January 2023 Transfer Window

[Worthy4England]

Given John's general reputation at previous clubs you could maybe argue that Evatt has done well to go this long without falling out with him.

As a player I like John, when tasked with a specific set of things. His rep preceded him when he came here, yet Evatt got 18 good months out of him when others have written him off far more quickly.

Two sides to every story indeed.

Reasonable observation.

[BWFC_Insane]

Given John's general reputation at previous clubs you could maybe argue that Evatt has done well to go this long without falling out with him.

As a player I like John, when tasked with a specific set of things. His rep preceded him when he came here, yet Evatt got 18 good months out of him when others have written him off far more quickly.

Two sides to every story indeed.

He seems to manage to get on well at the Trafford centre. So can’t be all bad……

[The_Gun]

John tweeting things like that somewhat weakens our position when it comes to trying to get a fee for him.

On a related note, I would think FV are going to need to sell players for cash at some point in the near future. We’ve done a good job acquiring players over the past few seasons, but I can’t imagine ticket sales and commercial revenues are significant enough to balance the books yet.

[TANGODANCER]

Given John's general reputation at previous clubs you could maybe argue that Evatt has done well to go this long without falling out with him.

As a player I like John, when tasked with a specific set of things. His rep preceded him when he came here, yet Evatt got 18 good months out of him when others have written him off far more quickly.

Two sides to every story indeed.

He seems to manage to get on well at the Trafford centre. So can’t be all bad……

Good footballer, but I never liked their Elton, "Crocodile Rock" indeed...

[TANGODANCER]

Upper thoughts right now are that Sharon and our board are being very sensible in their dealings with financial matters. We have a good solid side and have just aquired two useful sounding assets without either breaking the bank or having a fire sale of our squad members to interested parties. Seems we've stated player x,y,z etc can be bought at our valuations, if not, please close the door on your way out. Looking back not too far at how we were, our prospects are looking pretty healthy. Well done the Whites.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I would think FV are going to need to sell players for cash at some point in the near future. We’ve done a good job acquiring players over the past few seasons, but I can’t imagine ticket sales and commercial revenues are significant enough to balance the books yet.

Interesting point, my betriggered friend. Although ST sales were at their highest for 14 years, and we're regularly getting #numbers through the door, as you say there's a transfer deficit slowly accruing. Williams was a fee, as (IIRC) were Charles (£300k?), Dempsey, Morley and Bod last January, possibly Sadlier too.

Now sometimes these fees can be quite small in the scale of things - I think I may have read £50k for Morley - so they can and will be swallowed up into the general playing budget. But as we improve, that budget is creeping upwards. Evatt regularly maintains he doesn't want to overspend - and some of the summer transfer misses, notably Barkhuizen, suggest we're not offering more money than sensible. But as you say, at some point the business model suggests we need a fee. Maybe that's why we're hardballing Salford a little over our fifth-choice striker, whose contract elapses in summer?

[Prufrock]

Though it all pales in comparison with the madhouse we're trying to get into, where two of the "sensible clubs", our beducked neighbours up the A6, and Brucie's favourite Sarf London dandies are running at £1m+ defecit a MONTH.

Yeesh.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Though it all pales in comparison with the madhouse we're trying to get into, where two of the "sensible clubs", our beducked neighbours up the A6, and Brucie's favourite Sarf London dandies are running at £1m+ defecit a MONTH.

Yeesh.

Which is my fear, as I've shared many times. Given the overpaying in that division, we will have to find proper bargains and make them good enough for tier two. Maybe rising third- (or fourth-)tier players we assess are worth the risk. I think we'll get more loan offers (of youngsters closer to Prem-readiness) but we'll find fewer "unwanted squad members" a la MJ, John, Randy, etc.

And that will require patience, and let's not forget it's only a week since some were saying Evatt should go.

[GhostoftheBok]

Which is my fear, as I've shared many times. Given the overpaying in that division, we will have to find proper bargains and make them good enough for tier two. Maybe rising third- (or fourth-)tier players we assess are worth the risk. I think we'll get more loan offers (of youngsters closer to Prem-readiness) but we'll find fewer "unwanted squad members" a la MJ, John, Randy, etc.

And that will require patience, and let's not forget it's only a week since some were saying Evatt should go.

I'd point to Luton as an example that you can find cast-offs and thrive in the Championship.

As to sacking Evatt. You don't sack a manager who has provided 2 1/2 years of consistent improvement.

[GhostoftheBok]

Isn't the popular expression these days "Here we go"?

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Which is my fear, as I've shared many times. Given the overpaying in that division, we will have to find proper bargains and make them good enough for tier two. Maybe rising third- (or fourth-)tier players we assess are worth the risk. I think we'll get more loan offers (of youngsters closer to Prem-readiness) but we'll find fewer "unwanted squad members" a la MJ, John, Randy, etc.

I'd point to Luton as an example that you can find cast-offs and thrive in the Championship.

Luton is one example. There aren't many, though, are there? Wycombe and Rotherham try to play it sensible, and come straight back down. They also try to "play the percentages" on the pitch...

Champo operating figures per Swiss Ramble (Boro in green as they were the featured club from this post)
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Screenshot 2023-01-08 at 13.56.18.png (586.51 KiB) Viewed 633 times

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Coventry another example of not throwing money at it... but only five clubs lost less than a million a month.

[GhostoftheBok]

Luton is one example. There aren't many, though, are there? Wycombe and Rotherham try to play it sensible, and come straight back down. They also try to "play the percentages" on the pitch...

As Evatt says, they're one-dimensional sides and get found out higher up.

Luton is the most similar model. Everything run to a pattern and one which demands different types of players to many of their rivals, allowing them to find value in players other clubs overlook.

We've had 2 1/2 years developing a platform and we're now at the point where it's purely about quality in roles. We know the types of people we want here and standards are set within the squad. Every player who comes in works hard and plays their role. We don't always play well and we don't always get it right (plenty has been lacking recently), but nobody shirks and we find our way.

Once you get to that point it's all recruitment and tweaks. With Markham et al in there we will be just fine.

[GhostoftheBok]

In other news, Marc Iles seems to be reporting we want two more additions after Nlundulu arrives.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Thank you for your soothing words. I still think the Champo is a seething quagmire of fiscal idiocy, but maybejustmaybe we can get by. I still think it will be about the right loans though; fringe players of an improvable age and big-club youngsters good enough to play but probably not good enough to make it at those big clubs, who might decide to stick with us longer-term.

Anyway, back to the here and now:

We know the types of people we want here and standards are set within the squad. Every player who comes in works hard and plays their role.

This reminds me of a point I meant to chime in on but forgot. I mentioned toward the end of the game yesterday that Morley and Dempsey would play the full 90 in back to back league fixtures (Barnsley, Plymouth). That's probably because there's no real alternative there; MJ is a good man but with a more limited skillset, and you could probably say the same about Sheehan (who was already on for Lee). It's a clear demonstration of why we need reinforcements in central midfield, so it's good to see Ilesy say we're still on the lookout for multiple players.

[Worthy4England]

In other news, Marc Iles seems to be reporting we want two more additions after Nlundulu arrives.

Think I heard Evatt say "a couple more" in one of his videos...

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

In other news, Marc Iles seems to be reporting we want two more additions after Nlundulu arrives.

Think I heard Evatt say "a couple more" in one of his videos...

Nixon has tweeted "two targets getting injured doesn't help". he seems to be saying Danny Ward got injured and is happy to see out his contract

[GhostoftheBok]

[Prufrock]

They must be fairly confident they'll get him in the summer for it to make any sense.

Not suprised there's no deal agreed now. We get a try before you buy, they hope he does well enough to bump up the fee to us or others, but I'd be v surprised if the plan is 6 months and that's it.

Always a risk, could go Dapo, could go Fossey. Could even go Jensen. But he fits the long term profile.

[GhostoftheBok]

could go Fossey.

Don't remind me.

How he didn't end up a Bolton player I (and some at Fulham) still don't know. Fair play to his agent for pulling that off, but it's presumably why Evatt was so keen on total silence around the Williams deal. We had a period of being very quiet operators and then it got a bit leaky for a while.

Interestingly, some of the lads it got leaky about may be available in the next two windows - so we can watch that with interest.

[Prufrock]

Aye, it's always a risk with the loan first, but think on balance it makes sense, especially when you don't have buckets of cash to throw about.

I guess we're hoping he either hits the ground absolutely flying and it's enough to get us up or, if not, it's a slow burning 6 months, we see enough there and next year he gets 30 !

Intriguing last bit, who are the names you have in mind (assuming Standard Liege scouts don't read TW)?