Seen This Kev?

[Davalon]

No other owner has had 200 million plus parachute to factor in (let's give McCabe and the prince 50/50 credit for promotion) It's impossible to compare. All we do know is we were the lowest wage payer in the Prem by a long way. That's all we can say as a fact.

Lots of improvements in approach and ambition for me.

We can all argue about hypothetical scenarios but as well as being convinced in my own mind about what would have happened under McCabe, you only have to look at recruitment and planning.

Foreign players scouted and done well, the right age and profile. Even had a replacement lined up in case Sander left.

Current carry on smacks of a different more professional mindset to those I've witnessed previously under any regime.

 

[ReeceofBDTBL]

McCabe was appalling for selling cheap, sorry to sound like a pig but tinpot was the word I’d use. The needless sale of both Kyles will always be one of the landmark stains on his legacy

 

[Nedski]

Well said...totally agree....think Berge has a bit of the Norwood's about him.
Take the spot light off him, give him time and space and he's a really good player, especially in home matches.
However like Norwood, close him down, put him under pressure (especially physically) and he tends to struggle., especially in away matches.
In fact for someone so big....he's not that physical, doesn't seem to win headers like you would expect and struggles to stamp his authority on a game.

I'd argue that this side of his game had improved a lot. He's developed a lot of muscle on his upper body and opposition players tend to bounce off him - for example when he knocked the Luton keeper and defender over prior to the corner which we scored from. He's also won a lot more headers, even scoring a few. He's not quite the finished article but if had an aggressive streak he'd be snapping players in half and getting sent off all the time

 

[Sheffsteel]

McCabe was appalling for selling cheap, sorry to sound like a pig but tinpot was the word I’d use. The needless sale of both Kyles will always be one of the landmark stains on his legacy

Don't think that's fair. All sales and purchases are risks. You win some, you lose some, that's life.
We've just sold Lankshear to Spurs for 1.5 million. Is that a good piece of business?
No one knows. If he goes on to be a PL player then no doubt the board will get stick.
In retrospect it's easy to criticise anything but no has foresight.

I remember at the time the outcry was about Naughton being sold, we all thought he could be a potential star PL player.
No one was that bothered about Walker being sold. However we got (at the time) good money, a combined 9 million, which seemed really high for such young players.

Although lets not forget the massive outcry when Jordan Slew was sold.
The comments were "when will we ever learn", selling our most promising youngsters.
However in retrospect that was a great piece of business.

The only thing about the Naughton/ Walker deal that seemed weird/ amateurish
Was United had some kind of agreement to have Walker back on loan for the full season
but Spurs cut it short half way through the season in Jan, seems United might have had a gentleman's agreement or the contract had loopholes
and Danial Levy (The Spurs Chairman) took him back to Spurs before his time at United.
The following season instead of loaning him back to us again, they choose to loan him to QPR.

You can imagine United wanting certain clauses inserting regards Walkers instant loan return to SU
and Daniel Levy insisting those clauses weren't needed because he's giving his word that we can have Walker back for a full season.

 

[Sheffsteel]

I'd argue that this side of his game had improved a lot. He's developed a lot of muscle on his upper body and opposition players tend to bounce off him - for example when he knocked the Luton keeper and defender over prior to the corner which we scored from. He's also won a lot more headers, even scoring a few. He's not quite the finished article but if had an aggressive streak he'd be snapping players in half and getting sent off all the time

Agree....my final comment on Berge was he still has potential to be a really good player, even by PL standards.
Don't think his style naturally suits the English leagues but he's working on it and gradually understanding that English football is almost like going to war.

 

[bertieblade]

Numerous things annoyed me about McCabe’s control of things at bdtbl, the most annoying of which was that there was seemingly never a plan.
We bought and sold players on a whim, seemingly no thoughts about succession planning, lurching from one transfer window to the next no matter who the manager was

 

[JJBlade]

If he caries on playing well I can see him going in Jan to Premier League club.

But time will tell.


Yesterday shows we can hold out for the price we want. Although Sander may push harder if there's a prem team sniffing.

Absolutely.
I'm just glad that the club is finally starting to realise that we do hold a few cards when it comes to player sales. It's not inevitable that you have to sell for peanuts and it's not inevitable that a player will kick off and ruin the moral of the entire club if he isn't sold.

That's what annoyed me more than anything about the previous regime.

Like a fascist or communist dictator they basically lied and made shit up because they thought they were talking to a bunch of stupid, thick, Sheffield twats.

They didn't think people were intelligent enough to notice that we apparently had no power to stop a player moving for peanuts but when we wanted a player from Southend or Walsall or Peterborough, or somebody, these clubs could dig their heels in and screw us for the asking price, or we didn't get the player.

 

[JJBlade]

Don't think that's fair. All sales and purchases are risks. You win some, you lose some, that's life.
We've just sold Lankshear to Spurs for 1.5 million. Is that a good piece of business?
No one knows. If he goes on to be a PL player then no doubt the board will get stick.
In retrospect it's easy to criticise anything but no has foresight.

I remember at the time the outcry was about Naughton being sold, we all thought he could be a potential star PL player.
No one was that bothered about Walker being sold. However we got (at the time) good money, a combined 9 million, which seemed really high for such young players.

Although lets not forget the massive outcry when Jordan Slew was sold.
The comments were "when will we ever learn", selling our most promising youngsters.
However in retrospect that was a great piece of business.

The only thing about the Naughton/ Walker deal that seemed weird/ amateurish
Was United had some kind of agreement to have Walker back on loan for the full season
but Spurs cut it short half way through the season in Jan, seems United might have had a gentleman's agreement or the contract had loopholes
and Danial Levy (The Spurs Chairman) took him back to Spurs before his time at United.
The following season instead of loaning him back to us again, they choose to loan him to QPR.

You can imagine United wanting certain clauses inserting regards Walkers instant loan return to SU
and Daniel Levy insisting those clauses weren't needed because he's giving his word that we can have Walker back for a full season.

The difference is Lankshear is nowhere near the first team.
Walker and Naughton were, Naughton had been a first team regular for some time, and Walker had broken through to the first team more recently.

Both of them were keeping their first team places, they weren't just in the team because of an injury crisis, they were good enough to stay there.

 

[bertieblade]

The difference is Lankshear is nowhere near the first team.
Walker and Naughton were, Naughton had been a first team regular for some time, and Walker had broken through to the first team more recently.

Both of them were keeping their first team places, they weren't just in the team because of an injury crisis, they were good enough to stay there.

They were also both right backs, who sell both your right backs on the same day, oh hang on why sell both your centre forwards on the same day. Seems a theme here

 

[Bladesman]

Absolutely.
I'm just glad that the club is finally starting to realise that we do hold a few cards when it comes to player sales. It's not inevitable that you have to sell for peanuts and it's not inevitable that a player will kick off and ruin the moral of the entire club if he isn't sold.

That's what annoyed me more than anything about the previous regime.

Like a fascist or communist dictator they basically lied and made shit up because they thought they were talking to a bunch of stupid, thick, Sheffield twats.

They didn't think people were intelligent enough to notice that we apparently had no power to stop a player moving for peanuts but when we wanted a player from Southend or Walsall or Peterborough, or somebody, these clubs could dig their heels in and screw us for the asking price, or we didn't get the player.

A few Championship clubs have stood firm this window. Diaz staying at Blackburn ( even though he may walk for free ) and Watford keeping Pedro.

I actually think the reason we got screwed at both ends buying and selling is because I don't think McCabe was that well liked by other clubs. I know Simon Jordan is a bit of a knob but I am sure he was rather critical of McCabe and how he conducted himself as a chairman.

 

[Varkanoid]

No idea about that PB, but I find it difficult to believe that one player would remain on the same salary when everybody else's was cut.

I'm sure I read to get Berge they had to include special circumstances and I think it was mentioned he had some relegation clauses so I wouldn't be surprised if this was true.

 

[Sean Thornton]

As Kev spends or spent a lot of time in Belgium, I did cynically think I bet he’s advising Bruges that Sheffield United will accept next to nothing for players, but then he forgot the fact he’s no longer at the helm

He’s been back living in Scarborough for years.

 

[Sean Thornton]

Hopefully the club have changed tack when it comes to selling. However, people seem to have ignored the claim that “no one got to talking numbers”. So no need for sunstroke or flu this time.

I see McCabes view on Sheffielders was much the same as the poster criticising him for it. Nowt as queer as folk.

 

[Ainsley Harriott]

Absolutely.
I'm just glad that the club is finally starting to realise that we do hold a few cards when it comes to player sales. It's not inevitable that you have to sell for peanuts and it's not inevitable that a player will kick off and ruin the moral of the entire club if he isn't sold.

That's what annoyed me more than anything about the previous regime.

Like a fascist or communist dictator they basically lied and made shit up because they thought they were talking to a bunch of stupid, thick, Sheffield twats.

They didn't think people were intelligent enough to notice that we apparently had no power to stop a player moving for peanuts but when we wanted a player from Southend or Walsall or Peterborough, or somebody, these clubs could dig their heels in and screw us for the asking price, or we didn't get the player.

Absolutely this.

As you say, smaller clubs would hold out, say no, and/or get full whack asking price. They made sure they could reinvest or weren't left short. Take the Kyle's - sell both right backs at once. Who does that benefit? Yeah we got Walker back on loan but then had him dragged off the bus because Spurs said so. How is that a good deal?

As successful a businessman he is, he was incredibly stupid as a football club owner. Some decisions were just baffling. Take Nick Blackman. He was questioned on this at a forum one evening. "Why sell your top scorer mid-season?" His reply was 'Hey we got a million profit for him'.

Right? And? What was the losses from not going up? The speculate to accumulate side of things was non-existent.

We might be in a better position financially to gamble on Berge, but we've gambled. We haven't folded. That's a big change in philosophy from the club in my opinion. And a good one.

 

[Revolution]

Don't think that's fair. All sales and purchases are risks. You win some, you lose some, that's life.
We've just sold Lankshear to Spurs for 1.5 million. Is that a good piece of business?
No one knows. If he goes on to be a PL player then no doubt the board will get stick.
In retrospect it's easy to criticise anything but no has foresight.

I remember at the time the outcry was about Naughton being sold, we all thought he could be a potential star PL player.
No one was that bothered about Walker being sold. However we got (at the time) good money, a combined 9 million, which seemed really high for such young players.

Although lets not forget the massive outcry when Jordan Slew was sold.
The comments were "when will we ever learn", selling our most promising youngsters.
However in retrospect that was a great piece of business.

The only thing about the Naughton/ Walker deal that seemed weird/ amateurish
Was United had some kind of agreement to have Walker back on loan for the full season
but Spurs cut it short half way through the season in Jan, seems United might have had a gentleman's agreement or the contract had loopholes
and Danial Levy (The Spurs Chairman) took him back to Spurs before his time at United.
The following season instead of loaning him back to us again, they choose to loan him to QPR.

You can imagine United wanting certain clauses inserting regards Walkers instant loan return to SU
and Daniel Levy insisting those clauses weren't needed because he's giving his word that we can have Walker back for a full season.

You’re wrong about Walker. People were, I recall, more annoyed about his sake than Naughton. There were various reasons for this - the unnecessary nature of that deal, the cheap price - but the main one was how good Walker looked in the brief time we’d had him. He was the best young talent we’d had in decades.

 

[Sean Thornton]

You’re wrong about Walker. People were, I recall, more annoyed about his sake than Naughton. There were various reasons for this - the unnecessary nature of that deal, the cheap price - but the main one was how good Walker looked in the brief time we’d had him. He was the best young talent we’d had in decades.

This is absolutely bang on the money about that transfer. FACT as they say.

 

[Davalon]

Don't think that's fair. All sales and purchases are risks. You win some, you lose some, that's life.
We've just sold Lankshear to Spurs for 1.5 million. Is that a good piece of business?
No one knows. If he goes on to be a PL player then no doubt the board will get stick.
In retrospect it's easy to criticise anything but no has foresight.

I remember at the time the outcry was about Naughton being sold, we all thought he could be a potential star PL player.
No one was that bothered about Walker being sold. However we got (at the time) good money, a combined 9 million, which seemed really high for such young players.

Although lets not forget the massive outcry when Jordan Slew was sold.
The comments were "when will we ever learn", selling our most promising youngsters.
However in retrospect that was a great piece of business.

The only thing about the Naughton/ Walker deal that seemed weird/ amateurish
Was United had some kind of agreement to have Walker back on loan for the full season
but Spurs cut it short half way through the season in Jan, seems United might have had a gentleman's agreement or the contract had loopholes
and Danial Levy (The Spurs Chairman) took him back to Spurs before his time at United.
The following season instead of loaning him back to us again, they choose to loan him to QPR.

You can imagine United wanting certain clauses inserting regards Walkers instant loan return to SU
and Daniel Levy insisting those clauses weren't needed because he's giving his word that we can have Walker back for a full season.

I'm afraid I'd have to strongly disagree with the bit about no-one being bothered about Walker being sold.

He was known to be the better prospect and plenty of fans, myself included, were totally peed off.

 

[Davalon]

Numerous things annoyed me about McCabe’s control of things at bdtbl, the most annoying of which was that there was seemingly never a plan.
We bought and sold players on a whim, seemingly no thoughts about succession planning, lurching from one transfer window to the next no matter who the manager was

One of the poorer strategies imho was the lurching from different managers with different styles on regular basis.

 

[184blade]

Why is it that when McCabe was at the helm he was unable to play hardball in negotiations and any decent player went for a knock down price, yet now the club wants the plots of land he owns he can hold out for a kings ransom rather than sell them for a knock down price to benefit the club he claims to support?

 

[shorehamview]

Why is it that when McCabe was at the helm he was unable to play hardball in negotiations and any decent player went for a knock down price, yet now the club wants the plots of land he owns he can hold out for a kings ransom rather than sell them for a knock down price to benefit the club he claims to support?

Those plots of land haven’t got a pesky agent/flu/sunstroke/other McCabe excuse. He will want the highest price he can get for the land, property development is his area of expertise, as opposed to running a football club where he was a very enthusiastic amateur.

 

[Silent Blade]

No one was that bothered about Walker being sold.

I was very bothered! His league debut (v Swansea) was the best debut I have ever seen in my 53 years as a Blade

 

[Sean Thornton]

Those plots of land haven’t got a pesky agent/flu/sunstroke/other McCabe excuse. He will want the highest price he can get for the land, property development is his area of expertise, as opposed to running a football club where he was a very enthusiastic amateur.

No big dog.

 

[Pollingtonblade]

We probably had to sell Naughton but not Walker, was just stupid.

Then in League 1 selling Blackman at Christmas when we'd bought him that summer was fucking ridiculous.

 

[Nedski]

The sale of James Beattie still pisses me off. Bought for £4m, spent 18 months as one of the (if not the) best strikers we've ever had, only to be sold at a loss to the first bidder. Insanity.