djorkaeff Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 For years now our transfer targets, as many have been pointing out - has been all about those on a downward trend. We've essentially been operating at the bottom end - enabling a club like ours to attract the better players of league one and the not so hot players of the championship. We've unearthed a couple of gems along the way, Brunt, Whealen and Bougherra but these aside it's been challenging. Now with the impending takeover - fingers crossed this week - what sort of players are we going to be looking at - it's hard to contemplate signing players other clubs want - it's been so long - the last exciting news of promising signings I read on teletext! I think that in both the Premier League and Championship you can sub divide clubs (ability to sign players) into four categories. I like to think we will be in category two 'Good'. and I think we're most certainly 'Average' now. Category - Elite Club Example - Fulham/QPR Player examples McCormack/Austin Category - Good Club Example - Nottingham Forest/Watford Player examples Mancienne/McGugan Category - Average Club Example - Sheff Wed/Ipswich Player examples Nuhiu/Daryl Murphy Category - Bargain Basement Club Examples - Barnsley/Birmingham Player Examples Mvoto/Shinnie For fun - Arsenal/Sanches Newcastle/Cabella West Ham/Cresswall West Brom/Baird Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRUCE LEE Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 (edited) For years now our transfer targets, as many have been pointing out - has been all about those on a downward trend. We've essentially been operating at the bottom end - enabling a club like ours to attract the better players of league one and the not so hot players of the championship. We've unearthed a couple of gems along the way, Brunt, Whealen and Bougherra but these aside it's been challenging. Eh? I disagree. I'd say under Milan we've mainly invested in players with long term development in mind Helan, Antonio, Mattock, McCabe, Palmer, Lavery, Lee, Maguire, Madine, Nuhiu, Even Westwood, as a keeper at 29 he has many years ahead Edited July 24, 2014 by BRUCE LEE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djorkaeff Posted July 24, 2014 Author Share Posted July 24, 2014 (edited) I think Westwood is under the new regime - since Kirkland re signed. Non of those players above were comfortable championship players - two are youth players and the rest were only league one players. I couldn't see Forest or Derby being in for them. Though I agree they have 'potential'. Watford and Forest sign young players good enough for Championship and with premier league hopes. Edited July 24, 2014 by djorkaeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul.. Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 We've signed a lot of younger players in the hopes that they develop into first team players (or of course go on to better things) Simek, Brunt & Whelan are of course the best three examples who went on to be 1st teamers for us for a while, there are certainly others, of course most were older players on a decline but that's the nature of our circumstances when being run into the ground by incompetent corrupt people only interested in their egos and/or lining their own pockets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRUCE LEE Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 I think Westwood is under the new regime - since Kirkland re signed. Non of those players above were comfortable championship players - two are youth players and the rest were only league one players. I couldn't see Forest or Derby being in for them. Though I agree they have 'potential'. Watford and Forest sign young players good enough for Championship and with premier league hopes. To be fair as a club we've just been through the quickest transitional phase we're ever likely to see Minutes from liquidation in league 1 with a squad of numptys that Irvine assembled, to a settled championship club within less than 4 years Our targets throughout this phase have suited our needs, and during the process we have assembled 4 or 5 players with long term potential to feature in a more ambitious championship team should we get the investment to bring in players around them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djorkaeff Posted July 24, 2014 Author Share Posted July 24, 2014 Yes MM has done well but we are still in the same bottom half championship/top half l1 area that we have been for 15 years. My point is will we now need to calibrate our expectations/ transfer targets? The two keepers we have suggests so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southportdc Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 We're going to be REALLY REALLY RICH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee A Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 We're going to be REALLY REALLY RICH Rich enough to buy cricket tickets? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRUCE LEE Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 Yes MM has done well but we are still in the same bottom half championship/top half l1 area that we have been for 15 years. My point is will we now need to calibrate our expectations/ transfer targets? The two keepers we have suggests so. You've lost me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southportdc Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 Rich enough to buy cricket tickets? Mammadov will set up a charitable foundation for us to go to the test. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djorkaeff Posted July 24, 2014 Author Share Posted July 24, 2014 You've lost me. We don't complete for any better players now than we did 5 or 10 years ago. If we're going to push on and complete with Reading/Forest/Derby/Brighton etc then we can look at the top half. Yes we have a couple of good young players, but Maquire, Lee etc are worth nothing come January and will become the next Whealen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ferkorf Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 The Takeover isn't happening... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BARMYARMY2010 Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 The Takeover isn't happening... Joining in with the "av heard its off" musings,or generally think its not appenin !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Adam Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 Until we get concrete news, its all supposition, but like everyone says, no news is good news and you can't say something isn't happening if noone says it isn't. There ya go, problem solved, heads in the sand until further notice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LocomotiveOwlerton Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 The Takeover isn't happening... Your source? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommo_ Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 AHHHHHHHHHHHH MAKE IT STOP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sefton owl Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 We can all be inspired by Burnley, a team who last season who possibly had a similar budget than ours. They had a really small squad, just kept their main players fit and didn't dig into the loan markets as often as other clubs. Look where they are now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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