Blackwell

[cooperblade]

Heard (second hand) that a key member of our first team is worried that Blackwell won't be at the club next season. Apparently he refused to elaborate too much but it sounded more like pushed than walking.

During his contract negotiations his agent asked about incomings and outgoings and was told that budgets and plans for next season were still a work in progress and that the board were looking at who would come in.

Obviously didn't hear this directly but no reason to doubt the source.

The player thinks Gary Speed is nailed on to take over if and when Blackwell goes.

 

[Oreyt]

Lawks a mercy.

 

[IOM Blade]

Heard (second hand) that a key member of our first team is worried that Blackwell won't be at the club next season. Apparently he refused to elaborate too much but it sounded more like pushed than walking.

During his contract negotiations his agent asked about incomings and outgoings and was told that budgets and plans for next season were still a work in progress and that the board were looking at who would come in.

Obviously didn't hear this directly but no reason to doubt the source.

The player thinks Gary Speed is nailed on to take over if and when Blackwell goes.

Replace 'worried' with 'hoping'.

 

[gavtheblade]

Merry christmas everyone.goodwill to all men

 

[SheepdipBlade]

I'm glad this is just a rumour! I can understand the club having not finalised any transfers at this time - and still being in contract negotiations with players - - but if the Board really were going to get rid of KB it should have been done within days of the end of the season, to allow a proper re-build to begin asap.

If this turns out to be true - there better be a bloody good reason for letting this drag on for 6 weeks - or even I will concede that the Club would be better run by chimps!

 

[cooperblade]

Replace 'worried' with 'hoping'.

That might the case for a lot of the fans but this player has always spoken very highly of Blackwell.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

I'm glad this is just a rumour! I can understand the club having not finalised any transfers at this time - and still being in contract negotiations with players - - but if the Board really were going to get rid of KB it should have been done within days of the end of the season, to allow a proper re-build to begin asap.If this turns out to be true - there better be a bloody good reason for letting this drag on for 6 weeks - or even I will concede that the Club would be better run by chimps!

What if Blackie is still McC's love child and the penny is only dropping as Birch is told by agents that their players would only sign for Blackie if the alternative was shelf stacking at Tesco?

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

Funny how last season the problem with having so many loans was put down to having been in the play off final and us then being 3 weeks behind everyone.

How many we signed so far this season when the problem has been acknowledged and plans put in place to ensure we are not in the shit again? I've lost count?

 

[Toronto Blade]

This wouldn't hurt recruitment as Speed will have a good understanding of who we are looking at I would have thought that Short would be considered also.
If nothing else it would please alot of fans.

 

[bladesman1889]

Funny how last season the problem with having so many loans was put down to having been in the play off final and us then being 3 weeks behind everyone.

How many we signed so far this season when the problem has been acknowledged and plans put in place to ensure we are not in the shit again? I've lost count?

well one player has turned us down, we're on the verge of signing bogdanovic, we've tied morgan down to a new deal and are negotiating with monty and naysmith. I suspect we also know who we want to sign whereas last year we wouldn't have been able to draw up a list till after may 25th.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

That might the case for a lot of the fans but this player has always spoken very highly of Blackwell.

It doesn't come across as quite the "getting rid of" that you would hope, does it? If somebody is going to get the heave-ho it's usually clear to all concerned and the only issue is how long it takes to negotiate a package. If it's a grey area or the dressing room are in doubt then it sounds very much like we might be at home to Mr Cock-up. Given the players' grape-vine it's hardly likely to inspire potential signings whether he's here to stay or not.

 

[Kenilworth]

Most Contracts Run to End June

Nothing will happen of any significance anywhere until the end of June when most contracts that are not being renewed, expire. It's all speculation until then. Agents. players, managers, chairmen etc. will all be talking until then and making deals, breaking agreements, touting for more cash, reneging on promises etc.

Supposedly not being in the play off final means that we can talk to the B list earlier than last year.
Or maybe that's the C list nowadays.

I'll bet there has been plenty of talk and maybe the odd gentleman's agreement but nothing will be announced until the end of June to save face for all clubs and players concerned. The thing with an early announcement is that it alerts clubs and players to other possibilities. e.g. if a player finds out that an experienced member of the squad is off then they may think twice about accepting a contract offer themselves. Similarly if a player leaves a club then the other clubs and agents will know that such a player has to be replaced and consequently hold out for more in the contract talks. They like to get this all sorted, behind the curtains, before announcing it all to the world.

Not really rocket science is it?

 

[Toronto Blade]

Bit of a joke this being in the playoff final put us behind 3 weeks if the scouting staff are worth their salt they would have drawn up two lists one for the Championship and one for the Premier League .They had all season to settle on targets.

 

[DuncDisorderly]

What if Blackie is still McC's love child and the penny is only dropping as Birch is told by agents that their players would only sign for Blackie if the alternative was shelf stacking at Tesco?

Has it been established beyond all doubt that we never sign anyone because the entire football community thinks Blackwell is an arse, or is that just another piece of developed 'wisdom'..?

 

[raul]

That would certainly be the preferable route Kenilworth. Another route might be to sell everything worth buying, see how much has come in, then give a proportion of it to the Manager and say "There you go mate - you've got that to spend and a month to spend it in before we kick off."

I hope we're doing it your way, but we'll maybe have to sit on the fence for a couple of months to find out.

One thing I'm sure we all agree on, is that the key first team player who has recently signed his new contract will continue to give us 110% week in, week out, irrespective of whoever is the Manager come August.

 

[Bergen Blade]

That might the case for a lot of the fans but this player has always spoken very highly of Blackwell.

Has he gone into detail about what he thinks Blackwell is good at?

 

[Pinchy]

I too would speak highly about the buffoon who picks me every week if I were as mediocre as this hopefully soon-to- depart plodder.

 

[cooperblade]

I said i wouldn't say which player but raul and pinchy have both got it wrong.

 

[Santos]

That might the case for a lot of the fans but this player has always spoken very highly of Blackwell.

I think I know who you mean going on previous posts and the said player's former club.

 

[cooperblade]

I think I know who you mean going on previous posts and the said player's former club.

Not him either although last i heard he was a Blackwell fan

 

[raul]

Did said individual reveal it was Blackies presence that was the decisive factor in him choosing us instead of Wednesday last summer??

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

So who's knocking on the door begging to play for Blackie?

Even the newspapers with columns and web pages to fill aren't linking us with many except Broddy from Barnsley. Hardly the full 16 is he?

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

'The play-offs put us back last year' - not my words but those of the management.

How are we further forward and better off this season?

 

[SwissBlade]

'The play-offs put us back last year' - not my words but those of the management.

How are we further forward and better off this season?

I'll show you, below are the dates of the last games of the season...
This season: Sunday 2nd May
Last season: Monday 25th May

Last season finished 23 days later than this one, we couldn't plan anything as we didn't know which division we'd be playing in

Just because we haven't signed anyone YET doesn't mean that there is nothing going on...

Christ, I bet 99% of players are still on holiday, some may not even have contact with their agents whilst theyre away

My only concern is that it takes us so long to sort player contracts out...but as Birch is doing this, then Blackie is also in limbo.

With Naysmith, Monty etc all still in contract negotiations, surely its very, very wise for Blackie to wait until he knows who will be with us next season before finalising his signings.

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

The rumour I heard (no idea if it's true) is that Blackwell is close to walking due to Paddy being sold and Bogdanovic being brought in over his head.
Personally I hope it's true IF we are having a clearing of the decks we also need a new broom. Wow, a double mixed metaphor, it must be serious!

 

[puppet]

I'll show you, below are the dates of the last games of the season...
This season: Sunday 2nd May
Last season: Monday 25th May

Last season finished 23 days later than this one, we couldn't plan anything as we didn't know which division we'd be playing in

Just because we haven't signed anyone YET doesn't mean that there is nothing going on...

Christ, I bet 99% of players are still on holiday, some may not even have contact with their agents whilst theyre away

If thats the case then, why did we use that excuse so heavily last season???

 

[SwissBlade]

The rumour I heard (no idea if it's true) is that Blackwell is close to walking due to Paddy being sold and Bogdanovic being brought in over his head.
Personally I hope it's true IF we are having a clearing of the decks we also need a new broom. Wow, a double mixed metaphor, it must be serious!

Personally I think if that rumour is true then we have real problems at the club. It goes back to my point that we've never replaced Dooley as a "football man" on the board. I agree that Birch has a footballing background, but he has a major conflict with the financial control.

As much as I don't want Blackwell as team manager, I think that its key that if he stays, that he has full control of team affairs. Sure the board will and should have the powers to set the budgets and targets, but thats where their interference should end.

 

[SwissBlade]

I'll show you, below are the dates of the last games of the season...
This season: Sunday 2nd May
Last season: Monday 25th May

Last season finished 23 days later than this one, we couldn't plan anything as we didn't know which division we'd be playing in

Just because we haven't signed anyone YET doesn't mean that there is nothing going on...

Christ, I bet 99% of players are still on holiday, some may not even have contact with their agents whilst theyre away

If thats the case then, why did we use that excuse so heavily last season???

No idea Puppet, I was just trying to put some perspective on the differences...

 

[Grecian2000]

The rumour I heard (no idea if it's true) is that Blackwell is close to walking due to Paddy being sold and Bogdanovic being brought in over his head.

I like that rumour.

I'd be more than happy for us to play goalie wag next season if old Hoofy was on his way.

 

[metty]

Heard (second hand) that a key member of our first team is worried that Blackwell won't be at the club next season. Apparently he refused to elaborate too much but it sounded more like pushed than walking.

During his contract negotiations his agent asked about incomings and outgoings and was told that budgets and plans for next season were still a work in progress and that the board were looking at who would come in.

Obviously didn't hear this directly but no reason to doubt the source.

The player thinks Gary Speed is nailed on to take over if and when Blackwell goes.

I was told 4 weeks ago by someone 'in the know' that Micky Adams had been approached by United. Whether its true I can't say but the source is very close to him at Port Vale