January Transfer window

[B16Rover]

Lowe have recalled their lad from Walsall.  Sounds like Cannon might be off? 

[onlyonejackwalker]

A lot of niggling going on. Seemingly, passions are running high following the Burnley loss and two from the last fifteen.

I get it, but pleasingly as seen away at Boro, Eustace and the team aren't moaning and groaning. More importantly he is getting a team threatened with relegation last year, contending for the play offs this year. Without last years star performer.

And whilst it's always important to reinforce and improve the squad, I think it's equally important we remain balanced, shift Sigurdsson asap, get Travis, Carter and Pickering back and only recruit the right type of player to supplement this group.

And we've also got to keep working woth our non-scoring midfielders and attackers and try and get some results from players already here. We especially need more goal threat from Gueye, Leonard, Ohashi and Cantwell.

I sincerely doubt any new player is suddenly going to make a huge difference to our fortunes. I can't think of many over the years. I dont think we need a big name or superstar, just a hardworking grounded 9 or 10 who can hit the target consistently when chances arrive.

I don't even think we need blistering pace like all and sundry keep recommending. What use Ian Miller skinning his full back down the wing and floating crosses over. For who? Gueye? Or Wilcox and Ripley stealing a yard and whipping a ball in. How about Donis tripping over his feet?

You get up the pitch in modern football by retaining possession. Not hoofing it over the top. Fine, on the counter it would be good to hurt teams with pace, but who going to keep up with Usain Bolt once we sign him? Cantwell? Ohashi? Hedges? 

I don't think Sanderson has been signed as 4th choice like many believe. Eustace has said how highly he rates him. Equally Batth and Hyam have been dynamite. I'm wondering if he's thinking of three at the back, flooding midfield and getting two of our better players in Brittain and Beck into more advanced positions. 

Regardless I'm trusting Eustace. I think he deserves that. If management prevent him functioning as he wishes he will get a gig elsewhere. I'm not worrying about something that's not happened yet. He has said there is some money available, he has said he wants a greater goal threat. I'm confident we are going to recruit someone he can work with.

 

[Mattyblue]

Who doesn’t trust Eustace or think he doesn’t deserve said trust?

[RevidgeBlue]

57 minutes ago, Eddie said:

I've got zero sympathy for Eustace if he is frustrated.

He watched exactly the same thing happen to JDT and would have had to have been willfully ignorant to have not been aware of it.

Not only that, but he came into the club and immediately spoke about the focus on survival and played his own (small) part in the continual lowering of expectations within the club.

So, now he should be surprised? Because we are doing a bit better than expected halfway through the season? He thought he would be the manager that got backing? Or that Rudy would get money to spend that Broughton didn't? Or that he would be loved in India because he didn't mention the coach for a while? 

He took the job. I don't blame him. But the parameters haven't shifted. I feel sorry for the supporters. I feel sorry for some members of staff. But I have zero sympathy for the manager and his coaching staff and I'll have even less respect for him if he resigns for 'broken promises' that he should never have believed in the first place. 

That's a shocking post.

You've never liked him from day one and now you're trying to stick the boot into him for something he hasn't even done!

IF he is frustrated (and no-one apart from you would blame him) he isn't showing it and is conducting himself impeccably in a thoroughly professional manner. 

Unlike JDT in the latter stages. Don't think Eustace will ever throw in the towel.

[lraC]

1 hour ago, Eddie said:

I've got zero sympathy for Eustace if he is frustrated.

He watched exactly the same thing happen to JDT and would have had to have been willfully ignorant to have not been aware of it.

Not only that, but he came into the club and immediately spoke about the focus on survival and played his own (small) part in the continual lowering of expectations within the club.

So, now he should be surprised? Because we are doing a bit better than expected halfway through the season? He thought he would be the manager that got backing? Or that Rudy would get money to spend that Broughton didn't? Or that he would be loved in India because he didn't mention the coach for a while? 

He took the job. I don't blame him. But the parameters haven't shifted. I feel sorry for the supporters. I feel sorry for some members of staff. But I have zero sympathy for the manager and his coaching staff and I'll have even less respect for him if he resigns for 'broken promises' that he should never have believed in the first place. 

I did think at the time of his appointment that he was a yes man and Waggott had just gone for someone, who would just accept his lot. For that reason and for some of the awful football served up, I struggled to take to him, last season. 

I doff my cap to him, with regards to how well he has done this season, especially with what he has had to work with. I do agree with a lot of what you have posted though, as he would have been very naive, had he not known what lay ahead. 

[Eddie]

10 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

That's a shocking post.

You've never liked him from day one and now you're trying to stick the boot into him for something he hasn't even done!

IF he is frustrated (and no-one apart from you would blame him) he isn't showing it and is conducting himself impeccably in a thoroughly professional manner. 

Unlike JDT in the latter stages. Don't think Eustace will ever throw in the towel.

He's actually won me over. 

I think we are really well organized and he's doing pretty well with a fairly limited squad. I don't think we're at risk of losing him to a Premier League job, but he's a good manager and could have a very good stint here if he's given the time and resources necessary to succeed in the Championship.

But that doesn't change the fact that he took the job just after the club had misled and stifled the previous manager. It doesn't change the fact that we've had over a decade of every decent manager either gradually lose interest and see this as a nice payday (Mowbray) or get so frustrated that they've got to leave (JDT, Lambert). 

I would have sympathy for a foreign manager who might not have been as aware of the ongoings, but it is impossible to believe that someone like Eustace won't have been fully aware of what he was getting himself into.

That isn't me being critical for him taking the job. I'm happy that he's here, but he can't really cry ignorance when the money never arrives, the best players are sold, and the club is a circus behind the scenes. 

[K-Hod]

1 hour ago, Eddie said:

I've got zero sympathy for Eustace if he is frustrated.

He watched exactly the same thing happen to JDT and would have had to have been willfully ignorant to have not been aware of it.

Not only that, but he came into the club and immediately spoke about the focus on survival and played his own (small) part in the continual lowering of expectations within the club.

So, now he should be surprised? Because we are doing a bit better than expected halfway through the season? He thought he would be the manager that got backing? Or that Rudy would get money to spend that Broughton didn't? Or that he would be loved in India because he didn't mention the coach for a while? 

He took the job. I don't blame him. But the parameters haven't shifted. I feel sorry for the supporters. I feel sorry for some members of staff. But I have zero sympathy for the manager and his coaching staff and I'll have even less respect for him if he resigns for 'broken promises' that he should never have believed in the first place. 

If you don’t have any sympathy for a manager who’s working miracles with a bang average squad, who is employed by Venky’s, I’d suggest opening your eyes.

[Eddie]

Just now, K-Hod said:

If you don’t have any sympathy for a manager who’s working miracles with a bang average squad, who is employed by Venky’s, I’d suggest opening your eyes.

Miracles is a bit strong, but he's doing a good job.

[K-Hod]

10 minutes ago, Eddie said:

Miracles is a bit strong, but he's doing a good job.

We narrowly avoided relegation last season and lost pretty much our only source of goals at the start of this season.

Now, we’re half way through the season and in the play off picture.

Having had to explain that, I think I was about right in recommending opening your eyes.

[RevidgeBlue]

13 minutes ago, Eddie said:

He's actually won me over. 

I think we are really well organized and he's doing pretty well with a fairly limited squad. I don't think we're at risk of losing him to a Premier League job, but he's a good manager and could have a very good stint here if he's given the time and resources necessary to succeed in the Championship.

But that doesn't change the fact that he took the job just after the club had misled and stifled the previous manager. It doesn't change the fact that we've had over a decade of every decent manager either gradually lose interest and see this as a nice payday (Mowbray) or get so frustrated that they've got to leave (JDT, Lambert). 

I would have sympathy for a foreign manager who might not have been as aware of the ongoings, but it is impossible to believe that someone like Eustace won't have been fully aware of what he was getting himself into.

That isn't me being critical for him taking the job. I'm happy that he's here, but he can't really cry ignorance when the money never arrives, the best players are sold, and the club is a circus behind the scenes. 

He has also specifically said recently that there is some money to spend in January so I very much doubt he would have been daft enough to go into print with that unless he had been told that by Waggott or whoever.

At the moment we're still waiting. Who knows, the Club may break the habit of the last few January windows and eventually exceed our expectations but if things fizzle out like normal then he would still be entitled to be annoyed IF he'd been told he would be backed.

What happened under previous managers is largely irrelevant if he's been told that things will be different this January. Whether he believes it or not is another matter but a broken promise is a broken promise no matter how credible.

Edited 16 hours ago by RevidgeBlue

[M_B]

1 hour ago, Eddie said:

Phew. I know I hang on to yours.

What a perfect little circle. 

Let's call it a threesome 😁

[Eddie]

14 minutes ago, K-Hod said:

We narrowly avoided relegation last season and lost pretty much our only source of goals at the start of this season.

Now, we’re half way through the season and in the play off picture.

Having had to explain that, I think I was about right in recommending opening your eyes.

Or I could reverse it and say that we were in the playoff picture until mid-November last season and that was when we saw what was capable with a squad that is mostly unchanged? 

The reality is that the Championship isn't THAT good. It doesn't take that much to become a competitive side. Ipswich pulled off back-to-back promotions, Bristol City consistently find themselves in the top half of the table. We are surrounded by clubs who are no stronger than we are. 

Eustace is doing a good job, but this isn't Leicester winning the league. 

[Eddie]

15 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

He has also specifically said recently that there is some money to spend in January so I very much doubt he would have been daft enough to go into print with that unless he had been told that by Waggott or whoever.

I'm sure I could find similar quotes from basically all of our former managers under Venkys. Let's hope this time it is correct. 

[Crimpshrine]

32 minutes ago, Eddie said:

He's actually won me over. 

I think we are really well organized and he's doing pretty well with a fairly limited squad. I don't think we're at risk of losing him to a Premier League job, but he's a good manager and could have a very good stint here if he's given the time and resources necessary to succeed in the Championship.

But that doesn't change the fact that he took the job just after the club had misled and stifled the previous manager. It doesn't change the fact that we've had over a decade of every decent manager either gradually lose interest and see this as a nice payday (Mowbray) or get so frustrated that they've got to leave (JDT, Lambert). 

I would have sympathy for a foreign manager who might not have been as aware of the ongoings, but it is impossible to believe that someone like Eustace won't have been fully aware of what he was getting himself into.

That isn't me being critical for him taking the job. I'm happy that he's here, but he can't really cry ignorance when the money never arrives, the best players are sold, and the club is a circus behind the scenes. 

Has Eustace asked for sympathy ? Has he cried ignorance ? Has he really complained about anything ?

Don't really understand where you are coming from.

[RevidgeBlue]

Just now, Crimpshrine said:

Has Eustace asked for sympathy ? Has he cried ignorance ? Has he really complained about anything ?

Don't really understand where you are coming from.

But if he did.........

It's us fans that are creating about a lack of (quality) transfer activity as I think is our prerogative. If we're not imploring the Club to spend masses more than they can realistically afford on quality players then we're not doing our job.

And that's without even factoring in all the recent sales.

 

 

 

[Bbrovers2288]

7 hours ago, RevidgeBlue said:

I wonder what happens if Eustace doesn't like any of the names presented to him?

If he does he tells staff to light the beacon, then beacons from here to Pune are lit to signal that a decision has been made. It’s very dramatic however at the consequence of being very slow to the point of being ridiculously problematic. Still, traditions are traditions 

[den]

2 hours ago, Eddie said:

I've got zero sympathy for Eustace if he is frustrated.

He watched exactly the same thing happen to JDT and would have had to have been willfully ignorant to have not been aware of it.

Not only that, but he came into the club and immediately spoke about the focus on survival and played his own (small) part in the continual lowering of expectations within the club.

So, now he should be surprised? Because we are doing a bit better than expected halfway through the season? He thought he would be the manager that got backing? Or that Rudy would get money to spend that Broughton didn't? Or that he would be loved in India because he didn't mention the coach for a while? 

He took the job. I don't blame him. But the parameters haven't shifted. I feel sorry for the supporters. I feel sorry for some members of staff. But I have zero sympathy for the manager and his coaching staff and I'll have even less respect for him if he resigns for 'broken promises' that he should never have believed in the first place. 

You’ve no idea what he was promised Eddie. It seems reasonable listening to his comments that it was more than this - so far at least.

[Emerald Isle Rover]

I think he’s pretty much saying 

Eustace like and professional manager would do would have did his due diligence before taking the job

so he would have been aware of the court case he would have been aware of the bond he would have been aware of the limited budget available (or willing to provide)

so by those aspects he shouldn’t really be shocked or surprised that (as of yet) we haven’t got the priority signings in

i think he has handled it admirably at the minute and to be in the position we are in now is fantastic and credit to him his team and the squad 

[den]

39 minutes ago, Emerald Isle Rover said:

I think he’s pretty much saying 

Eustace like and professional manager would do would have did his due diligence before taking the job

so he would have been aware of the court case he would have been aware of the bond he would have been aware of the limited budget available (or willing to provide)

so by those aspects he shouldn’t really be shocked or surprised that (as of yet) we haven’t got the priority signings in

i think he has handled it admirably at the minute and to be in the position we are in now is fantastic and credit to him his team and the squad 

His comments since suggest he was led to believe funds would be available.

[Emerald Isle Rover]

9 minutes ago, den said:

His comments since suggest he was led to believe funds would be available.

But again it wouldn’t be the first time the balloons running the show have lied so it wouldn’t/shouldn’t be a massive shock to John if that where to be the case as there’s recent evidence of it 

either way he’s dealing with it a lot better than JDT did so fair play but itl only be so long before even a mild mannered character like JE has enough 

[Torgeir]

Eustace wouldn't accept Forshaw unless he's promised funds for an attacking player. The big question is if we're able to attract a goalscorer within our budget. It's not easy and I have my doubts...

[Emerald Isle Rover]

3 minutes ago, Torgeir said:

Eustace wouldn't accept Forshaw unless he's promised funds for an attacking player. The big question is if we're able to attract a goalscorer within our budget. It's not easy and I have my doubts...

They have had from sept to be scouting and looking for strikers home and abroad there’s no real excuse 

[Eddie]

1 hour ago, den said:

You’ve no idea what he was promised Eddie. It seems reasonable listening to his comments that it was more than this - so far at least.

I know that I don't and I agree that he's likely been promised more than has been delivered, but neither of those things are really my point. My point is that he shouldn't have believed what he was promised and should have taken the job under the assumption that he would be treated in the same way as every other manager before him. Ie - very little spend with the occasional little blip when the mood strikes (he got his in Cantwell). 

[Torgeir]

24 minutes ago, Emerald Isle Rover said:

They have had from sept to be scouting and looking for strikers home and abroad there’s no real excuse 

Yeah.

But we also know there are snowball effects and one deal can trigger a series of consecutive deals. Things change quickly. But worrying that we haven't announced a new chief scout yet, and that this is only the second transfer window to the men in charge at the moment - a vital transfer window too.

[FE123]

Forshaw is cover isn’t he. Can’t really see the issue with him on a deal till the end of the season and only likely to feature is circa 5-10 games.

 

Travis and Trondstadt clearly first choice with Buckley probably looking to feature more in the absence of Baker.

Forshaw brought in as 4th choice maybe 5th if he opts for JRC in there as well.

Crying out for some pace going forward so we can stretch teams. Would definitely bring out the best in Cantwell if we did that as well.

Dennis would be an interesting one but seems to have fallen off the face of the earth over the last 18 months which is a concern, whoever we opt for has to be match fit and be able to improve and contribute straight away. None of this taking 10 games to get up to speed.