Transfer Window - COMPLETE. Where’s Gregg?

[Gav]

48 minutes ago, bluebruce said:

It's very likely the players who came in for fees have a total wage bill and sign on fees higher than Lenihan's contract. So I don't think that's a fair way to look at it.

Well if it makes you feel better bluebruce.

Give us your thoughts on the window and future, that is what most posters are interested in I'm sure. 

[Tricky]

36 minutes ago, Ricky said:

Wonder if we would look at any free left backs. There may be out of contract players who we could still pick up outside the window. Jetro Willems is an interesting one. Not a bad age and has a bit of Prem experience.

not the worst list to choose from, a right footed Serge Aurier is also available 😎

Would even settle for this man at this rate

 

[bluebruce]

8 minutes ago, Gav said:

Well if it makes you feel better bluebruce.

Give us your thoughts on the window and future, that is what most posters are interested in I'm sure. 

I'm not sure what your aim was with this post, but I'm not biting.

[R0verb0y]

5 hours ago, AspRover said:

... ... ... ... 

Start compiling the shortlists for January.

I'd have hoped that work had already begun.

[Andy]

6 hours ago, 47er said:

Name one person who is genuinely disappointed that Brereton is still here!

And, as to his early form, if you could see a good player in there you were/are a bloody genius.

And I've said that before to someone else.

 

You wouldn’t believe the amount of grief I took in those days for persisting with the belief that a good player was in there and just needed time, patience and development.

As for when I dared to suggest that he’d play international football one day…might as well have shat on people’s kids’ Xmas presents 😁

But we are where we are and, thankfully for us, it’s worked out well.

[Exiled_Rover]

1 hour ago, Ricky said:

Wonder if we would look at any free left backs. There may be out of contract players who we could still pick up outside the window. Jetro Willems is an interesting one. Not a bad age and has a bit of Prem experience.

I suspect that's what Clinton Mola was brought in to play. 

[1864roverite]

1 hour ago, bluebruce said:

It's very likely the players who came in for fees have a total wage bill and sign on fees higher than Lenihan's contract. So I don't think that's a fair way to look at it.

There are no signing on fees Rovers pay a loyalty bonus alongside the contract 

[1864roverite]

Those comparing Sam to Rothwell should bear in mind just how long it took Rothwell to get in and settle into the team let alone score his first goal. It’s non comparable if you ask me well at least until he has been here for 2 years

[AllRoverAsia]

6 minutes ago, 1864roverite said:

Those comparing Sam to Rothwell should bear in mind just how long it took Rothwell to get in and settle into the team let alone score his first goal. It’s non comparable if you ask me well at least until he has been here for 2 years

I agree SS should be given time to settle but 2 years is pushing it ... by about 18 months.

We will actually know well before that of the potential to really make it at this level is there.

The lad puts the effort in so good luck to him I say.

[BigBar]

4 hours ago, Sparks Rover said:

Wot No Bucko?  

Scary and telling when no one is even biting at this 🤣

[Silas]

34 minutes ago, Andy said:

You wouldn’t believe the amount of grief I took in those days for persisting with the belief that a good player was in there and just needed time, patience and development.

As for when I dared to suggest that he’d play international football one day…might as well have shat on people’s kids’ Xmas presents 😁

But we are where we are and, thankfully for us, it’s worked out well.

 

On 31/01/2021 at 11:05, Andy said:

Brereton will be playing in the Prem within a few years.

Possibly even internationally (with Chile).

Chapman will be nowhere near that.

A few stepovers and goals in League 1 won’t change that.

👀

Brereton v Chapman debate September 2022 feels like a different animal. 

[BigBar]

Pickering very lucky we didn't prioritise a left back sooner because he will more than likely play most games given its an area we have little alternative in, Mola maybe? Another attacker would have been ideal but this is it now. Time to make the most of it.

[Exiled_Rover]

13 minutes ago, 1864roverite said:

Those comparing Sam to Rothwell should bear in mind just how long it took Rothwell to get in and settle into the team let alone score his first goal. It’s non comparable if you ask me well at least until he has been here for 2 years

They also play different positions. 

[AllRoverAsia]

Buckley can play several positions, he will be needed this season for sure.

The current competition for the places he can play may just be what he needs to up his game.

Basically he's a bloody good talented footballer who needs managed properly and now treated as an adult and not top boy in the class.

Edited September 2, 2022 by AllRoverAsia

[roversfan99]

3 hours ago, bluebruce said:

I think it's only fair in this context to mention that 2 of the loans are with an option to buy. That is a change in thinking. A try-before-you-buy approach isn't a bad idea for a club like ours. Hopefully the option prices aren't too high and there is something left in the kitty for them if we decide to make them permanent, but I suspect the options are there partly with a potential Brereton sale in mind (Hirst's, anyway, I bet Mola is a lot cheaper).

Definitely see some sense in it but still we don't know if they will be here beyond May and if they are, they will be decisions made eating into next seasons budget.

The Brereton one is the main one though and coupled with the loans, I think this idea that it is down to any individual that we regularly have mass surgery each summer is a flawed one, it is partly circumstance in being a Championship club (especially with our comparative resources but clubs with bigger budgets use loans for example regularly) and the common denominator is Venkys, especially considering how stubborn they are.

3 hours ago, J*B said:

Here's my end of year assessment now its all over, based on what I've seen so far and their current reputation within the game:

 

Successful recruitment

Lenihan replaced with Hyam

Nyambe replaced with Brittain

 

Unsuccessful recruitment

Rothwell replaced with Szmodics

Van Hecke replaced with Mola

 

Additional option based on last season, improvement to squad

George Hirst

Tyler Morton

Hayden Carter (loaned out last season, doesn't count as recruitment)

Dilian Markanday (injured last season, doesn't count as recruitment)

Adam Wharton (promoted, doesn't count as recruitment)

Ashley Phillips (promoted, doesn't count as recruitment)

 

Used last season, not replaced

Johnson used, not replaced

Zeefuik used, not replaced

Davenport unused, but an option, not replaced

 

Unused last season, didn't need to be replaced

Chapman unused, not replaced

Stergiakis unused, not replaced

Magloire unused, not replaced

Butterworth unused, loaned out

Brown unused, not replaced

What do I take from this? Well...

1) GB & JDT felt that we didn't need a replacement for Zeefuik and that Brown wasn't up to the standard. Brittain is clearly first choice, I would assume Carter is second and then we plan to use Buckley/Travis as cover if needed.

2) GB & JDT felt that despite Markanday coming back from injury, we needed another striker. A lot of pressure is on Hirst to deliver in that role, he's never played in this league. 

3) GB & JDT don't want two 'bruisers' in central midfielder. Travis fills this role and as captain will start every game. If he's injured I wonder what the plan would be. 

4) We have a lot of central defensive options - Ayala, Wharton, Hyam, Carter, Phillips, Mola - perhaps a signal of 3 at the back? 

5) GB & JDT thought the squad was slightly too big last season.

I think it becomes so difficult to directly compare player for player replacements for many reasons, different manager with a different style, the likes of Dack and Hedges who didn't impact last season back in the mix, there will be players who played important roles last season who will get injuries most likely and have less impact than last season. You have also missed Khadra, Giles and Poveda too. I also don't think that point 5 is necessarily true, Tomasson said we tried for one extra yesterday and also might only have been 6 due to a lack of extra budget rather than anything else.

One thing I would ask is that there has been a lot of posts dismissing this season as part of a transition, something due to the way the Championship works always seemed illogical. But we have kept Brereton, (for 1 season) signed loans and spent £5m+ without recouping anything. Surely we can expect to improve on 8th?

37 minutes ago, 1864roverite said:

Those comparing Sam to Rothwell should bear in mind just how long it took Rothwell to get in and settle into the team let alone score his first goal. It’s non comparable if you ask me well at least until he has been here for 2 years

They aren't directly comparable for many reasons. They don't play the same role for a start, but also the expectation on Szmodics should be much more than Rothwell when he signed because he was the big summer signing whereas Rothwell was for a nominal fee as a squad player initially at a younger age.

[tomphil]

46 minutes ago, AllRoverAsia said:

I agree SS should be given time to settle but 2 years is pushing it ... by about 18 months.

We will actually know well before that of the potential to really make it at this level is there.

The lad puts the effort in so good luck to him I say.

Plus Sammie is 26 now

[bluebruce]

52 minutes ago, 1864roverite said:

There are no signing on fees Rovers pay a loyalty bonus alongside the contract 

I know sometimes clubs use loyalty bonuses instead, probably increasingly these days. I thought someone may say this but I just use signing on fees as a catch-all term for simplicity. On FM they call it a signing on fee when you first sign them, and a loyalty bonus after that. I think they have it as signing on fees are up front, loyalty bonuses paid over contract if they don't request a transfer. In the real world it's probably different in that some clubs will tend towards it always being loyalty bonuses even for new signings, I would assume.

[roverandout]

1 hour ago, Tricky said:

not the worst list to choose from, a right footed Serge Aurier is also available 😎

Would even settle for this man at this rate

 

Chimbonda?

[rigger]

44 minutes ago, BigBar said:

Pickering very lucky we didn't prioritise a left back sooner because he will more than likely play most games given its an area we have little alternative in, Mola maybe? Another attacker would have been ideal but this is it now. Time to make the most of it.

Jake Batty is a viable alternative at left-back. Some people will say he is too young for the first team. Perhaps Wharton has dismissed that myth.

[Oldgregg86]

It’s hard to judge if the window was a success or not. I’ve never seen Hirst play, never heard of mola, hyam is a pretty safe bet, smodicz hasn’t had time to bed in and show us what he can do and Morton looks steady. 
 

I am however looking forward to seeing how all this plays out for once. Dack back and Wharton looking the bees knees should add some creativity at least , something which has been missing down at ewood for a while.

I still think we need a dembele/bowler type to add some serious depth and push the other players but I’m confident come august we will have a good young squad ready to challenge if they can’t this season.

Im a huge fan of Buckley and how he reacts now will show what kind of character he his. Equally I expect Wharton to have similar dips. Buckley hasn’t had much competition for a place before and hopefully they can both push each other on and end up being our xavi/iniesta ( or at least an Aldi version)

COYB

[Mike E]

Shiny sticker! Buckley has signed a 5-year deal!

Hopefully with Phillips and the Whartons to follow!

[bluebruce]

24 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Definitely see some sense in it but still we don't know if they will be here beyond May and if they are, they will be decisions made eating into next seasons budget.

We don't know if they will be here beyond May, that would apply to any loanee. But in this case there will be more power for us to keep them if we want to. That has to be a plus over a normal loan.

Yes, any player eats into our budget, whether owned or loaned, that's a given.

[bluebruce]

2 minutes ago, Mike E said:

Shiny sticker! Buckley has signed a 5-year deal!

Hopefully with Phillips and the Whartons to follow!

Oh, I didn't honestly see that as any sort of priority. We already had 3 years left to run with him, I'd have expected to sort it at the end of this season.

Nonetheless, it's interesting and positive to see the club looking to the longer term and not wanting to repeat the mistakes we have seen with contracts recently, leaking millions away. Just hope there isn't too much of a pay rise involved in this case, as tbh his place in the first team looks less than guaranteed right now. Early in the season though.

[Galz]

10 hours ago, glen9mullan said:

In the end some deals happen, some don't. I imagine rovers target list was very large, very well researched and was already in place prior to arrival of JDT and GB.

The fact styles has gone on loan with no option suggest no-one met Barnsley's demands, so they keep the asset and send his wages elsewhere., whilst picking up a loan fee.

Transfers is an ever revolving dartboard. We tend to hear about the ones that happened, the ones we were linked with, but very few of the ones we moved for.

Names would of been getting thrown at rovers for weeks, discussions have gone on for weeks with the ones we actually got.

I'm confident the information was correct, 

This window of all windows has been the hardest to get really good information.

As some posters will confirm who i chatted with off line, we discussed a number of players. I knew Hirst was happening Saturday, but having been burnt before i was unsure if to post it but opted to do so, as its a discussion board.

I knew we were in for a player from abroad and that was going to happen, (did post it on here) but just couldn't get the name, it was water tight.

I didnt have any inclination on Szmodics or Hyam, until it came out.

I knew the asking price for BBD was £20 mill plus add ons, as that had been communicated to me, I also knew that was non negotiable and maintained throughout he would be here come Saturday.

I think going forwards we will hear less and less regarding transfers, which is exactly as it should be.

I think/hope going forward that the signings will be all tied up in good time ready for the window to open and will be done and dusted for at least a couple of top long term targets. With the new structure in place then that is achievable. We now have football people running this side of the game as opposed to criminals in the past. 

[Ossydave]

Buckley needs to turn the glimpses of being a quality player to something a lot more consistent now. Let's hope the healthy competition in midfield now spurs him on a bit.

Glad to see GB getting stuck into the contract situation now, he's starting to make his stamp on things.