The Adam Clayton saga - now officially signed for Middlesbrough

[hans kraay fan club]

Not really, since January I would say it's pretty factual. We have captured two Championship players and released half a team. Seems pretty obvious to me that we are struggling to entice Championship quality players here.

Edit why am I getting a thumbs down on this post, have I missed our quality signings to replace those released MONTHS ago?

Because you are writing bollocks.

We haven't signed 'Two Championship players', have we?

We've signed two from last season's Premier Legaue, in Stockdale and Hughes, one from the Swiss Div 1 - (an International, with European experience), and one who scored more goals in last seaosn's Championship than Ulloa.

We are all a bit concerned about the obvious couple of gaps in the squad, that still need filling, but why get all drama queen and spout obvious nonsense?

 

[Icy Gull]

Your argument is sound if you ignore:

Stephens.
Hughes.
O'Grady.
Stockdale.
Toko.
Rodriguez.

Stephens I missed. Toko is from a Swiss League, is that any better than the Israeli league and on a par with the Championship? ( I honestly don't know). O'Grady is a League One player, Rodriguez was second tier Spanish, not convinced that is on a par with the Championship, again I could be wrong.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Not true

Think you've missed the sarcasm there.....

 

[Zebedee]

Stephens I missed. Toko is from a Swiss League, is that any better than the Israeli league and on a par with the Championship? ( I honestly don't know). O'Grady is a League One player, Rodriguez was second tier Spanish, not convinced that is on a par with the Championship, again I could be wrong.

And Hughes probably wouldn't have got a deal anywhere else in the Championship at his age.

 

[Grombleton]

O'Grady is a League One player

Based on what? His 15 goals for a CHAMPIONSHIP side last season?

 

[Icy Gull]

Because you are writing bollocks.

We are all a bit concerned about the obvious couple of gaps in the squad, that still need filling, but why get all drama queen and spout obvious nonsense?

Drama queen? Bit of an over reaction, no real surprise coming from you though.

 

[Greyrun]

That quote came from a Huddersfield fan on their message board who probably knows as little about player wages as anyone on here, he won't get that at Huddersfield, Brighton or Middlesboro, that ship has sailed for championship clubs without parachute payments IMO, and probably for most clubs with them too.

They are saying that Nigel Clibbens the Huddersfield chief executive quoted this on Tues.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Stephens I missed. Toko is from a Swiss League, is that any better than the Israeli league and on a par with the Championship? ( I honestly don't know). O'Grady is a League One player, Rodriguez was second tier Spanish, not convinced that is on a par with the Championship, again I could be wrong.

How many goals did O'Grady score in the Championship last season?

15, which is more than any of our players did. He is a Championship quality player, not League 1.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Because you are writing bollocks.

We haven't signed 'Two Championship players', have we?

We've signed two from last season's Premier Legaue, in Stockdale and Hughes, one from the Swiss Div 1 - (an International, with European experience), and one who scored more goals in last seaosn's Championship than Ulloa.

We are all a bit concerned about the obvious couple of gaps in the squad, that still need filling, but why get all drama queen and spout obvious nonsense?

Wasn't Hughes a reserve at QPR? Sorry to be pernickety.

I tend to agree with Icy Gull to a certain extent, it doesn't feel like we are improving the squad, which surely has to always be the goal.....

We can talk about last season and Obika, Lita and Rodriguez, but none of them was or is a touch on Barnes. I don't think O'Grady is either, but I look forward to being proved wrong. I would say Stockdale is 'like for like' with Kuszczak, but compared to the beginning of last season the defence is weaker as we currently stand, Hughes is not as good as Upson, no AEA to provide back-up.

It just feels all a bit weak at the moment, though I look forward to the next 3 weeks and some positive signings.

 

[Icy Gull]

The same second tier Spanish league Ulloa came from. Guess we should have not signed him them either.
Swiss league yes but in a team in European competitions.
O'Grady is league 1? Strange comment that considering he playing in the Championship last season and scored more than Ulloa. But I suppose as Ulloa is from the Spanish second tier and that is not on a par with the Championship your deluded logic might work here.

Rodriguez was shit, and I'm not even convinced he was playing first team 2nd tier Spanish football at the time he came here.

I may have pushed the Championship quality comments a little too far, maybe but my point is that we are struggling to sign quality players. I was not looking to be controversial and I accept I failed miserably given the responses!

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Wasn't Hughes a reserve at QPR? Sorry to be pernickety.

I tend to agree with Icy Gull to a certain extent, it doesn't feel like we are improving the squad, which surely has to always be the goal.....

We can talk about last season and Obika, Lita and Rodriguez, but none of them was or is a touch on Barnes. I don't think O'Grady is either, but I look forward to being proved wrong. I would say Stockdale is 'like for like' with Kuszczak, but compared to the beginning of last season the defence is weaker as we currently stand, Hughes is not as good as Upson, no AEA to provide back-up.

It just feels all a bit weak at the moment, though I look forward to the next 3 weeks and some positive signings.

We have signed good players who are quality. Ir's the way you & Icy Gull are interpreting the purchases not the players themselves.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Wasn't Hughes a reserve at QPR? Sorry to be pernickety.

Hughes played in the Prem for Fulham, then went on loan to QPR and played 12 games in the second half of the season. In a pretty good side who ultimately went up.

 

[chaileyjem]

And Hughes probably wouldn't have got a deal anywhere else in the Championship at his age.

He's younger than Matthew Upson.What happened to him ?

 

[Thunder Bolt]

There was some talk on twitter I think that Clayton was holding out for wages of around 20K per week! not sure how true but that could well be the stumbling block with Boro!

It was reported that the fee and personal terms have all been agreed. It depends which report you want to believe.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Hughes played in the Prem for Fulham, then went on loan to QPR and played 12 games in the second half of the season. In a pretty good side who ultimately went up.

Fair enough. Still not an Upson, seems similar to Greer. Personally I would like us to start with Dunk and Greer on Saturday. Just wonder if Bruno could switch to LB and play Caldy right back.....

 

[Zebedee]

He's younger than Matthew Upson.What happened to him ?

Chalk and cheese I think.

 

[chaileyjem]

Rodriguez was shit, and I'm not even convinced he was playing first team 2nd tier Spanish football at the time he came here.

"shit" ? - He's made several appearances in La Liga and scored 40 goals in the 3 seasons in Spanish 2nd tier before joining the Albion.
We signed him from Celta Vigo who were in the Primera like a certain Leo Ulloa / Almeira only a few seasons before that..
He struggled admittedly, the Championship is a tough league, but as Lingard joined a few weeks later then he only appeared a few times from the start . By the end of the season he wasn't even making the 18 showing the depth of the squad. Incidentally he was Oscar's #1 target in the January transfer window. I enjoyed his goal against Blackburn Rovers. Quite an important goal in the end.

 

[algie]

How many goals did O'Grady score in the Championship last season?

15, which is more than any of our players did. He is a Championship quality player, not League 1.

One good season doesn't make him Championship quality I'm afraid. He isn't consistent enough. His goal scoring profile is poor for a striker. He only managed double figures once before and that was league 2.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Chalk and cheese I think.

Why?

Hughes has played his entire career in the Prem, hardly evr missing any games through injury or suspension, at clubs just as big as Upson's, has made close to 100 International appearances, and is younger.

On what are you basing your asessment, that he won't match up?

 

[chaileyjem]

Chalk and cheese I think.

Its worth doing a search on NSC for the initial reactions to the quality of Upson when he initially signed back in January 2013. Not pretty. He'd had several unsuccessful loan spells by then. In his first match he made a glaring error due to the sun in his eyes I recall. Who'd have thought he would have ended up Player of the Year and back to the Prem...

Anyway . Why do you think he's a) too old b) we are the only Championship Club who wanted to sign him ...