Clough speaks on lack of deadline day movement...

[Foxy]

Sheffield United's attempts to bring in last minute additions to the playing squad ahead of the transfer window closing have been rejected.

Nigel Clough, who publicly stated that United were chasing a number of targets, has confirmed that subsequent offers have been rebuffed.

The Blades manager said: "We've been working hard to improve the squad and, with the help of the board, have made substantial bids for players. Unfortunately, our targets are valued by their current clubs, hence the bids being rejected.

"The players we highlighted would have undoubtedly improved the squad, however, we didn't want to spend the Club's money on others, who would have not necessarily made us stronger. We already have a talented squad, which we hope is capable of challenging for promotion from this division.

"We pushed right until the deadline, making multiple bids, but the players we wanted are appreciated by their respective clubs."

Clough added: "We have brought in 11 players over the summer and the closing of the transfer window is not the end of our search for players. We'll be exploring the loan market from next week with the aim of adding depth to the impressive squad we already have."

http://www.sufc.co.uk/news/article/...ids-rejected-1892317.aspx#D5CXetkc3jxwFjXU.99

 

[JohnDenver]

Not long til Chrimbo.

 

[Reedy_22]

He doesn't sound too downbeat... thankfully! I do wonder who we'll be in for when the loan market opens, I cant think of many good, realistic forwards not getting games in the league above

 

[wizadry]

Sheffield United's attempts to bring in last minute additions to the playing squad ahead of the transfer window closing have been rejected.

Nigel Clough, who publicly stated that United were chasing a number of targets, has confirmed that subsequent offers have been rebuffed.

The Blades manager said: "We've been working hard to improve the squad and, with the help of the board, have made substantial bids for players. Unfortunately, our targets are valued by their current clubs, hence the bids being rejected.

"The players we highlighted would have undoubtedly improved the squad, however, we didn't want to spend the Club's money on others, who would have not necessarily made us stronger. We already have a talented squad, which we hope is capable of challenging for promotion from this division.

"We pushed right until the deadline, making multiple bids, but the players we wanted are appreciated by their respective clubs."

Clough added: "We have brought in 11 players over the summer and the closing of the transfer window is not the end of our search for players. We'll be exploring the loan market from next week with the aim of adding depth to the impressive squad we already have."

http://www.sufc.co.uk/news/article/...ids-rejected-1892317.aspx#D5CXetkc3jxwFjXU.99

Cheers foxy,no sign as to who the players were then?

 

[Small Mendonca]

We'll be exploring the loan market from next week with the aim of adding depth to the IMPRESSIVE squad we already have."

Does he really believe our squad is impressive? Wow. Can a squad that scores hardly any goals be impressive?

 

[metalblade]

A pity the board didn't spend as much time trying to get players in as they obviously did on wording that bullshit apology.

 

[Reedy_22]

Cheers foxy,no sign as to who the players were then?

I'm going to guess the defenders were possibly Pearce, Buxton & Brayford. If I'm right i can see why they'd be rejected, big players for their respective clubs.

 

[puppet]

Same sh*t, different transfer window

 

[Rollerball]

Impressive is subjective, Jeffrey dahmer was impressive tho not in a good way, maybe cloughy feels we are impressive in a radical new meaning of the word.
Unlike a few, I am not disappointed because I wasn't expecting much if anything to happen regarding this window, I felt after 11 signings, we would do nothing unless raheim sterling was offered to us for 30 bob and a bag of gob stoppers.
We will probably bring in a couple of stop gaps on loan, then offload dead wood and make a concerted effort in January so don't lose heart just yet.
Good things may just be around the metaphorical corner.
UTB

 

[sheffielder]

Impressive is subjective, Jeffrey dahmer was impressive tho not in a good way, maybe cloughy feels we are impressive in a radical new meaning of the word.
Unlike a few, I am not disappointed because I wasn't expecting much if anything to happen regarding this window, I felt after 11 signings, we would do nothing unless raheim sterling was offered to us for 30 bob and a bag of gob stoppers.
We will probably bring in a couple of stop gaps on loan, then offload dead wood and make a concerted effort in January so don't lose heart just yet.
Good things may just be around the metaphorical corner.
UTB

a midfield where you can choose the likes of Murphy, Scoogs, Wallace and Baxter should be good enough for this division. I believe one settled we will evolve into a top 3-4 team. More disappointed with not signing a centre back than a centre forward.

 

[Latters]

Does he really believe our squad is impressive? Wow. Can a squad that scores hardly any goals be impressive?

We have an average third tier squad. Our summer signings were from teams like Walsall, Tranmere, Peterborough, Swindon, Notts County, the sinking ship that is Blackpool, somebody in Scotland, somebody that got relegated in Holland and so on. The more we sign players from these clubs, with no ambitious signings to complement them, the more parity there is between us and said clubs. Fair enough, sign hundreds of steady players like Alcock, Mceverley, McNulty et al. but if you want to get progress you need to intersperse some quality amongst them to actually set you apart from the dross. We have Murphy and Baxter who are good players at this level. You wouldn't bat an eyelid at any of the others signing for any team in this division, because they are average League 1 players.

All we needed was one or two quality signings, but we've ended up with nothing but steady and average.

The game may have changed, but the rules still seem to be the same.

 

[Sothall_Blade]

Sheffield United's attempts to bring in last minute additions to the playing squad ahead of the transfer window closing have been rejected.

Nigel Clough, who publicly stated that United were chasing a number of targets, has confirmed that subsequent offers have been rebuffed.

The Blades manager said: "We've been working hard to improve the squad and, with the help of the board, have made substantial bids for players. Unfortunately, our targets are valued by their current clubs, hence the bids being rejected.

"The players we highlighted would have undoubtedly improved the squad, however, we didn't want to spend the Club's money on others, who would have not necessarily made us stronger. We already have a talented squad, which we hope is capable of challenging for promotion from this division.

"We pushed right until the deadline, making multiple bids, but the players we wanted are appreciated by their respective clubs."

Clough added: "We have brought in 11 players over the summer and the closing of the transfer window is not the end of our search for players. We'll be exploring the loan market from next week with the aim of adding depth to the impressive squad we already have."

http://www.sufc.co.uk/news/article/...ids-rejected-1892317.aspx#D5CXetkc3jxwFjXU.99

Fair enough.
My main fears today were that we would sell a key player or that the board would refuse to bid for the players Clough wanted.
Neither appears to have happened, so I'm quite relieved.
We still need to sign a couple of loan players though.

 

[JOEYDEE]

We still haven't replaced the QUALITY of Bray,Coady,and Harry,NC has brought in some decent signings,but nowhere near replacing the other three.These would have been ok if these had stayed..thats our problem imo,plus...the still outstanding problem of a decent proper striker..ah well,the windows closed now,so no permanent signings,just a few journeymen to look forward to ..great !

 

[Chezzy_Blade]

We still haven't replaced the QUALITY of Bray,Coady,and Harry,NC has brought in some decent signings,but nowhere near replacing the other three.These would have been ok if these had stayed..thats our problem imo,plus...the still outstanding problem of a decent proper striker..ah well,the windows closed now,so no permanent signings,just a few journeymen to look forward to ..great !

Based on a few games how can you possibly say that? Brayford was a luxury but I don't see why people can't get their head around the fact that he was never our player. To have him was a bonus but as with every loan player, if they play well whilst they are with you then they are only putting themselves back in the plans of their parent club or in our case as a league one club you alert championship clubs of the quality of the player. It seems as far as Brayford stands the club have been ambitious in trying to bring him back however probably due to a change in their own circumstances see him as an important player for them.

As for Coady and Maguire as I started my post how can you possibly say on a handful of games that we haven't replaced the quality? Young McGahey got a bit of stick from me at the beginning of the season for his errors however he has since changed my mind and seems to be coming along nicely. Looking at Harry Maguire, he was solid however he was far from perfect and made many a mistake himself. At a handful of games into the season there is nothing to say that McGahey can't adequately fill Harry Maguires boots. In regards to Coady it seems that in Wallace we have signed one of the top prospects outside of the top flight in Wallace, it seems that the lad has been unfortunate with injuries of late however when fit he could potentially be better than Coady who knows. The feedback I have read in regards to Wallace is nothing but positive and I can't wait to see him firing on all cylinders!

I think a combination of extremely high expectations after a good season when Clough came in last year partnered with a shaky start to this season has clouded the judgement and produced negativity in a good few blades fans. Nigel Clough is right and perfectly entitled to point out that we have done some very good business this summer, he is also well within his rights to point out that we have one of if not the best squad in this league on paper. We now have to trust in him to do what he did last year and get them playing football as a unit, scoring goals and winning games.

Let us not forget what we have achieved over the last few games. We have picked up 7 points in the last three league games and where as we have had a poor start to the season, these 3 teams took off a lot better than us and 2 of these opponents should be there or there about come the end of the season and we picked up important early points against them. We haven't been prolific but we have picked up points which can't be sniffed at.

It is way too early to write any of the new signings off! It is way too early to say that the proven goalscorers who we have signed will fire blanks with us!. Common sense says that we have already shown signs of progression this season and naturally should we continue to do so and gather a bit of momentum then things hopefully can only get better. Give the lads a chance and get behind them! Look at what we achieved last year?

 

[Cyprus Blade]

It just seems to me that to publicly state we are 3 players short, bid for 3 players and end up with none by the time the transfer window closes says nothing good about the club's ambition, its ability to identify viable transfer targets, its negotiating acumen or its ability to successfully land players we are genuinely in need of to get us out of this dreadful division. That press release is nothing but an exercise in lowering expectations. Let's see what we get on loan.

 

[Maidenhead]

Looking at the Sky Sports list it seems that there were 12 (TWELVE) deals done by the clubs in our league yesterday and here we have people moaning that we didn't boost that number by a mere 25%.

I am still looking to see who we sold.

 

[HolmesfieldBlade]

To be perfectly honest I think some of you need to get a grip. What is it with the amount of pessimism and depressing on these boards at times?!?

We failed to get a player or two on dead like day, whoopty-do.

Regardless we have a great squad capable of securing promotion already.

In clough we trust!!!!

 

[Torrix1889]

McCabe to arrange another "pastoral" visit then....

 

[HolmesfieldBlade]

We've also played Bristol City, preston, Peterborough, Coventry and West Ham in the first 6 games of the season so I really don't see the drabness right now.

When we get a few whipping boys you'll all be singing the clubs praises... Just remember if we loose it's not the end of the world, if we win we're not Barcelona,..

 

[Bookers Mullet]

I'm not sure what worries me the most to be honest, the fact that we didn't sign anyone as we couldn't afford them or the fact that the only targets Clough could identify to improve the team were pretty much unreachable to start with.

Our squads a pretty solid top ten league one side, but I would have thought there are lots of players out there within a reasonable budget that would improve it, but I'm no scout so maybe even the targets from lower sides were asking silly money for players.

 

[cahill]

To be perfectly honest I think some of you need to get a grip. What is it with the amount of pessimism and depressing on these boards at times?!?

We failed to get a player or two on dead like day, whoopty-do.

Regardless we have a great squad capable of securing promotion already.

In clough we trust!!!!

Indeed.

 

[davidpinder]

So we didn't sell anyone? Really? OMG this is like better than Christmas. Guys come on WE DID NOT SELL ANYONE forget bringing anyone in when did we ever do that? The fact we didn't sell anyone is a big step forward.

 

[Rodley]

We still haven't replaced the QUALITY of Bray,Coady,and Harry,NC has brought in some decent signings,but nowhere near replacing the other three.These would have been ok if these had stayed..thats our problem imo,plus...the still outstanding problem of a decent proper striker..ah well,the windows closed now,so no permanent signings,just a few journeymen to look forward to ..great !

Yep few journeymen loans like Brayford and Coady last season.

 

[Houso]

In clough we trust!!!!

Who was the one who said we needed more in prior to yesterday!

You can't have it both ways.

 

[anglian blade]

Yep few journeymen loans like Brayford and Coady last season.

I think loans are the best way of attracting quality players to a League 1 club as they are otherwise reluctant to step down a division or two

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

A pity the board didn't spend as much time trying to get players in as they obviously did on wording that bullshit apology.

You think Clough is the type of guy to read out a board prepared statement protecting themselves when they've been tossing it off and not supporting him? Sorry that just doesn't follow what we've seen from him so far.

 

[grafikhaus]

Our squads a pretty solid top ten league one side, but I would have thought there are lots of players out there within a reasonable budget that would improve it, but I'm no scout so maybe even the targets from lower sides were asking silly money for players.

Sean Dyche (Burnley manager) said 'the game has changed' when Fulham paid £11m for Ross McCormack. It means that even Burnley in the PL (temporarily) are being priced out of even average players.

Yes, expectations have once again been raised by noises about 'targets' coming out of the club. But what else can they do? Remain silent? That would lead to the usual suspects claiming non-communication from the club.

Any transfer is a gamble but I firmly believe that Callum Wilson would have almost guaranteed promotion. But have we got £3m + wages*? And what would be the effect on the others in the dressing room?

(* As an aside, Man. U loaning Radamel Falcao on £280,000 a week is good news for Shrek. He's having to make do on a mere £230,000 a week, but a clause in his latest contract states that he must be the highest earner at Old Trafford. So kerching! A £50k a week pay rise. That'll pay for a few grannies!)

 

[wizadry]

(* As an aside, Man. U loaning Radamel Falcao on £280,000 a week is good news for Shrek. He's having to make do on a mere £230,000 a week, but a clause in his latest contract states that he must be the highest earner at Old Trafford. So kerching! A £50k a week pay rise. That'll pay for a few grannies!)

Plus he can nick some hair off Falcao,instead of paying £15k and having an hair transplant

 

[super_pig]

Same sh*t, different transfer window

not quite.. at least we didn't sell Howard, Baxter, Scoogs or Murphy 30 seconds before the end of the deadline..
did we?? shit. i better check

 

[wizadry]

not quite.. at least we didn't sell Howard, Baxter, Scoogs or Murphy 30 seconds before the end of the deadline..
did we?? shit. i better check

I know people's expectations were raised, but this was what i said yesterday.As long as we don't get rid of any of our main players i would be happy,as this would be seen as a step in the right direction compared to previous transfer windows,and i will stick to that.That said,i will only be happy if we get a couple of quality loans in.