JANUARY TRANSFER WINDOW

[Guest]

Feel we missed a trick not pushing harder (guess nobody really knows what goes on behind the scenes) for Oliver Burke who went to Celtic on loan from West Brom. But then again he is an actual winger so would explain Mowbray's thinking ?

[philipl]

8 minutes ago, blueboy3333 said:

You can't say 'lets get back to reality' and then come up with a random numbered transfer strategy

You have not being paying attention have you?

This three window strategy has been reported from the club.

[blueboy3333]

3 minutes ago, philipl said:

You have not being paying attention have you?

This three window strategy has been reported from the club.

How very dare you. I have been paying attention, sir.

I remember him saying something about it taking a few windows to get the squad he wants. I don't remember a specific '3 window transfer strategy' that Waggott and Mogga have both gone public on. If you've got the link that would be most illuminating?

[tomphil]

We've heard all this before i'm not doubting any sources but i'm sure some connected with Rovers put this kind of stuff about as a PR exercise or something

50 million war chest - Nixon

20 million for Lambert - Various

Rhodes money for Lambert - Some close to the club at the time

20 million plus Rhodes money - Lamberts people in private

20 million summer budget a few years ago - Some corporate guy spouting it about in the lounges and overheard by one or two who post on here.

Non of it ever comes to pass or ever will and giving this one the benefit of the doubt I might go along with the owners have said they'll allocate 20 million budgets for now, that's 20 million total operating budget which includes the clubs own income which they make the shortfall up annually as they have been doing. Or maybe transfer income, they've never put huge lumps in to sign players whilst they've been here because everything goes to cover loses mostly created by them and their pals.

Overall in the Venky era i'd wager transfer income more or less matches transfer outgoings, if they did sell Dack and re-invest into player purchases to try and kick us on then it would be a refreshing change.  Somehow though I think the Rovers black hole would be waiting to swallow that lot less those percentages of course.

 

 

Edited January 7, 2019 by tomphil

[Parsonblue]

17 minutes ago, blueboy3333 said:

How very dare you. I have been paying attention, sir.

I remember him saying something about it taking a few windows to get the squad he wants. I don't remember a specific '3 window transfer strategy' that Waggott and Mogga have both gone public on. If you've got the link that would be most illuminating?

Both spoke about a three or may have been four window plan at the last consultation meeting when Mowbray in particular talked about gradually rebuilding the team that had won promotion.  He talked about being fair to those players and giving them the chance to prove they could cope at a higher level and improve their game but if not they would be gradually replaced.  

Clearly the owners have bought into this long term strategy by giving Mowbray a long term contract - something they don't usually do.

[tomphil]

I'll be honest although the sound of a 20 million war chest might be nice i'd be uneasy how it would be spent if there was a rush just to try and go up this season or something. No more scatter gun approaches wanted here try and sign specific targets for specific jobs not this buffing out the squad malarkey anymore.

Rather than call it slow build i'd prefer it to be a strategic upgrade over the next few windows, and if any quality is sold it must be replaced by quality not quantity as that's were we have frequently fallen down.

[joey_big_nose]

I'd take Gallagher and Reed perm in this window in a flash. Gallagher has his weaknesses but he is certainly better than Brereton.

I'd also take a look down the leagues and take a punt on someone scoring for fun down there. Marquis, Maja, Eaves, Henderson?  Wingers more of a problem... must be a loan from somewhere?

[arbitro]

56 minutes ago, philipl said:

You have not being paying attention have you?

This three window strategy has been reported from the club.

It's a crazy strategy though and one set up to fail. Our best signing by a country mile is now being courted by several PL clubs and could well be sold in his third window with us, severely weakening us not strengthening us. Conversely I can't see Brereton being anywhere near ready for the first team in three windows. I just ca't understand how time limits can be set particularly when spending good money on unproven young players.

[Sparks Rover]

Maja is there to be got. He's refused to sign a new contract 

[arbitro]

10 hours ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Was told the other night by someone who appeared a credible source that the owners have handed TM a 20m budget this window, the only potential fly in the ointment being that TM doesn't like spending unless he is completely confident about tbe target in question.

We shall see. If they have, I hope we don't waste too much of it on Gallagher. Average at best for me, tries hard but lacking in quality and a pretty terrible scoring record.

I heard something similar but with the caveat being we had to be in the top ten.

[ChrisPriceBaldSpot]

16 minutes ago, joey_big_nose said:

I'd take Gallagher and Reed perm in this window in a flash. Gallagher has his weaknesses but he is certainly better than Brereton.

I'd also take a look down the leagues and take a punt on someone scoring for fun down there. Marquis, Maja, Eaves, Henderson?  Wingers more of a problem... must be a loan from somewhere?

Maddison as a winger is a no brainer for me. He creates for fun. Imagine him whipping in crosses for Tom Eaves to knock down to Bradley. 

[JHRover]

16 minutes ago, arbitro said:

I heard something similar but with the caveat being we had to be in the top ten.

Which if true is absolutely ridiculous. How on earth can anyone plan ahead if the budget hinges upon us being above an invisible line at the mid-way stage of a season. We could be 11th and only 2 points off the play offs and not be eligible for this funding or we could be 8th and 10 points off the play offs and get the money, which one is worthy of more investment?

I've still got deep reservations about how we approach transfer windows under these owners.

I've no doubt Mowbray has a medium term plan in terms of how he wants to play, the sort of players he wants to bring in and that he feels it is better building over a few years than it is going silly like Wednesday and Forest have recently. I'm afraid I draw the line at that point and stop short of believing that the owners have bought into some 3-4 window plan and have set budgets so far in advance. They've always done things on a whim and a year-by-year basis, the manager and board have to go off to India in May or June to receive their budget and instructions, expecting them to commit to a strategy for 18 months from now is pushing it.

As you say, the 3-4 window thing is nice in theory but then what happens when/if Dack departs? A gaping hole will be opened in the squad and it will require a lottery win or huge investment to replace him.

If we start the 3-4 window clock at last summer this is number 2. The summer is number 3 and next January is number 4. So by this time next year at the latest this theoretical completion date for Mowbray's grand plan arrives. What happens after that, assuming we aren't on our way to promotion by that point?

[rigger]

What positions do these windows and chests play?

[Bigdoggsteel]

Speculation about our budget is pointless. It took up 80% of the summer transfer thread and now we are off again. Skepticism about everything. We don't have the money, we have the money but Mowbray won't spend it, we shouldn't spend the money as it could get us in trouble. 

The truth is nobody actually knows. I would bet that he has a budget. The owners appear to trust Mowbray and there seems to be some long term planning at the club , finally. 

January isn't a great time to sign players. I would be happy with 1 in on permanent and 1 loan. If we got Reed, Gallagher and Chapman , that would be quite a January window. 

[tomphil]

11 minutes ago, rigger said:

What positions do these windows and chests play?

No idea but they are both better than Brereton.....allegedly !

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

13 hours ago, Tom Stinny said:

Personally think if both Reed and Gallagher come in from Southampton it's planning to go into a two up front formation with Dack sold to buy the two.

 

Don't know whether I'd take a formation like a 442 with Travis and Reed in the middle and a new centre back to pull the defence together as a replacement for Dack.

 

As well as another younger striker to add to what we have but then you need wingers as well. Could take 5 players in to compensate losing 1.

But they are 5 positions we need to strengthen regardless.  Would love to see 4-4-2 with Travis and Reed in the middle, A couple of direct wingers and Graham and Gallagher up front. 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

1 hour ago, Sparks Rover said:

Maja is there to be got. He's refused to sign a new contract 

Premier League clubs are interested in him according to my paper.

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

11 hours ago, Mercer said:

Given we aren't challenging, or likely to, for a top six place, I would be surprised if Mowbray has anything other than a bit of loose change to play with.

Even if we sell Dack, I very much doubt much of it would be there to be recycled.

Depends on how Venkys bought into his plan.  If he told them we won't go up this year but with good backing could push for promotion next year, then £20 mil (which may include summer) is a fair shout.  Also in line with what we would expect for Dack...

[Guest]

26 minutes ago, rigger said:

What positions do these windows and chests play?

Hopefully left back

[Guest]

Just now, Wing Wizard Windy Miller said:

Depends on how Venkys bought into his plan.  If he told them we won't go up this year but with good backing could push for promotion next year, then £20 mil (which may include summer) is a fair shout.  Also in line with what we would expect for Dack...

I imagine Mowbray would be reluctant to blow £20million in January knowing that the Venky's would expect promotion by summer and if this wasn't achieved he really is up against it, with the owners and fans alike.

Let's be clever and use loans this window and rebuild (properly this time) in Summer.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

I would have thought the Chicken Chokers  would be loathe to part with significant funds given our most recent transfer dealings. How many of our recent signings would we be able to make a profit on ? I make it 1, Bradley Dack.

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

1 hour ago, arbitro said:

It's a crazy strategy though and one set up to fail. Our best signing by a country mile is now being courted by several PL clubs and could well be sold in his third window with us, severely weakening us not strengthening us. Conversely I can't see Brereton being anywhere near ready for the first team in three windows. I just ca't understand how time limits can be set particularly when spending good money on unproven young players.

Depends whether we invest in slightly older players. Gallagher and Reed are both 23.  Luke Freeman at QPR is 26, Bauer at Charlton 26.  This age range is the type of player we need to target.  More ready for the first team and experience/developed enough to compete immediately - ye still have sell on value.  Signing lads under 20 is ok for the future but the likes of Brereton, Armstrong, Davenport etc aren't quite there yet.  

Over the next couple of windows we need to add around 5 first team championship players who can go straight in.  Picking up the odd young. Kid (like Chapman) along the way.  

The younger lads should be loaned out (I'd definitely be sending Brereton to league one to toughen up a bit and develop).  

[Bigdoggsteel]

3 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I would have thought the Chicken Chokers  would be loathe to part with significant funds given our most recent transfer dealings. How many of our recent signings would we be able to make a profit on ? I make it 1, Bradley Dack.

We would make a profit on Armstrong, Rothwell, Smallwood, Rodwell, Nuttall and probably Bell if we sold them. 

[Guest]

7 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I would have thought the Chicken Chokers  would be loathe to part with significant funds given our most recent transfer dealings. How many of our recent signings would we be able to make a profit on ? I make it 1, Bradley Dack.

 

3 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

We would make a profit on Armstrong, Rothwell, Smallwood, Rodwell, Nuttall and probably Bell if we sold them. 

Along with Nyambe, Raya and Lenihan we'd be expecting around £10million for, not bad for 3 academy products.

Also, as much of a useless manager he was, Coyle getting us Mulgrew for free was a master stroke.

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

14 minutes ago, Mellor Rover said:

I imagine Mowbray would be reluctant to blow £20million in January knowing that the Venky's would expect promotion by summer and if this wasn't achieved he really is up against it, with the owners and fans alike.

Let's be clever and use loans this window and rebuild (properly this time) in Summer.

I was referring to promotion the following season not this one.   Given that he said around 4 windows to develop.  Last summer was one, this is 2.  End of this season 3 and next Jan 4.  After that you expect that the owners would want to see a top 6 team based on TM's plan. 

 

I fear the issue is that TM has a Group of players that he really likes and fit in with his work ethic etc.  The problem is that some are clearly not good enough to go on 'the journey' with us but I'm not convinced he is ruthless enough to get rid.