton and white being involved will also improve them. Maybe the club arent been as short sighted as some people think.
So we have 11 players contracted to us for more than a short period. 2 of whom are keepers. 4 others entering the last year of their contracts. Yes that short term.
I like the positivity of this post but league position doesn't lie. Come summer I can see Scowen/Winnall and Hourihane being sold too... as we risk of them leaving for nothing in the summer Lets see what happens
Coming from a club that stated in the summer all of our loans would be view to permanents, apart from Crowley and that we would be developing our own players as part of a long term plan. Neither of which seem to be anywhere close to what was said by Mansford.
In defense of Ben Mansford:- This may have been the case.... How would you react if we'd signed Wilkison and Smith. The only player I'd have loved to keep would have been Pearson and by looks of it he wasn't interested as the Champ came calling
The majority of those will be able to speak to other clubs this time next year, unless we plan on extending their contracts.
To be fair of the players we signed on loan only pearson turned out to be any cop and decided to choose better current prospects. Remember it is only a view to permanent. Wabara was always going to leave as soon as a 'bigger' more lucrative club turned up. Bree, smith, white, Templeton, are all being developed and involved. No recent manager has been able to develop Digby.
You can honestly see this happening? I'd be pleasantly surprised if it did. I see it panning out like this: Scenario one: they sign new contracts Scenario two: the club sell them this summer Most likely scenario: the club waits till their contracts run out then enters negotiations. They then leave for free Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
But that's the point isn't it - that's exactly why the policy will not work unless terms are agreed in advance of the loan. If the player does any good - he will move to a better club on higher wages. If he's crap, he goes back. It's only if he is mediocre that we have a chafe of signing him permanently.
Good post. I don't necessarily agree with your conclusions, but it's refreshing to read a different perspective that's well argued.
"The Reds have had a large turnover of players this season on short-term deals and loan spells and could even beat last season's record of using 44 players. Yesterday Preston North End midfielder Josh Brownhill joined on a 28-day loan and, if he plays tomorrow, he will become the 33rd player used in the season" Thats 44 players last year - 4 different starting 11's And 33 this season so far - 4 diferent starting 11's You wont find many teams at the top end of the league with such a huge turnover of players as a more consistence team week in week out will lead to better performances. These numbers are far too high and backs up the clubs vision over the last 2 years to overuse the loan market and not reinvest some of the transfer money gained by selling (Stones & Holgate) they've looked for free transfers to holster the squad. Any of these loanees turn out to be good they go back to the parent club and sold on to somebody else, the fans know we are been used and the pattern we have seen over the last 2 years looks to be continuing as we have not bought anyone this window although we are 2 Points off relegation zone.
