[Football] Selling Off The Albion Family Silver

[Weststander]

I'm not sure why some don't seem to follow the way we do things. At Brighton, we seem to get players to sign a new contract and I'm sure that is with a gentlemen's agreement that they can move with the right offer. I doubt none of the players that have signed longer contracts have done so in the expectation that it will keep them at the club for years to come and I doubt the club think that either. An extended contract gives them a higher salary for the last few months of their time here and increases their value. Surely you all remember the pittance we got for Bissouma which could have been double if he had been on a longer contract!!

You said this in March, were correct then and now.

 

[dazzer6666]

A likely 8 clubs qualify.

Bloody hard this season as a load of clubs embarked on vast spending sprees so have deep squads of quality, already they’re all floating to the top and Spuds/Chavs have few midweek games.

We need luck with injuries to give RDZ the tools.

We’ve qualified once…..if it takes another season or two to qualify again, during which time we blood a few more exciting prospects and bank 200m from selling existing players, for me that will be a good outcome. Anyone thinking qualifying for Europe is now our level of entitlement every season is….well…….entitled.

 

[Perkino]

The rate that we are developing players is incredible. Steele, Van Hecke, Gilmour, Enciso, Ferguson, Mitoma were all here when RDZ joined but had very few minutes between them. All are now very capable.

Verbruggen, Lamptey, Baleba, Bouannotte, Adingra now all playing minutes and likely to be challenging for regular game time next season.

Loosing two in a summer (four in a season, Mwepu & Trossard) isn't ideal but I wouldn't be surprised if we lose another two next summer based on all the plaudits our team get.

 

[dazzer6666]

The rate that we are developing players is incredible. Steele, Van Hecke, Gilmour, Enciso, Ferguson, Mitoma were all here when RDZ joined but had very few minutes between them. All are now very capable.

Verbruggen, Lamptey, Baleba, Bouannotte, Adingra now all playing minutes and likely to be challenging for regular game time next season.

Loosing two in a summer (four in a season, Mwepu & Trossard) isn't ideal but I wouldn't be surprised if we lose another two next summer based on all the plaudits our team get.

Indeed. Arguably Japan’s best player, Paraguay’s best, one of Scotland’s best, Ireland’s most exciting prospect, Argentina’s long-term no 10 ()………..

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

Agree, but it’s the lack of quality cover in defence.

Injuries/bans/trying to be too clever by half forever giving in form players long rests …. to Dunk, Veltman or Estupinan, and we’re stuffed.

I absolutely agree, we all thought we needed cover for Estupinan after watching him be run into the ground last season, that never materialised and now we’ve been bitten in the backside, same goes for Veltman, he’s our best right back by a distance, if you want to rest him somewhat unnecessarily then we should not have been expecting to rely on Tariq-cheese string-Lamptey. I do think we’ve done RDZ a disservice by not getting him an additional CDM, but he’s causing his own issues elsewhere with the unnecessary(IMO) rotation.

 

[Weststander]

We’ve qualified once…..if it takes another season or two to qualify again, during which time we blood a few more exciting prospects and bank 200m from selling existing players, for me that will be a good outcome. Anyone thinking qualifying for Europe is now our level of entitlement every season is….well…….entitled.

I’d settle for that.

With ManC/ManU/Chavs/Arse/Spuds/Saudi/Pool/Villa on a transfers/wages arms race, with sovereign funds ready to buy other clubs, any season we make Europe is a great achievement.

A question, do you think RDZ will be our manager come next September?

If he doesn’t mind that medium term project with seasons out of Europe, then imho it’s an obvious ‘yes’. If not, he’ll be off for the right job.

 

[Weststander]

I absolutely agree, we all thought we needed cover for Estupinan after watching him be run into the ground last season, that never materialised and now we’ve been bitten in the backside, same goes for Veltman, he’s our best right back by a distance, if you want to rest him somewhat unnecessarily then we should not have been expecting to rely on Tariq-cheese string-Lamptey. I do think we’ve done RDZ a disservice by not getting him an additional CDM, but he’s causing his own issues elsewhere with the unnecessary(IMO) rotation.

Agree on both views.

 

[Sheebo]

Without defending the alleged Scottish rapscallion It seems Evan and Kauro are next out on the conveyor belt in the summer IF rumours are to be believed

I think we won’t sell anyone of note for a couple more years myself. Bloom will be aware too many have gone, mainly due to attitude. The rumours are nothing more than click bait guessing rumours at this stage.

That said, I thought Caicedos contract meant something and was wrong there

 

[dazzer6666]

I’d settle for that.

With ManC/ManU/Chavs/Arse/Spuds/Saudi/Pool/Villa on a transfers/wages arms race, with sovereign funds ready to buy other clubs, any season we make Europe is a great achievement.

A question, do you think RDZ will be our manager come next September?

If he doesn’t mind that medium term project with seasons out of Europe, then imho it’s an obvious ‘yes’. If not, he’ll be off for the right job.

Maybe, maybe not. If not, Tony has a ready list of replacements lined up. All managers are temporary.

 

[willalbion]

Well I didn’t it, was always an asset protection play……

Totally. I’m sure I’ve read in here that everyone knew he would leave.

 

[Weststander]

Maybe, maybe not. If not, Tony has a ready list of replacements lined up. All managers are temporary.

I’d wager not one of them is Fat Frank.

 

[GT49er]

The rate that we are developing players is incredible. Steele, Van Hecke, Gilmour, Enciso, Ferguson, Mitoma were all here when RDZ joined but had very few minutes between them. All are now very capable.

Verbruggen, Lamptey, Baleba, Bouannotte, Adingra now all playing minutes and likely to be challenging for regular game time next season.

Loosing two in a summer (four in a season, Mwepu & Trossard) isn't ideal but I wouldn't be surprised if we lose another two next summer based on all the plaudits our team get.

Losing one superstar we've developed - or bought in before anyone else has noticed them - every summer is fine, so long as we're getting £50M plus for them. Losing two or more starts to become a problem - as demonstrated this season.

 

[dazzer6666]

I’d wager not one of them is Fat Frank.

Being ITK, I can reliably inform you I’m a few places ahead of him on the spreadsheet on account of being able to prove I watch MOTD as long as we’ve won.

 

[Super Steve Earle]

I heard from someone who works at the club they didn’t expect the £100m plus asking price for Caciedo to be met and he was firmly in the plans for this season.

Shame the groundsman at Lancing probably didn't actually know

 

[BadFish]

It's the business model that has bought us the success we are experiencing. We can't then blame the same model when things turn south a little.

The problems we are experiencing outside the business model are what is causing our current (moderate) slump. Namely, not getting our transfer targets as we are on the radar and highlighted as good recruiters. Most importantly though our present problem is injuries, any club would be struggling with our injuries in key areas, but this is compounded by the fact that we went I to the season light in a couple of areas because of the recruiting
issue.

We can also add into the mix the fact that we are in the notoriously hard to navigate Europa League.

We've got the right people in charge though so I say, enjoy the ride.

 

[drew]

You said this in March, were correct then and now.

Lucky that because I'm contracted to repeat it again no doubt during the January transfer window!!!

 

[raymondo]

The buying of Joao Pedro is exactly that kind of tweak though isn’t it ? Club record signing……..
Wouldn’t expect to see that happen with more than one player in any window

Yes, he is the right type of purchase . Need a couple more if we can find them and afford them.

 

[Guinness Boy]

We knew both were going after January and failed to plan. Instead ‘planning for the future’s but unfortunately not planning for the here & now.

Equally our failure around providing options to rotate around wing backs.

This.

We don’t need £115m to be sustainable. Caicedo should have been kept or replaced with very similar. Our lack of full back cover is criminal.

 

[drew]

This.

We don’t need £115m to be sustainable. Caicedo should have been kept or replaced with very similar. Our lack of full back cover is criminal.

Don't need £115m! Guess you're not TB's bank manager. It would be dumb for any club to turn down such an offer especially for a player that during the January window wanted to leave.

 

[Silverhatch]

I think we won’t sell anyone of note for a couple more years myself. Bloom will be aware too many have gone, mainly due to attitude. The rumours are nothing more than click bait guessing rumours at this stage.

That said, I thought Caicedos contract meant something and was wrong there

Caicedo’s contract did mean something. What the club didn’t account for was Chelsea willing to make MC the third most valuable player in history!! It’s mind-bogglingly-staggering how far this club has come in such a short time. Everyone appears to be a little disoriented with trying to keep up with the journey.