Reconstruction time again: the summer 2018 transfer thread

[mullayo]

None of this is new - that's why I've been keen on low level frees like Walker, Gallagher, Milligan, Ekpan et al... Being realistic.

And also why I've been tracking Illes lies and training comings and goings trying to figure what was really going on.

Ken is a cheapskate and doesn't care the damage it does our reputation. Nor should he. He thinks. He'll sell soon and be shot of it, he hopes.

The problem is if he doesn't, he's poisoned the players well and now pi*ssed off Parky as well as fans. They will fall at the first hurdle unless Parky can rally them, if he can be bothered. They have no reason to play hard. Millwall showed a skeleton squad can thrive they have to be motivated and believe though. There were long periods last season where this team just caved. The team is about the same, as is the attitude. The rot starts at the top.

[Dr Hotdog]

David McGoldrick has gone to Sheff Utd. In another dimension, Tom Ince has singed for Stoke for £10m.

[Harry Genshaw]

I share some of the concerns but at the moment Ken's still the only show in town.

He's a former agent so I imagine he knows the pitfalls mentioned well. He took on a basket case so i hope he is screwing every penny from every deal he can. Understandably, we're all worried about the football side regressing but off the pitch Ken will leave us in a far better state than which he found us

[GhostoftheBok]

Sunderland have signed a striker on loan. May or may not alter the Wyke situation, but worth noting.

[TKIZ!]

I share some of the concerns but at the moment Ken's still the only show in town.

He's a former agent so I imagine he knows the pitfalls mentioned well. He took on a basket case so i hope he is screwing every penny from every deal he can. Understandably, we're all worried about the football side regressing but off the pitch Ken will leave us in a far better state than which he found us

Sums up my feelings. Think Ken has helped sign players that have improved the squad. We've lost out on some but tbf that's always the case in football.

[GhostoftheBok]

Sums up my feelings. Think Ken has helped sign players that have improved the squad. We've lost out on some but tbf that's always the case in football.

The business we have done is good. I think we all agree on that.

The main question is whether the manager is being kept completely in the loop. I'm concerned that's not the case.

I'm not currently hugely concerned. More so that I was a week ago, but not really worried.

[mullayo]

Overall, I'm okay with the results of what's Ken's done as far as squad construction goes especially the releases. Although I've always had my sights set on simply staying up and nothing more. However, the execution has been ugly and unnecessarily classless. The financial state must be parlous indeed, but they've been pretending otherwise. Selling us as contenders for promotion even.

Oh well, we have a squad approximately on par with last year already. Maybe we'll get lucky with the loans and be sweet. Or otherwise we'll be testing the theory that other teams often implode - Rotterham, Ipswich, Birmingham, Norwich and Villa.

My chief concern is the effect the behind the scenes kerfuffle has on team morale/performance. Their belief must be at best fragile. Another poor start and it could spiral downward again. Just over a week to go...

[mullayo]

Sums up my feelings. Think Ken has helped sign players that have improved the squad. We've lost out on some but tbf that's always the case in football.

Is the squad actually improved?
Most are exactly the same. Yes, we kept the good ones but they still equal themselves. Let's compare the shiny new apples with the rotten oranges we chucked out. Examine the position groups if you will.

Goalkeeping: Worse. No second keeper at all. Howard > ???

Centrebacks. Worse - no depth. Dervite = Wilson, Reece Burke,Derik,

Fullbacks: Worse.Little and Antonee are better than Olki and Taylor. Little < Olki, Antonee > Taylor

Defensive mids: Much worse. We have one yellow card collector. Kirchoff > Lowe, Henry < Lowe,Pratley = Lowe, Derik < Lowe

Attacking mids: Even. Karacan > Pritchard, Morais < Ozzy

Wingers: Better. Chris Taylor < Wildschut

Strikers. Worse. No Madiine or depth. Wilbrahaim < Donaldson, Madine > Donaldson, Chinedu Obasi < Donaldson

[mullayo]

Wyke Hell We're Going to Fork Out $1m

http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/16 ... rlie-wyke/

As everyone expected, Ken's backing out of splurging on Wyke - it might still cost him, cause a p*ssed off Parky is now demanding two strikers.

Illes lies: "After competing with Sunderland for the Bradford City striker all summer, an ill-timed knee injury appears to have forced the club into widening their search for attacking reinforcements."

By "ill-timed knee injury" he means Ken knacked his knee tugging his foot out of his mouth. By competing Illes means Sunderland made 3 bids,while Ken sat on his hands.

Apparently, free: "Feelers were put out for a loan striker earlier in the summer, with Wolves' Spanish youngster Rafa Mir - who has since signed for Las Palmas."

[mullayo]

Nothing But Nets

Parky had a practice game and noticed one team was scoring slightly more than the other...

http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/16 ... r-reading/

[Harry Genshaw]

You appear to be in proper panic fanny mode there Mullayo!

Kirchoff better than Lowe? Not if he can't get on the pitch he ain't.
Would you rather Ken spent 750k on an injured striker? I agree with Ken's stance here. Don't get dragged into an auction. Wykes out of contract next summer isn't he?

Bradford won't want an unhappy chap on their books going for nowt next season. Given Sunderlands recent history, they're not going to want to pay over the odds either. I imagine Bradford will blink first here

[mullayo]

You appear to be in proper panic fanny mode there Mullayo!

Kirchoff better than Lowe? Not if he can't get on the pitch he ain't.
Would you rather Ken spent 750k on an injured striker? I agree with Ken's stance here. Don't get dragged into an auction. Wykes out of contract next summer isn't he?

Bradford won't want an unhappy chap on their books going for nowt next season. Given Sunderlands recent history, they're not going to want to pay over the odds either. I imagine Bradford will blink first here

For Kirchoff, I meant if they were both fit - reach to be sure but rating him as injured didn't seem right.

And as for Ken, I'm implying he was never going to pay for Wyke. The "six figure" sum mentioned is usually a euphemism to disguise how far short you are of everyone else. Not fussed on getting Wyke one way or the other. More worried about defensive midfield TBH.

As for panicking. Far from it. I just enjoy stirring. Vindicated in my lack of faith. I think we're borderline 20-22nd at the moment and in a week we'll be in the late teens in what should be an entertaining season.

[BWFC_Insane]

I agree that Ken has been broadly good for us. I agree that we need business sense and can't go chasing signings to the detriment of our financial position.

However, this summer it seems Ken might have gone too far in upsetting our players and potentially our manager in the process.

I'm not massively worried HOWEVER, anyone who thinks currently with the squad as it stands we're not nailed on for the bottom 3 is deluding themselves. My biggest worry is midfield. We struggled there last season but the combined nous and energy of Henry, Pratley and Vela's running just about sufficed.

Lowe is a decent enough signing although what I saw of him against Girona suggested he needs a dominant partner. Vela could probably do the Lowe job, but not alongside him as neither are midfield generals. Either physically off the ball or quality wise on the ball.

The concern is now that we're not only shopping in the bargain basement we're at the end of day slim pickings that are left on the shelf.

Add to that our big problem of scoring goals hasn't really been addressed. Oztumer might add some from midfield but its a level up for him and he won't be starting the season I wouldn't think. Wildschutt isn't a goal scorer. So the big issue is adding goals into the side. Which appears to mean signing a striker who can score them whilst also more adeptly fitting into our system than ALF does.


Given midfield energy/quality and goalscoring were our two massive issues last season, I worry that both of those major issues are yet to be addressed.

On the plus side we've added pace to the side and all signings seem to solid sort that we perhaps couldn't get last season. There is still a hell of a lot to do though and there seem to be very few noises coming out that things are moving at the sort of pace they need to. We cannot afford another terrible start but the odds on us having one seem to be shortening by the day.

[mullayo]

I agree that Ken has been broadly good for us. I agree that we need business sense and can't go chasing signings to the detriment of our financial position.

However, this summer it seems Ken might have gone too far in upsetting our players and potentially our manager in the process.

I'm not massively worried HOWEVER, anyone who thinks currently with the squad as it stands we're not nailed on for the bottom 3 is deluding themselves. My biggest worry is midfield. We struggled there last season but the combined nous and energy of Henry, Pratley and Vela's running just about sufficed.

Lowe is a decent enough signing although what I saw of him against Girona suggested he needs a dominant partner. Vela could probably do the Lowe job, but not alongside him as neither are midfield generals. Either physically off the ball or quality wise on the ball.

The concern is now that we're not only shopping in the bargain basement we're at the end of day slim pickings that are left on the shelf.

Add to that our big problem of scoring goals hasn't really been addressed. Oztumer might add some from midfield but its a level up for him and he won't be starting the season I wouldn't think. Wildschutt isn't a goal scorer. So the big issue is adding goals into the side. Which appears to mean signing a striker who can score them whilst also more adeptly fitting into our system than ALF does.


Given midfield energy/quality and goalscoring were our two massive issues last season, I worry that both of those major issues are yet to be addressed.

On the plus side we've added pace to the side and all signings seem to solid sort that we perhaps couldn't get last season. There is still a hell of a lot to do though and there seem to be very few noises coming out that things are moving at the sort of pace they need to. We cannot afford another terrible start but the odds on us having one seem to be shortening by the day.

Am I insane too? I agree with pretty much all of this.

[jmjhb]

We are far from being the only club that's in this situation though, I can imagine deadline day being particularly crazy this year and I'm sure a myriad of deals will become available in a short space of time - whether we have the nous to capitalise on them is up for debate however.

[BWFC_Insane]

We are far from being the only club that's in this situation though, I can imagine deadline day being particularly crazy this year and I'm sure a myriad of deals will become available in a short space of time - whether we have the nous to capitalise on them is up for debate however.

I suspect we're the only club in this league with under 20 senior players on the books!

[jmjhb]

Well, perhaps, but there are plenty of clubs about with unbalanced bloated squads that need trimming and a wage bill that needs slashing.

[mullayo]

Nine signings for nine days to kickoff - LOVS

https://lionofviennasuite.sbnation.com/ ... -wanderers

Most are too old but:
Nedum Onuoha still unsigned? Was invited to Scottish debacle/tour apparently. The mystery trainee?
Was lightning quick as a youngster would snap him up if he has any gas left.

Bakary Sako (30) 36 goals for Wolves in 118 appearances.

Moses Odubajo (24) right back, right winger

[BWFC_Insane]

Well, perhaps, but there are plenty of clubs about with unbalanced bloated squads that need trimming and a wage bill that needs slashing.

But they've got midfields and strikers to play. They may want to replace those players but they at least will consistently have options. We don't and the season is little more than a week away.

[mullayo]

Boaz back in town?

Backtracking a bit to get Boaz back in the fold.
Didn't he want a coaching gig too? And we gave it to Ben Williams didn't we?

Beware the prophecy. The wanderers shall not vanquished be until/ Great pillock KenAn to old Boaz Myhill/Shall contract offer he

http://the72.co.uk/111274/bolton-wander ... oalkeeper/