Grabban's failure to sign for us - Oscar responsible?

[CheeseRolls]

Yep, that's also possible.

The individual concerned could just know - they are loosely linked to the playing side of the club, which is why I gave it any credence at all.

Too obvious a clue. It was Kemy wasn't it ?

 

[Machiavelli]

I interact with him regularly. He's not arrogant

I don't interact with him regularly, although I have met him very briefly once. But you don't need to meet him to recognise that he's shy and not arrogant, this comes across in his interviews. He doesn't like doing interviews, and doesn't give too much away in them. He does like training players, and the tactical side of the game. I think this is pretty obvious too.

 

[Bwian]

He's definitely not arrogant. Shy yes, arrogant no

Interesting.

I've heard from a couple of people that there is a degree of arrogance about him-linked to his Barcelona days. Once again, unsubstantiated but there could be something to it.

Only repeating what I've been told.

 

[KZNSeagull]

Same source as the TK will never play in the same side as Bruno again story?

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

I don't interact with him regularly, although I have met him very briefly once. But you don't need to meet him to recognise that he's shy and not arrogant, this comes across in his interviews. He doesn't like doing interviews, and doesn't give too much away in them. He does like training players, and the tactical side of the game. I think this is pretty obvious too.

Agree with you and [MENTION=232]Simster[/MENTION]; arrogant he's certainly not but I don't know that it's general shyness. Behaviourally he's just very different to the "conventional manager" that's usually seen in the FL/PL, I think he may find much of the media questioning both tiresome and ill-informed. After all he's just the head coach and not shown any desire to assume a more megalomaniac managerial role that the TV etc are used to and encourage. I'd expect him to get on well with TB, who I've also met a couple of times.
Nathan Jones seems to talk around/through/over/under all the post-match media fluff pretty much ok in my opinion. I haven't a clue what he's talking about usually but what does that matter as long as TV gets a 30 sec sound-bite?

 

[Triggaaar]

Same source as the TK will never play in the same side as Bruno again story?

I'm amazed either are capable of playing again after the scrap they had.

 

[Seasider78]

Something went wrong in January with transfers and Oscar has said as much.

I don't think this has anything to do with any arrogance on the part of the manager or breakdown in relationships with Burke. You have to look at how Garcia worked in his previous role and how the head coach role works within many clubs. It is not uncommon for coaches to stay out of transfers and work with what they are given.

We can all argue the merits of different approaches but my guess would be in January our scouting team and manager were not exactly working in unison. From the rumours coming through from various sources and Garcias comments there are some discussions to be had in he closed season about how we prevent this going forward.

This is all normal and what you would expect as a club and new coach build an understanding

I thinks it is time for everyone to stop looking for a scapegoat in Burke or Oscar and save judgement for when we walk out next season with whichever personnel we have signed.

 

[Codner's Wallop]

Question: If we rounded up all the friends/good contacts/inside sources/rumour-mongers within the club over the past year, I wonder how many club 'insiders' actually exist?

My guess is around 500.

The number of authentic 'sources' prepared to divulge stories from within the club? Say about 10?

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

I am personally glad we didnt sign him, I think it was another signing forced upon him.

I think this summer we will see a slight change in transfer policy but Oscar has commentetted several times he knows the players and the league now and knows what we require.

I still think Burke will be the main man, but a lot more input from Oscar.

Plus you never know who he is eyeing up in the DS.

Exactly my thoughts.

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

Something went wrong in January with transfers and Oscar has said as much.

I don't think this has anything to do with any arrogance on the part of the manager or breakdown in relationships with Burke. You have to look at how Garcia worked in his previous role and how the head coach role works within many clubs. It is not uncommon for coaches to stay out of transfers and work with what they are given.

We can all argue the merits of different approaches but my guess would be in January our scouting team and manager were not exactly working in unison. From the rumours coming through from various sources and Garcias comments there are some discussions to be had in he closed season about how we prevent this going forward.

This is all normal and what you would expect as a club and new coach build an understanding

I thinks it is time for everyone to stop looking for a scapegoat in Burke or Oscar and save judgement for when we walk out next season with whichever personnel we have signed.

Totally agree. We have done remarkably well to be where we are at the moment. I will be interested to see what we can do one year in for Oscar and with a full pre-season. For that reason, in some ways I hope we miss out on the playoffs.

 

[AZ Gull]

OK, I know I'm going to get flamed for this, but I'll push on anyway.

Since the Jan transfer window a fair number of people have commented on what the reason(s) may be that Grabban didn't sign for us, with the single largest body of thought being that he never really intended to come to us; it was all a ploy to get 'Muff to offer a better contract.

I have now heard a rumour from two different sources (one a long standing fan in early Feb [meh, I know], and one employed by the club who is in a position to possibly know the truth in the last couple of days) that it was all set to go forward until Oscar declined to meet Grabban as a final step in the process, saying something like "I don't need to meet him; he's met all the people who need to meet him"; at which point Grabban is alleged to have declined to sign. Note: I didn't get the impression that OG was saying that he didn't want him, or that he wasn't involved; just that he had no need to meet him until he turned up for training.

I have a couple of questions:

1) Has anyone else heard this?
2) Does anyone believe it can possibly be true?

Personally, I can't believe that Oscar would have declined to meet a close-to-signature signing, but I throw it out there to see if anyone else has heard the same thing...

*ducks*

I have no idea if there is any truth in this rumour. However, it simply doesn't fit with what we DO know about other signings: Agustien flew out to Spain and met with Garcia before putting pen to paper; Andrews had in-depth conversations with Garcia prior to signing and was excited to join as a result (I believe our very own [MENTION=10202]Not Andy Naylor[/MENTION] reported this on here at the time, from a direct interaction with Andrews).

 

[MarioOrlandi]

Does not seem that likely. He appeared to meet Dale Stephens after all and Spanish Rodney. Grabban got a better paid contract at Bournmouth and chose to stay for the money. I also think he likes being the big fish in a smaller pond

This

 

[glasfryn]

When we sign a player it is Burke's fault.
When we don't sign a player it is Oscar's fault.

Eh? I am clearly not keeping up here.

 

[ewe2]

I would imagine,everybody was frustrated with the January transfer window .

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

I have no idea if there is any truth in this rumour. However, it simply doesn't fit with what we DO know about other signings: Agustien flew out to Spain and met with Garcia before putting pen to paper; Andrews had in-depth conversations with Garcia prior to signing and was excited to join as a result (I believe our very own [MENTION=10202]Not Andy Naylor[/MENTION] reported this on here at the time, from a direct interaction with Andrews).

Not me - must have been the real Andy Naylor.

Like a few people, I assumed that Grabban only used us to get a bigger contract out of Bournemouth, but I've since been told that he and his agent came to the Amex ready to negotiate but it didn't happen.

 

[Stat Brother]

Why are people saying Oscar isn't arrogant?

Of course he's arrogant, you don't get to the top of your chosen field without a degree of arrogance.

Being arrogant is only a bad thing when you don't/can't back it up.
Or when you have minimal to no empathy with the people around you.

I'd imagine Oscar is a very arrogant man, passionately committed to his ethos of football.
But Oscar appears to also be respectful of others, thoughtful, understanding, a leader, and a man who commands respect.

 

[Machiavelli]

Why are people saying Oscar isn't arrogant?

Of course he's arrogant, you don't get to the top of your chosen field without a degree of arrogance.

Being arrogant is only a bad thing when you don't/can't back it up.
Or when you have minimal to no empathy with the people around you.

I'd imagine Oscar is a very arrogant man, passionately committed to his ethos of football.
But Oscar appears to also be respectful of others, thoughtful, understanding, a leader, and a man who commands respect.

Because he isn't. And you don't know what arrogance is, as your post demonstrates.

 

[Goldstone1976]

Same source as the TK will never play in the same side as Bruno again story?

No idea. This is the first rumour I've ever started...

 

[Goldstone1976]

I have no idea if there is any truth in this rumour. However, it simply doesn't fit with what we DO know about other signings: Agustien flew out to Spain and met with Garcia before putting pen to paper; Andrews had in-depth conversations with Garcia prior to signing and was excited to join as a result (I believe our very own [MENTION=10202]Not Andy Naylor[/MENTION] reported this on here at the time, from a direct interaction with Andrews).

Yes, you're right. Both have been reported here, and I had forgotten about both. That's the most compelling evidence-based counter so far. I did say that I struggled to believe it...

Why post then?, I hear some say. Well, I heard it from two different people, 3 months apart, one of whom is a club employee (no, not Kemy, as one poster amusingly suggested), and I hadn't seen it on here before, so thought it was worthy of comment...

 

[AZ Gull]

Not me - must have been the real Andy Naylor.

Like a few people, I assumed that Grabban only used us to get a bigger contract out of Bournemouth, but I've since been told that he and his agent came to the Amex ready to negotiate but it didn't happen.

You posted this on August 10 (the day of the home game against Derby). I obviously wrongly assumed you were there in person:-

FYI, Andrews spoke to the press after today's game and said that he had spoken to Oscar, Jones and Bloom before signing. Oscar spoke to him at length about the roles he wanted him to play.