Is United World worth the money?

[Carlton Blade]

The question for me is whether we actually ‘need’ any of these resources that are being shared.

I suspect the answer is ‘no’ and that we’d be no worse off if we just operated a single club model. The shared costs seem like additional costs to me.

There’s also been nothing of note to come out of the UW links so it seems poor VFM.

As far as I can tell, UW has no significant revenue stream other than consultancy fees from United

 

[Carlton Blade]

I'd also question this.

I understand the old SPAR type concept where we are sharing the fixed costs. Ordinarily I'd get the logic here.

But a couple of things I would question.

1. Scouting. We are now a PL club. Beerschot are probably at League One/League Two level, I'm not even sure some of the B teams they face wouldn't get their arses handed to them by the likes of Wrexham and Notts County who only just joined the league. Chateauroux are probably at League Two/National League level. What possible scouting mission for either of the two clubs mentioned is going to unearth a player set for the PL?
2. We have signed one perm player since summer 2020. How valuable is a constant payment for scouting services of x per month when over a three year period we've signed one guy who Jack Lester knew well? May as well save the money, engage short term resources ad-hoc for now or just ask Jack Lester!

Beerschot and Chateauroux did next to nothing in January too. So maybe they would have been better saving any cash too.

It seems that United World is some sort of do good vanity project without any real substance. It allows them to rub shoulders with the FIFA dude who sucked up to the Turkish Chef at the World Cup, but they seem to be as interested in running a glorified people trafficking scheme from Africa (not suggesting anything illegal, more the liberal movement one way of young African students) rather than produce anything tangible for the clubs in the near term. It is more like an International Erasmus cum-Boy Scouts set up rather than anything else.

I'd expect to be seeing front line collaboration between the clubs. Chateauroux and Beerschot making up for the absence of Cat A academy status to provide a technical finishing school for the Blades U23s. I'd expect those offloaded or without a clear path to get a chance at the clubs. But there would have to be some football nous involved.

Gomis could have gone to Chateauroux. I don't think Beerschot was the right loan. Ayari could have gone to Chateauroux. Neal would have probably suited Beerschot more. Some of the current U23s to Chateauroux would help them and would also keep costs down at the latter.

I'd expect some pre-season collaboration and the usage of each other's training facilities for a break or change of scenery.

You'd expect perhaps half yearly or quarterly coaching get togethers.

I don't see any of that or any hint of buy-in from any of the coaches.

It seems to me that there is a really good idea in there somewhere, which perhaps the City group or Watford/Udinese do well but there is neither the expertise to make it a tangible success nor the cash to keep the clubs comfortably afloat during the process.

But apart from that...

It's playing at an idea rich clubs use purely as a way of generating revenue. United are paying for services that they can't use, but apparently we'd be "starting from scratch" otherwise.

Like the rest of the world, pay for services as you need them or hire staff

 

[cooperblade]

Basically, do you think that United are getting value for money?

No. Absolutely not.

 

[Nicolaus_Copernicus]

Jack Lester found him

He was known to the wider online scouting community before then:

TALENT OF THE DAY

Name: Anel Ahmedhodžić

Age: 21

Country: Sweden/Bosnia

Club: Malmö FF

Position: CB

Player role: complete, elegant & dominant CB

Strengths: pace, tackling, positioning, athleticism, heading

Foot: right

Similar type of player: Raphaël Varane

Potential: 8,5/10

7:12 pm · 28 Aug 2020

 

[Carlton Blade]

He was known to the wider online scouting community before then:

TALENT OF THE DAY

Name: Anel Ahmedhodžić

Age: 21

Country: Sweden/Bosnia

Club: Malmö FF

Position: CB

Player role: complete, elegant & dominant CB

Strengths: pace, tackling, positioning, athleticism, heading

Foot: right

Similar type of player: Raphaël Varane

Potential: 8,5/10

7:12 pm · 28 Aug 2020

Thanks Jacek

 

[Nicolaus_Copernicus]

Thanks Jacek

I've said for a while, if I were SUFC, I'd slide into his DM's and sort out a working arrangement on an 'as & when needed' basis. It'd work out a lot cheaper than what we pay UW.

 

[Jacobsenthecrab]

I read on the Athletic that clubs like Brentford and Brighton are spending £10-£15m a year on scouting and playing analytics so our contribution to UW seems piddling compared to this.
It also includes the data analytics used to assess our own players when training and playing so I guess the scouting side isn’t fit for purpose for the PL as it’s so cheap.

 

[TopBoy]

Multi-club ownership can work if done right and you have the resources to prop it up, just look at Man City. Even the Peterborough United chairman is in the process of setting something similar up albeit further down the ladder. But can you imagine trying to keep United World and the member clubs aligned, it's hard enough keeping a single club aligned. Throw in the language and cultural challenges and it's a basket case and not one we have seen any tangible value from to date. We're not even farming our development squad out to member clubs anymore it seems. I would guess any takeover would see us pull out and it will all but collapse.

 

[robbiez666]

I'd also question this.

I understand the old SPAR type concept where we are sharing the fixed costs. Ordinarily I'd get the logic here.

But a couple of things I would question.

1. Scouting. We are now a PL club. Beerschot are probably at League One/League Two level, I'm not even sure some of the B teams they face wouldn't get their arses handed to them by the likes of Wrexham and Notts County who only just joined the league. Chateauroux are probably at League Two/National League level. What possible scouting mission for either of the two clubs mentioned is going to unearth a player set for the PL?
2. We have signed one perm player since summer 2020. How valuable is a constant payment for scouting services of x per month when over a three year period we've signed one guy who Jack Lester knew well? May as well save the money, engage short term resources ad-hoc for now or just ask Jack Lester!

Beerschot and Chateauroux did next to nothing in January too. So maybe they would have been better saving any cash too.

It seems that United World is some sort of do good vanity project without any real substance. It allows them to rub shoulders with the FIFA dude who sucked up to the Turkish Chef at the World Cup, but they seem to be as interested in running a glorified people trafficking scheme from Africa (not suggesting anything illegal, more the liberal movement one way of young African students) rather than produce anything tangible for the clubs in the near term. It is more like an International Erasmus cum-Boy Scouts set up rather than anything else.

I'd expect to be seeing front line collaboration between the clubs. Chateauroux and Beerschot making up for the absence of Cat A academy status to provide a technical finishing school for the Blades U23s. I'd expect those offloaded or without a clear path to get a chance at the clubs. But there would have to be some football nous involved.

Gomis could have gone to Chateauroux. I don't think Beerschot was the right loan. Ayari could have gone to Chateauroux. Neal would have probably suited Beerschot more. Some of the current U23s to Chateauroux would help them and would also keep costs down at the latter.

I'd expect some pre-season collaboration and the usage of each other's training facilities for a break or change of scenery.

You'd expect perhaps half yearly or quarterly coaching get togethers.

I don't see any of that or any hint of buy-in from any of the coaches.

It seems to me that there is a really good idea in there somewhere, which perhaps the City group or Watford/Udinese do well but there is neither the expertise to make it a tangible success nor the cash to keep the clubs comfortably afloat during the process.

But apart from that...

I genuinely think this is the only way we'll have a European scouting network. Scouts will be looking at a range of clubs in those countries, including young players in the top divisions. We're much likely to find European players through their scouting networks than through whatever we have or don't have.

 

[Snowflake]

I genuinely think this is the only way we'll have a European scouting network. Scouts will be looking at a range of clubs in those countries, including young players in the top divisions. We're much likely to find European players through their scouting networks than through whatever we have or don't have.

Let’s see over the next 10 weeks

 

[Addison]

The training center will be made into a hotel for the Olympics by the Town if Berri loses its pro status, which will definitely happen if they are demoted to N2.

Si la Berrichonne perd son statut professionnel, le centre de formation deviendra un hôtel

Mal en point au classement de National, la Berrichonne de Châteauroux pourrait perdre son centre de formation en cas de relégation en Nationale 2.

m.lanouvellerepublique.fr

Part of this is down to the locals empowered to run the club.

By all accounts, and I've followed them all season as you know and am on their forum, Chateauroux had a budget of €7.5m. This is the second highest behind Nancy at €10m. Nancy were just relegated from Ligue 2, and are a fair bit bigger than Chateauroux. Incidentally Nancy got relegated in the season just gone, taking the last relegation spot kn the final day, but if Sedan and/or Chateauroux end up being demoted financially they will be saved. One of the teams promoted, Concarneau, did so on a budget of about €2m. Smaller infrastructure perhaps but clearly a far more inferior playing budget.

The origin of the problem was the setting of the budget 2 years back. One fan described it as like a kid whose poor parents won the lottery, insinuating they didn't know how to react to this additional money and wasted it.

That summer they bought in 18 new players, a lot of aging ones on decent money, with no resale value in an attempt to go back up immediately after being relegated from Ligue 2; somewhat the antethesis of what United World is supposed to stand for. In came Nolan Roux, 33, former Ligue 1 player, reportedly on €40k a month, Ferris N'Goma 28 from Brest in Ligue 1, Paul Delecroix, 32, Fortune, formerly of Celtic and WBA, 31, Youssouf, 27, etc. They had a squad of 30. Simply far too much excess. They tried to operate more modestly this past year but still had experienced players on big money and who all suffered injuries meaning they played slow percentage of the matches - N'Goma (24%), Sunu (38%), Grange (12%) and Roux (50%). Caught between two stools they sold Robinet, the prior seasons top scorer, and Decouré, a promising young striker for the best part of €2m combined. It was on transfer deadline day and pretty much torpedoed the hopes of automatic promotion, and ironically more revenue that might have saved their fate here, effectively putting an end to the goal supply.

So I'd say the local management deserve a lot of criticism. But, as the saying goes. The fish rots from the head and nobody forced a lack of governance onto PA.

So ultimately him and his United World organization are to blame though the local guys should not be devoid of criticism.

I also think them buying Beerschot was a big mistake. They seemed to see a club they thought was undervalued and when promoted to the Jupiler League they probably thought it was a great move and everyone is happy. They'd just taken over a team that was bankrupt a few years back, everyone would rejoice, right? But Beerschot are a proud club, with a fanatic fanbase who have some experience of winning things. So just turning up and being happy to be there wasn't going to be enough. They were expected to compete and they weren't prepared to provide the financial backing to do that and without at least some European football, I doubt there is enough tv money to finance an autonomous club.

Ironically, and @purple rain may disagree, they are a bit better set for next season. This year they fell short, but with one promotion spot it was always going to be hard. They rebuilt the squad almost entirely and in Baeten, at least have a scorer. The average squad age is a healthy 23.6 at present once all agreed ins and outs are considered. BUT, they still will need one or two experienced guys to lead and this is where there seems, juxtaposed to what happened at Chateauroux, a reluctance to do this at all in Belgium.

All in all the issue is partly money but also strategy and understanding of the clubs' needs and expectations.

The Prince and United World don't seem to have enough to run so many clubs and there has been no successful pooling lf resources either. Most loans have failed - Broadbent and Gomis to Beerschot and Ibara from Beerschot to Chateauroux.

But also, at Beerschot they don't sign nay players of experience and have a very young team. At Chateauroux they should have built a young team and allowed the locals to inflate a squad of aging overpaid players. There is no positive loans between the teams. Overall they could have done better with the same resources and better judgment.

Like United, none of the clubs got good support in Jan either but given we were in embargo, Beerschot needed money to be bailed out and Chateauroux have their own financial issues with their budget for 23/23 rejected and demotion proposed, there is no wonder support wasn't forthcoming. The money isn't there, which probably explains why we are expected to live within modest means for the foreseeable.

A re occuring theme across all clubs. Lack of governance, experienced bodies in senior positions, lack of investment and ultimately direction, planning and strategy. Seems all Clubs aren't getting much of a return for the fees they pay.

 

[Stu_Blade]

United World from what I have seen (very limited) is just another version of Mccabe's 2006 "world football links vision" - It looks good on paper and in theory sounds fancy however for me we would be better using the money in the academy - Could we even look to invest in Billy Sharp's Academy with a view of making that nationwide or at least Yorkshire wide?

 

[Champagneblade]

Does it matter where we don't sign players from Rob???

For the scope of our finances and scouting efforts you could probably get away with a web browser and the most up to date url for Transfermarkt.

Just flick the German lads a fiver to keep the site going and Bob's your Uncle.

Have to reserve judgment post window if we end up with some weird and wonderful signings but I'll be quite pleasantly surprised if we sign someone that hasn't already been mentioned by a user on here...

 

[brownblade]

The training center will be made into a hotel for the Olympics by the Town if Berri loses its pro status, which will definitely happen if they are demoted to N2.

Si la Berrichonne perd son statut professionnel, le centre de formation deviendra un hôtel

Mal en point au classement de National, la Berrichonne de Châteauroux pourrait perdre son centre de formation en cas de relégation en Nationale 2.

m.lanouvellerepublique.fr

Part of this is down to the locals empowered to run the club.

By all accounts, and I've followed them all season as you know and am on their forum, Chateauroux had a budget of €7.5m. This is the second highest behind Nancy at €10m. Nancy were just relegated from Ligue 2, and are a fair bit bigger than Chateauroux. Incidentally Nancy got relegated in the season just gone, taking the last relegation spot kn the final day, but if Sedan and/or Chateauroux end up being demoted financially they will be saved. One of the teams promoted, Concarneau, did so on a budget of about €2m. Smaller infrastructure perhaps but clearly a far more inferior playing budget.

The origin of the problem was the setting of the budget 2 years back. One fan described it as like a kid whose poor parents won the lottery, insinuating they didn't know how to react to this additional money and wasted it.

That summer they bought in 18 new players, a lot of aging ones on decent money, with no resale value in an attempt to go back up immediately after being relegated from Ligue 2; somewhat the antethesis of what United World is supposed to stand for. In came Nolan Roux, 33, former Ligue 1 player, reportedly on €40k a month, Ferris N'Goma 28 from Brest in Ligue 1, Paul Delecroix, 32, Fortune, formerly of Celtic and WBA, 31, Youssouf, 27, etc. They had a squad of 30. Simply far too much excess. They tried to operate more modestly this past year but still had experienced players on big money and who all suffered injuries meaning they played slow percentage of the matches - N'Goma (24%), Sunu (38%), Grange (12%) and Roux (50%). Caught between two stools they sold Robinet, the prior seasons top scorer, and Decouré, a promising young striker for the best part of €2m combined. It was on transfer deadline day and pretty much torpedoed the hopes of automatic promotion, and ironically more revenue that might have saved their fate here, effectively putting an end to the goal supply.

So I'd say the local management deserve a lot of criticism. But, as the saying goes. The fish rots from the head and nobody forced a lack of governance onto PA.

So ultimately him and his United World organization are to blame though the local guys should not be devoid of criticism.

I also think them buying Beerschot was a big mistake. They seemed to see a club they thought was undervalued and when promoted to the Jupiler League they probably thought it was a great move and everyone is happy. They'd just taken over a team that was bankrupt a few years back, everyone would rejoice, right? But Beerschot are a proud club, with a fanatic fanbase who have some experience of winning things. So just turning up and being happy to be there wasn't going to be enough. They were expected to compete and they weren't prepared to provide the financial backing to do that and without at least some European football, I doubt there is enough tv money to finance an autonomous club.

Ironically, and @purple rain may disagree, they are a bit better set for next season. This year they fell short, but with one promotion spot it was always going to be hard. They rebuilt the squad almost entirely and in Baeten, at least have a scorer. The average squad age is a healthy 23.6 at present once all agreed ins and outs are considered. BUT, they still will need one or two experienced guys to lead and this is where there seems, juxtaposed to what happened at Chateauroux, a reluctance to do this at all in Belgium.

All in all the issue is partly money but also strategy and understanding of the clubs' needs and expectations.

The Prince and United World don't seem to have enough to run so many clubs and there has been no successful pooling lf resources either. Most loans have failed - Broadbent and Gomis to Beerschot and Ibara from Beerschot to Chateauroux.

But also, at Beerschot they don't sign nay players of experience and have a very young team. At Chateauroux they should have built a young team and allowed the locals to inflate a squad of aging overpaid players. There is no positive loans between the teams. Overall they could have done better with the same resources and better judgment.

Like United, none of the clubs got good support in Jan either but given we were in embargo, Beerschot needed money to be bailed out and Chateauroux have their own financial issues with their budget for 23/23 rejected and demotion proposed, there is no wonder support wasn't forthcoming. The money isn't there, which probably explains why we are expected to live within modest means for the foreseeable.

I was unaware of most of this, thanks for the detail.

I'm starting to think I need to stop happy-clapping for the Prince...!

 

[Champagneblade]

I was unaware of most of this, thanks for the detail.

I'm starting to think I need to stop happy-clapping for the Prince...!

It does start to seem that, despite being a good guy and holding his arse cheeks together to not undermine totally our promotion, he's a well meaning fellow who has simply bitten off a little more than he can chew.

He just doesn't seem to have the cash to support the ventures properly that he's entered into.

Anyone thinking they are making money out of Chateauroux, Beerschot and United needs to be pulling 4 leaf clovers out of the ground every day and twice on a Sunday. You'd probably need us in the Europa League, Beerschot also in Europe and Chateauroux up to Ligue Un.

That's a lot of positive things happening all at once, especially if you're not prepared to lose a fair bit of cash kick-starting them. Even then, if they make money, they'll probably need to reinvest that in the club to maintain the level. So the only way you gain is by selling a club that has a higher turnover than you started, at which point there probably isn't much growth left in them to attract a new owner.

As Keith Edwards, on Radio Sheffield commentary whilst talking about Mr McCabe once said "if you're a football club Chairman and you don't want to spend any money, then you need to get another hobby!"

 

[Wards]

Ultimately we'll see how effective the scouting strategy is come the end of this window. I'm minded to say UW is a complete waste of everyones time, effort and resource (mostly United's) but will reserve judgement until we see if it can produce any tangible results when it's really needed.

 

[brownblade]

It does start to seem that, despite being a good guy and holding his arse cheeks together to not undermine totally our promotion, he's a well meaning fellow who has simply bitten off a little more than he can chew.

He just doesn't seem to have the cash to support the ventures properly that he's entered into.

Anyone thinking they are making money out of Chateauroux, Beerschot and United needs to be pulling 4 leaf clovers out of the ground every day and twice on a Sunday. You'd probably need us in the Europa League, Beerschot also in Europe and Chateauroux up to Ligue Un.

That's a lot of positive things happening all at once, especially if you're not prepared to lose a fair bit of cash kick-starting them. Even then, if they make money, they'll probably need to reinvest that in the club to maintain the level. So the only way you gain is by selling a club that has a higher turnover than you started, at which point there probably isn't much growth left in them to attract a new owner.

As Keith Edwards, on Radio Sheffield commentary whilst talking about Mr McCabe once said "if you're a football club Chairman and you don't want to spend any money, then you need to get another hobby!"

You know things must be bad if we're quoting Keith Edwards...!

 

[robbiez666]

Does it matter where we don't sign players from Rob???

For the scope of our finances and scouting efforts you could probably get away with a web browser and the most up to date url for Transfermarkt.

Just flick the German lads a fiver to keep the site going and Bob's your Uncle.

Have to reserve judgment post window if we end up with some weird and wonderful signings but I'll be quite pleasantly surprised if we sign someone that hasn't already been mentioned by a user on here...

Fair, but I'm guessing that without the United World links we have zero scouting networks (outside a few ex players) in Europe. Take that away, and I'm not sure how we're going to sign European players given the management team are interested in character not just ability. Financially, it's going to be cheaper to share a network than set one up and maintain it yourself.

If I remember correctly, Beerschot signed players from a number of European leagues? Whether they were good or not is a different thing entirely!

 

[robbiez666]

United World from what I have seen (very limited) is just another version of Mccabe's 2006 "world football links vision" - It looks good on paper and in theory sounds fancy however for me we would be better using the money in the academy - Could we even look to invest in Billy Sharp's Academy with a view of making that nationwide or at least Yorkshire wide?

Scarborough removed the page soon after I mentioned it on here at the time but you can actively trace McCabe's property investments with where those clubs were based. Every country in that network had significant Scarborough interest. Almost as if they weren't actually for the club's benefit.....

 

[Mojo]

I spoke to a United scout who worked for the club in the South of England at the time Ndiaye was trialling at U21. It was he who recommended Ndiaye to the club. It was very much an old skool, lone wolf operation. He had a lot of difficulty getting staff to travel and watch Ndiaye play. Indeed, he had to arrange games specifically for that. I'll stand to be corrected, but any wider, data driven, United World scouting and recruitment of Ndiaye didn't happen.

Give that man a medal

 

[Mojo]

I read on the Athletic that clubs like Brentford and Brighton are spending £10-£15m a year on scouting and playing analytics so our contribution to UW seems piddling compared to this.
It also includes the data analytics used to assess our own players when training and playing so I guess the scouting side isn’t fit for purpose for the PL as it’s so cheap.

Just come on shoutbox and we will do it ya for nowt

 

[Yogi]

Coulibaly is really the only example of United world working as it should and so far he’s been a mixed bag. Good young player playing in a lower ranked European league signed for cheap and then sent to Beerschot to gain experience and continue his development before finally coming to United.

Having had a limited degree of success with our first attempt at this process we seem to have decided not to do it again so no it’s not worth the outlay if we aren’t going to use it properly and the prince doesn’t seem to have the finances to support one club never mind three.

 

[Champagneblade]

Fair, but I'm guessing that without the United World links we have zero scouting networks (outside a few ex players) in Europe. Take that away, and I'm not sure how we're going to sign European players given the management team are interested in character not just ability. Financially, it's going to be cheaper to share a network than set one up and maintain it yourself.

If I remember correctly, Beerschot signed players from a number of European leagues? Whether they were good or not is a different thing entirely!

Ok. I'll raise you one Laurent D'Jaffo

 

[Carlton Blade]

Fair, but I'm guessing that without the United World links we have zero scouting networks (outside a few ex players) in Europe. Take that away, and I'm not sure how we're going to sign European players given the management team are interested in character not just ability. Financially, it's going to be cheaper to share a network than set one up and maintain it yourself.

If I remember correctly, Beerschot signed players from a number of European leagues? Whether they were good or not is a different thing entirely!

Pay for a specific scouting service. There are loads to choose from

 

[BobblesBlade]

I'd also question this.

I understand the old SPAR type concept where we are sharing the fixed costs. Ordinarily I'd get the logic here.

But a couple of things I would question.

1. Scouting. We are now a PL club. Beerschot are probably at League One/League Two level, I'm not even sure some of the B teams they face wouldn't get their arses handed to them by the likes of Wrexham and Notts County who only just joined the league. Chateauroux are probably at League Two/National League level. What possible scouting mission for either of the two clubs mentioned is going to unearth a player set for the PL?
2. We have signed one perm player since summer 2020. How valuable is a constant payment for scouting services of x per month when over a three year period we've signed one guy who Jack Lester knew well? May as well save the money, engage short term resources ad-hoc for now or just ask Jack Lester!

Beerschot and Chateauroux did next to nothing in January too. So maybe they would have been better saving any cash too.

It seems that United World is some sort of do good vanity project without any real substance. It allows them to rub shoulders with the FIFA dude who sucked up to the Turkish Chef at the World Cup, but they seem to be as interested in running a glorified people trafficking scheme from Africa (not suggesting anything illegal, more the liberal movement one way of young African students) rather than produce anything tangible for the clubs in the near term. It is more like an International Erasmus cum-Boy Scouts set up rather than anything else.

I'd expect to be seeing front line collaboration between the clubs. Chateauroux and Beerschot making up for the absence of Cat A academy status to provide a technical finishing school for the Blades U23s. I'd expect those offloaded or without a clear path to get a chance at the clubs. But there would have to be some football nous involved.

Gomis could have gone to Chateauroux. I don't think Beerschot was the right loan. Ayari could have gone to Chateauroux. Neal would have probably suited Beerschot more. Some of the current U23s to Chateauroux would help them and would also keep costs down at the latter.

I'd expect some pre-season collaboration and the usage of each other's training facilities for a break or change of scenery.

You'd expect perhaps half yearly or quarterly coaching get togethers.

I don't see any of that or any hint of buy-in from any of the coaches.

It seems to me that there is a really good idea in there somewhere, which perhaps the City group or Watford/Udinese do well but there is neither the expertise to make it a tangible success nor the cash to keep the clubs comfortably afloat during the process.

But apart from that...

I think you are over analysing something that doesn’t exist.

 

[Champagneblade]

Coulibaly is really the only example of United world working as it should and so far he’s been a mixed bag. Good young player playing in a lower ranked European league signed for cheap and then sent to Beerschot to gain experience and continue his development before finally coming to United.

Having had a limited degree of success with our first attempt at this process we seem to have decided not to do it again so no it’s not worth the outlay if we aren’t going to use it properly and the prince doesn’t seem to have the finances to support one club never mind three.

Think part of the issue is that you can't just randomly send players without proper football input.

1. Seriki - never played men's football. Sent to Beerschot as a RB/RWB. At the time Beerschot had an Algerian International 25 year old being kept out of the team by a well liked, decent performing club stalwart; Algerian Mohamed Réda Halaïmia and Jerome Dom. Not sure how thought he was going to get much game time with who was already there.

2. Broadbent - another who had never played men's football. Once more sent to play in the Belgium top flight.

3. Coulibaly - did well first season it Belgium top flight but struggled with injury second season. Had played over a season in Norway top division before joining. Played alongside Caicedo.

4. Gomis - hardly played any minutes. Once more, a lad who had hardly played any men's football though disappointing he couldn't make more of an impression in the Belgium second tier. Would have been more suited to Chateauroux in many ways.

In all but one of the cases it feels like both parties were reluctantly forced into it to make it look like some collaboration was taking place yet the receiving party made no effort to make it work or the player was simply poorly placed.

It felt a bit like making something fail to prove it doesn't work.

If both Gomis and Ayari had gone to Chateauroux, there would in my opinion, babe been a better chance of minutes and it would have been of mutual benefit.

 

[Yogi]

Think part of the issue is that you can't just randomly send players without proper football input.

1. Seriki - never played men's football. Sent to Beerschot as a RB/RWB. At the time Beerschot had an Algerian International 25 year old being kept out of the team by a well liked, decent performing club stalwart; Algerian Mohamed Réda Halaïmia and Jerome Dom. Not sure how thought he was going to get much game time with who was already there.

2. Broadbent - another who had never played men's football. Once more sent to play in the Belgium top flight.

3. Coulibaly - did well first season it Belgium top flight but struggled with injury second season. Had played over a season in Norway top division before joining. Played alongside Caicedo.

4. Gomis - hardly played any minutes. Once more, a lad who had hardly played any men's football though disappointing he couldn't make more of an impression in the Belgium second tier. Would have been more suited to Chateauroux in many ways.

In all but one of the cases it feels like both parties were reluctantly forced into it to make it look like some collaboration was taking place yet the receiving party made no effort to make it work or the player was simply poorly placed.

It felt a bit like making something fail to prove it doesn't work.

If both Gomis and Ayari had gone to Chateauroux, there would in my opinion, babe been a better chance of minutes and it would have been of mutual benefit.

I think ideally you’d use the system more for players like Coulibaly. Players who have first team experience elsewhere and so shouldn’t really be stashed back down in the academy but aren’t yet ready for the first team. Sending kids definitely hasn’t worked and probably shouldn’t be tried again until there’s been a big change in how it’s done.

 

[Foxy]

Such as a Bosnian centre half?

Not sure Jack Lester knowing him at Nottingham forest years ago was part of United world tbh

That and one of our backroom on the scouting side - oft suggested on Social Media as only focusing in a very narrow local manner - has also been aware of him since a youth.

 

[bonobo]

It's similar to when McCabe invested in different clubs. It could work if SUFC were set in a way to best use the benefits of a club network. Like everything with McCabe he did things right structurally, but then undermined it by having a dinosaurs attitude to football...sending Craig Short and Bobby Davison to manage Ferencvaros...! Under Wilder we were never really set up to make use, he was better with experienced, homegrown players. With Hecky and the current set up there might be better symmetry.

 

[Snowflake]

Does it matter where we don't sign players from Rob???

For the scope of our finances and scouting efforts you could probably get away with a web browser and the most up to date url for Transfermarkt.

Just flick the German lads a fiver to keep the site going and Bob's your Uncle.

Have to reserve judgment post window if we end up with some weird and wonderful signings but I'll be quite pleasantly surprised if we sign someone that hasn't already been mentioned by a user on here...

Are there any left that have not been mentioned on this forum ?