Snog, Marry, Avoid: Summer 2023 Transfer Window

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Oo yay Brommers blog!

[GhostoftheBok]

Good list, as ever, Brommers.

Jamie Cumming, aside from the name and fact he just got relegated, would be a really good option. He's very raw in a number of aspects, but he's so good with the ball at feet and as a reflex shot-stopper. Trafford's kicking and passing remains a massive weakness in his game in our style of football. Evatt said we won't get another Traf, but we may get other benefits and a keeper who can genuinely play the sweeper role would be massive.

Of that group he'd be my pick.

[The_Gun]

This is incredibly lazy of me, but is anyone aware of other teams in our division and the Championship who will be on the hunt for a starting keeper this summer?

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

This is incredibly lazy of me, but is anyone aware of other teams in our division and the Championship who will be on the hunt for a starting keeper this summer?

And this is a vague response, but a surprising number seem to turn over every summer, if not every window. From memory, Barnsley, Posh and Pompey (again) had loanees at least Jan-Jun (if not all season), while Wycombe and Wednesday changed their No.1s (when Wednesday nicked Wycombe's).

So in short - lots.

[brommers95]

This is incredibly lazy of me, but is anyone aware of other teams in our division and the Championship who will be on the hunt for a starting keeper this summer?

I'm pretty sure the following L1 teams will be after a new starting GK this summer:
- Exeter
- Lincoln
- Cheltenham
- Port Vale
- Peterborough
- Cambridge
- Bristol Rovers
- Reading
- Wigan
- Portsmouth
- Stevenage

...and the above list will obviously grow with players being sold/turning down existing contract offers/new managers wanting to move players on etc. There're probably fewer teams in the Championship looking for a starting GK but competition will still be tough for the good free agent keepers this summer.

[GhostoftheBok]

There are two markets we need to concern ourselves with goalkeepers.

Who are we competing with for our new #1? Who are we competing with for our back-up keeper?

Would be interesting to know what profile we're after for both.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I'm pretty sure the following L1 teams will be after a new starting GK this summer:
- Exeter
- Lincoln
- Cheltenham
- Port Vale
- Peterborough
- Cambridge
- Bristol Rovers
- Reading
- Wigan
- Portsmouth
- Stevenage

...and the above list will obviously grow with players being sold/turning down existing contract offers/new managers wanting to move players on etc. There're probably fewer teams in the Championship looking for a starting GK but competition will still be tough for the good free agent keepers this summer.

Ha, that is quite a lot. But in terms of "pull" – and here I'm talking "prospects of promotion" plus yes, a little "big clubness" – you have to imagine that only geography/domesticity* would make a player prefer Exeter, Lincoln, Cheltenham, Vale, Cambridge, Brizzle or Stevenage, which cuts it down to Posh, Reading, Wigan and Pompey. And two of those haven't always been prompt at paying wages...

But yeah - we're not alone in wandering around the supermarket with a trolley and a list.


*Or "my mate/ex-gaffer is there" - eg possibility of ex-Fleetwood keeper Alex Cairns rejoining Barton at Bristol

[Worthy4England]

There are two markets we need to concern ourselves with goalkeepers.

Who are we competing with for our new #1? Who are we competing with for our back-up keeper?

Would be interesting to know what profile we're after for both.

Keeps ball out of net?

[Prufrock]

I'd settle for "stands broadly between the posts" as an upgrade for the #2

[brommers95]

I'm pretty sure the following L1 teams will be after a new starting GK this summer:
- Exeter
- Lincoln
- Cheltenham
- Port Vale
- Peterborough
- Cambridge
- Bristol Rovers
- Reading
- Wigan
- Portsmouth
- Stevenage

...and the above list will obviously grow with players being sold/turning down existing contract offers/new managers wanting to move players on etc. There're probably fewer teams in the Championship looking for a starting GK but competition will still be tough for the good free agent keepers this summer.

Ha, that is quite a lot. But in terms of "pull" – and here I'm talking "prospects of promotion" plus yes, a little "big clubness" – you have to imagine that only geography/domesticity* would make a player prefer Exeter, Lincoln, Cheltenham, Vale, Cambridge, Brizzle or Stevenage, which cuts it down to Posh, Reading, Wigan and Pompey. And two of those haven't always been prompt at paying wages...

But yeah - we're not alone in wandering around the supermarket with a trolley and a list.


*Or "my mate/ex-gaffer is there" - eg possibility of ex-Fleetwood keeper Alex Cairns rejoining Barton at Bristol

For sure, for sure. To be honest I'm more worried about having to compete with Championship clubs who can afford to offer say £4/5k p/w to a Jamie Cumming to be their backup/cup goalkeeper/development prospect, compared to use offering say £3k p/w.

The sustainability that Evatt regularly mentions when talking about recruitment/wages is obviously going to see us lose out on some good players, however I'm fine with that as it's the right thing to do. I trust the recruitment team to add to the quality of the side this summer.

[GhostoftheBok]

Keeps ball out of net?

A man of simple tastes. I salute you.

[GhostoftheBok]

For sure, for sure. To be honest I'm more worried about having to compete with Championship clubs who can afford to offer say £4/5k p/w to a Jamie Cumming to be their backup/cup goalkeeper/development prospect, compared to use offering say £3k p/w.

The sustainability that Evatt regularly mentions when talking about recruitment/wages is obviously going to see us lose out on some good players, however I'm fine with that as it's the right thing to do. I trust the recruitment team to add to the quality of the side this summer.

This is why I'd be targeting a younger keeper on a permanent deal. I think the "Come and play regular footy for a team that is aiming for the Premier League" is a good selling point vs "Sit on the bench for an extra bit of cash."

The #2 for us is a more interesting sales pitch. How do you get a good keeper to sit on a League One bench (or in our case, not even)? You could target two youngish keepers to compete for the shirt, but you muddy the pitch at that stage.

You need to find a consummate pro for that #2 spot. Someone who can not even sniff the pitch for months and then show up when you need him.

[Worthy4England]

Keeps ball out of net?

A man of simple tastes. I salute you.

A lifetime of listening to bollocks management speak does have an effect!

[GhostoftheBok]

A lifetime of listening to bollocks management speak does have an effect!

I will take "keeps ball out of net."

Can we also have, "Is excellent on the ball"? We're at the stage now where a huge amount of what our keeper does is outside his box.

[The_Gun]

I'd settle for "stands broadly between the posts" as an upgrade for the #2

After that Villa game my non-Bolton mates who'd watched said Dixon was one of the worst keepers they'd ever seen.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

For sure, for sure. To be honest I'm more worried about having to compete with Championship clubs who can afford to offer say £4/5k p/w to a Jamie Cumming to be their backup/cup goalkeeper/development prospect, compared to use offering say £3k p/w.

The sustainability that Evatt regularly mentions when talking about recruitment/wages is obviously going to see us lose out on some good players, however I'm fine with that as it's the right thing to do. I trust the recruitment team to add to the quality of the side this summer.

This is why I'd be targeting a younger keeper on a permanent deal. I think the "Come and play regular footy for a team that is aiming for the Premier League" is a good selling point vs "Sit on the bench for an extra bit of cash."

The #2 for us is a more interesting sales pitch. How do you get a good keeper to sit on a League One bench (or in our case, not even)? You could target two youngish keepers to compete for the shirt, but you muddy the pitch at that stage.

You need to find a consummate pro for that #2 spot. Someone who can not even sniff the pitch for months and then show up when you need him.

I suspect for the #1 we'll be targeting a young (but not pubescent) goalkeeper who's come through a Big Academy. Cumming or Nathan Bishop; that sort. We may be content to loan another Traf, but I suspect now we want a permanent – one we could sell on if he develops.

For the #2 I'm expecting the older sort, but maybe around 30 rather than 35. (We're now (or should be) above the Crellin v Gilks scenario, so we come in a bit at both ends.) But perhaps one who's been a keeper rather than a lifetime benchwarmer. An Alex Cairns type.

However, it wouldn't surprise me if we got in two younger types. Depends who's available. And how much they want.

[BWFC_Insane]

Interesting debate on keepers. Is there a big upside to 'owning one'. I mean if Trafford was free and we could own him the upside is huge.

But taking a 'might be great might fade' younger keeper on a permanent deal means you are stuck with them and but for the outlier of one as good as James Trafford even a very good keeper isn't going to fetch huge transfer fees necessarily. Especially down here. The downside being if they aren't good you are saddled with them....

Takes judgement I guess. I get the risk with loans then every year you might need a replacement but keeper is one area where I think the trade off is less clear cut. A striker on loan who does well - and they are gone - probably. Same with many outfield players and often irreplaceable.

But I think keepers is more a risky signing and therefore apart from the retention issue there are less upsides to making one permanent. Especially for us where we don't have a solid existing option.

[GhostoftheBok]

I suspect for the #1 we'll be targeting a young (but not pubescent) goalkeeper who's come through a Big Academy. Cumming or Nathan Bishop; that sort. We may be content to loan another Traf, but I suspect now we want a permanent – one we could sell on if he develops.

For the #2 I'm expecting the older sort, but maybe around 30 rather than 35. (We're now (or should be) above the Crellin v Gilks scenario, so we come in a bit at both ends.) But perhaps one who's been a keeper rather than a lifetime benchwarmer. An Alex Cairns type.

However, it wouldn't surprise me if we got in two younger types. Depends who's available. And how much they want.

I was wondering if Nathan Bishop might be willing to "compete" for a #1 spot.

I don't know him from Adam, but his reputation is as a player who is just about the best pro you'll ever meet and who understands he can make a good living in this sport for the next 40 years. First as a player, then as a coach.

Players like Traf who are driven to be at the very top are great, but you can't have a squad full of them. You need players who are prepared to be part of a whole.

Having a goalkeeper who will come in and be perfect in training every day, regardless of whether he gets picked or not, would be a huge bonus for us over the long term.

It comes back to my question about how many "great pros" we might lose from the squad when the retained list comes out. Kachunga and Lee have been spoken about as leading the press and helping other lads learn their timing and roles. Sheehan and Bod are both highly regarded for their attitudes and work ethics.

I've one eye on who will set the standards every day.

[GhostoftheBok]

Interesting debate on keepers. Is there a big upside to 'owning one'. I mean if Trafford was free and we could own him the upside is huge.

But taking a 'might be great might fade' younger keeper on a permanent deal means you are stuck with them and but for the outlier of one as good as James Trafford even a very good keeper isn't going to fetch huge transfer fees necessarily. Especially down here. The downside being if they aren't good you are saddled with them....

Takes judgement I guess. I get the risk with loans then every year you might need a replacement but keeper is one area where I think the trade off is less clear cut. A striker on loan who does well - and they are gone - probably. Same with many outfield players and often irreplaceable.

But I think keepers is more a risky signing and therefore apart from the retention issue there are less upsides to making one permanent. Especially for us where we don't have a solid existing option.

Yeah, if we go and get a keeper and say "You're our guy to get to the Premier League" we'd better get the call right.

What I'd probably argue is that now is the time to get that part of the team nailed down.

Financially I think this is the summer with the most talent available and once we're in the Championship that "get a loan in" model would be tough to stick to. I'm not sure when we'll have another chance to sort that compartment out in this friendly a market.

From a footballing position we've got to the point where we understand what we need to do to keep clean sheets. We're not perfect, but we're now a good defensive side and can protect a goalkeeper. This is the best chance we've had to slot a goalkeeper in without murdering their confidence early doors (I'm fairly sure Traf's confidence is invulnerable). It's also the time when we understand what we need a recruit to look like, in terms of attributes. We've seen what Traf offered, but also where he was wanting. We won't get all of his positives, but we clearly need a goalkeeper who can use the ball better in possession (Traf is young and will improve there).

We are at a point where it's possible to slot a keeper in and complete that part of the picture. We can have a defensive unit that can fully execute Evatt's current style of play, with the full sweeper keeper in effect. If we can match Santos for suitability at role then it'll take us a huge stride forward.

[The_Gun]

This is incredibly lazy of me, but is anyone aware of other teams in our division and the Championship who will be on the hunt for a starting keeper this summer?

I'm pretty sure the following L1 teams will be after a new starting GK this summer:
- Exeter
- Lincoln
- Cheltenham
- Port Vale
- Peterborough
- Cambridge
- Bristol Rovers
- Reading
- Wigan
- Portsmouth
- Stevenage

...and the above list will obviously grow with players being sold/turning down existing contract offers/new managers wanting to move players on etc. There're probably fewer teams in the Championship looking for a starting GK but competition will still be tough for the good free agent keepers this summer.

Thanks, Brommers.

Is there a reason you didn’t include Conor Hazard in your blog?