ADKINS SIGNINGS!!

[Woodwardfan]

Edgar has certainly improved the team. I don't think anyone would suggest he shouldn't be starting week in week out. Therefore, he is better than the alternatives thus improving the team. Hammond's contribution is debatable. Sammon's relationship with the crowd is beyond repair I think and Woolford is just poor.

Both are big men and our squad desperately needed big men. Adkins repeatedly says we need at least 6 big lads to defend set pieces.

 

[nopigfansintown]

I'd rather spend too much than not enough. If you don't spend enough you've wasted money and got nowt. If you spend too much you've wasted money but you've got what you wanted.

They definitely switch to some kind of austerity programme. This seems nonsensical when sacking and appointing a manager and shortly after paying off an MD.

 

[Woodwardfan]

He's gone for experienced, loan players, because he couldn't afford the packages/gamble on young players that require transfer fees. He also couldn't bring in players that covered the huge range of positions we needed (Clough wanted seven expensive signings).I think only Woolford looked a bad signing - Sammon wasn't his signing. Hammond used to be a very good player -exactly the type we needed to replace Doyle . Adkins wanted him in the summer, to do a preseason. I'm not sure if its a lack of fitness or that his legs have gone?

Dare I say Doyle last season was way better than Hammond has been this season and probably still is.

 

[nopigfansintown]

Dare I say Doyle last season was way better than Hammond has been this season and probably still is.

I'd agree but Hammond has been am excellent player.

 

[derryblade]

On Wikipedia it says Scunny tried for Sammon years ago when Adkins was there.

Don't know why some fans think he is a NC deal, as I said NA has tracked him before no brainer CS is a NA signing.

 

[bladeinspaceandtime]

Was he or was he not critical of the previous regime? Simple question.

It was a bit rich of Jimbo to slate Clough for that given he was part of the machinery that let it happen. If you want to have a dig at Adkins for complaining about the squad size (and presumably by extension Clough) then fill you boots. He was only saying what the a lot of others were complaining about.

 

[SwissBlade]

It was a bit rich of Jimbo to slate Clough for that given he was part of the machinery that let it happen. If you want to have a dig at Adkins for complaining about the squad size (and presumably by extension Clough) then fill you boots. He was only saying what the a lot of others were complaining about.

I don't have a problem with him saying the squad is too big, but the issue I have is using things like that to excuse the shit results obtained...

The point I was making was that Adkins has now taken responsibility as the manager. He's had two windows to address the problems he's talked about, but like his honest hard working players he's failed to make proper attempts to deal with the issues.

 

[alcoblade]

Was he or was he not critical of the previous regime? Simple question.

I don't know, I didn't think so. But what if he was? Clough built an enormous squad of bang average players.

Do you agree?

If not, who would you keep that we've let go?

If you do, then what's wrong with criticising it?

And would you really care if you weren't against Adkins in the first place..... really?

UTB

 

[alcoblade]

I don't have a problem with him saying the squad is too big, but the issue I have is using things like that to excuse the shit results obtained...

The point I was making was that Adkins has now taken responsibility as the manager. He's had two windows to address the problems he's talked about, but like his honest hard working players he's failed to make proper attempts to deal with the issues.

Two windows in which were struggling to sign anyone because the previous bloke committed all the resource to crocks, midgets and weaklings. I can't see any other way of looking at that.

I'm all for questioning how Adkis has spent what little he's had, but my word it's crystal clear where the root cause of the problem is.

UTB

 

[SwissBlade]

Two windows in which were struggling to sign anyone because the previous bloke committed all the resource to crocks, midgets and weaklings. I can't see any other way of looking at that.

I'm all for questioning how Adkis has spent what little he's had, but my word it's crystal clear where the root cause of the problem is.

UTB

Would Adkins have done much better? Looks doubtful, given his signings so far. However, the main thing is that Adkins has taken responsibility as manager. Good first step taken... It's only taken 8-9 months

 

[SwissBlade]

I don't know, I didn't think so. But what if he was?
UTB

Well this was exactly my point (as mentioned in the original post I made and since), he stuck to the blame Clough rhetoric because it suited him and bought him time...

He failed to use that time and now he's taken some responsibility by saying that as manager, the buck stops with him.

That's enough for me...

 

[finlaytheblade]

We'd have had a great back four and keeper, but the amount of backing he'd have had - to get a team out of the third -, would've been pretty much unprecedented. This was all before the Murphy sale.

And of course a bloated squad from Cloughs previouse transfers ,with 7 new signings that would indeed have been a bloated squad .

 

[alcoblade]

Well this was exactly my point (as mentioned in the original post I made and since), he stuck to the blame Clough rhetoric because it suited him and bought him time...

He failed to use that time and now he's taken some responsibility by saying that as manager, the buck stops with him.

That's enough for me...

Sorry fella, I just don't understand your point. He's said the things all managers would say, good, bad or indifferent.

Clearly it takes time for any manager to take over from a previous one.

Clearly, that involves making do with what was left.

Clearly the previous management has an enormous impact on the first year of the next one. He can say it, or not. It remains a cold hard fact.

I'm amazed at your lack of objectivity. Of course we should bow start to judge Adkins, and as a fan I can say I'm disappointed so far. But you've necer given him any time.

I thought Clough was a wank manager when we appointed him but he had my full backing for about 18 months after that.

UTB

 

[SwissBlade]

Sorry fella, I just don't understand your point. He's said the things all managers would say, good, bad or indifferent.

Clearly it takes time for any manager to take over from a previous one.

Clearly, that involves making do with what was left.

Clearly the previous management has an enormous impact on the first year of the next one. He can say it, or not. It remains a cold hard fact.

I'm amazed at your lack of objectivity. Of course we should bow start to judge Adkins, and as a fan I can say I'm disappointed so far. But you've necer given him any time.

I thought Clough was a wank manager when we appointed him but he had my full backing for about 18 months after that.

UTB

Clearly it's taken Adkins 9 months to take responsibility for the shite that this team is playing.

I'm being entirely objective in this, I've got no axe to grind anymore, never have with Adkins. He was brought in to do a job, he just has to do it. I think you're looking for me creating an issue when I'm really not doing that, the point I made was that for a long time the rhetoric has been blame the previous manager ( not my words, the words of Phipps and Adkins), but the key was that Adkins has now stated that he is taking responsibility. This is a big plus.

 

[BushBlade]

Like Brayford and Done? probably Coutts too. At least Brayford is in the team at the moment, by the skin of his teeth by all accounts though.

I was thinking more in terms of promotion than individual players but yes, Ferguson always took the view that he'd pay whatever it took to get his first choice, because it would be worth it in the long run.

He often paid above market value because he understood he had to make it worth it to the selling club. He didn't look for the best value players, he just looked for the best and then bought them.

 

[alcoblade]

The point I'm making is that for all the blaming of the previous manager that you claim he's done, I seem to have missed all of it.

Strange that

UTB

 

[Davie Blade]

Buxton would have been immense, if he's still fit.

What ???? Clough signing a player whose not fully fit and without a history of being crocked.
That's never happened before.

 

[Davie Blade]

I don't know, I didn't think so. But what if he was? Clough built an enormous squad of bang average players.

Do you agree?

If not, who would you keep that we've let go?

If you do, then what's wrong with criticising it?

And would you really care if you weren't against Adkins in the first place..... really?

UTB

You'll never get an answer alco .
The blinkered clough love-in continues with some.
I've posted similar questions.

Name a Clough signing :-
a)Apart from Adams who is worth more than we paid for?
b) Who is ever going to play for a side above us in the league?
c) Who will ever earn get more in wages, than we are paying?

The much maligned Davie Weir did at least have an eye for a good signing! ( e.g. Coady, Baxter, Cuvelier )
Has there ever been a manager with a worse have a worse recruitment record than N Clough?
30, 40,50, signings whatever the figure and not one a nailed on cert for a starting place and to build a side around.
The damage that clown has done to the blades is going to take an awful lot of time and patience to sort out, but we live in an age of instant gratification nowadays. People give managers 10 games now before they are on the managers back!

 

[CarlMcBlade]

Doesn't really matter now because Nigel Clough will be a Championship manager next season. While Nigel Adkins will have lovely well maintained garden.

 

[Gordon cowans]

Hammond has played at a much better/higher level and no doubt is our biggest earner (lots of speculation that he's on a decent whack),he should be going to bury,crewe,Shrewsbury etc etc and bossing the middle of the park ala veira/keane and be the heartbeat of the side...............Instead we have a player thats either blagged his career or is he is here just for his retirement pension bcos he is slow,unathletic and basically wank...............oh,and while we here one might as well put woolford in the above bracket anall............UTB

 

[robbiez666]

A lightly different take on the signings:

Sharp - cost little and with a pedigree for scoring goals. Adkins wanted to bring in players he knew and could rely on. He's done well but hasn't had a proper partner.

Woolford - Free and no doubt on very little in terms of wages. Again it's a signing that Adkins is aware of and can play up and down the let. I believe he was signed as purely cover for Murphy and the LB position.

Edgar - Steady defender and international captain who has played at a higher level. We were desperate for a CB and I believe he was the best on offer at the time in terms of availability and experience. Adkins probably thought he'd bring some kind of leadership with him. He obviously hasn't.

Sammon - I believe his signing was agreed before Adkins arrived and he's stuck with him.

Baptiste - A quality defender before his injury. Hopefully, when he's got a couple more games under his belt he'll be a great addition. It sounded like he played well defensively yesterday if not in terms of what he did with the ball.

I believe there are factors in terms of money and sanctioning of transfer which have restricted who Adkins can bring in. I think we'll see a much better return next season.