Reconstruction time again: the summer 2018 transfer thread

[Prufrock]

Aye, I want to keep him, I'd probs even stretch budgets a touch, but not worth breaking the bank for.

[Peter Thompson]

We need to get Sammi nailed up. After that it que-sera....

Why....he's ok but he's no world beater IMO & he's also very inconsistent.

Perhaps KA & PP are trying to bring in another wide player of a better quality or at least more consistent than Ameobi ?

[BWFC_Insane]

We need to get Sammi nailed up. After that it que-sera....

Why....he's ok but he's no world beater IMO & he's also very inconsistent.

Perhaps KA & PP are trying to bring in another wide player of a better quality or at least more consistent than Ameobi ?

He works hard and has a lot of skill. But his end product isn't consistent enough as you say. Doesn't score or create enough, which is frustrating when some weeks he can beat teams all on his own.

On balance I think we're better with him in the team, but certainly not at the expense of investing in other areas.

[GhostoftheBok]

One thing about Ameobi being inconsistent is that we are the first club to really give him regular football. He's 26, but his development isn't where it would have been had he left Toon earlier than he did. The chances are that Ameobi will continue to improve over the next couple of seasons, providing he continues to play every week. It's also something he should consider when looking at the offers on the table. He has improved since he joined us.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

One thing about Ameobi being inconsistent is that we are the first club to really give him regular football. He's 26, but his development isn't where it would have been had he left Toon earlier than he did. The chances are that Ameobi will continue to improve over the next couple of seasons, providing he continues to play every week. It's also something he should consider when looking at the offers on the table. He has improved since he joined us.

The fact that he's 26 rather than 23 might make him lean toward the bigger offer.

It's a very difficult decision to make: stay where you've been happier for a lot less pay, or move somewhere that pays you the going rate. If (guesswork ahoy) we offer him £10kpw for two years and Oh I Don't Know Sheffield Wednesday Or Something offer £16kpw for two years, that's another £600,000 he'd be turning down to stay.

[GhostoftheBok]

Oh, I don't expect him to stay here if someone else offers him a lot more money. If he's going to play regularly at another club and get more money then I'd not blame him in the least for leaving. What he has to be careful of is taking a bit of extra cash now, stagnating and then having that be his last decent pay offer. If he continues to develop he can earn good money into his 30s, but he needs to be playing.

[GhostoftheBok]

I don't expect anyone to sign for BWFC if they get a better offer elsewhere. Jack Robinson left QPR this week and in other times he'd have been a player I'd have wanted us to go for, but these days I doubt we'd get anywhere near him.

I feel like we've done very well to get Lowe and Otzumer, I didn't expect either. Ameobi signing up would also be a pleasant surprise. I currently have low expectations.

[bristol_Wanderer3]

It is fine to say that Ameobi doesn't score or assist enough but he was playing in a very poor side and had to make a lot of lung bursting runs to cover defensively. If he was playing in a side that didn't have 30-40% possession every week his numbers would be better. And has Ghost has said he is inexperienced for his age and will improve. He does seem hampered by his asthma though, he seems to struggle for breath for periods of games before getting over it and being fine again. The fact that Parky appears to understand this and plays him most games might be a reason to forego a slightly a higher wage elsewhere.

If our average wage is around the £6kpw mark, then I would stretch to £10k-£12kpw to keep him. If someone is offering £15kpw or more for 3 years or more then so be it and he probably should leave. At these salary levels money is important in terms of lifelong financial security. He only really has a few years to make his money.

[Peter Thompson]

Clayton Donaldson signed on a 1 year deal.

Uninspiring signing IMO - 34 years old....come on KA you can do better than this

[TKIZ!]

I'd argue this is a back-up striker along the same lines as Wilbs. I'll wait till he pulls on a shirt before passing judgement. Something for Oztumer to aim crosses at

[Peter Thompson]

Don't get me wrong 2 years ago he would have been a great signing....he has a decent goal scoring record, and was quite quick & powerful - I just don't see signing a 34 year old striker as moving forward, a younger, quicker squad, as surely he won't be as quick as he was and must have lost a yard or two of pace....and btw he's not great in the air.

If he is signed just as a back up then that's fair enough....

[DJBlu]

Clayton Donaldson signed on a 1 year deal.

Uninspiring signing IMO - 34 years old....come on KA you can do better than this

49 goals in 3 years is the bit that's impressing PP.

[Peter Thompson]

Clayton Donaldson signed on a 1 year deal.

Uninspiring signing IMO - 34 years old....come on KA you can do better than this

49 goals in 3 years is the bit that's impressing PP.

That impresses me, but as I said earlier he was quality 2 years ago, but he's 34 now, 35 in February.....

[TKIZ!]

Clayton Donaldson signed on a 1 year deal.

Uninspiring signing IMO - 34 years old....come on KA you can do better than this

49 goals in 3 years is the bit that's impressing PP.

That impresses me, but as I said earlier he was quality 2 years ago, but he's 34 now, 35 in February.....

Aye, Wilbs was 38, scored what could be described as 1 of the most important goals in BWFC history. He's a bench player at best, gives PP options and I'm happy with that. If by the end of the window it's just Alf, Hall and Donaldson then we can get pissy

[Peter Thompson]

I welcome him to Bolton & hope that he does well - he actually comes across as a decent genuine lad and I'm sure he's a decent player even at 34....I just thought that we were trying / pushing for a more youthful, dynamic, energetic squad....but like you say let's see what other strikers arrive....as I said a few years ago he was quality

[GhostoftheBok]

Not inspiring at 34, but if you look at him compared to Wilbraham then he's a clear improvement for the squad in that "off the bench when you need to change a game" role. His rate is roughly 1 goal for every 3 games he starts in recent seasons, which is a decent rate considering our finances at the moment.

I'm not dancing in the street about this one, but I'm also not down about it. He'll do.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Won't be the main man. Better depth than Wilbraham (who's rocked up at Rochdale, bless him).

That makes 16 senior pros and 8 kids, by my reckoning. If you're wondering who, I've been keeping the Contract Expiry thread up to date: viewtopic.php?p=1057680#p1057680

[TANGODANCER]

Can't help feeling a bit sorry for Wibraham. He was so looking forward to being in the squad at Bolton.. Hope he does well and here's wishing him the best of luck. Go big fella, that goal won't be forgotten here for a fair while. .

[GhostoftheBok]

It wasn't Wilbraham's fault he was 38.

Modern conditioning and sports science extend useful playing life by a couple of years over where we used to be, but 38 is pushing it for all but the most extreme cases. 34 is hopefully a bit more like it when it comes to "experienced, but can still do 70 minutes at this level when needed."

[mullayo]

GK: Ben Alnwick, Ben Amos, Jake Turner
RB: Mark Little, Stephen Darby
LB: Andrew Taylor,
CB: David Wheater, Mark Beevers
DM: Jason Lowe,
AM: Oztumer, Josh Vela, Joe Pritchard
RW: AMEOBI???, Craig Noone
LW: Will Buckley
ST: Adam Le Fondre, Conor Hall
TS: Clayton Donaldson

Doesn't do a lot for me. More of an athlete than a fox in the box and got to wonder what's left in the tank at 34.
However, he has a good scoring rate of a goal every 270 mins (3 full games - although he averages 71 mins per game so a goal every 4 games).
Only played 42 mins per game (30) last year and got 5 goals at 257 mins, so still scoring at the same rate, Seems a better backuo than Wilbrahaim. If he's cheap.