Schu me the way to Amarillo - Summer 2025 Transfer Thread

[nicholaldo]

IMO for us to seriously have a chance to challenge for promotion, these two strikers that SS says he still wants need to be proven & names that at least a few fans may of have previously heard of (apart from googling !) - players who we all go 'now then that's a good signing, he will score goals in this league'.

I think this is probably where I'd disagree. I don't think it matters a great deal whether they're a name we've heard of, though I understand your point.

[Bertie Wooster]

IMO for us to seriously have a chance to challenge for promotion, these two strikers that SS says he still wants need to be proven & names that at least a few fans may of have previously heard of (apart from googling !) - players who we all go 'now then that's a good signing, he will score goals in this league'.

I think this is probably where I'd disagree. I don't think it matters a great deal whether they're a name we've heard of, though I understand your point.

I don't necessarily mean a name from a 'look at us, look who we've signed etc.!' I meant more along the lines of if a goal scorer is proven in any league its likely that they will have scored plenty and therefore some will have knowledge of them i.e. a Jatta at Notts County.

Not a known championship striker who has only scored 2 in 40 etc.

[BWFC_Insane]

What we’ve signed this season all have higher ceilings than what we had before but there is no guarantee they hit their peak here.

But the peak of what we had before was probably bottling league one play offs. They were simply not a promotion side.

Is there a particular reason why I should think, for example, Thierry Gale has a higher ceiling than Aaron Collins?

Or Richard Taylor a higher ceiling than Jack Iredale.

To be clear, I dearly hope they do, I'm just not sure why I should think it based on the information we have today.

I mean he’s 23 (Gale) and has played in the top Austrian league vs Collins 28 who has bummed around league one and two his whole career. Gale is probably a risk - as in his record suggests he’s struggled to really take off. So he’s probably one I worry about more than the others.

As for Taylor vs Iredale - Iredale was imo a decent player and better than what came after him.

I think this is always going to be the case when you can’t spend a lot of money - we are signing the players who may come off but there is risk. And I accept that it’s possible it doesn’t work. It is id argue not too dissimilar to Allardyce putting his championship team together without any money and losing a bunch of top players. It may work or not and I’d probably say odds are against us. But persisting with the approach we had before was a sure fire disaster.

[BWFC_Insane]

IMO for us to seriously have a chance to challenge for promotion, these two strikers that SS says he still wants need to be proven & names that at least a few fans may of have previously heard of (apart from googling !) - players who we all go 'now then that's a good signing, he will score goals in this league'.

I think this is probably where I'd disagree. I don't think it matters a great deal whether they're a name we've heard of, though I understand your point.

I don't necessarily mean a name from a 'look at us, look who we've signed etc.!' I meant more along the lines of if a goal scorer is proven in any league its likely that they will have scored plenty and therefore some will have knowledge of them i.e. a Jatta at Notts County.

Not a known championship striker who has only scored 2 in 40 etc.

I don’t think proven in this league means much. I’ve got to be honest. If we can get someone unproven who has a higher ceiling then why not? It’s riskier but I’m not seeing many strikers who realistically we would add and who are proven for the sort of role we want to play.

I’d say Kenny on loan looks a good signing if we can make it. Quick, hard running and puts himself about.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

I think we should be cautiously optimistic. We have a manager that understands what is needed to get promoted from this division and isn't full of shit. Based on what we've seen of preseason he's understood that we need to be more defensively focussed as an 11 and variation in play works. Set pieces are a thing and he doesn't speak from a management book.

The signings sound like they are the right sorts and I'm glad that they aren't the more expensive obvious ones. Time will tell, and we obviously need to fill more gaps, but we're likely headed in the right direction. I'd like to think we can be in touch with the top end come January and maybe a judicious signing or two in January will complete the puzzle.

Lets at least be HMS PTL until the end of September

[BWFC_Insane]

Should clarify that I didn’t see us challenging for the top 2 in May and still don’t now. I suspect we are fighting for 6th-4th at best.

[nicholaldo]

What we’ve signed this season all have higher ceilings than what we had before but there is no guarantee they hit their peak here.

But the peak of what we had before was probably bottling league one play offs. They were simply not a promotion side.

Is there a particular reason why I should think, for example, Thierry Gale has a higher ceiling than Aaron Collins?

Or Richard Taylor a higher ceiling than Jack Iredale.

To be clear, I dearly hope they do, I'm just not sure why I should think it based on the information we have today.

I mean he’s 23 (Gale) and has played in the top Austrian league vs Collins 28 who has bummed around league one and two his whole career. Gale is probably a risk - as in his record suggests he’s struggled to really take off. So he’s probably one I worry about more than the others.

As for Taylor vs Iredale - Iredale was imo a decent player and better than what came after him.

I think this is always going to be the case when you can’t spend a lot of money - we are signing the players who may come off but there is risk. And I accept that it’s possible it doesn’t work. It is id argue not too dissimilar to Allardyce putting his championship team together without any money and losing a bunch of top players. It may work or not and I’d probably say odds are against us. But persisting with the approach we had before was a sure fire disaster.

Gale's played a total of six times in the Austrian first tier, all of them substitute appearances. Last season he was playing in Georgia. I don't understand how we can think he has a higher ceiling based on his career trajectory so far.

On your last paragraph, I agree. I'm similarly frustrated that when we've had money Evatt tended to squander it - with the caveat that I think this coming season might be a big one for Randall - but everything you've typed there is a reason why I'm feeling a bit of a disconnect between the signings we've made and the optimism I'm coming across.

I'm also wary that for the last few years we've signed players who might come off but have (injury) risk attached and so in that sense our approach hasn't differed a huge amount.

[BWFC_Insane]

I think we should be cautiously optimistic. We have a manager that understands what is needed to get promoted from this division and isn't full of shit. Based on what we've seen of preseason he's understood that we need to be more defensively focussed as an 11 and variation in play works. Set pieces are a thing and he doesn't speak from a management book.

The signings sound like they are the right sorts and I'm glad that they aren't the more expensive obvious ones. Time will tell, and we obviously need to fill more gaps, but we're likely headed in the right direction. I'd like to think we can be in touch with the top end come January and maybe a judicious signing or two in January will complete the puzzle.

Lets at least be HMS PTL until the end of September

Cautious optimism is probably right I think. Cautious cos we’ve seen this all before. But it’s better than it was even if just a bit.

[BWFC_Insane]

What we’ve signed this season all have higher ceilings than what we had before but there is no guarantee they hit their peak here.

But the peak of what we had before was probably bottling league one play offs. They were simply not a promotion side.

Is there a particular reason why I should think, for example, Thierry Gale has a higher ceiling than Aaron Collins?

Or Richard Taylor a higher ceiling than Jack Iredale.

To be clear, I dearly hope they do, I'm just not sure why I should think it based on the information we have today.

I mean he’s 23 (Gale) and has played in the top Austrian league vs Collins 28 who has bummed around league one and two his whole career. Gale is probably a risk - as in his record suggests he’s struggled to really take off. So he’s probably one I worry about more than the others.

As for Taylor vs Iredale - Iredale was imo a decent player and better than what came after him.

I think this is always going to be the case when you can’t spend a lot of money - we are signing the players who may come off but there is risk. And I accept that it’s possible it doesn’t work. It is id argue not too dissimilar to Allardyce putting his championship team together without any money and losing a bunch of top players. It may work or not and I’d probably say odds are against us. But persisting with the approach we had before was a sure fire disaster.

Gale's played a total of six times in the Austrian first tier, all of them substitute appearances. Last season he was playing in Georgia. I don't understand how we can think he has a higher ceiling based on his career trajectory so far.

On your last paragraph, I agree. I'm similarly frustrated that when we've had money Evatt tended to squander it - with the caveat that I think this coming season might be a big one for Randall - but everything you've typed there is a reason why I'm feeling a bit of a disconnect between the signings we've made and the optimism I'm coming across.

I'm also wary that for the last few years we've signed players who might come off but have (injury) risk attached and so in that sense our approach hasn't differed a huge amount.

I think for me we’ve got the ‘right sort’ of players. Whether they are the right ones is to be determined. But we needed more physicality and pace. We’ve done that.

I still say young lads who are full internationals and have played across Europe have more potential than Collins who is now in league two at 28. But I agree with your reservations on Gale. I note that Schumacher has said we need to make him ‘understand his role off the ball’ which maybe screams work to do.

But I suppose it’s all relative to your expectations. I knew we had zero chance of promotion previously. It was Groundhog Day. We assembled a squad that was never going to achieve it. My expectations now are to make it to the play offs and see. And because we have changed things round a fair bit I’m blindly hoping we have more bottle in the squad to a) squeak into the top 6 and b) make more of a fist of it if we do.

[Bertie Wooster]

We still need that leader, captain type.

[nicholaldo]

I still say young lads who are full internationals and have played across Europe have more potential than Collins who is now in league two at 28. But I agree with your reservations on Gale. I note that Schumacher has said we need to make him ‘understand his role off the ball’ which maybe screams work to do.

I think that's a quirk of geography more than anything else. If Collins were Bajan, I'm sure he'd have played for Barbados, and I don't place much store in the Georgian league.

But it is only a first impression and I'd much rather my doubts were proved to be unfounded than right.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

We’ve done some good stuff, but still need more (strikers for sure, and probably one or two ‘leaders’).

Whether the signings come good or not, none of us can know. Personally I was more impressed with Nmai than Gale - and the fact we were linked with Nmai first may or may not indicate he was a higher-ranked choice - but we are where we are. Johnny Kenny would be a good loan but (1) we may have a LOT of competition and (2) I’d never heard of him before we were linked.

One thing boosting positivity - certainly in some corners of Twitter - is the atmosphere around the Marbella camp. Footage of Schuey on a table leading a mass singalong of The Wanderer has led to much appreciation and fans who made the trip have spoken glowingly about the warmth and openness from coaches/players/Harkin etc to the fans. They’re working really hard to heal that disconnect.

On the Schuey singalong, if you watch that long (non-club) YouTube interview you’ll see he discusses the evening after we pasted Plymouth at Wembley. Players/staff/family were quietly drinking back at the hotel when one of Schuey’s relatives started hollering “we’re gonna win the league” and everyone joined in. It’s hardly rocket science - and many many footballers secretly envy the fans’ life of screaming support from the terraces - but an interesting parallel.

[Frank Drebin]

Should clarify that I didn’t see us challenging for the top 2 in May and still don’t now. I suspect we are fighting for 6th-4th at best.

Is there anything that could change your mind bwfci before the season kicks off?

[BWFC_Insane]

Should clarify that I didn’t see us challenging for the top 2 in May and still don’t now. I suspect we are fighting for 6th-4th at best.

Is there anything that could change your mind bwfci before the season kicks off?

Probably not - always we have to hope but there are some strong sides again in this league and we are going to be a work in progress.

[Bertie Wooster]

I know the question was to BWFCI, but for what its worth IMO if we where to bring in a Liam Cooper type leader / captain and a proven goal scorer (i.e. a Jatta or a Michael Smith) and Kenny from Celtic I think that we could challenge for the top 2

[Frank Drebin]

Should clarify that I didn’t see us challenging for the top 2 in May and still don’t now. I suspect we are fighting for 6th-4th at best.

Is there anything that could change your mind bwfci before the season kicks off?

Probably not - always we have to hope but there are some strong sides again in this league and we are going to be a work in progress.

Thanks bwfci. There are strong sides in the league, Huddersfield, Wycombe, Luton and Stockport are the 4 I’d imagine will be up there with us. But the bookies have us 5th favourite for outright winner and they’re rarely wrong. I am, however, in the Bertie(see his recent post) camp atm and still hoping for a couple of signings that shift the needle.

[BWFC_Insane]

Should clarify that I didn’t see us challenging for the top 2 in May and still don’t now. I suspect we are fighting for 6th-4th at best.

Is there anything that could change your mind bwfci before the season kicks off?

Probably not - always we have to hope but there are some strong sides again in this league and we are going to be a work in progress.

Thanks bwfci. There are strong sides in the league, Huddersfield, Wycombe, Luton and Stockport are the 4 I’d imagine will be up there with us. But the bookies have us 5th favourite for outright winner and they’re rarely wrong. I am, however, in the Bertie(see his recent post) camp atm and still hoping for a couple of signings that shift the needle.

I don’t think individual signings shift needles at least not with our budget. If we are to do anything this season it will be about collective endeavour and working hard as a unit and having a spirit that keeps the group going. You need players within that but for me most of the ‘individual’ stuff is over done. Wrexham went up with good players but main thing was they had tremendous work ethic and spirit.

[Bertie Wooster]

Should clarify that I didn’t see us challenging for the top 2 in May and still don’t now. I suspect we are fighting for 6th-4th at best.

Is there anything that could change your mind bwfci before the season kicks off?

Probably not - always we have to hope but there are some strong sides again in this league and we are going to be a work in progress.

Thanks bwfci. There are strong sides in the league, Huddersfield, Wycombe, Luton and Stockport are the 4 I’d imagine will be up there with us. But the bookies have us 5th favourite for outright winner and they’re rarely wrong. I am, however, in the Bertie(see his recent post) camp atm and still hoping for a couple of signings that shift the needle.

I don’t think individual signings shift needles at least not with our budget. If we are to do anything this season it will be about collective endeavour and working hard as a unit and having a spirit that keeps the group going. You need players within that but for me most of the ‘individual’ stuff is over done. Wrexham went up with good players but main thing was they had tremendous work ethic and spirit.

And about 4 strikers all better than anything we had.

[nicholaldo]

Should clarify that I didn’t see us challenging for the top 2 in May and still don’t now. I suspect we are fighting for 6th-4th at best.

Is there anything that could change your mind bwfci before the season kicks off?

Probably not - always we have to hope but there are some strong sides again in this league and we are going to be a work in progress.

Thanks bwfci. There are strong sides in the league, Huddersfield, Wycombe, Luton and Stockport are the 4 I’d imagine will be up there with us. But the bookies have us 5th favourite for outright winner and they’re rarely wrong. I am, however, in the Bertie(see his recent post) camp atm and still hoping for a couple of signings that shift the needle.

The bookies are frequently wrong at this time of year as those markets at this stage are really only predictions on which clubs they expect to take the most bets on.

[Frank Drebin]

Should clarify that I didn’t see us challenging for the top 2 in May and still don’t now. I suspect we are fighting for 6th-4th at best.

Is there anything that could change your mind bwfci before the season kicks off?

Probably not - always we have to hope but there are some strong sides again in this league and we are going to be a work in progress.

Thanks bwfci. There are strong sides in the league, Huddersfield, Wycombe, Luton and Stockport are the 4 I’d imagine will be up there with us. But the bookies have us 5th favourite for outright winner and they’re rarely wrong. I am, however, in the Bertie(see his recent post) camp atm and still hoping for a couple of signings that shift the needle.

I don’t think individual signings shift needles at least not with our budget. If we are to do anything this season it will be about collective endeavour and working hard as a unit and having a spirit that keeps the group going. You need players within that but for me most of the ‘individual’ stuff is over done. Wrexham went up with good players but main thing was they had tremendous work ethic and spirit.

I agree with the collective endeavour and work ethic and tbh I expect nothing less from a Schumacher team. We’ve seen this week in Marbella the monotonous drills, as Iles put it, for keeping that clean sheet. As Bertie says, Wrexham had umpteen strikers last season, so IF we get the hard working but potent strikers in and combined with a hard working team unit, I fancy us to flirt with 2nd spot.