This summer...

[Silent Blade]

What's more than a handful?

So this 'contact' does not go to games, does not know whats happening at board level or if Adkins is staying but knows we have definitely signed a load of players but does not know who recommended/sought such players?



Sounds about right for SUFC!

Joking apart can only assume it is an agent type. Such agreements are only verbal at this stage anyway aren't they and any contracts cannot be officially signed till July 1st. If Adkins is sacked then such deals are effectively dead in the water as surely he or Turnbull (who would also leave you would think if Adkins goes) would have to sign off on these.

Sunjihi's post came up a week or two after I was told about the number of players coming to us and it threw me. I am a believe in signing players only if the manager wants them. If Sunjihi's post is correct then I dont know if the players who have agreed to come can change their minds. I was told that pre-contracts are watertight?

 

[BeatleBlade]

A friend of mine told me yesterday that he was in the Executive Boxes at Coventry on Saturday. He spoke to Tony Mowbray, Joe Cole and Steve Ogrozivic after the match. He was told that not one of the Coventry players are on £5K a week or more while we have 12 on more that £5K a week which is why we need a clearout. If our players who are out of contract this summer they will have to agree on a pay cut if Adkins (or technical board whatever!) want to keep them

Good news that they are understanding how the money has been spent badly in recent years. Do you know how the budget looks next season? Like, do you believe it is enough for the manager to get the job done or is it too low because we are relying too much on the academy for players.

 

[Deadbat]

That is why every single player bar Long should be released. We then need to move on Wallace (J), McNulty, Freeman, Scougall and if they can Coutts.

Would leave us with

Long
Brayford
Basham
Done
Adams
Sharp


Young players

Kelly
Reed
Whiteman
Calvert Lewin

Means we would need to sign 8-10 players and maybe 6 or 7 starters but we simply have to have this mass exodus and number of new players to have any chance.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

That is why every single player bar Long should be released. We then need to move on Wallace (J), McNulty, Freeman, Scougall and if they can Coutts.

Wallace should also be off – his third year was an optional one.

It wouldn't surprise me if who Silent Blade spoke to is correct – Adkins hinted as much back in January when talking about plans for recruitment in the next transfer window (and the one afterwards).

 

[zablade]

That is why every single player bar Long should be released. We then need to move on Wallace (J), McNulty, Freeman, Scougall and if they can Coutts.

Would leave us with

Long
Brayford
Basham
Done
Adams
Sharp


Young players

Kelly
Reed
Whiteman
Calvert Lewin

Means we would need to sign 8-10 players and maybe 6 or 7 starters but we simply have to have this mass exodus and number of new players to have any chance.

This should impress upon everybody, even the super optimists, that this is more than a one season project starting from now, it's probably two or three seasons minimum to get us back up, and that's if we don't make a balls up of this summer.

 

[Deadbat]

Hope club has the option on his extra year not the player!

 

[Deadbat]

This should impress upon everybody, even the super optimists, that this is more than a one season project starting from now, it's probably two or three seasons minimum to get us back up.

Sorry but dont agree. Charlton completely rebuilt their team. As have many others. Why should it take us 3 seasons. Two solid centre backs, two midfielders that can run all day and a big uncompromising centre forward and we are half way there for me. I know that is a big ask but why can we only sign say 2 or 3 per window.

One interesting stat also is Wigan did not field one player from the line up of the last three games when they got relegated last season to the side that ended this season (final game at Blackpool). Not one player.

They managed a complete overhaul and promotion (granted may have still had some parachute money but they hardly splashed out lavishly; likes of Power, Perkins, Morsy, Grigg etc were not big money signings).

If as Silent says we effectively knew we would be in this division and thus have been identifying players then we should be ahead of the rest at this level. We will have had 6 months from say February to August to identify the 6-8 players we need.

 

[zablade]

Sorry but dont agree. Charlton completely rebuilt their team. As have many others. Why should it take us 3 seasons.

For the same reason it's taken us six years to be nowhere near promotion whilst clubs of a comparable size all got out in one or two.... Our board haven't got a clue.

I have little confidence in them getting it right this time.

 

[Pollingtonblade]

If Silent Blade is right and there is a mass influx of players, next years excuse will be 'take time to gel ' ?

 

[Barney]

If Silent Blade is right and there is a mass influx of players, next years excuse will be 'take time to gel ' ?

I think that more or less goes without saying doesn't it? Although I'm not convinced about all these players that have supposedly already agreed to sign. Too early yet for anything like that to be true.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

If Silent Blade is right and there is a mass influx of players, next years excuse will be 'take time to gel ' ?

If there's such a big turnover and a mostly new XI, naturally there should be some allowance for them to gel. But that shouldn't be an excuse for us not being in a decent league position by say Christmas.

 

[Ricky]

If the new signings were of the required standard, gelling as a team would be secondary. Even more so if the division is as pathetic as it has been this season. Wigan are perfect proof. They even have a rookie manager FFS.

We won't have the same budget as Wigan but in this league it's entirely possible to get 6 quality players without spending a fortune. Three on free transfers. One for 200k. One for 500k. One season long loan. That's the sort of thing you're looking at if you pick out the right (and realistic) players and commit to signing them. We have no problem handing out wages well in excess of 5k p/w to average players (12 or more on that amount if Silent's post is correct) so stumping up the wages required for better players shouldn't be a problem.
But I assume we'll refuse to pay even for good players for the next 5 years now in response to the mess they allowed Clough to create. Going from one extreme to the other. We need to punish ourselves! It's generally acknowledged Clough set us back at least two years, but this is a way he could've set us back even further if recent evidence and indications are anything to go by, with the board closely scrutinising every signing and very rarely committing to getting deals done. It could represent a long term change in approach and increase in frugality. But let's hope not.

 

[Lane Ender]

No idea, i'll be paying little attention again, about had my fill of football for a few months. This season has been the most painful for years and i'm planning to enjoy the summer!

Yep footballs done for me until August.
Probably glance at the Euros.
That's about it.
Fucking had enough this year don't think I'm on my own.

 

[JohnDenver]

If there's such a big turnover and a mostly new XI, naturally there should be some allowance for them to gel. But that shouldn't be an excuse for us not being in a decent league position by say Christmas.

Given how dire we've been and how little others fear us, a top 6 birth in December would be an achievement.

 

[Barney]

a top 6 birth in December would be an achievement.

Really? Don't agree at all. Anything beneath 2nd in this division should be considered as failing.

 

[JohnDenver]

Really? Don't agree at all. Anything beneath 2nd in this division should be considered as failing.

Yup, it'd be a big turnaround. We're miles behind the top two now, we've a whole new squad to assemble, and McCabe's words suggests that we'll be shopping in the bargain bins.

If your chosen manager had us in 6th at Christmas, would you sack him?

 

[Esablade]

Really? Don't agree at all. Anything beneath 2nd in this division should be considered as failing.

I agree. Up to a point...
So five managers down the line, where do you think we are going wrong?

Luck?

 

[alcoblade]

I agree. Up to a point...
So five managers down the line, where do you think we are going wrong?

Luck?

Not sacking enough managers, probably.

UTB

 

[Barney]

Yup, it'd be a big turnaround. We're miles behind the top two now, we've a whole new squad to assemble, and McCabe's words suggests that we'll be shopping in the bargain bins.

If your chosen manager had us in 6th at Christmas, would you sack him?

That would depend on so many different circumstances it's impossible to comment, i.e the budget he has had to work with, how he's recruited, points below 2nd etc. He ultimately would be underachieving by 4 positions though.

 

[Silent Blade]

Good news that they are understanding how the money has been spent badly in recent years. Do you know how the budget looks next season? Like, do you believe it is enough for the manager to get the job done or is it too low because we are relying too much on the academy for players.

I think McCabe said last week we are not losing money over the Academy? This surprised me too. I would imagine next season's wage bill will be cut, maybe we will sign more players on year long loans? I dont know

 

[Ricky]

The board should always be getting it in the neck as long as we're not near the automatic places, unless they've backed the manager sufficiently, which obviously isn't the norm. What the hell would Leeds fans be like if they'd spent 6 years down here? Their board wouldn't be getting such an easy ride, that's for sure.

 

[JohnDenver]

That would depend on so many different circumstances it's impossible to comment.

If his name is an anagram of single kandi?

 

[Silent Blade]

That is why every single player bar Long should be released. We then need to move on Wallace (J), McNulty, Freeman, Scougall and if they can Coutts.

Would leave us with

Long
Brayford
Basham
Done
Adams
Sharp


Young players

Kelly
Reed
Whiteman
Calvert Lewin

Means we would need to sign 8-10 players and maybe 6 or 7 starters but we simply have to have this mass exodus and number of new players to have any chance.

DDG has one more year

 

[super_pig]

Really? Don't agree at all. Anything beneath 2nd in this division should be considered as failing.

if we aren't top by christmas the knives will be out. i think everyone has had enough of excuses.

 

[Finn Keane o' Balmaqueen]

It's not where we are in December that matters, only after the final match of the season.
No club I can think of has been promoted/relegated by Christmas.

It's not how much money Adkins has to spend.
But where he spends the money on, player's roles/positions.
The spine has to be built, BIGGEST priority for me.
That done by the first game of the new season.
I don't want to be watching United playing a first XI that's less than one player short of becoming the first choice XI from then onwards.

 

[Lane Ender]

if we aren't top by christmas the knives will be out. i think everyone has had enough of excuses.

I think it might be before that SP.
With a bit of luck

 

[Blade56]

Will we get our 'business' done early

YOU FEKIN KILL ME, STOP IT

 

[Blade56]

if we aren't top by christmas the knives will be out. i think everyone has had enough of excuses.

Here what your saying sp but what does it mean the knives will be out? We can't do anything more than we have in the past decade of failure other than take what's dished out and moan.

I remember where I was when the news about our bog roll prince broke, I was laid on a sun lounger with all my family around me I thought I was in heaven. I imagined big signings, promotions and PL footy.

Lifted up and dropped from a great height or what? we can't even get signing a Saudi prince right.

 

[FriethBlade]

Silents info all sounds pretty positive but let's remember one thing, the man leading the recruitment is the same one who thought Hammond was a better bet than Morsy and the man who signed Woolford !

How many of these new players are going to be 30 plus and over the hill.....we know at least one will be as Hammond is almost certainly one of those already tied down !

 

[FriethBlade]

Blades 58 we got lumbered with the only skint Saudi prince in the kingdom....only at Bramall Lane could this happen.....and to think we were taking the piss about the Thai fish magnet and Carlos Kickaball !