Alex Mowatt

[Yogi]

Depends on how much they're paying him (and what's left in WBA's budget!) Yogi - apparently he turned down an offer from Barnsley to make him their best ever paid player. That may not be saying a lot but it certainly doesn't appear they've got him on the cheap even though they've not paid a fee.

No I’m not saying he’s a cheap option he’s probably on an above average salary for West Brom. Just he’s not going to be received by their fans as an exciting signing so the tag line on their post seemed a bit out of sync with that.

 

[Champagneblade]

We're not short of left footed midfielders who aren't really very athletic. I'd rather we get someone more dynamic to be honest.

 

[robbiez666]

Gone to Boro

 

[3Cheers4Ramirez]

A likely target?

Very good chance IMO and I hope so

Out of contract this summer and Wilder signed him for Boro in August 2022

Left footed playmaker with decent defensive stats. Experienced player at that level now. Would go well with Arblaster and free Hamer up further forward

Don't think we could do too much better than him on a free

 

[Champagneblade]

I see in 2021 I was happy to pass.

More than happy now though to revisit.

At this level, Hamer-Arblaster-Mowatt is a strong midfield in terms of output and creation in my opinion.

Is it a midfield that is robust enough to compete at the top level? Possibly not, but then again, in the long term we're all dead.

The immediate concern for next season is simply next season.

If we get a new owner then we can rethink, but if you are committed to yo-yoing then getting the best/better Championship player is what you need to do and he is a good one who is combative too and has captained previously.

Would know Wilder too so arguably a logical target.

 

[jt64]

Indifferent. Will be demanding very good wages. A one year stop gap on a free if the intention is to bounce back immediately, fine. Anything longer and I'm out, if the game plan is to rebuild and get back up slower than directly back up, I'm also out

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

Indifferent. Will be demanding very good wages. A one year stop gap on a free if the intention is to bounce back immediately, fine. Anything longer and I'm out, if the game plan is to rebuild and get back up slower than directly back up, I'm also out

He doesn’t sign a one year deal though does he?
You’d be look at a 3 even if he’s just to do a job next year. Year one - first teamer. Year two - transition to a new longer term option. Year 3 - squad player/cover.

 

[jt64]

He doesn’t sign a one year deal though does he?

Likely not, true, but that's the maximum I would offer

 

[Berkshire Blade]

We need solid experienced players. We will be losing a lot of older players as it is and this squad needs guidance

 

[Rudders]

Small and fat like Hamer

 

[Carlton Blade]

He doesn’t sign a one year deal though does he?
You’d be look at a 3 even if he’s just to do a job next year. Year one - first teamer. Year two - transition to a new longer term option. Year 3 - squad player/cover.

We can't do 3 year deals. Parachute payments runout by then. We have to keep to 1 or 2 years

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

We can't do 3 year deals. Parachute payments runout by then. We have to keep to 1 or 2 years

2 plus one.

 

[Bladezz]

Former captain and more of a leader than we have.

I would hope there’s better out there. But wouldn’t be against him.

 

[SUFCinks]

mediocre championship level player. Not someone to rebuild a team around. I would rather we used davies/slimane in the middle than waste wages on another average player.

 

[Slug]

This suggestion gives me serious Conor Hourihane vibes....

 

[finlaytheblade]

A likely target?

Very good chance IMO and I hope so

Out of contract this summer and Wilder signed him for Boro in August 2022

Left footed playmaker with decent defensive stats. Experienced player at that level now. Would go well with Arblaster and free Hamer up further forward

Don't think we could do too much better than him on a free

Wilder knows him from boro so if he wants him for a role short term obviously.
We need leaders if he's one that's fair enough ,loads of experience at this level

 

[3Cheers4Ramirez]

We can't do 3 year deals. Parachute payments runout by then. We have to keep to 1 or 2 years

So does that mean that when we get to year 3 we can't even do 1 year deals? We get to year 3 and..... just can't have a team? Shit

 

[Carlton Blade]

So does that mean that when we get to year 3 we can't even do 1 year deals? We get to year 3 and..... just can't have a team? Shit

Unless something changes then it's sell players to fund a tiny Championship wage bill

 

[Bladezz]

So does that mean that when we get to year 3 we can't even do 1 year deals? We get to year 3 and..... just can't have a team? Shit

We will be able to do any sort of deals really. But I would imagine any larger wage bill we will have to plan accordingly for when parachute payments stop.

 

[andy m]

We can't do 3 year deals. Parachute payments runout by then. We have to keep to 1 or 2 years

As if we are only going to offer players 2 year contracts.

 

[Carlton Blade]

As if we are only going to offer players 2 year contracts.

As Flatulent_Bob says, we'll be able to offer club options on the end but revenue will drop from £70m - no more than £30m in Y3. There's no money there without the club being sold to have long term, expensive contracts

 

[andy m]

As Flatulent_Bob says, we'll be able to offer club options on the end but revenue will drop from £70m - no more than £30m in Y3. There's no money there without the club being sold to have long term, expensive contract

I think you are wrong about the contracts but correct about the lack of revenue in year three.

 

[Carlton Blade]

I think you are wrong about the contracts but correct about the lack of revenue in year three.

If the club is planning on being 'sustainable' (whatever that means) then the plan has to be to always have expenditure be below income. Unless there's going to be investment, a new owner, borrowing against capital assets then I'm struggling to see how having players under contract at the wages required to get players good enough to challenge next season is possible in Y3 - obviously promotion changes everything

 

[andy m]

If the club is planning on being 'sustainable' (whatever that means) then the plan has to be to always have expenditure be below income. Unless there's going to be investment, a new owner, borrowing against capital assets then I'm struggling to see how having players under contract at the wages required to get players good enough to challenge next season is possible in Y3 - obviously promotion changes everything

He will sell up before year 3

 

[Carlton Blade]

He will sell up before year 3

I would hope so. But I don't think he'll be giving out long term deals in the meantime. Options to extend, maybe.

 

[brownblade]

Small and fat like Hamer

Fat like arguably our best player that tears up and down the pitch at a pretty high speed...?

Like Billy Sharp?

These guys aren't fat...

 

[Houso]

We keep Hamer, Blaster is with us for at least a season before any entertaining of big money moves, then there's Brooks, Davies (who I wouldn't want to write off yet), Osborn (who will do his usual odd job routine) and maybe Slimane (who we still know little of bizarrely apart from not being good enough for the Prem). Peck will be earmarked for a squad place too I imagine.

Aside from them, Souza will go, I have little doubt.

So, to my mind we need a big 'orrible bastard, and then someone of the ilk McAtee. I doubt there's a spot for anyone like Mowatt.

 

[jt64]

So, to my mind we need a big 'orrible bastard

To do what, stand around and foul people?

 

[Berkshire Blade]

We keep Hamer, Blaster is with us for at least a season before any entertaining of big money moves, then there's Brooks, Davies (who I wouldn't want to write off yet), Osborn (who will do his usual odd job routine) and maybe Slimane (who we still know little of bizarrely apart from not being good enough for the Prem). Peck will be earmarked for a squad place too I imagine.

Aside from them, Souza will go, I have little doubt.

So, to my mind we need a big 'orrible bastard, and then someone of the ilk McAtee. I doubt there's a spot for anyone like Mowatt.

Brooks could do with a loan elsewhere imo.

 

[3Cheers4Ramirez]

We keep Hamer, Blaster is with us for at least a season before any entertaining of big money moves, then there's Brooks, Davies (who I wouldn't want to write off yet), Osborn (who will do his usual odd job routine) and maybe Slimane (who we still know little of bizarrely apart from not being good enough for the Prem). Peck will be earmarked for a squad place too I imagine.

Aside from them, Souza will go, I have little doubt.

So, to my mind we need a big 'orrible bastard, and then someone of the ilk McAtee. I doubt there's a spot for anyone like Mowatt.

I don't think the midfield enforcer is a priority but for that sort of defensive option in there I'd go for McNair, who although mainly for CB could split positional duties between there and midfield

Lewis Travis is also one I'd consider, probably going to leave Blackburn and he's the sort of leader Wilder will want and the sort we'll need considering who we'll be losing. He's good in all defensive aspects, a bit of a shithouse and is a tidy if unspectacular footballer. Like McNair, can play RCB too