CONFIRMED Alfie Gilchrist joins on season long loan

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The benefits of being in the Prem are that we can attract these types of players to join us, as they have a clearer pathway to first-team football. Although I would argue that all the resources should be put into the first team for the upcoming year. If we can establish ourselves in the Prem then we should start making these type of signings.

Leeds did a similar thing after their promotion, snapping up some of the best talents in the youth teams. I don't think it's paid dividends for them at all, so it is a strategy I would avoid for now.
 

CoatesyBlade said:
Ampadu has real quality. I feel the squad’s overall form at the time tainted many’s perception of him.
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He was very young with us but he's since been in two relegation battles in seria A. Maybe he's tougher now but he was soft as slightly heated up in a microwave dog shit for us
 
Buying up a whole squad of players from youth teams of premier league sides is not the way to go.

A careful scouting and mix of experience as well as young talent is needed.

So rather than falling for the highly rated tag of players who have yet to forge any kind of career in men’s football and hoping they can cut it in the first team squad it makes a lot more sense to look at those released form the big clubs and putting them into our youth squads…the Peck’s, Lanksheers etc. can then be truly assessed and brought through at the right time and if needed gain that valuable lower league experience first.

I don’t believe there was a lot wrong in the tactic of looking at the championship and below last time given our wage constraints …we perhaps didn’t execute the plan well enough last time which resulted in picking up lesser talents than were available. Plus we really need to look farther afield to foreign leagues and apply the same philosophy. This is where our budget is at, and we really need the scouting networks to provide this.

So for me, let’s invest hugely in that scouting infrastructure NOW…reap the benefits in the next 12 months and onwards….yes it’s too late for this coming season but we have to hope some of our kids like Jebbo, Blaster, Osula etc can fill up the squad and support the arrival of players in key areas at the best we can afford. We may go down, and likely lose Sander and illy at that point but having that top scouting network will hopefully see a sustainable business model for recruitment that sees us go back up in 2025 in a better position to strengthen from good value markets rather than here in the uk.
 
ReeceofBDTBL said:
Whaaaaat? He’s a shocking player. Not technically good enough to play in midfield and not strong enough to play in defence. Nothing has changed since he played for us.

Mid table Championship defender at best.

The number of goals he cost us the season we went down was unreal, terrible player
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I take it you’ve been watching him play every game since he played with us? I mean you must’ve to make such a bold statement.
You do realise he was only 19/20yrs old when he played for us? There was plenty of more experienced players making just as many, if not more errors in that season.
He’s still only 22. He’s played for his national side 42 times already.
Terrible? Mid Championship? Like I said, these are tainted views.
 
CoatesyBlade said:
I take it you’ve been watching him play every game since he played with us? I mean you must’ve to make such a bold statement.
You do realise he was only 19/20yrs old when he played for us? There was plenty of more experienced players making just as many, if not more errors in that season.
He’s still only 22. He’s played for his national side 42 times already.
Terrible? Mid Championship? Like I said, these are tainted views.
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I've seen him play for wales 3 times since and he was wank every time. God knows what they see in him.
Eric Diers played loads of times for england and he's been thoroughly shit.

Best way to describe Ampadu, a poundshop Eric Dier.

Of course he can improve in the future and good for him if he does. But the post I was originally responding to said 'Ampadu' has real quality when he is utter shit.
 
CoatesyBlade said:
I take it you’ve been watching him play every game since he played with us? I mean you must’ve to make such a bold statement.
You do realise he was only 19/20yrs old when he played for us? There was plenty of more experienced players making just as many, if not more errors in that season.
He’s still only 22. He’s played for his national side 42 times already.
Terrible? Mid Championship? Like I said, these are tainted views.
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The only thing he ever showed for us was some (very occasional) decent long range passes with both feet, and even that was when under little pressure at the back. Again, all pretty academic when you're a defender who's poor at defending and a midfielder who's bad at using the ball in midfield.

He's wank
 
I think Ampadu’s problem is that he doesn’t seem to have cemented himself as either a defender or a midfielder.

He’s clearly got ability, he just needs to be concentrating on being one or the other now. Playing both areas obviously works well for developing youth players but now is the time he needs to specialise.
Personally I don’t see him as an out and out defender.
Not big enough for central areas as his heading ability doesn’t make up for his lack of physical size. Not quick enough to cover for his errors.
Not quick enough or attack minded enough for wing back roles.

He’s a holing defensive midfielder. No goal threat to play higher up the pitch.
For me he needs to drop a level and forge a career in that position at the right club.
 
ReeceofBDTBL said:
The only thing he ever showed for us was some (very occasional) decent long range passes with both feet, and even that was when under little pressure at the back. Again, all pretty academic when you're a defender who's poor at defending and a midfielder who's bad at using the ball in midfield.

He's wank
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Well that's your opinion and you're entitled to it.
 
ReeceofBDTBL said:
Whaaaaat? He’s a shocking player. Not technically good enough to play in midfield and not strong enough to play in defence. Nothing has changed since he played for us.

Mid table Championship defender at best.

The number of goals he cost us the season we went down was unreal, terrible player
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To be fair, he’s multi-talented, a Test wicket keeper as well….😁
 

Super Bladesmen said:
Looks like one for the development squad for me
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To me it’s a numbers game…

100% of the time I would rather sign c10 lads on the fringes at ‘elite’ clubs for a couple of million in compensation. Like this fella, by offering a pathway into the first team.

Rather than spending 20m on one player.

Realistically you only need 1 to turn into a brooks / Ndaiye and you’ve already more than made your money back. Odds are a couple more will contribute or at least we’ll get a bit of a fee if they move on.

The game is littered with players from top sides who’ve dropped down, played and proved themselves all over again. I’d say it’s the way to go and would set us up if we go straight back down.

Stock the cupboards while we have the resources
 
Ampadu is probably better off staying in Serie A

And that'll be no problem for him, because half the league will be interested
 
Bladeinleeds said:
To me it’s a numbers game…

100% of the time I would rather sign c10 lads on the fringes at ‘elite’ clubs for a couple of million in compensation. Like this fella, by offering a pathway into the first team.

Rather than spending 20m on one player.

Realistically you only need 1 to turn into a brooks / Ndaiye and you’ve already more than made your money back. Odds are a couple more will contribute or at least we’ll get a bit of a fee if they move on.

The game is littered with players from top sides who’ve dropped down, played and proved themselves all over again. I’d say it’s the way to go and would set us up if we go straight back down.

Stock the cupboards while we have the resources
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And what do we do with the nine - or at least seven, according to your own calculations - who don't make it? End up with a squad like Chelsea's with loads of NGE players hanging around, sucking up resources?
 
There must be loads of young players at Chelsea who will have seen the takeover happen and the immediate spunking of £6-700 million and thought theres no way I'm getting a game here. And weighed up there options. True there will be some just taking the wages and counting down the time to their contract expiring. But there will be some looking to take the next step in their development. IE first team/squad football. We need to be one of the clubs looking to provide an option for those deemed good enough.
 
Le Cynique said:
And what do we do with the nine - or at least seven, according to your own calculations - who don't make it? End up with a squad like Chelsea's with loads of NGE players hanging around, sucking up resources?
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I’d imagine Chelsea’s loan army turn a profit each year (or at least mostly cover their costs)

Loan them out / have them covering injuries to avoid us having to shell out large fees for squad depth - which we need. Have ready made replacements in the long term.

Loan fees / loan clubs covering wages should at least minimise the outlays. It’s unlikely we would sign ten as that would limit their chances of playing. But genuinely think that this would be a effective use of resources.

And We are talking about players at top clubs - who’ve made it to close to the first team or are rated. No reason to think they would be completely useless.
 
Bladeinleeds said:
I’d imagine Chelsea’s loan army turn a profit each year (or at least mostly cover their costs)

Loan them out / have them covering injuries to avoid us having to shell out large fees for squad depth - which we need. Have ready made replacements in the long term.

Loan fees / loan clubs covering wages should at least minimise the outlays. It’s unlikely we would sign ten as that would limit their chances of playing. But genuinely think that this would be a effective use of resources.

And We are talking about players at top clubs - who’ve made it to close to the first team or are rated. No reason to think they would be completely useless.
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No offence, but I'm glad you're not in charge of our transfer policy.

Sure, take a punt on a couple of youngsters, but I would certainly baulk at spending £20m on 10 of them. Chelsea can afford to have that much potential, we can't.
 
I despise what city, Tottenham and especially Chelsea have done over the last 10-15 years. Hoovering up ridiculous amounts of players, hoarding talent and stopping them from being able to be assets to clubs that very much need the money.

Hate what they’ve done but obviously don’t blame them when the rules allow it. Needs some serious regulation. It’s one thing for clubs to have better youngsters, but just hoarding them so other clubs can’t have them (even though they themselves have little use for them) is bad for both player development and the prosperity of the whole footballing pyramid.
 
Can't comment on the ability of the lad but looks like he's rated.

I'd rather see us linked with these types than has beens.
 
ReeceofBDTBL said:
I despise what city, Tottenham and especially Chelsea have done over the last 10-15 years. Hoovering up ridiculous amounts of players, hoarding talent and stopping them from being able to be assets to clubs that very much need the money.

Hate what they’ve done but obviously don’t blame them when the rules allow it. Needs some serious regulation. It’s one thing for clubs to have better youngsters, but just hoarding them so other clubs can’t have them (even though they themselves have little use for them) is bad for both player development and the prosperity of the whole footballing pyramid.
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Isn't the rules changing soon to stop this very thing happening in the future?
 

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