CONFIRMED Andre Brooks sold to Norwich

[Kev Gee]

Very disappointing. Not just the fee. But we've let one of our brighter young players join a potential rival.

 

[Bladesman]

 

[Wards]

Aye. Course it was. This line always gets trotted out when it's a decision that's universally unpopular.

No issue if he came out and said he felt we could use the funds to buy two or three players that would strengthen the team. Wouldn't necessarily agree with it but come on, at least be accountable.

 

[Sean Thornton]

Aye. Course it was. This line always gets trotted out when it's a decision that's universally unpopular.

No issue if he came out and said he felt we could use the funds to buy two or three players that would strengthen the team. Wouldn't necessarily agree with it but come on, at least be accountable.

To be fair, he does know someone high up at the Lane……..

 

[Jim Mcdonald]

Norwich have that cash to spend because they have a competently run recruitment setup that sold several players for much more than they have bought Brooks for.

Glad you know the setup at Norwich so you do, and know that a championship club with no parachute payments can pay 10M quid for a player.

 

[Legal Blade]

It seems an odd - sideways at best- move for him- but undoubtedly pocketing higher wages and a signing on fee/ cut of transfer fee.

Suggesting we undersold is fine- but only if there are competing bids- which I’ve not heard of- and he seems to have decided on the move pretty sharpish so wasn’t keen to stay.

 

[54yrblade]

I wonder if 'Wit' would be good enough to share who was responsible for Knilly leaving and his mate's part in it, or not, whichever is the case?

I also wonder how COH feel about him talking on social media about internal club business.

 

[Balham]

Glad you know the setup at Norwich so you do, and know that a championship club with no parachute payments but which brought in £60m in player sales in the last 12 months can pay 10M quid for a player.

Given you some extra clarity there.

One would hope that our recruitment department are looking at how Norwich have managed to have £8m to spend on one of the Championship's better prospects despite being a year down the road to despair that we're currently travelling.

Josh Sargent (now 26): bought for £8.25m in 2021, sold for £16.25m rising to £20m
Borja Sainz (25): signed on a free in 2023, sold for £14.25m
Marcelino Núñez (26): signed in 2023 for £3.3m, sold for £7.5m rising to £10m
Jonathan Rowe (23): youth prospect, sold for £14.25m including loan fee

The pattern is that the three players signed by Norwich came from abroad and were 21/22/23 when they signed. We, on the other hand, sign players at the other end of their career from British clubs and then release them on frees.

 

[ekke287]

I’m not happy about this transfer at all, but equally I’m not surprised. The lads got talent and there’s obviously off the field stuff with Wilder going on so while it’s a shame, it was bound to happen.

What I can’t fathom though is how the media team handle situations like this, where they will know that there’ll be backlash. Why can’t they give us some more info or some direction to soften the blow?

A - We’ve sold Brooks to raise much needed funds, it’s not ideal but we need a season of stability.

B - We’ve sold Brooks because we’re chasing target A

And so on. Give us some hope after last season, or even just a little bit of indication into which way the wind is blowing.

 

[jt64]

Glad you know the setup at Norwich so you do, and know that a championship club with no parachute payments can pay 10M quid for a player.

I don't. I just read the 27 other posts above yours that explained that they sold a lot of players and extrapolated that they know what they're doing.

 

[Mojo]

Baffling, we consistently undervalue athletic ability, and eventually it's going to bite us.

Eventually?? Its already mauled us

 

[SwissBlade]

The pattern is that the three players signed by Norwich came from abroad and were 21/22/23 when they signed. We, on the other hand, sign players at the other end of their career from British clubs and then release them on frees.

That’s a little stretch, we’ve attempted to sign young players with high ceilings.

But we also paid a lot for some of them as we had PL money. Brewster, McBurnie, Berge and Ndiaye.

Some have worked to varying extents. Others didn’t.

Souza was also a player we sold for decent money.

The big failing was allowing recruitment to go into the hands of Bord, bringing in some real shite, some which were stuck with and affects our ability to bring other players in as well.

Some players we’ve allowed to leave on frees have served good time with us and been there with us whilst we’ve grown

Not all decisions have been good, not all have been bad. It’s fair to say the last 12 months have been extremely worrying.

 

[jimmymuir]

Another recruitment disaster like last summer and we'll be talking about League One.

 

[BazWainwright]

Devil's advocate.

Last season, and the serial of seasons where we have struggled to succeed, failed hard and just fizzled out ...

It's 'typical United', isn't it? We do have to break that chain. Keeping the same squad isn't really going to do that. Brooks, for example, was one of those players who, paired with Seriki, could wrap defences inside out but the next game struggle like hell and look disinterested and bored. There was no consistency in his game, if we were not making a mark more often than not he'd disappear and be subbed. I'm not really, really breaking my heart nor surprised he has gone. The only player I'd be both angry and upset to see go is Callum O'Hare. The rest - Peck ... basically Norwood without the pings, Hamer - a busted flush last season, and much of the assembled cast after that save for Bamford were variably shite and contributed to some breathtakingly crap team performances.

We have to accept change, and in that demand we utilise funds raised from Brooks and possibly Hamer and Peck to buy or loan wisely for once. I'm okay seeing Brooks go, if I see Souttar arrive. I'm okay seeing Peck go if we have a Michael Brown style player arrive. I'm okay seeing Hamer go as long as we pull in a Doyle or McAtee style talent and not someone who hoovers up our physios wage in a season

Good luck to Brooks and thanks for the memories, but we have to sell to fix elsewhere and the defence in particular is a real weakness. If Wilder however buys someone like Rothwell I might not be responsible for my actions!

 

[Berkshire Blade]

People upset we sold him to a division rival...well no premier league side were in for him is the most likely reason!

 

[Foxy]

Wilder came on after every game and gave him -100 to drag his average score down.

You joke, but I once had to evidence gather, intervene and tweak results back "right" due to a players family members and friends voting them 10/10 en-masse every week to boost their ratings

 

[I should coco]

Everybody with sand in their fannies, is ignoring the realities of SCR.

Selling an academy product, is 100% profit and counts as football income. More will follow.

Much as the Wilder haters want it to be, it's not about faces that fit, or archaic playing styles. To meet SCR without parachute payments, we HAVE to sell players and/or slash wages.

Moan all you like, but this is the new reality in the Championship.

 

[Berkshire Blade]

Everybody with sand in their fannies, is ignoring the realities of SCR.

Selling an academy product, is 100% profit and counts as football income. More will follow.

Much as the Wilder haters want it to be, it's not about faces that fit, or archaic playing styles. To meet SCR without parachute payments, we HAVE to sell players and/or slash wages.

Moan all you like, but this is the new reality in the Championship.

Is it the case? I haven't read up on it. Just like PRS meaning wealthy clubs sell home grown players I think it's a pretty shitty rule/loophole tbh

 

[moody1889]

Only Sheffield United would allow one of their brightest talents go to a rival for peanuts, yet again it has been proven we are run by powers that be that couldn't give a monkeys about the fans.

Brooks was one of the most exciting talents at our club that literally excited the fans a real flair player.

I could take it if he went for a big fee to a premier league Club but f*c king Norwich a club that is not even as big as ours with some of the most insufferable see you next Tuesdays for fans is just an insult.

The sooner these faceless Yanks sell up and f off the better.

 

[Keen Blade]

If Andre was joining a Premier League club then I reckon we’d be looking for close to the £15m mark, but as he’s stayed in the Championship, we’re going to struggle to get much more than £8m.

Given the circumstances, I don’t really have an issue with the fee. The real question is why didn’t we just keep him?

Cashflow

 

[Keen Blade]

Other clubs have multiple examples of well. You'd think being next door to our embarrassingly wank neighbours would give Blades a bit more perspective.

No it doesn't - it has the opposite effect.

All they can think of is
"At least we're better than the pigs"

It has them dancing on tables.

Small town mentality.

 

[bornablade]

That’s a little stretch, we’ve attempted to sign young players with high ceilings.

But we also paid a lot for some of them as we had PL money. Brewster, McBurnie, Berge and Ndiaye.

Some have worked to varying extents. Others didn’t.

Souza was also a player we sold for decent money.

The big failing was allowing recruitment to go into the hands of Bord, bringing in some real shite, some which were stuck with and affects our ability to bring other players in as well.

Some players we’ve allowed to leave on frees have served good time with us and been there with us whilst we’ve grown

Not all decisions have been good, not all have been bad. It’s fair to say the last 12 months have been extremely worrying.

How much did we pay for Ndiaye?

 

[Weasel]

Everybody with sand in their fannies, is ignoring the realities of SCR.

Selling an academy product, is 100% profit and counts as football income. More will follow.

Much as the Wilder haters want it to be, it's not about faces that fit, or archaic playing styles. To meet SCR without parachute payments, we HAVE to sell players and/or slash wages.

Moan all you like, but this is the new reality in the Championship.

Some just dont want to see the reality of where we now are as a club.

Its a sale brought about through financial necessity. Some seemingly cant handle that. Its not great, but if thats the best deal on the table for an inconsistent maverick (half decent money i think for him) then fair play. Unlike a lot on here, i dont think weve been mugged with the fee. We will be having him back in a couple of years for a couple of million.

If we sold Peck for £20m some on here would moan and have a pop at Wilder. Like attention seeking kids those sort.

Now if you want to moan, moan about which dickheads sanctioned the silly purchases late in the last summer window which gave us last seasons shit show and the reason the money is so scarce now. That was the fuck up, not selling an unoroven inconsistent kid now for reasonable money.

 

[FINUK]

Said in a different thread we have to sell to do anything - why anyone is getting hung up on selling someone who cost nothing and done the square root of naff all is beyond me

 

[SwissBlade]

How much did we pay for Ndiaye?

Nowt or very little.

 

[SwissBlade]

Said in a different thread we have to sell to do anything - why anyone is getting hung up on selling someone who cost nothing and done the square root of naff all is beyond me

It’s part of the business model of almost every club outside the top end of the premier league.

 

[Barstoneworth Ottershaw]

You joke, but I once had to evidence gather, intervene and tweak results back "right" due to a players family members and friends voting them 10/10 en-masse every week to boost their ratings

Did the player in question sometimes drape a jumper over his shoulders and enjoy a lollipop? (not a euphemism)

 

[Foxy]

Did the player in question sometimes drape a jumper over his shoulders and enjoy a lollipop? (not a euphemism)

Not that one

 

[jt64]

Some just dont want to see the reality of where we now are as a club.

Its a sale brought about through financial necessity. Some seemingly cant handle that. Its not great, but if thats the best deal on the table for an inconsistent maverick (half decent money i think for him) then fair play.

Selling someone for, to paraphrase what you say, half way short of decent money, because of perceived "financial necessity", is how poor clubs stay poor. Both on the pitch and on the balance sheets.

 

[TJ blade]

Is it fck!