Textbook example of how to convince fans that we’ve had a good transfer window

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Trafford

Trafford

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  1. Defer paying an instalment of a transfer payment to trigger an embargo
  2. Make sure that the embargo gets reported
  3. Leave a star player out of a game that he wasn’t suited for anyway and tell the manager it’s because of transfer interest
  4. Feed lines to an ITK that not one but two top players may leave
  5. Wait 24 hours and then announce that there will be no departures or signings
  6. Accept the plaudits for not selling despite pressure to do so
  7. Pay the overdue instalment after deadline day, when it no longer matters
 

Trafford said:
  1. Defer paying an instalment of a transfer payment to trigger an embargo
  2. Make sure that the embargo gets reported
  3. Leave a star player out of a game that he wasn’t suited for anyway and tell the manager it’s because of transfer interest
  4. Feed lines to an ITK that not one but two top players may leave
  5. Wait 24 hours and then announce that there will be no departures or signings
  6. Accept the plaudits for not selling despite pressure to do so
  7. Pay the overdue instalment after deadline day, when it no longer matters
Click to expand...
Cynical ? Sure.

Accurate ? Mmmm!

UTB
 
Trafford said:
  1. Defer paying an instalment of a transfer payment to trigger an embargo
  2. Make sure that the embargo gets reported
  3. Leave a star player out of a game that he wasn’t suited for anyway and tell the manager it’s because of transfer interest
  4. Feed lines to an ITK that not one but two top players may leave
  5. Wait 24 hours and then announce that there will be no departures or signings
  6. Accept the plaudits for not selling despite pressure to do so
  7. Pay the overdue instalment after deadline day, when it no longer matters
Click to expand...
Rather than the complete chaos we've just experienced, wouldn't it just be easier to say that we won't be signing anyone and our main focus is hanging on to key players, which might not be completely controlled by the club (i.e. release clauses)?

The conspiracy theory that the embargo was all an excuse to not sign anyone is just the latest stick to beat the club with.
 
Trafford said:
  1. Defer paying an instalment of a transfer payment to trigger an embargo
  2. Make sure that the embargo gets reported
  3. Leave a star player out of a game that he wasn’t suited for anyway and tell the manager it’s because of transfer interest
  4. Feed lines to an ITK that not one but two top players may leave
  5. Wait 24 hours and then announce that there will be no departures or signings
  6. Accept the plaudits for not selling despite pressure to do so
  7. Pay the overdue instalment after deadline day, when it no longer matters
Click to expand...

Yes although we knew early on in the window it was more about keeping the squad together than bringing someone in to replace Reda.
 
Hamandcheese said:
But a couple of decent signings would have basically ensured promotion

As it stands we're still quite vulnerable
Click to expand...

We were arguably more vulnerable in October and November due to the extensive injury list, yet we maintained good form.
Obviously the ideal is always to strengthen the squad, but what we have is more than sufficient to achieve our objective.
 
Hamandcheese said:
But a couple of decent signings would have basically ensured promotion

As it stands we're still quite vulnerable
Click to expand...

I'd agree BUT a lot of the reasons we needed more players is down to our injury record. If we had a first team that was mostly fit it wouldn't be too much of an issue.

We still have Baldock, Stevens, JOC, Clark, RND, Fleck, Brewster, Osula out injured.

Reda hardly played that much but we now have Coulibaly fit to play and Osula is back with us.
 
Trafford said:
  1. Defer paying an instalment of a transfer payment to trigger an embargo
  2. Make sure that the embargo gets reported
  3. Leave a star player out of a game that he wasn’t suited for anyway and tell the manager it’s because of transfer interest
  4. Feed lines to an ITK that not one but two top players may leave
  5. Wait 24 hours and then announce that there will be no departures or signings
  6. Accept the plaudits for not selling despite pressure to do so
  7. Pay the overdue instalment after deadline day, when it no longer matters
Click to expand...
That's just ridiculous.
PA and the board would have got all the praise they needed by simply stating that we weren't selling Berg or Ndiaye at the outset even though we robably can't afford to replace Khedra (which was already on the cards)
Never mind, polish up your tin foil headpiece ready for your next excursion into fantasy-land!
 
Bladesman said:
I'd agree BUT a lot of the reasons we needed more players is down to our injury record. If we had a first team that was mostly fit it wouldn't be too much of an issue.

We still have Baldock, Stevens, JOC, Clark, RND, Fleck, Brewster, Osula out injured.

Reda hardly played that much but we now have Coulibaly fit to play and Osula is back with us.
Click to expand...

Jebbison full of confidence and making his mark too, his current suspension notwithstanding.
 
Certainly makes things more interested for the local papers. "No-ones coming in, no-ones going out" doesn't drive clicks.
 
Can’t disagree, when you look at how everyone else including Burnley have strengthened its quite embarrassing especially since we sent khadra back
 

Berkshire Blade said:
Up until the embargo nobody was particularly thinking we would have anyone out but we were hoping for a back up striker.

We are weaker than when we went into the window yet most are fine with it.

A masterclass in lowering expectations.
Click to expand...
A successful January transfer window would have been to bring in a couple of players, including a striker, to get us over the line!
 
"I'm a professional cynic but my heart's not in it. I'm paying the price of living life at the limit".

When I look at our last two years of transfers it appears batshit crazy. One permanent signing. One. Little turn over of an ageing playing squad. Players allowed to run their contracts down - including our most valuable young assets. Not a recipe for success in the long run that's for sure. If we don't go up this season and bank the Prem cash it's scary unless the new owner chucks big money at it.

Judging this window alone, context is needed. I can park a lot of that. 12 points clear with a game in hand. Those below us faltering. If we were mid table I'd say cash in on the two big names if they wont sign new deals, and turn the squad over with young players on long deals. Also Prince out as you can't run a sustainable Championship club of our size. As it is, let's get promoted, get our best young players under contract and then reassess. Hopefully the new owner is already pushing some of this. If it was my club (or going to be) I'd be on it re the contracts already
 
Berkshire Blade said:
Up until the embargo nobody was particularly thinking we would have anyone out but we were hoping for a back up striker.

We are weaker than when we went into the window yet most are fine with it.

A masterclass in lowering expectations.
Click to expand...
I wouldnt say weaker.

Pre January no one considered Jebbison as a viable striker.

We've lost Khadra but the emergence of Jebbison goes some way to filling this minimal whole in the squad.
 
HeCanDoMagic said:
I wouldnt say weaker.

Pre January no one considered Jebbison as a viable striker.

We've lost Khadra but the emergence of Jebbison goes some way to filling this minimal whole in the squad.
Click to expand...
Maybe not in the fan base but the club have known how good he was longer than us. Next three games we have three strikers. One is 37 and another is coming back from injury and isn't match fit yet
 
Jimmy Fleck said:
Can’t disagree, when you look at how everyone else including Burnley have strengthened its quite embarrassing especially since we sent khadra back
Click to expand...
Regardless of this we’ve a good enough squad as we are to get through the remaining 17 games without dropping 12 points.

If it means not risking ourselves further financially I don’t mind it. I would have sold Berge & replaced him with 2 players but ultimately we didn’t get the right bid.

With Fleck (I know before you say it), Clark, RND, Brewster, Baldock & Stevens (again I know) all soon to be back within the next month I’m confident we’ve got what it takes
 
Trafford said:
  1. Defer paying an instalment of a transfer payment to trigger an embargo
  2. Make sure that the embargo gets reported
  3. Leave a star player out of a game that he wasn’t suited for anyway and tell the manager it’s because of transfer interest
  4. Feed lines to an ITK that not one but two top players may leave
  5. Wait 24 hours and then announce that there will be no departures or signings
  6. Accept the plaudits for not selling despite pressure to do so
  7. Pay the overdue instalment after deadline day, when it no longer matters
Click to expand...

Not selling your best players is a fairly textbook good transfer window too.
 
Mouth of the South said:
On reflection, the JTW could have been better - the squad is still a striker and central midfielder light IMHO. However, it could have been a lot worse if key players had departed.
Click to expand...
It could've been loads better. On paper, the gap between our squad and Middlesbrough's has narrowed considerably.

It could've been so much worse though.
 
nopigfansintown said:
"I'm a professional cynic but my heart's not in it. I'm paying the price of living life at the limit".

When I look at our last two years of transfers it appears batshit crazy. One permanent signing. One. Little turn over of an ageing playing squad. Players allowed to run their contracts down - including our most valuable young assets. Not a recipe for success in the long run that's for sure. If we don't go up this season and bank the Prem cash it's scary unless the new owner chucks big money at it.

Judging this window alone, context is needed. I can park a lot of that. 12 points clear with a game in hand. Those below us faltering. If we were mid table I'd say cash in on the two big names if they wont sign new deals, and turn the squad over with young players on long deals. Also Prince out as you can't run a sustainable Championship club of our size. As it is, let's get promoted, get our best young players under contract and then reassess. Hopefully the new owner is already pushing some of this. If it was my club (or going to be) I'd be on it re the contracts already
Click to expand...
Not sure that I would call, Brewster, Bogle, Anel, Lowe, Berge, Ndiaye, RND, Jebbison, Mcburnie an ageing squad.
How many are good enough to play in the premiership is another question.
Egan we should get one more season out of.
The others are most probably reaching the end of their time at Bramall Lane but will help to get us promoted.
The new contracts for the younger players will come once we know which division we are in. We can't offer them premiership terms until we are promoted and they aren't going to extend their contracts based on Championship pay.
To be fair, I don't think the Prince has got much wrong in his time here. At least we haven't sold our prize assets.
 
nopigfansintown said:
"I'm a professional cynic but my heart's not in it. I'm paying the price of living life at the limit".

When I look at our last two years of transfers it appears batshit crazy. One permanent signing. One. Little turn over of an ageing playing squad. Players allowed to run their contracts down - including our most valuable young assets. Not a recipe for success in the long run that's for sure. If we don't go up this season and bank the Prem cash it's scary unless the new owner chucks big money at it.

Judging this window alone, context is needed. I can park a lot of that. 12 points clear with a game in hand. Those below us faltering. If we were mid table I'd say cash in on the two big names if they wont sign new deals, and turn the squad over with young players on long deals. Also Prince out as you can't run a sustainable Championship club of our size. As it is, let's get promoted, get our best young players under contract and then reassess. Hopefully the new owner is already pushing some of this. If it was my club (or going to be) I'd be on it re the contracts already
Click to expand...
Tbh I don't see it the way you see it, respectfully of course. We haven't signed players this year but I believe the work we have done over the last few seasons is starting to come good at the right time.

If you look at this list that has been bought or developed over the last few years, does it not look good to you?

Anel - RND - Lowe - Bogle - Berge - Coulibaly - Ndiaye - Brewster - McBurnie - Jebbo - Osula.

Fair enough we didn't buy them last year but squad building is about building a team to take us up. You could argue that only Coulibaly, Brewster, and Osula haven't added something to this years promotion push, there is still time though.

That's a cracking set of young players who will either keep improving or will certainly sell more than we acquired them for.

If "perm signings every year" is what you hope for then fair enough, that's your opinion.

But for me, I see a team of quality young players, supplemented by experienced pros, and then add some loan players we have no hope of signing perm in our division.
 

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