[Archived] Sam's January Targets

[jim mk2]

Barcelona?

with 156,000 members ...... in Spain ...... hardly a blueprint for a hard-up unfashionable club in the north of England.

[JAL]

Unless theres some local guy who can do a better job than the trustees, then why not support the trustees.

Surely investing in a young player from a trustee point of view is a kin to investing in a top quality horse, providing Sam and his team can identify and nourish that player allowing him to flourish and increase in value until he IS sold at an extra cost surely this is the way forward for the club and the trustees.

[S15]

with 156,000 members ...... in Spain ...... hardly a blueprint for a hard-up unfashionable club in the north of England.

Still proves your point wrong.

That was pretty much the sole purpose of my post.

[Mr. E]

Examples of successful fan buy-outs please.

I'll give you a clue - there aren't any.

Next daft idea......

For a big English club it will be something new. That's true. But we can not be discouraged only by the fact that no one has tried it before. For there to be examples, there has to be someone to do it first.

Why would be that be better than now?

If the club is losing money (which it does) where would the money come from to plug the holes? What if we got relegated?

At least the trust give us a safety net, even if they aren't investing. With a supporters trust, we'd have no investment and no safety net.

As I said, I don't deny its improbable that we can get it to work. All I am saying is I would like to see some serious thought given to the possibility, and not just dismissing it based on guesses about our finances. No harm done in looking at different avenues.

Basically something has to change. That is the most important thing. Even John Williams admits our situation is grim.

[47er]

A deeply inaccurate and misguided assessment.

And he spaketh thus.

[yoda]

For a big English club it will be something new. That's true. But we can not be discouraged only by the fact that no one has tried it before. For there to be examples, there has to be someone to do it first.

As I said, I don't deny its improbable that we can get it to work. All I am saying is I would like to see some serious thought given to the possibility, and not just dismissing it based on guesses about our finances. No harm done in looking at different avenues.

Basically something has to change. That is the most important thing. Even John Williams admits our situation is grim.

GRIM

where did that come from?

[Mr. E]

GRIM

where did that come from?

the last interview he did regarding our financial status, somewhere in the beginning of the season I believe.

[yoda]

the last interview he did regarding our financial status, somewhere in the beginning of the season I believe.

Ha Ha, you made it up

[mellison24]

We weaken our squad in January and the money will be available during the summer provided we don't slip up in the league. It's understandable with the lack of financial backing we're receiving at the moment but why the hell are we selling players when league position matters that much? Selling Benni makes absolutely no sense...

And £2 million isn't financial backing in today's market, it's pocket change :/

How has the squad shown any sign of being weakened on the pitch? That's a genuine question, as I believe we have played a lot better, barring the Stoke game.

The second point has been covered ad nauseum: He was told to meet his weight targets but didn't and had a hissy fit. So we got rid. We got 2million (p-lus saved wages) for a past it 31/32 year-old who is yet to play (and for West Ham who are 19th) since we sold him. Good deal. No two ways about it. If we had kept him, I don't think he'd have played again all because of that hissy fit at Sam via the media.

[Hughesy]

We signed Benni in 2006 for £2.5m - we milked him like an old cow & then 4 years later....older, fatter & slower - we sold him in the slowest transfer market for £2m+ and saved on his big wages for 6 months!

Now I dont doubt he had talent, but why did selling Benni not make any sense?!

[LeChuck]

He hasn't done anything for West Ham yet that suggests he would have been of any use in the matches we've played since he left.

[Hughesy]

He hasn't done anything for West Ham yet that suggests he would have been of any use in the matches we've played since he left.

Similar to Santa Cruz....And Bentley.....

[Torgeir]

How has the squad shown any sign of being weakened on the pitch? That's a genuine question, as I believe we have played a lot better, barring the Stoke game.

The second point has been covered ad nauseum: He was told to meet his weight targets but didn't and had a hissy fit. So we got rid. We got 2million (p-lus saved wages) for a past it 31/32 year-old who is yet to play (and for West Ham who are 19th) since we sold him. Good deal. No two ways about it. If we had kept him, I don't think he'd have played again all because of that hissy fit at Sam via the media.

The first eleven isn't weakened but our squad is, you can't possibly disagree with that...? My point is with the politics at our club we should always replace any outgoings immediately or we risk weakening our squad, and that means less chance of maintaining our league position, which in turn is required to be able to spend the money we made on the transfer. Vicious cycle, and if Sam knew about it he should have just made a gamble signing instead of not spending the money.

[unluckymorton]

The first eleven isn't weakened but our squad is, you can't possibly disagree with that...? My point is with the politics at our club we should always replace any outgoings immediately or we risk weakening our squad, and that means less chance of maintaining our league position, which in turn is required to be able to spend the money we made on the transfer. Vicious cycle, and if Sam knew about it he should have just made a gamble signing instead of not spending the money.

Come on mate, your winding him up now,

We 'lost' an overweight 32yr old striker who'd scored one league goal all season and who had no intention of playing for us ever again on the last day of the season and you want us to replace him?

We also added 2 midfielders (that everybody has been screaming out for) in the transfer window. The same transfer window as we were planning on making no signings whatsoever.

You seriously want us to make 'gamble' signings too? did you used to be part of the board at Pompey?

I assume you are not involved in the running of a business...

[den]

Come on mate, your winding him up now,

We 'lost' an overweight 32yr old striker who'd scored one league goal all season and who had no intention of playing for us ever again on the last day of the season and you want us to replace him?

We also added 2 midfielders (that everybody has been screaming out for) in the transfer window. The same transfer window as we were planning on making no signings whatsoever.

You seriously want us to make 'gamble' signings too? did you used to be part of the board at Pompey?

I assume you are not involved in the running of a business...

Don't be so cocky.

Injuries to our remaining 5 goal strike force and you'll find out if we miss Benni. BTW - our one goal wonder has actually scored 17 goals over the last season and a half.

[mellison24]

The first eleven isn't weakened but our squad is, you can't possibly disagree with that...? My point is with the politics at our club we should always replace any outgoings immediately or we risk weakening our squad, and that means less chance of maintaining our league position, which in turn is required to be able to spend the money we made on the transfer. Vicious cycle, and if Sam knew about it he should have just made a gamble signing instead of not spending the money.

I shall compromise. The squad AS IT STANDS is not weaker. IF injuries and suspensions come into play, then I'll agree. Going by the injury records of our 3 strikers (when we play 1 up front) I don't feel we have anything to worry about until the summer, when it becomes priority again. The bold bit however, I'll settle for.

[S15]

I shall compromise. The squad AS IT STANDS is not weaker. IF injuries and suspensions come into play, then I'll agree. Going by the injury records of our 3 strikers (when we play 1 up front) I don't feel we have anything to worry about until the summer, when it becomes priority again. The bold bit however, I'll settle for.

There is no compromise, you're wrong.

I don't think it matters too much now, but the squad is weaker than it was before the window.

[mellison24]

There is no compromise, you're wrong.

I don't think it matters too much now, but the squad is weaker than it was before the window.

The squad is one member....UP, though. And it's a matter of opinion on whether or not the squad is weaker. I don't think it is. You and Torgeir DO. I'll bet you said that because it's me

[S15]

No I said it because we sold a first team striker and didn't replace him.

The two players signed are a youngster who may never make the grade, and a player who has been out of favour or injured for two years.

Both could come good, but for you to suggest the squad isn't weaker is, whilst typical, complete b*llocks.

[mellison24]

No I said it because we sold a first team striker and didn't replace him.

The two players signed are a youngster who may never make the grade, and a player who has been out of favour or injured for two years.

Both could come good, but for you to suggest the squad isn't weaker is, whilst typical, complete b*llocks.

I'm not arrogant enough to say that I am right. I'm saying what I think and I think we are not weaker. I think we are on the same level as before. We've got rid of a first-team striker? Okay fair enough, but how effective has he been? Hardly at all. He was only any good in the Wigan away game and Fulham at home (and in the cup games against lower league sides). Otherwise he's done diddly squat for us in the Premier League. Much like selling Santa Cruz and Derbyshire last summer imo. It's all well and good having players like that in the squad, but if they haven't played much in the first place, then thin air is an adequate replacement.

I'll say again: In. My. Opinion. This is a messageboard, not QI, and we disagree. End Of.

[braddock]

had benni stayed this window it is extremely likely he wouldn't have played for us again after going on strike. he had to go. why is that so hard for some people to understand? therefore we are not weaker by letting him go, we are better off. we would have been paying the wages of a player who wouldn't have played for us.

[S15]

I'll say again: In. My. Opinion. This is a messageboard, not QI, and we disagree. End Of.

Every now and then you give a nice and blatant example of why myself and quite a few others think your are, in actual fact, a complete bell end.

[braddock]

Every now and then you give a nice and blatant example of why myself and quite a few others think your are, in actual fact, a complete bell end.

i have no idea who he is and whilst he may or may not be a complete bell end he is right on this point.

he is right because i agree with him.

and i am right.

[mellison24]

Every now and then you give a nice and blatant example of why myself and quite a few others think your are, in actual fact, a complete bell end.

And you never do, do you anyway. Possible targets:

Belhadj would certainly be worth a bid with the Benni money in terms of solidifying the defence. But I do think the money would be better spent on a striker, seeing as we will probably lose DiSanto in the summer. I'd even spend that amount on DiSanto, tbh. We could do far worse (even if it is a somewhat hefty chunk of our budget).

[tony gale's mic]

And you never do, do you anyway. Possible targets:

Belhadj would certainly be worth a bid with the Benni money in terms of solidifying the defence. But I do think the money would be better spent on a striker, seeing as we will probably lose DiSanto in the summer. I'd even spend that amount on DiSanto, tbh. We could do far worse (even if it is a somewhat hefty chunk of our budget).

How? By buying a striker who scores no goals rather than one gloriously easy one?