El Sid
Well-known member
I think we'll be about as ready as the new staff in the concourse bars.......
How many managers in the Championship have finished their transfer business ? I'd guess. None.
How many managers in the Championship have finished their transfer business ? I'd guess. None.
After last season it seems that people are looking so hard for negatives that it's sucking all the excitement out of the new season.
What is the deadline for the 25 man squad announcement? I'd really hope that we would be in line to get Tex back if he doesn't make Liverpool's squad.
No. and No.Are you saying we have a proven ability in recruitment over the last 2/3 pre seasons and we have nothing to concern ourselves about?
Again I wouldn't know (how many managers in the Champ have finished their business)
Its none. .
And you know this how?
That's a good point actually. Although we are never ready in July neither is almost anyone else. That's the whole reason for the deadline day deal hype. I wouldn't leave it all to the last minute like we did last season but we haven't. We have been active and that's because we have a manager in situ for the first time in two years that was here last season.
We do have an issue regarding our attacking strength as far as I'm concerned but that's as much to do with a couple of poor decisions this time last year rather than anything Hughton's done or said. Get those players in next and everyone will calm down IMO.
I've no idea. I can't predict the future. Its an educated guess. But i'm saying It would be simply incredible for even one of the 24 clubs in the Champ (or even the Prem) to not make a single signing between now and Sept 1st or whenever the window closes. So its none.
What is the deadline for the 25 man squad announcement? I'd really hope that we would be in line to get Tex back if he doesn't make Liverpool's squad.
Didn't Hyppia say the same thing
Too many failures to deliver. Sorry if that contradicts your rosy 'club are perfect' view.
I have a lot more faith in Hughton, whom I consider a safe pair of hands, than I did with Sami. With Sami, I remember very little transfer activity followed by the ominous "I only wants to sign players who will improve his squad." Now, other than the loan signing of Tex, and the additions of Stockdale and Baldock (both decent) the majority were bench warmers. Danny Holla, Paddy McCourt, Adrian Colunga, Chris O'Grady, Nzuzi Toko. Did they improve the squad or swallow up valuable wages? How many top Championship players could we have had with the combined wages of Holla/McCourt/Colunga? Of course you never know, we could have signed a massive flop and hindsight is a wonderful thing. However, I think it's true to say that towards the end there was just a definite sense of desperation transfer wise. I honestly don't think we could identify the right players and if we could I don't think we were able to find the fee they'd command. The fee will be an issue for the foreseeable for clubs like us, but I'm confident Hughton knows what a good Championship player looks like.
I'm much more comfortable with Hughton's methods. I'm a little sad to be seeing the end of a tippy-tappy 433 but if Hughton thinks his strengths as a manager lies with a 442 then that's his decision to make. He knows what players work in that system and he's working hard to fill the gaps. We're in for a transitional period - Poyet's team have either moved on or got old - Sami's team? Well the less said about them the better. I don't think this will be a season for "We're f***ing brilliant" or "Hughton out!" chants. It'll see us guide to a steady midtable position and build. That kind of talk doesn't sell season tickets of course but I'd be surprised if that wasn't Blooms expectation for the coming campaign. Give Hughton a couple of seasons to get the squad he wants together. He's got teams out of this league before and I think he'll see us promoted - just not this season.
So we'll be giving the rest of the division a dozen points start this time around then...
I like your post very much and i do concur with another poster about Stockdale. I don't think his purchase was money well spent. I do like baldock as a player though and in the right circumstances will score goals.
The thing i slightly disagree with is. I think it is possible to make the play offs this year and potentially go up. It might take a couple of years as you say but CH is here to try and do it at the first attempt. I think the first half of the season will be tough but as the team get to know what is expected of them, I think we will have a very good second half to the season and that might just be enough to go up via theplay offs. After all momentum is everything come the end of the season.
I have think it will be a bit of a mixed season but better than a lot might expect come may next year
The good news is I can see Mäenpää, Dunk, Kayal, and Hemed forming a real back bone. And surrounded with quality like Stephens, Rosenior and Crofts should see us looking fairly solid. If we want to push on we need another quality striker, winger and CB - and Hughton knows it.