food for thought

[Jesus_was_a_Blade]

Last season Clough got us to within 2 games of the promised land. After the Swindon game he goes to the board with something along the lines of "£1.5m for 3 or 4 new faces and I'll take us up automatic."

He's told in no uncertain terms that the board aren't willing to put any more money into the club, he doesn't take kindly to this so they agree to part ways (along with the customary gagging order from McCabe).

Adkins is brought in and promised funds. As soon as he's signed on the dotted line however he's told that these funds must be generated by player sales, queue Murphy leaving.

Only 25% of this money is given back to Adkins which he decides to spend on Sharp (brilliant decision by the way). This leaves him with a transfer kitty of the square root of jack, so he brings in Woolford on a free, and the others on loans.

Come January we've no more top talent to sell, the board have already taken every penny from transfers and cup runs out of the club, meaning we find ourselves in our current situation. Looking to get another couple of loans in so we don't have to fork out for transfers.

Admittedly some speculation here, but given that Adkins as had 2 transfer windows and only spent a fraction of the money we all know we should have, starts to give the impression that there is currently no money in the club whatsoever. And until we actually spend a decent amount on someone (will have to be in the summer now) my opinion won't change any time soon.

UTB

 

[BushBlade]

 

[PeteBlade]

*Some* speculation?!

You're Professor Speculation, of Speculation Unversity, Speculation Street!

 

[coaxingstar71]

Last season Clough got us to within 2 games of the promised land. After the Swindon game he goes to the board with something along the lines of "£1.5m for 3 or 4 new faces and I'll take us up automatic."

He's told in no uncertain terms that the board aren't willing to put any more money into the club, he doesn't take kindly to this so they agree to part ways (along with the customary gagging order from McCabe).

Adkins is brought in and promised funds. As soon as he's signed on the dotted line however he's told that these funds must be generated by player sales, queue Murphy leaving.

Only 25% of this money is given back to Adkins which he decides to spend on Sharp (brilliant decision by the way). This leaves him with a transfer kitty of the square root of jack, so he brings in Woolford on a free, and the others on loans.

Come January we've no more top talent to sell, the board have already taken every penny from transfers and cup runs out of the club, meaning we find ourselves in our current situation. Looking to get another couple of loans in so we don't have to fork out for transfers.

Admittedly some speculation here, but given that Adkins as had 2 transfer windows and only spent a fraction of the money we all know we should have, starts to give the impression that there is currently no money in the club whatsoever. And until we actually spend a decent amount on someone (will have to be in the summer now) my opinion won't change any time soo

UTB

Would it fair to say that your whole post is speculation? Not saying it's wrong either but as far as I know :-
1. We don't know the real facts surrounding Clough's departure apart from Jim saying he didn't want to play ball with the agreed transfer policy.
2. We don't know what Adkins was promised on signing.
3. We don't know if the rest of the money has been used for other means, 'taken out of the club'.
4. We don't know what the current transfer budget is.

It's the usual thing though of in the absence of any facts, let's make something up and believe it to be the truth.

 

[Rodley]

Last season Clough got us to within 2 games of the promised land. After the Swindon game he goes to the board with something along the lines of "£1.5m for 3 or 4 new faces and I'll take us up automatic."

He's told in no uncertain terms that the board aren't willing to put any more money into the club, he doesn't take kindly to this so they agree to part ways (along with the customary gagging order from McCabe).

Adkins is brought in and promised funds. As soon as he's signed on the dotted line however he's told that these funds must be generated by player sales, queue Murphy leaving.

Only 25% of this money is given back to Adkins which he decides to spend on Sharp (brilliant decision by the way). This leaves him with a transfer kitty of the square root of jack, so he brings in Woolford on a free, and the others on loans.

Come January we've no more top talent to sell, the board have already taken every penny from transfers and cup runs out of the club, meaning we find ourselves in our current situation. Looking to get another couple of loans in so we don't have to fork out for transfers.

Admittedly some speculation here, but given that Adkins as had 2 transfer windows and only spent a fraction of the money we all know we should have, starts to give the impression that there is currently no money in the club whatsoever. And until we actually spend a decent amount on someone (will have to be in the summer now) my opinion won't change any time soon.

UTB

 

[Rodley]

Can anyone explain to me why a football club loses money?

Also, does anyone have the GCB ringtone?

 

[Ted Danson]

Only 25% of this money is given back to Adkins which he decides to spend on Sharp (brilliant decision by the way). This leaves him with a transfer kitty of the square root of jack, so he brings in Woolford on a free, and the others on loans.


UTB

Was it a brilliant decision though? Sounds from your speculation that Adkins spunked all his funds on his old boy Sharp and was left with no cash to strengthen areas which were more important. Id love to know what Sharps wages are compared to the rest of the team, if they're comparable and we didnt pay that much for him then yes a good decision but I get the feeling hell be on twice that of most here

 

[Jesus_was_a_Blade]

Admittedly all speculation.

Don't know if he used all the money on Sharp, was promised more and didn't get it or was unable to bring other targets in. Either way, you can't deny that Sharp's been our stand out player this season, and carried the team through a number of games.

Undoubtedly he's going to be one of our top earners (and rightly so based on performances) but as long as he's not on silly money, and I can't see United ever being that generous, then I'm happy.

 

[mosbolad]

*Some* speculation?!

You're Professor Speculation, of Speculation Unversity, Speculation Street!

If he were a medical instrument he would be a ........

 

[gavtheblade]

Was it a brilliant decision though? Sounds from your speculation that Adkins spunked all his funds on his old boy Sharp and was left with no cash to strengthen areas which were more important. Id love to know what Sharps wages are compared to the rest of the team, if they're comparable and we didnt pay that much for him then yes a good decision but I get the feeling hell be on twice that of most here

It was a very good decision, take his goals away and we would be scrapping for survival.
Billy runs his bollocks off for the club, unlike 90% of squad.

 

[SwissBlade]

It was a very good decision, take his goals away and we would be scrapping for survival.
Billy runs his bollocks off for the club, unlike 90% of squad.

Playing devils advocate, he loaned out a very similar player in McNulty and he has continued to score goals on a regular basis. Billy, for all his ability was probably not the signing we needed, we needed an 'O'Grady type' because, we've seen that Adkins has also struggled to play a 4-4-2 and when he's used billy as the target man, his goals have dried up because of the work needed up front he's not been able to do both. McNulty would've struggled more in this role.

Billy has also been a strong creater but many of his goals have come from pens (with a few misses too). We didn't need a penalty taker though, plenty of them around.

So I'd say that Adkins or most likely the club have spunked a lot of the budget on Billy and further signings were not forthcoming...

As for speculation, I heard/ read that Clough had given his blessing to sell Murphy as Che was a perfect replacement. Given how clough worked with many other youngsters like Che, reed, Scougs and McNulty I'd suggest that he was a better manager for working with young talent. Adkins has done his best to push many youngsters down the pecking order... Reed, Wallace, Che for example

 

[mosbolad]

Given how clough worked with many other youngsters like Che, reed, Scougs and McNulty I'd suggest that he was a better manager for working with young talent. Adkins has done his best to push many youngsters down the pecking order... Reed, Wallace, Che for example

Except that's not quite true though Swiss.

Reed, this stage of the 2014/15 season under Clough 22 appearances versus 17 under Adkins (lower but comparable).

Kieren Wallace, 12 for the entire season under Clough, 17 already under Adkins.

Adams, 5 under Clough at this stage in the season, 13 for the whole season. Under Adkins Adams has played 23 already.

What did you base it on that Adkins has done his best to push youngsters down the pecking order when compared with Clough?

 

[Esablade]

I'd like to think that at some point during the interviewing/courting Adkins process, Adkins would have turned round and gone through his budget for the year ahead before signing anything?

He brought Billy in, who might have cost a fee...and that's it.
Can't see Woolford being on much, Edgar maybe a bit more and Hammond took an age to get through the door, I'm guessing because we had to pay a higher percentage of his wage than the board would have liked?

I'm certain he knew what he was getting into and that his hands would be tied somewhat until 2016...hence the famous ''giving everyone a chance' statement...

...though it's all just so much speculation!

 

[finlaytheblade]

Last season Clough got us to within 2 games of the promised land. After the Swindon game he goes to the board with something along the lines of "£1.5m for 3 or 4 new faces and I'll take us up automatic."

He's told in no uncertain terms that the board aren't willing to put any more money into the club, he doesn't take kindly to this so they agree to part ways (along with the customary gagging order from McCabe).

Adkins is brought in and promised funds. As soon as he's signed on the dotted line however he's told that these funds must be generated by player sales, queue Murphy leaving.

Only 25% of this money is given back to Adkins which he decides to spend on Sharp (brilliant decision by the way). This leaves him with a transfer kitty of the square root of jack, so he brings in Woolford on a free, and the others on loans.

Come January we've no more top talent to sell, the board have already taken every penny from transfers and cup runs out of the club, meaning we find ourselves in our current situation. Looking to get another couple of loans in so we don't have to fork out for transfers.

Admittedly some speculation here, but given that Adkins as had 2 transfer windows and only spent a fraction of the money we all know we should have, starts to give the impression that there is currently no money in the club whatsoever. And until we actually spend a decent amount on someone (will have to be in the summer now) my opinion won't change any time soon.

UTB

I think you are assuming a lot there !!,cloughs waste of money is more likely to have got him the sack (+of course falling out with certain members of his squad).Adkins is no fool so if you think he was lied to he would surely resign at this juncture as his cv is taking a real battering at present.
If we go back to Adkins interviews he said more than once""if I can't get the players targeted then he would not panic buy!!""that's where we are from the man's own mouth,he also said that the loan window opens soon and would look to strengthen then.
I am quite baffled by all this abuse at the club ,offers were put in ,a value is set by Adkins if the offer is not accepted what do you do? maybe you up your offer if turned down what next?,keep upping the offer? that would be crazy.I still think we will strengthen and loans can be turned into permanent deals in the summer.
What must Nigel be thinking at this present time,I beleave he is an honest bloke trying to do a job ,we need to get behind him and our team
as promotion is still acheave ,but a toxic fan base will make it all the more difficult.
As I said earlier if he was lied to by the board he would walk away (he will have conditions within his contract that give him the option to walk away his agent will have seen to that) by the same token the club will have options within his contract to terminate if required all bases
will be covered.
Let's see Wigan off on sat (we owe them one relegation!!) and go from there.

 

[SwissBlade]

Except that's not quite true though Swiss.

Reed, this stage of the 2014/15 season under Clough 22 appearances versus 17 under Adkins (lower but comparable).

Kieren Wallace, 12 for the entire season under Clough, 17 already under Adkins.

Adams, 5 under Clough at this stage in the season, 13 for the whole season. Under Adkins Adams has played 23 already.

What did you base it on that Adkins has done his best to push youngsters down the pecking order when compared with Clough?

Has Reed played in all 17 of those under Adkins? Seems high and I don't think he's had anything more than a few cameos.

As for Adams and Wallace, they were both signed in Nov/ December 2014 and made their professional debuts in December, the latter going on loan to Lincoln. So it's perhaps more of an indictment on Adkins...

Both came into the side this season and particularly in Wallaces case played well and consistently, only to be dropped without a trace when harris came in.

Adkins has done his best to bring in older players (many over 30), only Long has now managed to cement a place as a youngster in a very poor, very slow side

 

[Rodley]

Playing devils advocate, he loaned out a very similar player in McNulty and he has continued to score goals on a regular basis. Billy, for all his ability was probably not the signing we needed, we needed an 'O'Grady type' because, we've seen that Adkins has also struggled to play a 4-4-2 and when he's used billy as the target man, his goals have dried up because of the work needed up front he's not been able to do both. McNulty would've struggled more in this role.

Billy has also been a strong creater but many of his goals have come from pens (with a few misses too). We didn't need a penalty taker though, plenty of them around.

So I'd say that Adkins or most likely the club have spunked a lot of the budget on Billy and further signings were not forthcoming...

As for speculation, I heard/ read that Clough had given his blessing to sell Murphy as Che was a perfect replacement. Given how clough worked with many other youngsters like Che, reed, Scougs and McNulty I'd suggest that he was a better manager for working with young talent. Adkins has done his best to push many youngsters down the pecking order... Reed, Wallace, Che for example

Not sure McNulty is the best example of a player being nurtured by Clough.

 

[SwissBlade]

Not sure McNulty is the best example of a player being nurtured by Clough.

Why? He certainly developed under Cloughs tutorage.

Whether the way Clough handled him was right, but it seemed to get the right results on the pitch

 

[Tezza1889]

If you speculate that Adkins might be extremely choosy about who he signs, and that the cash is still there, as Jim mumbled last night, things take a much rosier view...

Me, I think we're skint..

 

[mosbolad]

Has Reed played in all 17 of those under Adkins? Seems high and I don't think he's had anything more than a few cameos.

As for Adams and Wallace, they were both signed in Nov/ December 2014 and made their professional debuts in December, the latter going on loan to Lincoln. So it's perhaps more of an indictment on Adkins...

Both came into the side this season and particularly in Wallaces case played well and consistently, only to be dropped without a trace when harris came in.

Adkins has done his best to bring in older players (many over 30), only Long has now managed to cement a place as a youngster in a very poor, very slow side

The stats are from soccerbase, yes 17 this season for Reed so obviously all under Adkins a lot as sub no doubt.

Adams about the same under both managers if we take it from December till now.

Long was on loan most of the season under Clough.

Wallace, my mistake 6 for the Blades and 6 for Lincoln under Clough. 17 for the Blades under Adkins, but none since December.

So not quite so clear cut, make of it what you will. As good site soccerbase for such stuff.

http://www.soccerbase.com/teams/team.sd?team_id=2328

 

[maxtheblade]

I think Clough's sudden departure was more due to an unwillingness to commit to a more attractive playing style than anything else. If he'd have agreed to that he'd probably still be in charge.

 

[Superblades]

If the rumour of getting Barker from Derby was true then I'm glad they did say no.

 

[SwissBlade]

I think Clough's sudden departure was more due to an unwillingness to commit to a more attractive playing style than anything else. If he'd have agreed to that he'd probably still be in charge.

Well at least we're now playing pretty football eh....

 

[SwissBlade]

... And we're still 3 transfer windows away from playing pretty football

 

[maxtheblade]

Well at least we're now playing pretty football eh....

It explains why Adkins made so much noise about playing attractive football at the start of the season. Admittedly he had to alter that when he realised we hadn't got the players!

 

[wizadry]

It was a very good decision, take his goals away and we would be scrapping for survival.
Billy runs his bollocks off for the club, unlike 90% of squad.

Not taking anything away from Billy because without his goals you would indeed be right, we'd be in shit creek but it's pretty hard to say whether it was a good decision or not in all honesty.

I say this because what if we'd have spent the money we spent on Billy, on a solid CB and a box to box creative midfielder instead, keeping McNulty, Done, Adams and perhaps one more instead of Sammon, all this could mean we concede less, create more and score at least the same. This involves a lot of ifs buts and maybes, which is sort of the point I'm trying to make, it's hard to say.

Billy is probably on a lot of money, could we have built a better all round squad without him with the money we spent on his wages and signing fee? I suppose we'll never know but that's not to say Billy isn't doing his bit for the team because he has already won player of the season for us imo, which hasn't really being hard to do 'tbh'.

 

[Jesus_was_a_Blade]

I say this because what if we'd have spent the money we spent on Billy, on a solid CB and a box to box creative midfielder instead, keeping McNulty, Done, Adams and perhaps one more instead of Sammon, all this could mean we concede less, create more and score at least the same. This involves a lot of ifs buts and maybes, which is sort of the point I'm trying to make, it's hard to say.

Fair point, one I think a lot would agree with as there's no doubt we're now over reliant on Sharp, and would likely be better off having a stronger overall starting 11. But surely given the money we're supposed to have got we could have the best of both worlds, Sharp along with the CB, quality CM as well as maybe a winger that we can all see we're crying out for.

 

[United Aren't Back.]

Suddenly the 2nd division is the promised land. All it promises me is massive admission costs, crap football,
and United at best being outsiders for a playoff spot.

 

[lazyfecklessblade]

Suddenly the 2nd division is the promised land. All it promises me is massive admission costs, crap football,
and United at best being outsiders for a playoff spot.

Sounds like our current situation (albeit the tickets are pretty cheap right now)

 

[wizadry]

Fair point, one I think a lot would agree with as there's no doubt we're now over reliant on Sharp, and would likely be better off having a stronger overall starting 11. But surely given the money we're supposed to have got we could have the best of both worlds, Sharp along with the CB, quality CM as well as maybe a winger that we can all see we're crying out for.

I don't disagree but I think it's fairly obvious now that we don't have any money left. We have somehow seriously mismanaged the money at Bramall Lane and unless the Prince and McCabe can come up with something then we're in dire straits for the foreseeable future.

 

[Booker4]

I think you are assuming a lot there !!,cloughs waste of money is more likely to have got him the sack (+of course falling out with certain members of his squad).Adkins is no fool so if you think he was lied to he would surely resign at this juncture as his cv is taking a real battering at present.
If we go back to Adkins interviews he said more than once""if I can't get the players targeted then he would not panic buy!!""that's where we are from the man's own mouth,he also said that the loan window opens soon and would look to strengthen then.
I am quite baffled by all this abuse at the club ,offers were put in ,a value is set by Adkins if the offer is not accepted what do you do? maybe you up your offer if turned down what next?,keep upping the offer? that would be crazy.I still think we will strengthen and loans can be turned into permanent deals in the summer.
What must Nigel be thinking at this present time,I beleave he is an honest bloke trying to do a job ,we need to get behind him and our team
as promotion is still acheave ,but a toxic fan base will make it all the more difficult.
As I said earlier if he was lied to by the board he would walk away (he will have conditions within his contract that give him the option to walk away his agent will have seen to that) by the same token the club will have options within his contract to terminate if required all bases
will be covered.
Let's see Wigan off on sat (we owe them one relegation!!) and go from there.

We don't know if Adkins was lied to either though by the board! What I still don't get is why we have concluded we can't improve on the likes of Woolford! Surely we know we can and I bet someone in our league signs Franck Moussa!