Outgoing? SANDER BERGE ON WAY OUT ?

[Davalon]

They're very precious football journos

 

[Gin&Juice]

Leicester were probably one (if rumours were to be believed) and maybe a team with one eye on the champ next year (Fulham?)

I wouldn't be surprised if Forest went in for one more round of Pokemon yesterday as well.

Got to admit. Fair fucks to the board on this one, even if we did sell them we had a permanent player lined up who was of a similar mould. Not some journeyman loan player like the McCabe era.

 

[Davalon]

If a European club activates his £35m release clause tomorrow (if they want to play him in CL) or before 6 Sept , is there fuck all we can do about replacing him ?
Would we have to place an traffic cone in midfield ?
If so , we've taken as small risk haven't we ?

I'm not up to speed on all the current transfer rules but isn't our window shut for selling as well as buying?

 

[Blade56]

Bit harsh to treat Kone like that isn't it?

Err, no. He looked shite and if he wants taking seriously he needs our video guy to shoot him a new promo video cause his current one makes him look even more shite than shite.

 

[Lucky1979]

I suppose it's "all in the game" and we probably told him "we can only do it if we get £25m for Berge"

I imagine we never even spoke to him, his representatives or his club. Like most of the stuff on deadline day it’s more than likely made up

 

[Davalon]

Got to admit. Fair fucks to the board on this one, even if we did sell them we had a permanent player lined up who was of a similar mould. Not some journeyman loan player like the McCabe era.

Exactly what I said last night.

For all the talk since Wilder left, this is the first owner in my 40 odd years watching us that seems to run us professionally with genuine ambition.

McCabe would have sold a few under price by now and his fanboys would be hailing him for keeping the club afloat.

As for picking up foreign talent

 

[Gin&Juice]

Exactly what I said last night.

For all the talk since Wilder left, this is the first owner in my 40 odd years watching us that seems to run us professionally with genuine ambition.

McCabe would have sold a few under price by now and his fanboys would be hailing him for keeping the club afloat.

As for picking up foreign talent

McCabe to me will always be. Walker + Naughton to Andy Taylor and Stephen Jordan. It’s what I’ve come to expect in all honesty, so I do understand the pessimism of our fans. The Prince from the outset is a Football man, who obviously loves sport and knows the right people and connections in the game. Our wages as well are very sustainable, no one’s being paid a severe amount to put us in jeopardy. If shit does hit the fan, we’re going to make massive profit on some of the lads we do have. Let’s get promoted though! That’s the main thing.

 

[Stretch]

Got to admit. Fair fucks to the board on this one, even if we did sell them we had a permanent player lined up who was of a similar mould. Not some journeyman loan player like the McCabe era.

I completely agree. This board don't take any shit in business, and have delivered on almost every promise, unlike the board under Kevin "When the big dogs come calling" McCabe.

Well Kevin, when they do you tell the c***s to dip into their ample pockets and pay the asking price, rather than assuming the position over the board room table and taking the first offer that comes in.

The "Pound Prince" and our resident clearly aren't as hell bent on selling us down the river as some would have us believe.

 

[Working Class Hero]

I completely agree. This board don't take any shit in business, and have delivered on almost every promise, unlike the board under Kevin "When the big dogs come calling" McCabe.

Well Kevin, when they do you tell the c***s to dip into their ample pockets and pay the asking price, rather than assuming the position over the board room table and taking the first offer that comes in.

The "Pound Prince" and our resident clearly aren't as hell bent on selling us down the river as some would have us believe.

I think to be fair they both had a different view on how to be successful. McCabe invested massively in the infrastructure of the club, which meant selling players to fund the improvements. The Prince has done next to nothing on that front but would seemingly rather hold on to top players.

Hopefully the Prince's strategy turns out to be more successful than McCabe's (although it did get us to the Premier League twice). To be honest though, it feels like whatever strategy we have we'll only ever end up a yo-yo club at best. Anything more than that would require a different type of owner altogether.

 

[Working Class Hero]

17 weeks until this thread needs dusting off. I think one or two might be willing to up the offer above the reach of a club in Belgium

With a loan back until the end of the season, I can see that being a deal the club would be happy to accept. It would probably be the last chance to cash in with his contract running out and it's a fair bet to say he won't suit a struggling side without much possession, if we went up.

 

[ShockingBadBuy]

McCabe invested massively in the infrastructure of the club, which meant selling players to fund the improvements. The Prince has done next to nothing on that front

Not sure that’s strictly accurate or fair. PA has bought the ground back, (£50m+?), which is about as key an infrastructural investment as he could make.

 

[Sheffsteel]

Got to admit. Fair fucks to the board on this one, even if we did sell them we had a permanent player lined up who was of a similar mould. Not some journeyman loan player like the McCabe era.

Thats the thing what impressed me.

I've said all along EVERY SINGLE United player is sellable. Every single club (apart from Real Madrid, Man C, PSG and Newcastle) are selling clubs.

So we prepared for the worse because in reality if we receive a bid for any player that reaches our valuation then of course we'll probably sell
so it's essential we find a replacement at a similar or better standard. Looks like we prepared for all eventualities.

 

[mattbianco1]

Waking up to see nobody was sold.
Apparently we stood firm with Bruges and 2x PL clubs who wouldn't meet our asking price for Berge.
Also told Leeds to do one on Egan.
People slag Bettis and the rest of the board, but I know full well, McCabe would have sold both.

Well done and thanks Bogroll Prince and Snake Bettis

 

[brownblade]

With a loan back until the end of the season, I can see that being a deal the club would be happy to accept. It would probably be the last chance to cash in with his contract running out and it's a fair bet to say he won't suit a struggling side without much possession, if we went up.

That wouldn't happen, he's not a developing kid.

 

[Working Class Hero]

Not sure that’s strictly accurate or fair. PA has bought the ground back, (£50m+?), which is about as key an infrastructural investment as he could make.

Hmmm you could look it that way I suppose, but to me that's just managing the assets in his own portfolio rather than actually improving the infrastructure in any way.

Improving the stadium, academy, training ground will see direct benefits that translate on to the pitch. So will keeping your best players though.

 

[onslowblade]

Who were the cheeky PL clubs then?

I'm guessing Arsenal we're possibly one, they were chasing Douglas Luiz all day, and Sander was possibly the backup option when that looked to be falling through.

 

[tomgclarke]

I am rarely in the know at all. But Wolves were one of the clubs I am lead to believe.

And for the record I called MGW to us last year the day before he joined

 

[Balham Blade]

If a European club activates his £35m release clause tomorrow (if they want to play him in CL) or before 6 Sept , is there fuck all we can do about replacing him ?
Would we have to place an traffic cone in midfield ?
If so , we've taken as small risk haven't we ?

I'd be amazed if Berge's release clause was active outside the English transfer window.

 

[Millhousesblade1889]

If a European club activates his £35m release clause tomorrow (if they want to play him in CL) or before 6 Sept , is there fuck all we can do about replacing him ?
Would we have to place an traffic cone in midfield ?
If so , we've taken as small risk haven't we ?

We’d be struggling for a midfield but we’d be bloody rich!

 

[ChipButtyBlade]

There is still time for them buggers in Brugge to come up with the £'s we want.

Belgiums window is still open and Ch Lge regs are still able to be done until Saturday.

 

[brownblade]

There is still time for them buggers in Brugge to come up with the £'s we want.

Belgiums window is still open and Ch Lge regs are still able to be done until Saturday.

No chance that's going to happen. Sander is ours until January at least.

 

[Teddy]

We’d be struggling for a midfield but we’d be bloody rich!

 

[mcbladeface]

There is still time for them buggers in Brugge to come up with the £'s we want.

Belgiums window is still open and Ch Lge regs are still able to be done until Saturday.

Got to be unlikely though. The only way they can force it now would be to stump up the full release clause and it doesn't sound like they've got anywhere near the cash if the rumours about how piss poor their bids have been are true. If they did suddenly dump 35 million on our doorstep, it would be some of the worst brinkmanship ever seen.

 

[CPB]

I still fear a bid but seems that it would have to be the release clause now. Even then I wonder if the club might say it's too late.

We've certainly not caved in it would seem when offers "amounting to 20m" are being offered. Stuck to the guns and resisted.

I wonder if this is due to the way the club has structured costs since relegation as well?

Hear me out here:

• The club signing players after promotion and also new contracts, inserted relegation reduction clauses in their contracts and they don't just reduce upon relegation I believe this season there is another reduction to ease the wage bill. (Wilder was also known to want this too)
• Last season we had very little in way of money for fee's, which was a shock to me too. Even with the Ramsdale sale the only fee's we paid were loan fee's. MGWs I could see being substantial actually perhaps 1m? We didn't have extra cash to spend which seemed surprising and we didn't gamble like many other clubs do to try and bounce back.
• The club did need some fresh impetus though and we struggled with a new manager and "style" without significant incomings. This I feel was the big mistake made last season. Heckingbottom came in and brought freshness but also familiarity to the squad and it's worked so far of course.
• This season the financial structure has meant that we aren't at any risk, the wage bill will have reduced a bit further and we were able to sign a few players again mostly loans but also Anel at 3-4m which so far seems v.good business.
• Because we haven't gambled and the club/board have adjusted the costs to suit the reducing incomes it's meant we didn't need to just accept a lower offer that we would have done in the past. Under McCabe (Not knocking him) but we would have likely spent more to bounce back at first attempt, had this not happened the deficit we would have accumulated would need offsetting and so when Brugge come in with 12m upfront and 5m addons we would have had to have sold.
  I also think that the relationship Sander has with the squad and management seems sound and with our decent start he's not pushing to move which he absolutely should be credited for in a sport where this happens all the time.

The worry now is we are likely to have this all over again come January. And if we dont' get N'Diaye on a good new deal based on his performances so far there will be interest in him too.
In many ways we need to be really pushing for promotion, Sander to be performing well but saving his best performances for Feb onwards!

 

[Bladesman]

 

[Dan Emery]

Is Darren Smith an employee of United? Does he have the ear of someone in the actual know at The Lane? What makes him the authority on what would or would not have happened if the Berge sale had gone through at below market price (for want of a better phrase)?

 

[Slug]

Is Darren Smith an employee of United? Does he have the ear of someone in the actual know at The Lane? What makes him the authority on what would or would not have happened if the Berge sale had gone through at below market price (for want of a better phrase)?

He once had a photo with the Prince. He is the definition of an after timer - doesn’t come out with any news that isn’t already out there but what he does is put his own slant and variation on news/events that have been reported as soon as they happen to make it look like he knew all along and knows the finer details of everything.
Blokes an attenion seeking know nowt!

 

[mattbianco1]

Does he have the ear of someone in the actual know at The Lane?

He is close to the club. Not sure why people slag him off so much.

He is very careful what he says on Twitter and often won't let out the information until it won't land him in bother. People say this proves he knows nowt, but i'd say it's sensible from someone not hiding behind an avatar

YorkBlade - you interviewed him once. Would you say he's in the know?

 

[YorkBlade]

He is close to the club. Not sure why people slag him off so much.

He is very careful what he says on Twitter and often won't let out the information until it won't land him in bother. People say this proves he knows nowt, but i'd say it's sensible from someone not hiding behind an avatar

YorkBlade - you interviewed him once. Would you say he's in the know?

He gets some stuff right. Seems like he knows a few people at the club, I just spoke to him about accounts because that's what he does.

 

[Hamandcheese]

Hope Darren doesn't see any of this criticism

He'll stare into the mirror all night and then close his Twitter account until he gets enough attention to reopen it "after much consideration" 2 days later