Owls withdraw their interest in Pompey;s Ward.

[Bluesteel]

I think that the OP does make a valid point. We dont know what we will be spending yet, were assuming we will be spending reasonable money this summer but nobody has said that.

I wouldnt want to spend 450k on Joel Ward because I think we need to be spending in other areas, I hope it is just that, but it remains to be seen whether we are going to be going in with low bids for our targets again.

[Guest wilyfox]

I think that the OP does make a valid point. We dont know what we will be spending yet, were assuming we will be spending reasonable money this summer but nobody has said that.

I wouldnt want to spend 450k on Joel Ward because I think we need to be spending in other areas, I hope it is just that, but it remains to be seen whether we are going to be going in with low bids for our targets again.

whilst i half agree, if Milan wants us to reach the prem within 3 seasons as implied, he's gonna have to invest in the team at some point. if we want to compete at the top-end we need a team strong enough to get us there. we were very fortunate to achieve promotion via loans and free transfers - i concur with Megson there; doubt very much we'll make it up another division using the same strategy.

[gurujuan]

I agree, he was seen probably as a utility player who can cover all defensive positions, including midfield Whether we could spend half a million on a utility player with no guarantees of a permanent place, probably not. Don't think he would fancy being a bit part player either

[Bluesteel]

whilst i half agree, if Milan wants us to reach the prem within 3 seasons as implied, he's gonna have to invest in the team at some point. if we want to compete at the top-end we need a team strong enough to get us there. we were very fortunate to achieve promotion via loans and free transfers - i concur with Megson there; doubt very much we'll make it up another division using the same strategy.

I agree with you but I think from looking at Milan's past history at clubs like Leicester 80/90% of his incoming transfers were on frees and loans and where these loans were successful he would then buy. In special cases he has also bought in strikers for good money.

Seems to fit with what has been happening here if we now pay for Treacy and Antonio. We will bolster other areas on a free and maybe pay for a striker if we cant get one on loan.

[gurujuan]

I'd be happy with that, 2 or 3 good frees, 2 or 3 loans and spend the money on Antonio, Treacy and a top striker A top striker at this level will cost though.

[Guest wilyfox]

I agree with you but I think from looking at Milan's past history at clubs like Leicester 80/90% of his incoming transfers were on frees and loans and where these loans were successful he would then buy. In special cases he has also bought in strikers for good money.

Seems to fit with what has been happening here if we now pay for Treacy and Antonio. We will bolster other areas on a free and maybe pay for a striker if we cant get one on loan.

Mandaric said he wanted the players to be assets of the club; hence the purchase of Reda and Madine - players hopefully and likely to increase in value over time with development. in reality, there will be a mixture of loans, freebies and cash purchases - just so long as the balance is right; which i'd argue wasn't quite the case last season. we achieved a terrific outcome, but 4 of our starting XI returned to their parent clubs the moment the season ended. it's essential our nucleus is kept together to build on our promotion; our team decimated rather swiftly.

[oh_weds_we_love_you]

Half a million quid for a right back, who is at a club who can't even afford to pay the electric bill and just been relegated to Division 3?

I'm f*cking glad we aren't getting involved in this!

[Handball_!!]

I don't think MM has a history of spunking silly money on players (may be the odd exception along the way) and I'd be fine with that.

So yes there will be some on here very dissapointed with our transfer dealings this summer I guess.

He does, however, have a bit of form with imposing players on managers which I'd be less fine with.

Martin Allen had big issues with this at Leicester and GM had the two loanees last season which he refused to play.

Will develop into an interesting summer I'm sure.

[oh_weds_we_love_you]

Mandaric said he wanted the players to be assets of the club; hence the purchase of Reda and Madine - players hopefully and likely to increase in value over time with development. in reality, there will be a mixture of loans, freebies and cash purchases - just so long as the balance is right; which i'd argue wasn't quite the case last season. we achieved a terrific outcome, but 4 of our starting XI returned to their parent clubs the moment the season ended. it's essential our nucleus is kept together to build on our promotion; our team decimated rather swiftly.

But it was also important we didn't end up buying a squad full of League One players who we couldn't shift on upon promotion to the Championship.

[Guest davet30]

Well we already have Buxton and now Lee, no point blowing a big chunk of our budget on another RB.

I understand it is odds on we have Lee but ... could someone show me the OS link as DJ said he was not going to reveal players coming in until the deal was completed.

I'm just concerned players are being named as 'already in the team' when it's not made official.

[Guest wilyfox]

But it was also important we didn't end up buying a squad full of League One players who we couldn't shift on upon promotion to the Championship.

agreed, but you'd also prefer your better players to be your own; that wasn't the case regarding a number of key players last season.

[oh_weds_we_love_you]

agreed, but you'd also prefer your better players to be your own; that wasn't the case regarding a number of key players last season.

Perhaps our budget/League One status prevented us from buying the likes of Marshall, Batth and Antonio though mate? No point in buying inferior if you can loan the real deal.

[gurujuan]

Would we have been able to sign the likes of Batth, Antonio, Treacy and Ranger permanently last season? Now we might be able to and the secret now, is to bring in loanees now who we couldn't hope to sign unless we were in the Premiership

[oh_weds_we_love_you]

Would we have been able to sign the likes of Batth, Antonio, Treacy and Ranger permanently last season? Now we might be able to and the secret now, is to bring in loanees now who we couldn't hope to sign unless we were in the Premiership

My thinking exactly!

[camffiti]

Perhaps our budget/League One status prevented us from buying the likes of Marshall, Batth and Antonio though mate? No point in buying inferior if you can loan the real deal.

If we had bid in August, what we bid in January for Marshall, instead of initially laoning him (maybe Megson did fully trust his own judgement, or may Milan didn't?) he would still be a Wednesday player imo

[Guest wilyfox]

Would we have been able to sign the likes of Batth, Antonio, Treacy and Ranger permanently last season? Now we might be able to and the secret now, is to bring in loanees now who we couldn't hope to sign unless we were in the Premiership

i agree. we used the loan market out of necessity to recruit players we could neither lure or afford on a permanent basis; now we're in league where that philosophy should change. we can lure better players in the champ, and we can operate on a larger budget based on increased revenue in a higher division.

[oh_weds_we_love_you]

If we had bid in August, what we bid in January for Marshall, instead of initially laoning him (maybe Megson did fully trust his own judgement, or may Milan didn't?) he would still be a Wednesday player imo

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. We could have ended up with a £500k pile of tripe (or a crock - Marshall was recovering from a broken leg, no guarentee to come back the same player). Which isn't good for any budgets, especially a League One budget.

[lincolnowl]

Wednesday in "unwilling to pay asking price" shocker.

[Guest wilyfox]

If we had bid in August, what we bid in January for Marshall, instead of initially laoning him (maybe Megson did fully trust his own judgement, or may Milan didn't?) he would still be a Wednesday player imo

a year ago Marshall wasn't worth that kind of money. his spell with us increased his value significantly. don't forget, Stoke did not want to sell him. they were looking to rehabilitate him following injury and tie him down on a new contract. it was Marshall that instigated a permanent move away in search of regular football at the highest level possible.

[DJMortimer]

If we had bid in August, what we bid in January for Marshall, instead of initially laoning him (maybe Megson did fully trust his own judgement, or may Milan didn't?) he would still be a Wednesday player imo

This has always been the trouble with loan deals, especially for clubs in reduced circumstances like we have been for so long. That's why I hoped we were pestering Reading at the earliest opportunity last season when it became obvious what we had in Antonio. Of course they would probably have wanted to wait anyway because of their own circumstances, but we should have explored it regardless. You don't want him hitting the open market with an obvious and prolonged body of evidence showing how good he is in the summer when everybody is looking for new players.

Wednesday in "unwilling to pay asking price" shocker.

The fact that we already have two right backs is no more than a coincidence then?