Our permanent signings this calendar year

[Revolution]

Berge
Robinson
Bogle
Lowe
Ramsdale
Brewster
Burke
Foderingham

I’m not sure that lot would help get you in the Championship playoffs.

All that money, wasted.

 

[Champagneblade]

Bogle is a strong performer in the Champ. I think Berge would stand out but I am not convinced he'd stick around, and I'll reserve judgement on Brewster because he did score 10 in 20. Though 10 in 20 isn't 23 in 46 and if Palace offered us close to our money back we'd have to consider it.

I doubt the others would be the envy of the world though.

 

[BettingBlade]

Not a chance Berge plays for us for very long. He is a country mile above anything else we have. He must be thinking, what the fuck have I signed for these for?

We’ve got a very good Championship squad. Put it this way, if we got promoted with this squad, we’d still be in serious need of improvements to the first 11. It’s remarkable how well we did last season but for our second season in the prem, there’s far too many players out of their depth.

 

[Sam64]

6 have been here for less than 10 games and we're saying it's wasted money. Deary me.

 

[BettingBlade]

6 have been here for less than 10 games and we're saying it's wasted money. Deary me.

There’s over £70 million worth of player in that list and only 1 has been a significant improvement on the first 11. Brewster has the potential to be in the future. The others are squad players and we’ve vastly over paid for Ramsdale

70 million

Seven O

SEVENTY

 

[Champagneblade]

I think the problem is not so much the money we have spent but rather how we are spending it and my point here is fees vs wages.

We are paying top dollar or at least a decent wedge on players who have potential to become good players. The advantage here is that they are not excellent yet and as such do not command a salary that reflects this.

Maybe we should have a look at the way Bolton survived under Big Sam. Perhaps we do have to bite the bullet and bring in one or two older players who have the relevant experience and command high wage but low fee.

Hindsight here, not trying to be a smart arse.

Instead of spending 23m on Brewster with the possibility his value might double, if we'd reached out to Watford and signed Deeney on loan for a year, absorbing his wages and a modest loan fee, then we'd have an understanding of what we can expect.

Even now, in January, depending on how the next games pan out, you could do worse than loan Brewster to Watford, a level where he'd retain his confidence and us loan Deeney and work out some compromise on wages or loan fee (fitness permitting). It might do both of them good. One gets games and a chance to build their value and experience, the other adds a know-how, experience and resilience to a difficult situation.

Just an example, but we didn't really add any experience or know-how, it was just more potential. We aren't at a stage where we are building a team for a couple of year's time. For us, the here and now is the important thing.

I think this is a recruitment we have to consider.

 

[N20 Blade]

I think the problem is not so much the money we have spent but rather how we are spending it and my point here is fees vs wages.

We are paying top dollar or at least a decent wedge on players who have potential to become good players. The advantage here is that they are not excellent yet and as such do not command a salary that reflects this.

Maybe we should have a look at the way Bolton survived under Big Sam. Perhaps we do have to bite the bullet and bring in one or two older players who have the relevant experience and command high wage but low fee.

Hindsight here, not trying to be a smart arse.

Instead of spending 23m on Brewster with the possibility his value might double, if we'd reached out to Watford and signed Deeney on loan for a year, absorbing his wages and a modest loan fee, then we'd have an understanding of what we can expect.

Even now, in January, depending on how the next games pan out, you could do worse than loan Brewster to Watford, a level where he'd retain his confidence and us loan Deeney and work out some compromise on wages or loan fee (fitness permitting). It might do both of them good. One gets games and a chance to build their value and experience, the other adds a know-how, experience and resilience to a difficult situation.

Just an example, but we didn't really add any experience or know-how, it was just more potential. We aren't at a stage where we are building a team for a couple of year's time. For us, the here and now is the important thing.

I think this is a recruitment we have to consider.

Great point made, arguably the best if most difficult way for smaller clubs to survive at this level.

Unfortunately under Wilder I can’t see this happening but in January, if he still is here, he must bite the bullet and get a proven top level performer in, albeit short term and against his beliefs/strategy. Yes it’s going demand huge wages, yes it’ll be hard work to find such a player but surely it’s worth the work?

I know you don’t advocate dropping Ramsdale but at the time of his signing, it seemed an unnecessary gamble. Don’t like kruhl at Norwich but he’s proven and you know what you’re getting. There are other such keepers around.

One again it comes down to wilder and his resolve to shop almost exclusively in the uk and stuck to his blueprint for signings. Our recruitment must improve and diversify. You mentioned Bolton and you’re right, they were pioneers and that gave them a marginal advantage for years.

 

[LS16Blade]

I think the problem is not so much the money we have spent but rather how we are spending it and my point here is fees vs wages.

We are paying top dollar or at least a decent wedge on players who have potential to become good players. The advantage here is that they are not excellent yet and as such do not command a salary that reflects this.

Maybe we should have a look at the way Bolton survived under Big Sam. Perhaps we do have to bite the bullet and bring in one or two older players who have the relevant experience and command high wage but low fee.

Hindsight here, not trying to be a smart arse.

Instead of spending 23m on Brewster with the possibility his value might double, if we'd reached out to Watford and signed Deeney on loan for a year, absorbing his wages and a modest loan fee, then we'd have an understanding of what we can expect.

Even now, in January, depending on how the next games pan out, you could do worse than loan Brewster to Watford, a level where he'd retain his confidence and us loan Deeney and work out some compromise on wages or loan fee (fitness permitting). It might do both of them good. One gets games and a chance to build their value and experience, the other adds a know-how, experience and resilience to a difficult situation.

Just an example, but we didn't really add any experience or know-how, it was just more potential. We aren't at a stage where we are building a team for a couple of year's time. For us, the here and now is the important thing.

I think this is a recruitment we have to consider.

I completely agree.

We have to be significantly more sophisticated in our approach to how we spend the pot of money available to us, and the question of fees versus wages is central to this. In truth, it always has been at the Lane.

Paying the going rate on wages remains an anathema at Bramall Lane. It always has been. Even when we have raised the overall spend to levels never seen before, we have paid it on a rash of reasonably substantial transfer fees with relatively modest wages for the level and performance-related bonuses, rather than pay it on Premier League contract packages.

I said in the Summer that my preference in goal was to bring in Foster from Watford. He would have commanded a pretty decent wage but the fee would have been negligibl, if any. Even on a hefty contract, it would have cost us substantially less in total than it's going to cost bringing Ramsdale back and paying a lesser wage over 5 years. And we would have had an experienced keeper who to my viewing was arguably one of the best around last season.

Similarly, last Summer, Rodriguez was snapped up by Burnley for just £5m because WBA needed someone to take his contract on whilst they were stuck in the Championship. That was surely a better use of resources than throwing a big fee at unproven Championship strikers who would accept a smaller contract.

Other clubs have cottoned on to this and do it effectively. Even at the very top, the likes of Liverpool get players in from Champions League rivals for essentially nominal fees and pay the money on the contract package.

We need to get away from the 'cloth cap' Sheffield attitude of being uncomfortable with paying individuals the salaries that are going rate at the top level. The reality is that we could have spent less money had we gone for 2 or 3 top-flight level performers who could go straight into the first XI, than we have spent in getting half a dozen squad fillers who can't dislodge the old guard.

 

[AnstonBlade1]

When you look at that list, it makes awful reading, it screams championship, what a waste of money.

 

[N20 Blade]

I completely agree.

We have to be significantly more sophisticated in our approach to how we spend the pot of money available to us, and the question of fees versus wages is central to this. In truth, it always has been at the Lane.

Paying the going rate on wages remains an anathema at Bramall Lane. It always has been. Even when we have raised the overall spend to levels never seen before, we have paid it on a rash of reasonably substantial transfer fees with relatively modest wages for the level and performance-related bonuses, rather than pay it on Premier League contract packages.

I said in the Summer that my preference in goal was to bring in Foster from Watford. He would have commanded a pretty decent wage but the fee would have been negligibl, if any. Even on a hefty contract, it would have cost us substantially less in total than it's going to cost bringing Ramsdale back and paying a lesser wage over 5 years. And we would have had an experienced keeper who to my viewing was arguably one of the best around last season.

Similarly, last Summer, Rodriguez was snapped up by Burnley for just £5m because WBA needed someone to take his contract on whilst they were stuck in the Championship. That was surely a better use of resources than throwing a big fee at unproven Championship strikers who would accept a smaller contract.

Other clubs have cottoned on to this and do it effectively. Even at the very top, the likes of Liverpool get players in from Champions League rivals for essentially nominal fees and pay the money on the contract package.

We need to get away from the 'cloth cap' Sheffield attitude of being uncomfortable with paying individuals the salaries that are going rate at the top level. The reality is that we could have spent less money had we gone for 2 or 3 top-flight level performers who could go straight into the first XI, than we have spent in getting half a dozen squad fillers who can't dislodge the old guard.

Great shout re Foster, if only...

 

[Champagneblade]

To add another extreme example and I may be pushing my luck here, but we probably never considered asking about Ozil.

He's on 350k per week. But he's not even in their 25 man squad and can only play U23 matches until January. 35-70k per week Arsenal's way is far better than nothing for them especially if we came in during the last week. He's a player of obvious quality, something we are lacking. I'd imagine we were scared off by his wages.

But did we ever ask? Even if we paid 10-20% only, it would have saved them some money and put him in the shop window for January. Plus you're not telling me he'd rather have a kick around with the kids than play top flight football if only until Jan.

 

[N20 Blade]

To add another extreme example and I may be pushing my luck here, but we probably never considered asking about Ozil.

He's on 350k per week. But he's not even in their 25 man squad and can only play U23 matches until January. 35-70k per week Arsenal's way is far better than nothing for them especially if we came in during the last week. He's a player of obvious quality, something we are lacking. I'd imagine we were scared off by his wages.

But did we ever ask? Even if we paid 10-20% only, it would have saved them some money and put him in the shop window for January. Plus you're not telling me he'd rather have a kick around with the kids than play top flight football if only until Jan.

Problem is he’s actually moonlighting as gunnersaurus after the other guy was sacked.

 

[robbiez666]

The problem is we're only really looking in two divisions in the entire world.

I'd rather we invested in a scouting network than any players in January because this lack of choice isn't going to go away.

 

[yorkshirecoast]

Berge
Robinson
Bogle
Lowe
Ramsdale
Brewster
Burke
Foderingham

I’m not sure that lot would help get you in the Championship playoffs.

All that money, wasted.

Only Berge has looked remotely like being worth the money we paid. I’ll reserve judgement on Brewster.

The two keepers - it’s hard to see how he could have messed that up any more.

Add the earlier £18m spent on McB and it’s a shocking indictment of Wilder’s transfer dealings.

 

[Ceasefire]

I think the problem is not so much the money we have spent but rather how we are spending it and my point here is fees vs wages.

We are paying top dollar or at least a decent wedge on players who have potential to become good players. The advantage here is that they are not excellent yet and as such do not command a salary that reflects this.

Maybe we should have a look at the way Bolton survived under Big Sam. Perhaps we do have to bite the bullet and bring in one or two older players who have the relevant experience and command high wage but low fee.

Hindsight here, not trying to be a smart arse.

Instead of spending 23m on Brewster with the possibility his value might double, if we'd reached out to Watford and signed Deeney on loan for a year, absorbing his wages and a modest loan fee, then we'd have an understanding of what we can expect.

Even now, in January, depending on how the next games pan out, you could do worse than loan Brewster to Watford, a level where he'd retain his confidence and us loan Deeney and work out some compromise on wages or loan fee (fitness permitting). It might do both of them good. One gets games and a chance to build their value and experience, the other adds a know-how, experience and resilience to a difficult situation.

Just an example, but we didn't really add any experience or know-how, it was just more potential. We aren't at a stage where we are building a team for a couple of year's time. For us, the here and now is the important thing.

I think this is a recruitment we have to consider.

A lot of sense written there Champagne. We have not spent wisely on transfers in 2020. Enhanced the squad maybe but certainly not the 1st team.

 

[Guesty]

Plenty of players on that list might still come good, to be fair. I've learned not to write players off too early after Jamie Murphy and Paul Coutts (seriously, does anyone remember how bad Murphy was early on? Atrocious).

I simply don't get Berge though. I keep hearing how he's a cut above everyone else, often the best player on either side, though we tend to hear this after another chastening defeat. We hear that he can't do it alone, that he's being let down by his teammates. Well if he's that good, surely he could raise the level of the team, rather than wait for them to raise him? And it's not like he joined a bad side either - he joined a mid-table Premier League side, now we're the worst team in the League.

Now obviously this isn't all down to Berge. A mixture of form and fitness has done for Fleck and Moussett, O'Connell is out for the season and we've had to swallow a huge downgrade at 'keeper. I find it strange however that Berge's tenure with the team coincides with it getting far worse, and yet it is generally accepted fact that he is our best player.

 

[IdLiketoRogerMoore]

Berge joining had a disastrous impact on Lundstram and Norwood who I'd argue we're our two best players until that point.

Then again it's a bit like getting a really fit PA at work who you lust after! No one can doubt her qualities, but the impact it has on your wife and kids could be an issue!

Plenty of players on that list might still come good, to be fair. I've learned not to write players off too early after Jamie Murphy and Paul Coutts (seriously, does anyone remember how bad Murphy was early on? Atrocious).

I simply don't get Berge though. I keep hearing how he's a cut above everyone else, often the best player on either side, though we tend to hear this after another chastening defeat. We hear that he can't do it alone, that he's being let down by his teammates. Well if he's that good, surely he could raise the level of the team, rather than wait for them to raise him? And it's not like he joined a bad side either - he joined a mid-table Premier League side, now we're the worst team in the League.

Now obviously this isn't all down to Berge. A mixture of form and fitness has done for Fleck and Moussett, O'Connell is out for the season and we've had to swallow a huge downgrade at 'keeper. I find it strange however that Berge's tenure with the team coincides with it getting far worse, and yet it is generally accepted fact that he is our best player.

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

Not a chance Berge plays for us for very long. He is a country mile above anything else we have. He must be thinking, what the fuck have I signed for these for?

When he's on international duty he plays behind one of the greatest strikers in the world.

He must be a bit bemused when he returns to Bramall Lane.

 

[Sheffsteel]

This thread is making me smile....let’s hope Wilder doesn’t read it.

Wednesday used the transfer policy of buying older players giving big wages for the here and now. It didn’t work.
Their fans have criticised their transfer policy advising they need to copy us....buy younger hungry players with big potential...eager to improve.

Now that we‘re struggling our fans want us to rip up our previously successful transfer policy and copy the failed Wednesday policy.

So many mixed messages and contradictions. Hindsight is a wonderful thing Eh
I suppose the answer is a combination of the 2.....stick to the current “buy young top rated potential“ policy but don’t be afraid to adapt it for 1 or 2 players.

 

[Medlock]

Reminds me of the time Ken Furphy signed a clutch of lower league players. That's where we rapidly descended to.
And the players he signed all ended up in the North American Soccer League.

 

[LS16Blade]

Only Berge has looked remotely like being worth the money we paid. I’ll reserve judgement on Brewster.

The two keepers - it’s hard to see how he could have messed that up any more.

Add the earlier £18m spent on McB and it’s a shocking indictment of Wilder’s transfer dealings.

The keeper situation was an interesting one. There's an ongoing joke for some Blades on this forum about 'Bladey Bladeyness' , but it's fair to say that the signing of Ramsdale did smack of it.

He is a decent keeper but I winced at the amount that we paid.

It will be recalled that through June and July, the noises coming from the club were that we wanted and expected that Henderson would be back for a further loan. Then, of course, Man U pulled the rug from under us by giving him a £100k per week contract and insisting that any loan would require the club to pay all of Henderson's wages.

At the same time, the club was struggling to get deals over the line for Wilder's publicly known main targets, Cash and Swift, seemingly due to wages and agent demands. We couldn't get anyone 'through the door'.

It was against that background that we suddenly completed the Ramsdale transfer.

Faced with suddenly not being able to get the keeper they were banking on, we went for another young England keeper who presumably was thought to be competing in the same group as Henderson. And, contrary to the impasse with Cash and Swift and their agents, we could be almost certain that Ramsdale would be desperate to return to the club where he started and the transfer would happen. We would certainly get him through the door.

It also made a statement that, 4 years on from having to give him away in League 1, we had progressed to the point where we could salve the wound by bringing him back home. Very Bladey.

I think most would agree that the size of the fee was surprising. Ramsdale is a decent keeper but £18m decent? In context, it's hard not to see it almost as a fit of pique by Wilder and/or Bettis. An emotional decision that will cost us a lot of money for years.

 

[Wards]

Some of the signings may come good yet and as others have said it’s far too early to write some of them off.

I do have to question why we have 4 senior goalkeepers and a distinct lack of cover at centre half and centre mid. The chance of one of them getting injured/banned is remote, the chance of 3 of them is practically zero. I know it’s not quite as easy as it sounds but that must be a decent chunk of the wage budget on 3 players that may make 1 or 2 appearances a year between them.

 

[Champagneblade]

This thread is making me smile....let’s hope Wilder doesn’t read it.

Wednesday used the transfer policy of buying older players giving big wages for the here and now. It didn’t work.
Their fans have criticised their transfer policy advising they need to copy us....buy younger hungry players with big potential...eager to improve.

Now that we‘re struggling our fans want us to rip up our previously successful transfer policy and copy the failed Wednesday policy.

So many mixed messages and contradictions. Hindsight is a wonderful thing Eh
I suppose the answer is a combination of the 2.....stick to the current “buy young top rated potential“ policy but don’t be afraid to adapt it for 1 or 2 players.

They last point is really my point. We haven't really acquired any know-how this summer at all. Jagielka aside who is doing well to still be playing.

 

[Champagneblade]

Some of the signings may come good yet and as others have said it’s far too early to write some of them off.

I do have to question why we have 4 senior goalkeepers and a distinct lack of cover at centre half and centre mid. The chance of one of them getting injured/banned is remote, the chance of 3 of them is practically zero. I know it’s not quite as easy as it sounds but that must be a decent chunk of the wage budget on 3 players that may make 1 or 2 appearances a year between them.

Moore is badly injured. From how his hand looked it probably takes a fair time to heal. But agree, when you consider we still have Eastwood and the lad on loan at Carlisle it all seems a fair amount.

 

[wavy-blade]

Since Berge was signed we have been rubbish , it’s not Berge’s fault he is a good player but it’s just not a match , we’ve cocked up big style as a football club , the policy of selling our best players like we always have done in the past has hit us hard .
Brooks should never have left the club , a club the size of Bournemouth should not be taking our youngest star who since joining Bournemouth had been there player of the season twice .
Ramsdale , wether you think he was a good buy or not , the act of letting him go for peanuts and then buying him back for 18 mill is beyond me , why the fuck sell a player that was ours and spunk millions on him getting him back .
We have always sold our best players since I have supported the club going all the way back to Currie , Deane and Agana they all left , the only outstanding player we ever kept was Woodward RIP .
The signings we have made have been questionable at the moment, it’s not looking good to say the least but we’re still in with a shout of 17th , we need to win our next 2 matches , we haven’t got the usual excuse of “we were playing world class players“ in the next 2 matches , I personally think we will go down because we can’t score .

 

[Wards]

Moore is badly injured. From how his hand looked it probably takes a fair time to heal. But agree, when you consider we still have Eastwood and the lad on loan at Carlisle it all seems a fair amount.

Looks like Moore is back training now, not that he’ll get close to the bench. Also interesting to see that Verrips is making the 18 rather than Foderingham.

As you say Eastwood looked a more than capable 3rd or 4th choice but I think he got injured up in Scotland didn’t he? I’ve no idea how good Dewhurst is right now.

 

[AnstonBlade1]

Since Berge was signed we have been rubbish , it’s not Berge’s fault he is a good player but it’s just not a match , we’ve cocked up big style as a football club , the policy of selling our best players like we always have done in the past has hit us hard .
Brooks should never have left the club , a club the size of Bournemouth should not be taking our youngest star who since joining Bournemouth had been there player of the season twice .
Ramsdale , wether you think he was a good buy or not , the act of letting him go for peanuts and then buying him back for 18 mill is beyond me , why the fuck sell a player that was ours and spunk millions on him getting him back .
We have always sold our best players since I have supported the club going all the way back to Currie , Deane and Agana they all left , the only outstanding player we ever kept was Woodward RIP .
The signings we have made have been questionable at the moment, it’s not looking good to say the least but we’re still in with a shout of 17th , we need to win our next 2 matches , we haven’t got the usual excuse of “we were playing world class players“ in the next 2 matches , I personally think we will go down because we can’t score .

I agree, I’m not saying Berge is a bad player, I just think at the time did we need to spend that sort of money on a central midfielder?

 

[Mario1889]

Berge
Robinson
Bogle
Lowe
Ramsdale
Brewster
Burke
Foderingham

I’m not sure that lot would help get you in the Championship playoffs.

All that money, wasted.

With the exception of Berge, that looks like a group of players you sign to get promotion to the Premier League, not a group of players you sign to kick on and qualify for European football.

 

[BettingBlade]

They last point is really my point. We haven't really acquired any know-how this summer at all. Jagielka aside who is doing well to still be playing.

I think Jags was always meant to be a wise head in the changing room which isn’t a bad thing but there’s only so much he can do in games from the bench.

We really are lacking someone with a bit of experience on the pitch who can help guide us through games. We’re at a point now where if the chips are down, the players lack the confidence to pick themselves up and that’s where the fans are really missed as well.

There doesn’t appear to be any leadership anywhere. The defence was all over the place last night, particularly Lowe who really struggled. It’s difficult for Egan, but if he’s captain he really has to do a better job of pulling it altogether. I know JOC is a massive miss but we’re struggling to even do the basics of defending at the minute. Bash and Egan are constantly having to mop up individual errors in front of them.

 

[Wards]

I agree, I’m not saying Berge is a bad player, I just think at the time did we need to spend that sort of money on a central midfielder?

I think we probably did - it’s showing now that neither Norwood or Lundstram are of real PL quality, or that they’d be able to sustain it for another 12 months. Perhaps we already knew there was a chance Lunny was off too. I think when the chance comes up to sign a player like Berge you have to take it as we would likely have been gazumped in the summer window.