Adam Chicksen signs [merged threads]

[Lawro's Lip]

I can't see any sign of OG being involved with signings (so far) and I think we have moved on from having a team created and moulded by a manager and his assistant/s to a coached team researched and bought by a structured off the field squad development team. Whilst this has been growing for a while I do feel this has been stepped up with the departure of Gus and Naylors comments above about a younger, cheaper squad may mean we don't see some of the signings that some on
here hope for.

I can see the advantage to the club with this, when managers leave the squad will have been the creation of the club and in theory can continue without massive changes that managerial changes bring but it does possibly mean that we won't be taking this division by storm this season. Hope I'm wrong but I think it will be January before we see anyone who can fire us into the Prem or at least in to a play off position - I'm expecting more transfers like Chicksen rather than flair names on loads of wages.

This seems to be the approach, buy cheap and use existing squad, including development players such as JFC and Marsh. So OG brings Barcelona style coaching to the squad rather than using his own contacts and signing up the 'flairtastic' spaniards we expected. It might work.

 

[The Merry Prankster]

This seems to be the approach, buy cheap and use existing squad, including development players such as JFC and Marsh. So OG brings Barcelona style coaching to the squad rather than using his own contacts and signing up the 'flairtastic' spaniards we expected. It might work.

Or it may not. My money is on it not working well enough. Hard league to get out of with a "cheap" squad.

 

[Seagulls over Essex]

He looks a bit like Michael MacIntyre.

 

[Bakero]

It's a bit early to be stating that the club are taking a cut price approach; it's only mid-July. We've had 2 signings so far, Upson (high wages) and Chicksen (lower wages). I'm sure there'll be a lot more movement over the next six weeks, then we'll have more of an idea.

Also, it was always likely that any early July signings would be existing targets rather than Oscar's. We'll see more of Oscar's influence over the coming weeks.

 

[Graymac]

Or it may not. My money is on it not working well enough. Hard league to get out of with a "cheap" squad.

I agree , so we might spend another season in the championship, I don't have a problem with that I like the championship football & let's face it we have many years were we have been in worse positions. I see this season as a chance to build a attacking team with a good mixture of young & more experienced players. If we make playoffs it's a bonus. But would rather go into the Prem when we have a team that stands a good chance of staying there. I will be surprised if Hull & Palace stay up.

 

[British Bulldog]

It's a bit early to be stating that the club are taking a cut price approach; it's only mid-July. We've had 2 signings so far, Upson (high wages) and Chicksen (lower wages). I'm sure there'll be a lot more movement over the next six weeks, then we'll have more of an idea.

Also, it was always likely that any early July signings would be existing targets rather than Oscar's. We'll see more of Oscar's influence over the coming weeks.

I agree with what your saying as there's no evidence to back up the theory that we're taking a cut price approach to this season. The way I see it last season from January we had a damn good defence and it makes sense to try and keep as much of it together as possible which we've now done with the exception of left back which needed sorting anyway. We've brought in young Chico( his nickname on an MK Dons forum ) and providing we sign another left back that leaves the defence in a healthy position and it's all been done while Oscar has the chance to assess and identify new targets for midfield and the forward line as well as running the rule over the current squad of players. I'm convinced that by the 1st September we'll have 3 or 4 exciting new signings in the squad ( maybe more depending on any players leaving ) and any panic that we are taking the cheap approach will be forgotten.

 

[Surf's Up]

Or it may not. My money is on it not working well enough. Hard league to get out of with a "cheap" squad.

Didn't seem to be a problem for the arse!

 

[Chicken Runner61]

We are not the only ones doing this though, many clubs seem to have a "buying team" working to bring in players that the manager or coach wouldn't normally sign.

If you think about it with the average lifespan of a manager/coach why should a club have to keep building and dismantling squads at a cost of thousands/millions to satisfy a term of 2 seasons. It also fits it with a training and development squad that is built for the benefit of the club not just a manager.

So long as we don't just become a feeder club (like say Crewe) never actually getting very far ourselves I'm all for it.