So what's the problem NC ?

[SandyMcBlade]

We've known we needed a couple of goalscorers since well before the January window, and now it's so obvious it's starting to become embarrassing..
We seem to have a number of Midfield /strikers but none you'd call a real threat in the box, and that's not surprising really, I mean would you expect them to improving the defense by only signing Center-half / Goalkeepers ? and I do think the great goalscorers are that specialized
We've already been down the old one big bumper signing up front before and even that is a big gamble, but what is really bugging me is although we have bailed out the players we had I don't think we have had even one player for that position on trial,...

So what's the problem ?

 

[stringjunior]

Chill Sandy Mac, chill.

There is still a month till kick off. We will be prompted, and the Cloughster knows his shit. Relax my friend

 

[Woodwardfan]

Months ago I wrote an OP saying United were not keeping us well enough informed about finances. We still do not know what budget Clough is working to and this could work against him if results do not go well. Obviously we cannot be told the sums but we can be fed snippets of information which can be joined together to paint a picture.

At this point in time we do not have a clue whether Clough has the money available to spend on a quality striker if he could attract one. Time will tell, but United fans' morale is always fragile these days and I think it would be prudent for the club to give us an idea whether Clough is limited by his budget or not.

To date our signings are modest, even relative to the division we are in. Optimism has dwindled to doubt after two friendlies. We all want to believe in Clough and I think it would serve the club well to preserve his image. Past managers have been quick to point to lack of finances as an excuse. Clough does not do that, but maybe he is an "old school " bloke who shares the corporate burdens.

 

[SwindonBladeJnr]

I am probably in a minority here, but I'm not too worried if we start the season as we are in the forward positions. Don't get me wrong, if there is an opportunity to buy/sign genuine quality then we need to do it but I think we have a very strong defence and midfield for this league and don't expect us to concede many. I don't think we'll need to be the divisions top scorers to top the league!

If Murphy, Flynn, JCR, Scougall and Baxter play to their potential then I expect us to create and score enough, I really do. I've said it elsewhere, but who is to say that McNulty and Diego won't have an impact this season which would further reduce the 'need' for another attacker?

Hopefully we make a really exciting signing before the season begins but if we don't, have a little faith.

 

[SandyMcBlade]

Not seen Diego much but I wouldn't class him as a goal poacher and the club have McNulty down as a midfield player, so we are still relying on Porter in the box ...

 

[wizadry]

We got told there is funds available,and these funds what are supposedly available together with the cup run money should be plenty to get a top quality striker in for our respective league,i will try to reserve judgement though up until august 9th.

 

[SelbyBlade]

Months ago I wrote an OP saying United were not keeping us well enough informed about finances. We still do not know what budget Clough is working to and this could work against him if results do not go well. Obviously we cannot be told the sums but we can be fed snippets of information which can be joined together to paint a picture.

At this point in time we do not have a clue whether Clough has the money available to spend on a quality striker if he could attract one. Time will tell, but United fans' morale is always fragile these days and I think it would be prudent for the club to give us an idea whether Clough is limited by his budget or not.

To date our signings are modest, even relative to the division we are in. Optimism has dwindled to doubt after two friendlies. We all want to believe in Clough and I think it would serve the club well to preserve his image. Past managers have been quick to point to lack of finances as an excuse. Clough does not do that, but maybe he is an "old school " bloke who shares the corporate burdens.

I'm not sure how you give us "snippets" but not the agents wanting to bump up the price for their clients.

We have resources, in the past Harry would already be a Wolves player with 1.25Mil banked with 100K for the manager to spend. The money is there in a different way. We haven't got an Abramovic pile to work through but the investment is there so we don't need to sell and have some money when Clough needs it, also I think Clough wants to have a look at what he has before he tries to satisfy two sites and twitter who turn every post into a "when do we get a striker". Its becoming beyond embarrassing as Clough has publicly stated in the last few days he is on the look out. What if he wants to see if Diego is as good as his potential suggests? what if he knows something about Mcnulty like he did Scoogs and wants to see if he is going to produce the majority goals? what if he is setting up a goal scoring midfield rather than relying on a striker, but having a striker to work with them rather be purely fed by them? This constant obsession is ridiculous.

 

[dingledog]

That's a brilliant strategy, let's tell all the other clubs, agents etc just what our budget is. That should really strengthen our bargaining position.

 

[dublin 10 blade]

I wish some would take a deep breath and chill ax ,
Am I the only one impressed that at last we have a manager who knows the value of players and our clubs money ,
In this division I think Fulham spent big under Keegan and bought there way out of this league , when we get promoted , around the middle of April next year , then we can start worrying about big money signings for our assault on the championship ,
Our fans seem to be willing to spend thei clubs money willy nilly , and we'd end up like an American football team with the amount
of players people want to see here , I know it's not easy wanting to see our team come good , I'm frustrated as well ,
but after Mr C saved us from relegation , and gave us a smashing day at Wembley , I'm willing to let him manage our club into the future , fuck me what's it going to be like if ( when ) we lose a few .
In Clough I trust .
UTB .

 

[SandyMcBlade]

Look I'm not on about if we have any money or not, there has to be some there and I agree next season if we get promotion is the time to flash it.
But what I am surprised at is this sort of turning their back on an obvious problem, the players that are going to cost you big money are goal scorers and it's a position we seem to have very little interest in ....

 

[Rodley]

Look I'm not on about if we have any money or not, there has to be some there and I agree next season if we get promotion is the time to flash it.
But what I am surprised at is this sort of turning their back on an obvious problem, the players that are going to cost you big money are goal scorers and it's a position we seem to have very little interest in ....

In what way do we seem to have little interest in? How on earth are SUFC turning their backs on it? Clough said 36 hours ago he's looking for a striker or even two.

People just need to show patience.

 

[BerksBlade]

We may have some resources money-wise, but if we're going to sign a big-name striker then he has to perform. So it's important to get the right man even if that means waiting. Plus everyone we have an interest in is probably on the radar of championship clubs who can outbid us (e.g. O'Grady).

 

[S5Blade]

I am just going to keep copy and pasting this in all threads relating to us not signing a striker yet.....

I think the issue is, is that we are a league one club. Any PROVEN / BIG NAME goal scorer is going to be much higher in demand in the championship / lower end of the premiership and will have much better options on the table that we can offer.

Proven goal scorers are pretty hard to come by, so when they do become available it's going to be difficult for us to complete, thats why its up to Nige to unearth a potential proven goal scorer (McNulty) or take a punt on someone such as Winall who is young and has done it for just one season so hardly proven.

Without wanting to sound bladey blade, looking what Nige managed to cobble together and achieve last season and also looking at his transfer dealings this season (not just who we have signed but the maguire situation, refusing to pay over the odds for COG etc), we are heading in very much the right direction and I have faith that come what may, on the 9th of August, we will be in the best position the club has been in for a long long time and will be satisfied that Nige has done all he can to build a team capable of winning this dire league

 

[More Bladier than thou]

as far as I know we are still in talks with billy sharp ? evans is pretty much a given he will be playing for us in October/november

 

[yorkshirecoast]

We blatantly need a proven striker but seem unwilling to pay what it takes to bring one in. All this guff about "the right man" is wearing thin - of course we want the right man but if we won't pay the going rate it's not going to happen. Despite the Prince's funds, our big crowds last season and the cup semi, all but one of the players we have brought in have been free signings. It seems to me little has changed investment wise.

 

[S5Blade]

We blatantly need a proven striker but seem unwilling to pay what it takes to bring one in. All this guff about "the right man" is wearing thin - of course we want the right man but if we won't pay the going rate it's not going to happen. Despite the Prince's funds, our big crowds last season and the cup semi, all but one of the players we have brought in have been free signings. It seems to me little has changed investment wise.

Codswallop. We just won't pay over the odds for the right man, nor pay stupid inflated wages if we do not think the player is worth it. I have zero problem with us waiting for the right target, at the right price, rather than wasting transfer cash / wages on a billy big bollocks who we end up paying a small fortune for and then him not performing and us basically pissing away cash. Clough has said repeatedly, that we need one, even 2 strikers, if it takes until the 31st of August to get one, then so be it. Rather wait a few weeks for the right one rather than settling on the wrong one. Just because we have the princes money does not mean we should just be flinging money around left right and centre in the hope of finding a decent striker. We obviously have a list of targets and what we are willing to pay for them and are not going to go outside that budget. It has been said all along that we will spend wisely to get out of this division and then invest properly in the championship, people seem to want us to just throw cash around and waste money for the fun of it. Spending cash does not equal success, getting the right players does.

 

[madeinsheffield]

Imagine if we'd bought Billy Paynter, he had a decent-ish record, would have wanted big wages, then where would we be? Trust NC, no need to rush and get anyone, we need the right one/two

 

[Woodwardfan]

Whatever your viewpoint, it is an inescapable fact that the season starts very soon and we have already had two friendlies. No matter whether you are chilled or panicing, it is getting a bit late in the day to sign the main striker.

3 points are 3 points at the beginning of the season, just as many as at the end,

 

[blade too long]

The days of managers getting war chests to finance transfer fees is long gone , wish some would get up to speed, its a different scenario now with the league setting budgets, we will get in a striker or two , the mans said so , , Clough only says what he believes to be true, as did his dad .

 

[metalblade]

Most of us trust in NC, it's the buggers higher up that we aren't so sure about. We do have a long history of doing things on the cheap if possible, that's how we ended up in League One. I for one think we will start the season as we are and wait till October for the proven goal scorer, Still rather that than spend just for the sake of it. Unless that is a player too good to miss out on suddenly becomes available, can't see it myself the clock is ticking down. The other scenario is of course that we don't have two ha'pennies to scratch our arses with until harry is sold.

 

[Pinchy]

We blatantly need a proven striker but seem unwilling to pay what it takes to bring one in. All this guff about "the right man" is wearing thin - of course we want the right man but if we won't pay the going rate it's not going to happen. Despite the Prince's funds, our big crowds last season and the cup semi, all but one of the players we have brought in have been free signings. It seems to me little has changed investment wise.

No big spending on transfer fees, it's true [and inevitable - star players don't play in League One] but the changes since HRH has arrived are, as many of us have pointed out repeatedly, enormous. The most important change is we have Nigel Clough and, as we all know, Clough is all you need.

 

[alcoblade]

No big spending on transfer fees, it's true [and inevitable - star players don't play in League One] but the changes since HRH has arrived are, as many of us have pointed out repeatedly, enormous. The most important change is we have Nigel Clough and, as we all know, Clough is all you need.

Sady not. The current team will not get promoted, IMHO. We need a proven striker, not just Clough..

UTB

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

Sady not. The current team will not get promoted, IMHO. We need a proven striker, not just Clough..

UTB

I'm of the opinion that the striker will come in after Harry leaves.

Confident that Clough has his targets in his sights hence hanging out for the best price for Harry, just let the cogs turn and chill.

 

[alcoblade]

I'm of the opinion that the striker will come in after Harry leaves.

Confident that Clough has his targets in his sights hence hanging out for the best price for Harry, just let the cogs turn and chill.

That was my thinking too, and I was happy with it - until I saw Butler and Collins at Burton....

But seriously, I suspect we haven't got the money without Harry's sale, and then so be it. We need a striker, and after months of everyone saying "let's be patient" and me joking about it, I now have a real concern we might start with Porter up front at the start of the season.

UTB

 

[More Bladier than thou]

I still cant see where the goals are gonna come from at the moment.the last thing we need is a repeat of the 1st half of last season.clough knows what he needs to do and we all have to trust that he will get what we need before the deadline. UTB

 

[blade too long]

how is the clock ticking down , maguires talking up piggies play off hopes and they havent added one outfield player to the dross they were left with at the end of last season, over the next 16 days theres the opportunity to finish off the squad , don't think 10 permanent additions so far is too shabby , we cant let one meaningless training day defeat cloud our prospects
The addition of 10 players so far means the investments there, as 10 on 2 grans a week is over a million

 

[Woodwardfan]

I think the balance of probability is that our new main striker will be a young loanee, hopefully from the Premiership, and NC has to wait for that club to complete their transfer dealings before he can be released.

With the right player that could be devastating and icing on the cake as we have a sound squad in place. On the other hand he could be another Cofie. Maybe Sharp plus a loanee, but a quality loanee would have to get playing time. Mind you I'm one who doesn't include Baxter in the strikeforce and NC does.

 

[Kev Gee]

Maybe Clough has thought that most of the strikers available are not good enough so he will wait to see who becomes available.

 

[Pinchy]

Maybe Clough has thought that most of the strikers available are not good enough so he will wait to see who becomes available.

That's certainly true in one case. NC and his management team know all about the lad Winnall. If Clough had wanted him, the player, assuming a degree of intelligence, would certainly have opted for SUFC rather than North Barnsley!

 

[grafikhaus]

how is the clock ticking down , maguires talking up piggies play off hopes and they havent added one outfield player to the dross they were left with at the end of last season, over the next 16 days theres the opportunity to finish off the squad , don't think 10 permanent additions so far is too shabby , we cant let one meaningless training day defeat cloud our prospects
The addition of 10 players so far means the investments there, as 10 on 2 grans a week is over a million

I sincerley hope you don't mean our 'arry!

Talking of 'meaningless training days' I've long thought that these pre-season friendlies are meaningless. If we play 'lesser' teams it's just an excuse for the local Big Billy Bollocks to crock one of our players. If we insist on continuing with these games, it should be against teams at or just above our level so we can 'hit the ground running' when the season starts.