Transfers, 2024-25 season

[Toonpack 10860]

2 minutes ago, sammynb said:

 

But that's not how it works, the first one blamed is the manager, especially when they aren't the DOF's "man".

 

We have been in a league cup semi final 3 times in our history, Eddie's got 2 of those, we've finished 4th, 7th and will be top 7 this season.

 

Mitchell's man or not, Eddie's seat isn't even tepid, never mind hot.

 

The only folks who'll be blaming Eddie are pissy pants fans who've forgotten  where we've come from not so very long ago.

[Gemmill 48386]

Just now, sammynb said:

 

Nothing to do with the fans. Mitchell will have instilled himself into the position of dealing with the PIF and making sure EH just get on with training and managing. It's that typical middle management cunt v worker.

 

 

I mean that's the DoF structure working as it should. 

[ewerk 32267]

1 minute ago, Gemmill said:

 

Dragging the lad in press conferences and lamenting his application doesn't seem like the best way of drumming up business at a good price. 

No but it’s a way of burning bridges so there’s no way back for the player.

[sammynb 3720]

Just now, Gemmill said:

 

Dragging the lad in press conferences and lamenting his application doesn't seem like the best way of drumming up business at a good price. 

 

Ratcliffe would probably drive him to a new club and let him go for free if he could get  the almost 400k a week of the wage bill.

[sammynb 3720]

4 minutes ago, Gemmill said:

 

 

I mean that's the DoF structure working as it should. 

 

Again Scotty you are correct but it is usually the structure before the manager is hired, not the gaffer first then a DoF and then another DoF, all the while neither "seemingly" contributing much to the playing squad.

 

PIF will be having expectations, what they are we obviously don't know but there will be most likely some level of Europe for next season.

Edited 4 hours ago by sammynb

[Gemmill 48386]

Just now, sammynb said:

 

Again Scotty you are correct but it is usually the structure before the manager is hired, not the gaffer first then a DoF and then another DoF, all the while neither "seemingly" contributing much to the playing squad.

 

The bloke hasn't even been here a season man. Not even a full year.

 

The obsession with painting him as the bad bloke who has a vendetta against Howe is weird. Especially as the two seem to be working perfectly well together. 

[sammynb 3720]

1 minute ago, Gemmill said:

 

The bloke hasn't even been here a season man. Not even a full year.

 

The obsession with painting him as the bad bloke who has a vendetta against Howe is weird. Especially as the two seem to be working perfectly well together. 

 

22 minutes ago, sammynb said:

Playing devil's advocate, surely it's fine to work towards players that are here/part of the setup for the next 4 or 5 years and the club can take their chance by weakening the squad by selling Kelly, Miggy, Targett or Longstaff but the league is extremely tight from fourth to tenth and with a few key injuries it's not inconceivable that we will struggle for bodies and could finish out of the European places again. Nothing is guaranteed.

And you would think without Europe again, the next level of player we hope the club are after, plus the ones we want to keep, becomes less likely.

It's still a squad game, even if some aren't up to the level we'd like.

 

 

[Gemmill 48386]

That post is not an explanation for painting Mitchell as some sort of vaudeville villain. 

[Holden McGroin 7236]

I’d say it’s all about the fans. If shit goes wrong then the fan base will calling for someone’s head.

[Toonpack 10860]

You need some players Eddie? hmmm, meet me at the railway line to discuss.

 

[sammynb 3720]

Not sure what you want here Gemma. It's all conjecture and we know fuck all about the goings on behind closed doors. You seem to have a thing for Mitchell, I have no idea about him other than that shitty interview he did that put Eddie's nose out of joint. Vaudeville villain? As I said I'm just being devil's advocate.

Question for you seeing you're ITK, do you really think EH will be happy about selling/losing three or four first team squad players in January, with no replacements, when they are on the cusp of finishing in a European places and still in two cup competitions?

Edited 4 hours ago by sammynb

[Toonpack 10860]

1 minute ago, Holden McGroin said:

I’d say it’s all about the fans. If shit goes wrong then the fan base will calling for someone’s head.

 It's the definition of what's gone wrong that's the issue, finishing top seven with a cup semi final (possible final) is not "going wrong" IMO.

[Holden McGroin 7236]

Just now, Toonpack said:

 It's the definition of what's gone wrong that's the issue, finishing top seven with a cup semi final (possible final) is not "going wrong" IMO.

What about finishing 8th, getting knocked out by Arsenal, after not improving the squad over the last 3 transfer windows?

 

This could go well or really badly.

[Gemmill 48386]

4 minutes ago, sammynb said:

Not sure what you want here Gemma. It's all conjecture and we know fuck all about the goings on behind closed doors. You seem to have a thing for Mitchell, I have no idea about him other than that shitty interview he did that put Eddie's nose out of joint. Vaudeville villain? As I said I'm just being devil's advocate.

Question for you seeing you're ITK, do you really think EH will be happy about selling/losing three or four first team squad players in January, with no replacements, when they are on the cusp of finishing in a European places and still in two cup competitions?

 

A manager is never going to be happy about having a smaller pool of players to pick from. 

 

But I don't think that means that him and Mitchell are at loggerheads. They're both working to the same constraints. 

 

I cannot fucking wait for Hot Mitch Summer. 

[sammynb 3720]

Just now, Holden McGroin said:

What about finishing 8th, getting knocked out by Arsenal, after not improving the squad over the last 3 transfer windows?

 

This could go well or really badly.

 

Fuck, don't say it out loud Holden, the superstitious lot will be after you.

[sammynb 3720]

1 minute ago, Gemmill said:

I cannot fucking wait for Hot Mitch Summer. 

 

We can all see it now.

 

[wykikitoon 22014]

We need to sell when we can I suppose and maybe big Mitch had laid the law down so we aren't in the situation we were in last summer. 

[Dr Gloom 23061]

1 hour ago, Toonpack said:

Eddie's only been stiffed, if he's not on board with the strategy and internally they are demanding results as if he had all the tools at his disposal. I would reckon that's unlikely the case.

 

They want to win it all consistently, that's what we're building towards, Eddie'll know that.

it’s all hypothetical paper talk at this stage but I would be amazed if he’s on board with his squad being weakened by three players.

 

I was struck by how weak the bench was yesterday. Willock and Osula our only forward options - Willock is low on confidence and he doesn’t trust Osula to bring him on earlier than the 80th minute. Barnes is out for another month. Wilson will apparently be ready sooner but who knows if he manages to stay fit this time. 

 

We’re desperate for reinforcements in that area. If we do shift another two players, it is asking miracles of Howe. Perhaps they’re just resigned to rolling the dice on his ability to galvanise a threadbare group of players once again.  

[Toonpack 10860]

20 minutes ago, Holden McGroin said:

What about finishing 8th, getting knocked out by Arsenal, after not improving the squad over the last 3 transfer windows?

 

This could go well or really badly.

 

From where we were, it's amazingly good tbh.

[Kid Dynamite 7440]

54 minutes ago, ewerk said:

Rashford will be fantastic for the rest of the season. Villa will pay £85m for him and he’ll instantly turn to shit.

 

Remember where you heard it first.

The option to buy is £40m

[Kid Dynamite 7440]

23 minutes ago, Holden McGroin said:

What about finishing 8th, getting knocked out by Arsenal, after not improving the squad over the last 3 transfer windows?

 

This could go well or really badly.

That's the gamble, because another season with no trophies and no Europe is when Gordon, Isak and Bruno start looking elsewhere

[Toonpack 10860]

2 minutes ago, Dr Gloom said:

it’s all hypothetical paper talk at this stage but I would be amazed if he’s on board with his squad being weakened by three players.

 

I was struck by how weak the bench was yesterday. Willock and Osula our only forward options - Willock is low on confidence and he doesn’t trust Osula to bring him on earlier than the 80th minute. Barnes is out for another month. Wilson will apparently be ready sooner but who knows if he manages to stay fit this time. 

 

We’re desperate for reinforcements in that area. If we do shift another two players, it is asking miracles of Howe. Perhaps they’re just resigned to rolling the dice on his ability to galvanise a threadbare group of players once again.  

 

Oh I'm sure he'd like new players to work with, but I also think he'll be realistic about stuff so long as the board/Mitchell etc. are ;letting him know that they're not demanding miracles.

[Dr Gloom 23061]

1 minute ago, Toonpack said:

 

From where we were, it's amazingly good tbh.

where we were in 2020? Well yeah. But as we’re getting on for five years into the takeover I’d say it’s par. Not a disaster but another nearly season would be disappointing given how promising it was looking.
 

Reminds me of the chances missed under Ashley to kick on from a position of strength. The difference being we then had an owner who didn’t care. Now we have ambitious owners who seemingly can’t find a way to invest due to a mix of financial regulation and failure to boost the commercial revenue to allow us to spend. 

[Toonpack 10860]

2 minutes ago, Kid Dynamite said:

That's the gamble, because another season with no trophies and no Europe is when Gordon, Isak and Bruno start looking elsewhere

 

I would reckon the club internally will know what the vibe is with that too.

[Dr Gloom 23061]

Isak will be away in the summer if we fail to get champions league, no question.