Knockaert and Stephens

[Peteinblack]

It would be a massive rebuild job and would probably mean mid table for a few seasons at best.

Basically it is this season or never (for this squad)QUOTE]

Absolutely this, sadly.

 

[Nixonator]

I think i am just being realistic, i am still surprised he signed a new contract and didn't hold out like Stephens. I can only think the reason he signed is there is an agreement that he can go to a Premier League club for an agreed fee. Obviously i could be completely wrong.

Based on his current form i'm not sure many would come knocking, and if his form improves then there's a good chance he'll already be in the PL

 

[Nixonator]

At a risk of repeating myself, serious questions would have to be answered of a squad and manager that failed to go up from this position, and a clearout and reset would probably be required

This is the albion, records like this are there for us to break by hook or by crook.

 

[clippedgull]

At a risk of repeating myself, serious questions would have to be answered of a squad and manager that failed to go up from this position, and a clearout and reset would probably be required

Totally agree with this. We would need a mass clearout. The second eleven couldn't even beat Lincoln ffs! A new 5 year project would have to be implemented.

 

[Hugh Jorgan]

Based on his current form i'm not sure many would come knocking, and if his form improves then there's a good chance he'll already be in the PL

I agree with you on this, his form needs to improve before a PL club would come calling.

 

[The_Viper]

A lot of this team will be off if we don't do it this year, Stockers, Bruno, Dunk, Dale, Knocky I suspect will all go. Let's hope it doesn't come to that

 

[Triggaaar]

Yes, Knockaert will be off if we don't go up without a doubt.

That must be based on the fact that he doesn't want to leave, we don't want him to leave, he's under contract, and we have a history of not letting important players leave even if they want to.

 

[marshy68]

No. There would be offers, but he won't want to go. Too emotionally tied to the club (for now)



Not a hope.



Well done, you.

If we don't go up I think Knocky would go, maybe he wouldn't want to (which I doubt) but TB would want the 15/20 mill. As you say Stephens will walk in the summer if we don't go up and might even do that if we do!

 

[Finchley Seagull]

If we don't make it up this season I am afraid that there will be a clearing out of the squad to balance the books, as there will doubtless be quite a few decent offers being received. We can't sustain our current losses for too much longer without falling foul of FFP (probably) so I suspect we shall have to cut our cloth accordingly. I fear a few years in the relative doldrums (Ipswish sort of level) while the squad is rebuilt and the development players come through.

But I freely admit I don't know a damn thing. Happy to trust Bloom and Hughton, who've done a magnificent job thus far.

I don't understand this logic. I don't think there's any suggestion of us having issues with financial fairplay or of any need to sell to balance the books.

We will inevitably lose players. Stephens will definitely go and with Stockdale out of contract it wouldn't surprise me if he did too. On top of that Dunk and Knockaert will probably leave, but only for very high transfer fees (minimum eight figures). The rest will probably stay. While I rate Stockdale, I've seen enough of Maenpaa to say if Stockdale goes, he could become number one if he signs a new deal. We'd need to find a new partner for Duffy (especially with Goldson health problems), make a key midfield signing and another winger (on top of any usual strengthening) but I am confident we will have the money to do that (even if we don't spend all the Knockaert/Dunk money).

My only concern would be if Hughton decided he didn't want to face rebuilding again and quit. That might make a few more players leave but, as it stands, I am confident we would not lose too many key players.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

I don't understand this logic. I don't think there's any suggestion of us having issues with financial fairplay or of any need to sell to balance the books.

We will inevitably lose players. Stephens will definitely go and with Stockdale out of contract it wouldn't surprise me if he did too. On top of that Dunk and Knockaert will probably leave, but only for very high transfer fees (minimum eight figures). The rest will probably stay. While I rate Stockdale, I've seen enough of Maenpaa to say if Stockdale goes, he could become number one if he signs a new deal. We'd need to find a new partner for Duffy (especially with Goldson health problems), make a key midfield signing and another winger (on top of any usual strengthening) but I am confident we will have the money to do that (even if we don't spend all the Knockaert/Dunk money).

My only concern would be if Hughton decided he didn't want to face rebuilding again and quit. That might make a few more players leave but, as it stands, I am confident we would not lose too many key players.

Well said.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Nixonator]

I don't understand this logic. I don't think there's any suggestion of us having issues with financial fairplay or of any need to sell to balance the books.

We will inevitably lose players. Stephens will definitely go and with Stockdale out of contract it wouldn't surprise me if he did too. On top of that Dunk and Knockaert will probably leave, but only for very high transfer fees (minimum eight figures). The rest will probably stay. While I rate Stockdale, I've seen enough of Maenpaa to say if Stockdale goes, he could become number one if he signs a new deal. We'd need to find a new partner for Duffy (especially with Goldson health problems), make a key midfield signing and another winger (on top of any usual strengthening) but I am confident we will have the money to do that (even if we don't spend all the Knockaert/Dunk money).

My only concern would be if Hughton decided he didn't want to face rebuilding again and quit. That might make a few more players leave but, as it stands, I am confident we would not lose too many key players.

Agree with most of that, also the positive side of me might expect that only one of Dunk or Knocky would go as like you said, we don't need to sell.

Not sure where this fear of breaking FFP has come from unless people are assuming the entirety of the 25m loss is unpermitted. The club's statement suggests we met the 13m (rolling) limit and will probably do so again this year. All depends on our chairman's resolve again, and he's known to be quite resolute and ambitious.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

Agree with most of that, also the positive side of me might expect that only one of Dunk or Knocky would go as like you said, we don't need to sell.

Not sure where this fear of breaking FFP has come from unless you are assuming the entirety of the 25m loss is unpermitted. The club's statement suggests we met the 13m (rolling) limit and will probably do so again this year. All depends on our chairman's resolve again, and he's known to be quite resolute and ambitious.

Not sure if you are asking me or others but the FFP thing comes from the post I quoted. I don't have any fear that we will have issues with it.

 

[lawros left foot]

Isn't all this in the realms of if your Auntie had bollox she'd be your uncle?
We are no where near promoted yet, but we are in a good position.
IF it was to happen, who knows what plans the club has in place for the future, Stephens may not even be offered a new contract, we don't know.
Knocky maybe prepared to have another season n the Championship, given his emotional attachment to the club.
The heirarchy at the club understands the position the club is in far better than anyone on the outside, including Naylor or any of the supposedly ITK posters on NSC. If I had to have a punt on it, I would bet that the club knows who they want to keep, what it will take to keep them, and if it's a good possibility that they will stay.
I would also bet, preliminary talks have already taken place and are ongoing with all those we want to retain, no matter what division we end up in next season.

 

[Nixonator]

Not sure if you are asking me or others but the FFP thing comes from the post I quoted. I don't have any fear that we will have issues with it.

Just reinforcing your point really, I don't know where this fear of breaking FFP has come from. The club seems absolutely meticulous about it and has said in a statement we are within limits.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

Just reinforcing your point really, I don't know where this fear of breaking FFP has come from. The club seems absolutely meticulous about it and has said in a statement we are within limits.

I thought that was probably the case. It is odd because there's never been a suggestion of it from official sources. I think, as you said, people see the £25 million figure and ignore everything else.

The only reason any players will be sold is if we get ridiculous offers for them and they want to leave. If we do that, I am confident we will reinvest that back in the squad. As I said, my only concern would be if Hughton decided he wanted to leave. Then we really would have a big rebuilding job on our hands.

 

[sir albion]

Not signed a new contract and we'll get better if we go up.....what's the issue as he's certainly not committing to the club?

 

[Nixonator]

Not signed a new contract and we'll get better if we go up.....what's the issue as he's certainly not committing to the club?

Dale would be the best first signing we could make. Who could we get better at the price of a signing on fee?

As for Knockaert to villa, I hardly think if he did want to leave, that he would want to go or indeed we would let him go to a championship rival.

 

[Official Old Man]

If we fail to go up then most of the team will move on. That's football. Only the supporters (and Tony) are loyal.
Next season will be PL or a season of building a team for 2018/19

 

[severnside gull]

They would be just 2 of many who would want to leave.

.........starting with Stockdale and Dunk

 

[sir albion]

Dale would be the best first signing we could make. Who could we get better at the price of a signing on fee?

As for Knockaert to villa, I hardly think if he did want to leave, that he would want to go or indeed we would let him go to a championship rival.

We will sell to a big selling championship club as we won't have the finances to compete with clubs like villa,wolves, etc....I'm sure there's hundreds of quality midfielders around the world who would perform in the prem.Point is he didn't sign a contract and won't unless we go up.If this was a championship scenario then yes but not the premiership as don't see him being good enough.