January Transfer Window

[the dude abides]

Honda would an incredible signing thus I can't see it happening 

as Sir Bobby subtly referred to it (re Paul Gascoigne); refuelling is a problem.

[the dude abides]

Why is it that we always seem to get linked the heaviest with English players. Have none of our scouts got a passport?

and the english ones we are linked with, are the crappiest/marginal ones

e.g. downing, henderson, sturridge, etc.

we need european (and beyond) top notch technical players, not sunday league lads from yorkshire.

[Edward224]

Tes re: Sturridge. No I haven't heard anything concrete. Just that we are interested, but have not made any official enquiry let alone a bid. Same with Walcott.

Its pretty quiet on the transfer front tbh.

There may be more "left field" Signings like the ones we made with Assaidi.

[Tes]

and the english ones we are linked with, are the crappiest/marginal ones

e.g. downing, henderson, sturridge, etc.

we need european (and beyond) top notch technical players, not sunday league lads from yorkshire.

I know it's mainly media guesswork but it's always the most uninspiring players we are linked with. The likes of Ajax and Porto are so good at finding 'unknowns' and turning them into 'very well knowns'. I realise that work permits are a major issue in this country, (though who knows why from a country that seems to let anyone else come and live here) whereas the other European countries are much more relaxed about young players being able to come and work with no problems.

[the dude abides]

I know it's mainly media guesswork but it's always the most uninspiring players we are linked with. The likes of Ajax and Porto are so good at finding 'unknowns' and turning them into 'very well knowns'. I realise that work permits are a major issue in this country, (though who knows why from a country that seems to let anyone else come and live here) whereas the other European countries are much more relaxed about young players being able to come and work with no problems.

sadly Tes, I think we are run, from top to bottom, as a club, by second-rate folk.

the club that we grew up with, that dominated british and european football, is now gone.

even the dying embers of our dominant era have now faded.

we have not won the league in over 20 years, and our time has gone.

I am a great believer in having the finest people at the very top of the club - e.g. a john smith, or a peter robinson (or a david dein, etc).   

I don't even believe that the present lot would even be able to identify the type of top-notch footballer that a club that hopes to win titles, needs.

we have spent three years bringing in bog standard players (carroll, downing, henderson, borini, allen, and probably  sturridge in the future) whilst shipping out superb lads.

our league position is no accident.

[Tes]

sadly Tes, I think we are run, from top to bottom, as a club, by second-rate folk.

the club that we grew up with, that dominated british and european football, is now gone.

even the dying embers of our dominant era have now faded.

we have not won the league in over 20 years, and our time has gone.

I am a great believer in having the finest people at the very top of the club - e.g. a john smith, or a peter robinson (or a david dein, etc).   

I don't even believe that the present lot would even be able to identify the type of top-notch footballer that a club that hopes to win titles, needs.

we have spent three years bringing in bog standard players (carroll, downing, henderson, borini, allen, and probably  sturridge in the future) whilst shipping out superb lads.

our league position is no accident.

And here's a perfect example:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/dec/11/liverpool-daniel-sturridge-tom-ince

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/364182

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2246684/Daniel-Sturridge-Thomas-Ince-closer-Liverpool-switch.html

One, a player we could have brought in two years ago plus £40M when Torres left, giving us a striker for the UEFA Cup that season instead of a crocked Carroll, and giving a hefty boost to that Summer's budget.
The other, a player we had but let go. Ince was acting the big shot and his Dad was acting how you'd fully expect the self titled 'guvnor' to behave. So what's changed? And probably the only player we've had a sell-on clause for, designed to benefit us, and what happens, the club we sold to sells the player on to us.

It's all enough to make you weep. We even manage to outdo Newcastle under Freddy Sheppard.

I bet every day Rodgers come across another piece of incompetance. I'm starting to feel sorry for the guy.

Luis' going to be so unhappy. 

[Tes]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2246681/Manchester-United-lead-race-Theo-Walcott-Manchester-City-Liverpool.html

I hope this doesn't happen. If it comes to a choice between Walcott and Sturridge, I'd rather have the former. His star's on the rise whereas Sturridge's gets dimmer every month.

And why we'd pay more than £10M for Sturridge is beyond me. He's not been a first team regular since his loan spell at Bolton, so his value should have dipped below the £10M mentioned in January 2010.


The more things change the more they stay the same at our club.

[the dude abides]

One, a player we could have brought in two years ago plus £40M when Torres left, giving us a striker for the UEFA Cup that season instead of a crocked Carroll, and giving a hefty boost to that Summer's budget.
The other, a player we had but let go. Ince was acting the big shot and his Dad was acting how you'd fully expect the self titled 'guvnor' to behave. So what's changed? And probably the only player we've had a sell-on clause for, designed to benefit us, and what happens, the club we sold to sells the player on to us.

It's all enough to make you weep. We even manage to outdo Newcastle under Freddy Sheppard.

agreed.

the club is a shambles.

as I said in the summer, I have made my mind up about our yankee owners.  They need to sell up and move on. 

unless some arab sheik buys the club, we are never gonna be  able to compete financially with man city or chelsea, or united.  Thus, to counter their vast wealth (or debt, in utd's case), we have to operate stealthily, with the most efficient people running the club. Top notch folks doing top notch intelligent work.

Such people are not gonna run the club while our yankee owners are in place.

they need to move on. 

[Tes]

Thus, to counter their vast wealth (or debt, in utd's case), we have to operate stealthily, with the most efficient people running the club. Top notch folks doing top notch intelligent work.

I wouldn't be bothered about the nationality of the ownership, but I'd them to have the financial strength to invest. Prodominantly in setting up and devloping the academy with the best coaches to produce both first team players, squad players and players who would be regularly sold on to boost the transfer kitty and help make us as self funding as possible.
Likewise through setting up a top class worldwide network of scouts to make the sort of purchases for relatively modest amounts that Wenger has done over the years, but to be able to hold onto them, due to success.
I don't mind the 'odd large purchase' where you can't produce that player so you do have to make the occasional strategic 'big ticket' purchase.

I rather see the investment go in those directions and through a top CEO, with equally as efficent staff working at all administrative levels, so we could buy low, sell high and not need to furnish the club with mercenaries in order to bring success and hopefully keep players through constant success rather than because it 'paid' to be at the club, and therefore the club and success on offer attracted players rather than the sky high salaries, which for the most part could then be avoided.

Overall a blend of Arsenal, Porto, Dortmund - for their ability to bring in low cost players and develop them, Ajax and Barca - for their academy strength and Bayern Munich for it's organisational and revenue generating ability.

Not really asking for much, then.   

[the dude abides]

setting up and devloping the academy with the best coaches to produce both first team players, squad players and players who would be regularly sold on to boost the transfer kitty and help make us as self funding as possible.
Likewise through setting up a top class worldwide network of scouts to make the sort of purchases for relatively modest amounts that Wenger has done over the years, but to be able to hold onto them, due to success.
I don't mind the 'odd large purchase' where you can't produce that player so you do have to make the occasional strategic 'big ticket' purchase.

I rather see the investment go in those directions and through a top CEO, with equally as efficent staff working at all administrative levels, so we could buy low, sell high and not need to furnish the club with mercenaries in order to bring success and hopefully keep players through constant success rather than because it 'paid' to be at the club, and therefore the club and success on offer attracted players rather than the sky high salaries, which for the most part could then be avoided.

Overall a blend of Arsenal, Porto, Dortmund - for their ability to bring in low cost players and develop them, Ajax and Barca - for their academy strength and Bayern Munich for it's organisational and revenue generating ability.

Not really asking for much, then.   

aye, not asking much!  Merely the ultimate club scenario.   

unless our owners suddenly undergo a sea-change in attitude, see the light, and suddenly show interest and humility, we will not get close to basic workings, farless ultimate workings.

the yanks have to sell up.   They are stupid on football and personnel matters, and show no signs of bringing in top-notch people to run the club.

[Tes]

They are stupid on football and personnel matters, and show no signs of bringing in top-notch people to run the club.

That's the puzzling aspect in all this. They don't have the knowledge so install a team of people who do and make appointments to the board that can guide and advise the American board members and who can also overlook what the CEO is doing and advise on his effectiveness etc. Commercial appointments would be backed up with both football and business orientated knowledge and perspective, whilst the football board members are likely to know who's done what equivalent or similar jobs, at which clubs and how successful or not they were. Comolli being the perfect case in point. Would football people have appointed him as a DoF considering  Spurs' and St Etienne's experiences with him? More than doubtful. 

It's as though they don't want to make the most out of their investment.

[Tes]

As Sturridge is getting the big build up atm, whether we want him or not, what is the maximum you think we should pay?

Considering we were offered him for (or he was valued at) £10M in the Torres deal and factoring in that apart from earlier on last season, he hasn't exactly been a regular, it would be madness to go above that £10M, even considering transfer inflation etc. I doubt we'd get him for £7.5M but the valuation has to include his lack of first team impact and our financial situation, obviously, but anything above that level and I'd be seriously disappointed, yet again.   

[barticus]

... the valuation has to include his lack of first team impact and our financial situation, obviously, but anything above that level and I'd be seriously disappointed, yet again.

12 mil it is then...

[Tes]

Barticus, considering the little progress he has made overall, and the fact that we have such a limited transfer fund (in comparison, £10M out of the overall transfer value of £50m wasn't so bad), do you think £12M on Sturridge is the best use of £12M and the majority (if not all) of our transfer budget? How do you see his transfer value increasing by 20% since Jan 2011?

I'm not saying you're wrong, just interested in how you see it that way. Sorry, that's two questions I'm asking of you now.

[Tes]

Klass Jan Huntelaar would prefer Inter over Arsenal or Liverpool, says agent

Thursday 13 Dec 2012


Klass Jan Huntelaar would prefer a move to Inter Milan this January over Arsenal or Liverpool, according to the player’s agent.

Huntelaar is widely expected to quit current club Schalke during the new year, as he has less than six months left on his current deal, and the race is on to land his signature.

Arsenal and Liverpool have both expressed a huge interest in acquiring Huntelaar, but Inter Milan are also keen, and agent Arnold Oosterveer says his client would jump at the chance to sign for Inter over the other options.

‘He would not mind playing in Milan again – especially because Inter would give him the chance to show he is a great player,’ said Oosterveer.

Huntelaar has already had one spell playing in Italy, having initially joined Schalke from AC Milan, where he struggled to live up to expectations.

Schalke have already refused to sell Huntelaar during the January transfer window, but it’s thought that a bid in excess of £10million should be enough to get the deal done.

http://metro.co.uk/2012/12/13/klass-jan-huntelaar-would-prefer-inter-over-arsenal-or-liverpool-says-agent-3315543/

If he was younger I'd say it was a shame, but surely his best years are nearer to being behind him than yet to come.

I'd prefer we made the right decision rather than just 'get a striker in' because we're short at the moment. We don't have the finances to make 'shorter term' purchases and then 'sort it properly' in the Summer. Every purchase has to be medium / long term in nature, despite our 'immediate' needs.

It would be nice to think we can build a team to get into the top four and then quickly build or replace again to keep us there and progress up that mini top four league table. Somehow, I don't see FSG funding that sort of thing, so the players bought to get us into the top four have to be good enough to also keep us there, and for the most part, help us progress, as the improvement in the squad won't increase in pace once we're there.