Transfer Kitty

[Woodwardfan]

There's money available and that's all we need to know. It will be interesting to see how he wants to go about it and it will propably make for a summer of quite a few ins and outs, this might sound basic but that's how i see it and i'm very much looking forward to it.

Fact is the ambition of the Board has attracted the manager and his team. Adkins had been out of work for 6 months but has a good enough reputation to hold out for a Championship job in due course. He's chosen to come to us.

Personally I don't think the squad is that bad, it just lacks key players mainly throughout the "spine" and it also lacks physical strength and height. 5 signings should do it and let's use the loan system to import some quality and establish relationships with Prem clubs and their players they will inevitably not want in due course!

 

[Barney]

Fact is the ambition of the Board has attracted the manager and his team. Adkins had been out of work for 6 months but has a good enough reputation to hold out for a Championship job in due course. He's chosen to come to us.

Personally I don't think the squad is that bad, it just lacks key players mainly throughout the "spine" and it also lacks physical strength and height. 5 signings should do it and let's use the loan system to import some quality and establish relationships with Prem clubs and their players they will inevitably not want in due course!

Great post my friend

 

[Guesty]

Ched wouldn't have had his 30 odd goal season if we stuck to those guidlines

Yeah, what a disaster it would have been to have got shut of Evans a year or two earlier...

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

Is this a demand to get rid of the club cat?

 

[Keef Chedwyn]

Is this a demand to get rid of the club cat?

Morgan's going nowhere!

 

[sitwell]

It's up to the coaches to spot whether or not a player has the capability to go out and play well the following season. I don't think you will find many cases where a player is absolutely hopeless one season, then the complete opposite the next.. more often than not there are little glimpses of ability which is down to the coaches to be able to assess whether that player is able to sustain those glimpses over a full season.

It depends on the style of play and tactics too ,Scougall might be a waste of time if we are strong arming midfield ,JCR if we go narrow ,Harris if we go 3 at the back. Who knows what will happen but I presume he will start with a clean slate as personalities will also come into it.

 

[Bladesman]

£3million available should Adkins require it I have been told. If accurate that is a clear statement of intent from HRH and co.

Probably money left over that was given to Clough that he never bothered to spend.

 

[Sheff de party]

Freeman
Coutts

Freeman - incredibly harsh.

Coutts - you'll see. He has a class with his feet that no one but Baxter has. Stick them two in the middle and we would walk this league (if indeed Baxter got fit).

 

[Sheff de party]

£3million available should Adkins require it I have been told. If accurate that is a clear statement of intent from HRH and co.

Jesus Christ, £3m??!! Even Bryan Robson could get us out of this league with that money.

2 centre backs, one striker. £1m each.

Sorted!

 

[itsinyerblood]

It's up to the coaches to spot whether or not a player has the capability to go out and play well the following season. I don't think you will find many cases where a player is absolutely hopeless one season, then the complete opposite the next.. more often than not there are little glimpses of ability which is down to the coaches to be able to assess whether that player is able to sustain those glimpses over a full season.

The main thing, at least in my view, is how we all interpret, compare, and evaluate a player's worth. A case in point is Coutts, loathed by some and appreciated by others. I've read posts that would get rid of Coutts in a blink of an eyelid, others say whoa, given a decent pre-season we'll see the best of him, and around it goes...

I tend to back keeping a player if it's considered worth the effort. Obviously United must benefit, there's no point waiting and waiting if it's clear the likelihood of the player returning to something close to the form that made him a valued player in the first place is slim. Wallace and Cuvelier are obvious candidates for this discussion.

 

[sitwell]

The main thing, at least in my view, is how we all interpret, compare, and evaluate a player's worth. A case in point is Coutts, loathed by some and appreciated by others. I've read posts that would get rid of Coutts in a blink of an eyelid, others say whoa, given a decent pre-season we'll see the best of him, and around it goes...

I tend to back keeping a player if it's considered worth the effort. Obviously United must benefit, there's no point waiting and waiting if it's clear the likelihood of the player returning to something close to the form that made him a valued player in the first place is slim. Wallace and Cuvelier are obvious candidates for this discussion.

Problem Coutts has is that some will always regard him as a Clough failure no matter how well he does ,some players never win some fans over ,I admit I have this with Baxter. Coutts is our Michael Tonge ,he will have to keep his standards at a really high level to be accepted.

 

[Pedro Verde]

Just going on how they performed last season at the lane especially.

So you are going on how they played under Clough ?
Cloughs tactics may not have suited those players, he may have given them restricted roles with in the
team set up. Adkins style of football may suit those players better
I think you will find Coutts may surprise you, he was a decent player at Derby (a division above us)
once hes fully fit we may see the best of him

 

[itsinyerblood]

Jesus Christ, £3m??!! Even Bryan Robson could get us out of this league with that money.

2 centre backs, one striker. £1m each.

Sorted!

You'd hope so Sheff, but I've a feeling the name of United will add zero's to a player's valuation. The forward Chesterfield sold to Cardiff (Doyle) was priced at approximately £1.5 - 2 million, so as much as I'd like to think we could buy our way out of this division much depends on finding bargains, and with that Done comes to mind.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

I'm going to make a prediction now that we're not going to see as wide-ranging changes as perhaps some may think. In fact I'd be surprised if those coming in are for positions different to what we expected from Clough - I.e. A couple of centre-backs and a striker.

Part of the attraction to the board was no doubt that he was able to come into Southampton and turn Pardew's stuttering bunch into a successful outfit in the first season, without a turnaround in playing staff. Adkins pretty much said this in the press conference - that the club won't be spending outrageous amounts of money, and he has a history of making existing players play better.

 

[bladesmanluke]

It depends on the style of play and tactics too ,Scougall might be a waste of time if we are strong arming midfield ,JCR if we go narrow ,Harris if we go 3 at the back. Who knows what will happen but I presume he will start with a clean slate as personalities will also come into it.

I think even if we are going for big men in the middle, Scoogs still has something different to offer and if plan A is not working he could unlock the opposition defence. He looks like a nightmare to play against as the opposition never know what he's gonna do! Trouble is... Neither does Scoogs!

 

[Mouth of the South]

Totally off topic. Does anyone ever think there'll come a day when a club offers to pay compensation to us for one of our managers?

Pompey chasing Warnock was about the closest(?)

Not strictly a club but we received compensation when Speed was poached for the Wales job I believe.

 

[Jan Age]

Hi this is my first post after reading the forums for a while (so apologies if I break any unwritten rules)

On the subject of 'Transfer Kitty' I would imagine that this would have already been discussed and agreed and must be of a decent size to make it enticing for Adkins to take the job.

I would imagine the process went:

1. Come and speak to us and we will tell you what we think we need and how much we anticipate spending - if Adkins was then happy
2. Come back with a formal presentation on how you would address these areas along with recommended budget plus own thoughts. - then if the board were happy
3. Round table discussion to thrash out the fine details in terms of the differences between stages one and two plus contracts etc.

In summary a budget will have been agreed and initial targets identified by Nigel. Think we will see quite rapid in comings but as others have said moving players on will be the challenge.

UTB

 

[BornOnShorehamStreet]

How's about one for 'unsubstantiated utter horseshit'?

90% of all threads would have to go in it.

Could be a forum all on its own

 

[bladesmanluke]

Hi this is my first post after reading the forums for a while (so apologies if I break any unwritten rules)

On the subject of 'Transfer Kitty' I would imagine that this would have already been discussed and agreed and must be of a decent size to make it enticing for Adkins to take the job.

I would imagine the process went:

1. Come and speak to us and we will tell you what we think we need and how much we anticipate spending - if Adkins was then happy
2. Come back with a formal presentation on how you would address these areas along with recommended budget plus own thoughts. - then if the board were happy
3. Round table discussion to thrash out the fine details in terms of the differences between stages one and two plus contracts etc.

In summary a budget will have been agreed and initial targets identified by Nigel. Think we will see quite rapid in comings but as others have said moving players on will be the challenge.

UTB

Great first post. Agree with that. Seems pretty likely

 

[Woodwardfan]

Hi this is my first post after reading the forums for a while (so apologies if I break any unwritten rules)

On the subject of 'Transfer Kitty' I would imagine that this would have already been discussed and agreed and must be of a decent size to make it enticing for Adkins to take the job.

I would imagine the process went:

1. Come and speak to us and we will tell you what we think we need and how much we anticipate spending - if Adkins was then happy
2. Come back with a formal presentation on how you would address these areas along with recommended budget plus own thoughts. - then if the board were happy
3. Round table discussion to thrash out the fine details in terms of the differences between stages one and two plus contracts etc.

In summary a budget will have been agreed and initial targets identified by Nigel. Think we will see quite rapid in comings but as others have said moving players on will be the challenge.

UTB

Good post but I think it will take a while for Adkins to judge the squad individually and collectively.

Yes he will take note of opinions from everyone available but the assessment of the requirements in the various areas of the team is a personal thing and the identification of the right types of player can only really be started when the squad has been judged by the new manager.

How does he do that before the pre-season friendlies? Watch every video from last season's games is one way but the team were playing under Clough's direction and a very cautious system.

Already it will have been made clear that we need more height and strength, two central defenders, at least one striker and a couple of midfielders if he intends to play 4-4-2. I suppose they are no-brainers but the subtleties of the blend of the team and signing players with complementary skills just is not possible until he's seen the squad perform to his system.

He'll know the prognoses of the Brayford, Kennedy and Wallace injuries and whether Coutts can ever get more mobile. He'll have heard of the exciting Adams and may know Done's capabilities. He'll already have a view on Howard, McEveley, Basham, Flynn, Alcock, Collins and other older players. How much he'll have seen of Murphy and McNulty and Scougall I wouldn't know. He'll know the odds on Baxter being suspended.

Spending any budget is a big responsibility and as we all know, once you've spent it you can't spend it again. I would expect him to arrange an early assembly of the squad and maybe play extra friendlies. In the meantime all managers have their favourite players and characters and he will go for them if they become available. In a way the timing of the change is good but not perfect, a few months ago would have been more beneficial but that's not how things happen.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

How's about one for 'unsubstantiated utter horseshit'?

Then we could have a poll to see if it actually is horse or do some think its bull?

 

[Balham]

Freeman - incredibly harsh

Coutts - you'll see. He has a class with his feet that no one but Baxter has. Stick them two in the middle and we would walk this league (if indeed Baxter got fit).

Agree completely on Freeman and Coutts but Baxter would literally walk, given that he can't run

Jesus Christ, £3m??!! Even Bryan Robson could get us out of this league with that money.

2 centre backs, one striker. £1m each.

Sorted!

No fucking chance. It's the L1 equivalent of the money given to Bryan Robson which he turned into a relegation battle. I still maintain that appointing Robson is the point to which you can tie back all the shit we've had over the past 8 years.

You'd hope so Sheff, but I've a feeling the name of United will add zero's to a player's valuation. The forward Chesterfield sold to Cardiff (Doyle) was priced at approximately £1.5 - 2 million, so as much as I'd like to think we could buy our way out of this division much depends on finding bargains, and with that Done comes to mind.

Thought Doyle went for £500k? Done probably cost more! That said, we should be able to find some bargains out there.

 

[itsinyerblood]

Agree completely on Freeman and Coutts but Baxter would literally walk, given that he can't run



No fucking chance. It's the L1 equivalent of the money given to Bryan Robson which he turned into a relegation battle. I still maintain that appointing Robson is the point to which you can tie back all the shit we've had over the past 8 years.



Thought Doyle went for £500k? Done probably cost more! That said, we should be able to find some bargains out there.

I just checked and all I can find is 'undisclosed fee' where Eoin Doyle is concerned. I recall at the time of his transfer, when it looked like the Blades were serious in their pursuit of Doyle, that a figure upwards of £1.5 million was mentioned. Who knows? Maybe it was half a million, but given Doyle's rep at the time, the fact that the chase was on, and that Chesterfield could play one club off against another, I'd guess something closer to £2 million would make sense. At this point I believe that Cardiff had the money we gave them for Brayford, so they were flush and wanting to re-invest.

 

[Eyeball]

Coutts, Alcock and McEverley for a start.

Coutts is not dross




You'll see

 

[Sheff de party]

Agree completely on Freeman and Coutts but Baxter would literally walk, given that he can't run



No fucking chance. It's the L1 equivalent of the money given to Bryan Robson which he turned into a relegation battle. I still maintain that appointing Robson is the point to which you can tie back all the shit we've had over the past 8 years.



Thought Doyle went for £500k? Done probably cost more! That said, we should be able to find some bargains out there.

Haha, even a walking Baxter is still dangerous on his day

Indeed, Robson was the beginning of the dark days. At least it surely can't get any worse.*


*written in a type of HTML code that The Football Gods can't read.

 

[Sheff de party]

You'd hope so Sheff, but I've a feeling the name of United will add zero's to a player's valuation. The forward Chesterfield sold to Cardiff (Doyle) was priced at approximately £1.5 - 2 million, so as much as I'd like to think we could buy our way out of this division much depends on finding bargains, and with that Done comes to mind.

This is certainly a concern as they know we have money.

The flipside is, like with Done I suspect, players who are otherwise happy in League One will be knocking on the manager's door saying "I want to go" if the Blades come knocking. The chance of playing in front of 20,000 and getting promoted should tempt almost anyone in the division.

 

[AlienBlade]

Don't tell me, Coutts needs a pre-season. January to May wasn't long enough for him to get fit.

how good was Murphy in his first season??? or even Ched Evans for that matter......it's not about fitness but it's about getting up to speed with new surroundings too....

 

[Jan Age]

ee

Good post but I think it will take a while for Adkins to judge the squad individually and collectively.

Yes he will take note of opinions from everyone available but the assessment of the requirements in the various areas of the team is a personal thing and the identification of the right types of player can only really be started when the squad has been judged by the new manager.

How does he do that before the pre-season friendlies? Watch every video from last season's games is one way but the team were playing under Clough's direction and a very cautious system.

Already it will have been made clear that we need more height and strength, two central defenders, at least one striker and a couple of midfielders if he intends to play 4-4-2. I suppose they are no-brainers but the subtleties of the blend of the team and signing players with complementary skills just is not possible until he's seen the squad perform to his system.

He'll know the prognoses of the Brayford, Kennedy and Wallace injuries and whether Coutts can ever get more mobile. He'll have heard of the exciting Adams and may know Done's capabilities. He'll already have a view on Howard, McEveley, Basham, Flynn, Alcock, Collins and other older players. How much he'll have seen of Murphy and McNulty and Scougall I wouldn't know. He'll know the odds on Baxter being suspended.

Spending any budget is a big responsibility and as we all know, once you've spent it you can't spend it again. I would expect him to arrange an early assembly of the squad and maybe play extra friendlies. In the meantime all managers have their favourite players and characters and he will go for them if they become available. In a way the timing of the change is good but not perfect, a few months ago would have been more beneficial but that's not how things happen.

I would imagine the management team will arrange some earlier behind closed doors stuff to assess quicker and ensure we go in to pre-season with signings made ready to settle in. I imagine this will be supplemented with watching videos from last season/thorough training sessions.

However I do believe he will have players in mind for the positions that, as you rightly said, are obvious and these will be players he is confident will fit the way he wants to play.

He will almost certainly use pre season to add the final touches to the squad but I fully expect signings to be made way in advance of this.

This will have already been discussed at length when talking about the 'type' of player he would target. Whether he gets a number 1 or 2 target remains to be seen as does if he under/overwhelmed by what've sees when he arrives which at change his thinking.

 

[Newbury Blade]

When Clough arrived there was an immediate improvement in some players, notably Murphy but also Howard, Flynn and others – it always happens with a new manager, perhaps because when they see that he rates them it boosts their confidence which in turn improves their performances. Equally, some players who were favourites under the previous regime quickly fall out of favour.

For me the first really interesting thing to see under Adkins will be who he rates and who he doesn't. There are a lot of players with something to prove, either because Clough never rated them, or fell out with them, or they got injured. The only players you would say are shoo-ins to start in August are probably Basham, Murphy and Done but after that it is all up for grabs and some of the following players by then could be in a position, injuries permitting, to show Adkins what they can do – J Wallace, Cuvelier, De Girolamo, Coutts, Scougall, Higdon, McGahey, our various goalkeepers.

He is likely to make decisions about some of these people pretty quickly and if they don't shape up, ship them out, but I am sure some of them can come good under a new regime.

 

[stringjunior]

Hi this is my first post after reading the forums for a while (so apologies if I break any unwritten rules)

On the subject of 'Transfer Kitty' I would imagine that this would have already been discussed and agreed and must be of a decent size to make it enticing for Adkins to take the job.

I would imagine the process went:

1. Come and speak to us and we will tell you what we think we need and how much we anticipate spending - if Adkins was then happy
2. Come back with a formal presentation on how you would address these areas along with recommended budget plus own thoughts. - then if the board were happy
3. Round table discussion to thrash out the fine details in terms of the differences between stages one and two plus contracts etc.

In summary a budget will have been agreed and initial targets identified by Nigel. Think we will see quite rapid in comings but as others have said moving players on will be the challenge.

UTB

Welcome. That's a remarkably sensible first post. You must have found the wrong forum ;-)