[Albion] Hughton: Judge us after the transfer window

[T soprano]

Ambition Pride Passion Together
I think we're ready now, with inspiring slogans like this painted all around the stadium can't see how any one is going to beat us at FORTRESS AMEX

 

[Dan Aitch]

#together... except for those that aren't here yet.

 

[glasfryn]

am I being a little optimistic here, my thoughts are that CH has his eye on several premeirship players who will not be named in any 25 hopefully a CH and a winger and obviously cannot be named until it is certain they will not be wanted.
our transfer activity has been very good up to now, so maybe he is right judge him/us when the window shuts.




did I really write that ......ah well always half full

 

[TSB]

Wasn't Hughton just last week saying that we'll be ready for Forest, I take this as him conceding we won't.

He said that, fitness-wise, we'd be ready for Forest. That was all. Full interview on player.

 

[Working class pride]

We will judge them after a few months into the season, then Christmas and then the final judgment, at the end of the season. Last season they were utter tripe even by the Albion's historical low standards. This season? Over to you players and manager.

 

[Triggaaar]

Only really one really quality player (kayal). 2.5 years ago we had 8 or 9.

Name them.

 

[Baldseagull]

The season kick off is a buying pressure point for the clubs, the players and agents know this and try and put clubs over a barrel. Come the end of the window, players and agents are under pressure to get a contract tied up, the clubs know this and try and put players over a barrel.


Do you blow all your dough before Christmas, or save a few quid and pick up some bargains in the January sales?

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Only 2 days ago, NSC was wanting realistic assessments from the club. Is this not one, or at least being interpreted as one? Why is the NSC collective not happy?

Because

IT IS LAST SEASON ALL OVER AGAIN.


Grim, Grim, Grim.

 

[saafend_seagull]

Name them.

Ulloa
Upson
Buckley
Bridcutt
Barnes
Orlandi
Bridge
Younger Greer
Younger Bruno
Vicente when actually on the pitch

 

[KZNSeagull]

So in summary then, people expect quality players in early that do not cost too much money as the club said that they would try very very hard to get their business early.


Well, guess what, CH in the same interview said that the club have been trying very very hard and that the lack of first team purchases in the last 3 weeks has not been through lack of effort.


So, clearly buying quality players that do not cost too much money is not as easy as it sounds, especially when there is still an entire month of the transfer window left. Hence, judge all clubs at the end of the window.


I am not sure why this statement is causing so much grief - it is not as if anything has changed from yesterday. You can call it spin if you like, but I do not recall the club saying that they would definitely get ALL of their transfer business done early. They said they would try, which they have and, as far as I can see, we have made some decent progress.


Judge all teams at the end of the window is what he said, which is the only sensible statement to make. Has he said we have finished our transfer activity? No, he has not. Has he said there will be nothing happening before Forest? No, he has not. Which areas did he say still need addressing? Centre Back and attacking options/creativity, so he is on the same page as everyone on here.

 

[Discodoktor]

What total dross. The club really needs to stop spinning and start connecting with the FANS.

This spin is so dull too!

 

[s e boy1968]

I will never understand our mentality of starting any season not aiming to be top!!

 

[Surf's Up]

Exactly what I was thinking. To be fair, we are not in full possession of all facts and don't really know what is going behind the scenes, so it may well not be an empty boast. With the three signings we are at lest stronger than last year, when we had Fenelon up front for the Sheff Wed match. But as you speculate, the feeling is that we have seen all this before, and so quite reasonably one could clam that "we will believe it when we see it." Hope my cynicism is misplaced!

I don't think your cynicism is misplaced. We don't know what is going on behind the scenes for sure but we can intuit things based on what we see happening and what we do know (e.g. That we have been interested in a number of players but have been priced out of the market and will continue to be priced out of the market until we manage scoop up two or three dregs at the end of the window and then make up the balance of the squad with loanees). During which time we will have continued the dismal run of form evidenced in the second half of last season and will already find ourselves sinking towards the bottom 3. Sorry, it's just really difficult to see the glass being anything like half full atm.

 

[Rugrat]

Really ? You think they'd spin last year to be have gone well ?
Bloom has been pretty clear about last season's disappointment in various forums
Here's his letter to ST holders this week
. "Obviously last season did not go as we had intended, and our aim this year is to be much better on the pitch, getting back to the level you had become accustomed in the previous two seasons"

I didn't say that they'd spin the outcome of last season as good and we're not at the end of the season yet! I'm not predicting anything just hoping that we don't get that sort of thing. I still see statements like the one you've quoted as fairly non committal.

We could finish 14th and that statement wouldn't be misplaced but I'd rather see something that was more specific and set a consistent expectation. All rather odd when we trot out "One club One ambition" when I'm not sure if anyone really knows it (short term)

 

[Since1982]

Worth listening to Adam Virgo on the Albion Roar for a view as to why players on big wages facing a pay cut as a result of a move might wait until the end of August before signing. Could be a part of what is going on.

 

[spanish flair]

Ulloa
Upson
Buckley
Bridcutt
Barnes
Orlandi
Bridge
Younger Greer
Younger Bruno
Vicente when actually on the pitch

I think you could add Lopez, Noone, Pig and Hammond to that list.

 

[KZNSeagull]

Because

IT IS LAST SEASON ALL OVER AGAIN.


Grim, Grim, Grim.

No it isn't. If the situation has not changed in a month, it will be.

 

[Pavilionaire]

Looks like COG, Clunge and Greer are getting another bite of the cherry. We are three players away from being a Top 6 contender. I'm expecting to be bottom half of the table come transfer window deadline day. Deja vu.

 

[LamieRobertson]

He said we'll be ready, not have all our transfer business done

lets not let facts get in the way of a good rant

 

[Triggaaar]

Ulloa
Upson
Buckley
Bridcutt
Barnes
Orlandi
Bridge
Younger Greer
Younger Bruno
Vicente when actually on the pitch

Vicente hardly counts, as he barely played for us that season. I don't see how you can say that Greer was a really quality player then, or that you can say he's got much worse. Many fans thought Barnes was rubbish then, so to suggest he was real quality is also a bit weird. Bridge and Upson were on loan, we could get some decent loans this season too, so hardly a fair comparison. And finally, we need half of this season to judge weather some of our current team are quality or not.