Can SUFC attract quality players?

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Woodwardfan

Woodwardfan
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What sort of reputation have SUFC got in the world of football and in the eyes of potential player recruits and their agents?

1. Owners:

McCabe. Genuine supporter, strong character took on Premier League and won over Tevez affair. Highly committed but 'hire and fire' mentality, no longer has any perceived value for long term building blocks for a squad under one manager for the future.

The Prince: Unknown, Saudi-Arabian Prince who has invested a modest amount in today's terms and no sign of throwing money at the club. Do Saudis generally have a favourable image? Maybe not in human rights etc but yes in wealth,perhaps.

2. The Manager:

Wilder is a League 2 and non-league manager who has never got sacked and looks to build on sound values for the long term. Straight speaking, no 'airs and graces', simple approach to the game, socially popular in the game. Relatively modest record trophy-wise at modest clubs but career took off remarkably last season when his club Northampton were crowned run-away League 2 Champions in a season when their squad and staff were unpaid on occasions before a mid-season change of ownership of the club. A "modern manager on the upward curve" according to his new club owner. Maybe a seasoned manager who has eventually achieved some success, depends how a prospective player might look at it.

Wilder's previous club Oxford were also promoted and some credit is due to him for laying solid foundations there, though he was not universally popular during his spell at the club and a strong bond with the Oxford Chairman saved him his job at times.

Is there mileage in tagging on to the coat tails of the Wilder/ Knill duo in a rapid climb up the leagues? What is their style of football - modern, progressive?

3. Wage Budget.

Still amongst top 3 in the League due to size of the club but a definite tightening of the purse strings now offers incentives for success rather than high basic salaries; the chances of success are debatable after 6 years in L1 and an unprecedented turnover of the playing staff this summer. Inevitably all the new signings will take time to settle and the accent is on youth too, but there is the opportunity to get in there and be a 'main man' straight away.

4. Morale/ Crowd.

Known as one of the best and at the same time one of the worst home crowds in L1. Away teams are routinely told to keep the game tight for 20 minutes or so and the home crowd will get nervous and inhibit their own players by passing on anxieties.

Great to play in front of 20000 crowds when things go well but this crowd has been used and abused for almost a decade and has run short of patience and forgiveness. Big hope that the new manager/ Blades fan will bring the club together at all levels.

The away following is the best in the division and will back their players until things start going wrong and then they can really make their frustrations heard at some of these small club grounds with 3/4000 crowds.

5. Temporary home for placement of quality youth players on loan from higher leagues for personal development.

Wilder/ Knill reputation for young player development, teaching good habits in a 'modern environment'? I wouldn't know but fear not.

6. Sheffield as a place to live, good city, strong footballing culture, big ground to play at, great training facilities. Reasonable nightclub scene, not far from Manchester. Good local press and local radio, big football commitment

Players with ability get more than one offer and I hope Wilder has few problems attracting players but we are not exactly the club to aspire towards without any doubts are we? I sense Wilder will know his top 20 targets without really having to study too hard and I hope he gets good responses from at least 10 of them well before the pre-season friendlies start. In actual fact if a player knows his next home is League 1 there aren't any more attractive clubs or managers: Bradford/ Parkinson, Coventry/ Mowbray, Charlton, Bolton, Millwall/ Harris, Walsall, Rochdale, Southend, none any better I hope.

I think we are far from perfect but we are still the best opportunity in League 1 for any ambitious players who seek an opportunity at this level.
 
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I agree that we are the best option if attendencies,city,stadia,pay as one looks on the full package.
Whether we are a attractive proposition to good solid pro's or exciting young lads all we ask is once you pull on the red n white shirt you give everything you've got.................win,lose or draw the shoreham masses will always love a player who wears his heart on his sleeve,its in our DNA
 
What sort of reputation have SUFC got in the world of football and in the eyes of potential player recruits and their agents?

1. Owners:

McCabe. Genuine supporter, strong character took on Premier League and won over Tevez affair. Highly committed but 'hire and fire' mentality, no longer has any perceived value for long term building blocks for a squad under one manager for the future.

The Prince: Unknown, Saudi-Arabian Prince who has invested a modest amount in today's terms and no sign of throwing money at the club. Do Saudis generally have a favourable image? Maybe not in human rights etc but yes in wealth,perhaps.

2. The Manager:

Wilder is a League 2 and non-league manager who has never got sacked and looks to build on sound values for the long term. Straight speaking, no 'airs and graces', simple approach to the game, socially popular in the game. Relatively modest record trophy-wise at modest clubs but career took off remarkably last season when his club Northampton were crowned run-away League 2 Champions in a season when their squad and staff were unpaid on occasions before a mid-season change of ownership of the club. A "modern manager on the upward curve" according to his new club owner. Maybe a seasoned manager who has eventually achieved some success, depends how a prospective player might look at it.

Wilder's previous club Oxford were also promoted and some credit is due to him for laying solid foundations there, though he was not universally popular during his spell at the club and a strong bond with the Oxford Chairman saved him his job at times.

Is there mileage in tagging on to the coat tails of the Wilder/ Knill duo in a rapid climb up the leagues? What is their style of football - modern, progressive?

3. Wage Budget.

Still amongst top 3 in the League due to size of the club but a definite tightening of the purse strings now offers incentives for success rather than high basic salaries; the chances of success are debatable after 6 years in L1 and an unprecedented turnover of the playing staff this summer. Inevitably all the new signings will take time to settle and the accent is on youth too, but there is the opportunity to get in there and be a 'main man' straight away.

4. Morale/ Crowd.

Known as one of the best and at the same time one of the worst home crowds in L1. Away teams are routinely told to keep the game tight for 20 minutes or so and the home crowd will get nervous and inhibit their own players by passing on anxieties.

Great to play in front of 20000 crowds when things go well but this crowd has been used and abused for almost a decade and has run short of patience and forgiveness. Big hope that the new manager/ Blades fan will bring the club together at all levels.

The away following is the best in the division and will back their players until things start going wrong and then they can really make their frustrations heard at some of these small club grounds with 3/4000 crowds.

5. Temporary home for placement of quality youth players on loan from higher leagues for personal development.

Wilder/ Knill reputation for young player development, teaching good habits in a 'modern environment'? I wouldn't know but fear not.

6. Sheffield as a place to live, good city, strong footballing culture, big ground to play at, great training facilities. Reasonable nightclub scene, not far from Manchester. Good local press and local radio, big football commitment

Players with ability get more than one offer and I hope Wilder has few problems attracting players but we are not exactly the club to aspire towards without any doubts are we? I sense Wilder will know his top 20 targets without really having to study too hard and I hope he gets good responses from at least 10 of them well before the pre-season friendlies start. In actual fact if a player knows his next home is League 1 there aren't any more attractive clubs or managers: Bradford/ Parkinson, Coventry/ Mowbray, Charlton, Bolton, Millwall/ Harris, Walsall, Rochdale, Southend, none any better I hope.

I think we are far from perfect but we are still the best opportunity in League 1 for any ambitious players who seek an opportunity at this level.

Woody leaves Whitby Town and becomes Director of Strategic Planning and Marketing at BDTBL.:D
 
6. Sheffield as a place to live, good city, strong footballing culture, big ground to play at, great training facilities. Reasonable nightclub scene, not far from Manchester. Good local press and local radio, big football commitment

Seriously.
Am I reading that comment as it should read?

Seriously?

Out of my depth on here.
 
Define :-

QUALITY.

Agreed... How are we defining 'quality' .... The question should be: can we attract players to improve our first team?

I would personally be offering decent wages for the current position plus added incentives for; assists, goals, consecutive games etc.

The rest takes care of itself.
 
I'll be compiling an in depth study with results, photo/video evidence and hopefully a couple of sticky menage-a-trois
reports for CW to use when hoping to attract any new player with an appetite for the nightclubs, pubs and bars
of Sheffield & Manchester.

Anyone care to join me?
 
Define :-

QUALITY.
In our case, Quality = Not totally shit.

We should be able to attract players we should be looking to attract ie. Young, hungry up and coming L1/L2 players who have proved themselves at this level. However, if we are looking to attract mediore Championship players, preferrably with a history of injuries and in need of a final payoff before heading into oblivion, then we may have to pay over the odds like we normally do.
 
There should be no reason why we are not attracting the best players at this level next season as there are no clubs with parachute payments in League one this time.

If we don't then the excuses from Mcbullshit and co will be absolute whoppers.
 
What sort of reputation have SUFC got in the world of football and in the eyes of potential player recruits and their agents?

1. Owners:

McCabe. Genuine supporter, strong character took on Premier League and won over Tevez affair. Highly committed but 'hire and fire' mentality, no longer has any perceived value for long term building blocks for a squad under one manager for the future.

The Prince: Unknown, Saudi-Arabian Prince who has invested a modest amount in today's terms and no sign of throwing money at the club. Do Saudis generally have a favourable image? Maybe not in human rights etc but yes in wealth,perhaps.

2. The Manager:

Wilder is a League 2 and non-league manager who has never got sacked and looks to build on sound values for the long term. Straight speaking, no 'airs and graces', simple approach to the game, socially popular in the game. Relatively modest record trophy-wise at modest clubs but career took off remarkably last season when his club Northampton were crowned run-away League 2 Champions in a season when their squad and staff were unpaid on occasions before a mid-season change of ownership of the club. A "modern manager on the upward curve" according to his new club owner. Maybe a seasoned manager who has eventually achieved some success, depends how a prospective player might look at it.

Wilder's previous club Oxford were also promoted and some credit is due to him for laying solid foundations there, though he was not universally popular during his spell at the club and a strong bond with the Oxford Chairman saved him his job at times.

Is there mileage in tagging on to the coat tails of the Wilder/ Knill duo in a rapid climb up the leagues? What is their style of football - modern, progressive?

3. Wage Budget.

Still amongst top 3 in the League due to size of the club but a definite tightening of the purse strings now offers incentives for success rather than high basic salaries; the chances of success are debatable after 6 years in L1 and an unprecedented turnover of the playing staff this summer. Inevitably all the new signings will take time to settle and the accent is on youth too, but there is the opportunity to get in there and be a 'main man' straight away.

4. Morale/ Crowd.

Known as one of the best and at the same time one of the worst home crowds in L1. Away teams are routinely told to keep the game tight for 20 minutes or so and the home crowd will get nervous and inhibit their own players by passing on anxieties.

Great to play in front of 20000 crowds when things go well but this crowd has been used and abused for almost a decade and has run short of patience and forgiveness. Big hope that the new manager/ Blades fan will bring the club together at all levels.

The away following is the best in the division and will back their players until things start going wrong and then they can really make their frustrations heard at some of these small club grounds with 3/4000 crowds.

5. Temporary home for placement of quality youth players on loan from higher leagues for personal development.

Wilder/ Knill reputation for young player development, teaching good habits in a 'modern environment'? I wouldn't know but fear not.

6. Sheffield as a place to live, good city, strong footballing culture, big ground to play at, great training facilities. Reasonable nightclub scene, not far from Manchester. Good local press and local radio, big football commitment

Players with ability get more than one offer and I hope Wilder has few problems attracting players but we are not exactly the club to aspire towards without any doubts are we? I sense Wilder will know his top 20 targets without really having to study too hard and I hope he gets good responses from at least 10 of them well before the pre-season friendlies start. In actual fact if a player knows his next home is League 1 there aren't any more attractive clubs or managers: Bradford/ Parkinson, Coventry/ Mowbray, Charlton, Bolton, Millwall/ Harris, Walsall, Rochdale, Southend, none any better I hope.

I think we are far from perfect but we are still the best opportunity in League 1 for any ambitious players who seek an opportunity at this level.
Nowt on telly tonight WWF?
 
Ya know what's next Chief?

Define :-

NTS

Over to you Squire.
Quality is a relative measure not an absolute. It is defined in relation to the standards you set for yourself or your team. NTS represents the next step up on the quality scale from the standard we achieved this season and should be seen as part of a continuous scatalogical process. Please don't ask me any more difficult questions, my brain hurts.
 
The club have to get it right this time - We've seen most of the local opposition get promotion from this backwater of a league whilst we've been down here. Wendies, Huddersfield, Rotherham, Barnsley, Doncaster (came back down quick). The failure of Wilson/Clough/Adkins seems to me a condemnation of the boardroom control and oversight. I'm still not convinced that our chairman has the wherewithal to guide the club in any direction other than ever decreasing circles.
 

If we offer really high wages with a clause which triggers the option to stay here regardless of performance, then we'll definitely have the edge.
What could possibly go wrong?
 
The following things will decide whether we can get any quality players we try to sign:

1. Wages
2. Wages
3. Wages


If we can offer the same or more than other clubs in the division most players would choose to sign for us due to the size of the club, although there will always be a few who can't function in any way outside of London for example, they'll sign for Charlton or Millwall instead.
 
I have to agree with Ricky as well.

I think the OP didn't take into account the lure of Stringfellow's over The Corporation on a Monday night.
The next signing for Millwall/Charlton, we need to ask.
 
The supporter's expectations too high as regards QUALITY?

Are we still shopping theoretically in M&S with only Primark finances.

We've never been Harrods quality. Well not in my lifetime.

Quality. The only version I like is Motson's, v West Ham, and he was and it was.
 
Let me explain my take on "quality": the best up and coming young prospects in league 1 and 2, plus one or two experienced players from L1 and maybe even the Championship.

As for "as a place to live": Well Prem players are known to favour London and maybe Manchester second choice, well Sheffield compares favourably to most locations apart from London but certainly such as Fleetwood, Crewe, Scunthorpe, Rochdale.
 
Let me explain my take on "quality": the best up and coming young prospects in league 1 and 2, plus one or two experienced players from L1 and maybe even the Championship.

As for "as a place to live": Well Prem players are known to favour London and maybe Manchester second choice, well Sheffield compares favourably to most locations apart from London but certainly such as Fleetwood, Crewe, Scunthorpe, Rochdale.


Edit: When I say "young" I mean under 28 years old.
 
The following things will decide whether we can get any quality players we try to sign:

1. Wages
2. Wages
3. Wages


If we can offer the same or more than other clubs in the division most players would choose to sign for us due to the size of the club, although there will always be a few who can't function in any way outside of London for example, they'll sign for Charlton or Millwall instead.

Was going to post the same thing.
If we offer good wages 95% of footballers won't give a shit about the rest.
 
Well, what about the prospect of being involved in "a project"?

Would players be more or less interested in coming to the lane given CW will be starting with a very new squad?
 
Let me explain my take on "quality": the best up and coming young prospects in league 1 and 2, plus one or two experienced players from L1 and maybe even the Championship.

As for "as a place to live": Well Prem players are known to favour London and maybe Manchester second choice, well Sheffield compares favourably to most locations apart from London but certainly such as Fleetwood, Crewe, Scunthorpe, Rochdale.

This, pretty much. It's all relative to the clubs we're competing with. Bolton, Charlton, and Coventry are similar in terms of stature and long term ambition. Otherwise, without being too big headed, if we make the same offer to a player as Peterborough, Bury, and others, it's pretty likely we'll get picked.
 
Unfortunately the bottom line for the vast majority of players is WAGES

This means we've little chance to compete with Championship teams.
Our only possibility of pushing deals over the line is "creative contracts".

However we tried being creative with Kevin McDonald and he left not long after signing
on virtually a free transfer to Wolves.

We tried to be creative with Hammond allowing him the decision to join us permanently.
That backfired because no one would have thought that an unwelcome player playing poorly would want to remain at that club.

Many have called for United to be more ruthless regards deals but that means we're going to really struggle persuading top rated players in demand to come here. We'll only bring in players under the radar.
 
Just a quick point on the "wages" front; does anyone think that any of the teams promoted last season were paid (on average) a lot more than our lads? Wigan maybe, but Burton or Barnsley?

Or to take it further, any of the ten teams that were above us at the end of the season?

Not trying to be clever as I don't know what our players or other teams players are being paid, but I can't imagine that we are not competitive on the salary front.
 
Alfreton,

We'll be able to outbid any league 1 side. It's if Champiinship teams come sniffing then we have problems.

All the known good players will attract Championship interest so we have to bid for the less obvious targets or someone who is desperate to join United or Wilder.

Like the no nonsense approach by Wilder so far.
 

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