I think any City fan who's not getting at least a little tickle of excitement must be in a coma!
Let the good times roll!
Let the good times roll!
Transfer Rumours Summer transfer 2017
- Thread starter General Melchett
- Start date
-
Please bear with us on the new site integration and fixing any known bugs over the coming days. If you can not log in please try resetting your password and check your spam box. If you have tried these steps and are still struggling email [email protected] with your username/registered email address
-
I think any City fan who's not getting at least a little tickle of excitement must be in a coma!
Let the good times roll!
Well, according to DD I'm meant to be 'Captain Positive', but I'm still waiting to see how all this is going to turn out. I like the new structure and the people involved in it. I also like the first 3 signings so far for the reasons I gave above, but after 45 years of supporting City, I've been through this so many times. Zimmermann was playing in the 4th division of the Bundesliga, which is still above Ragett in the Conference here. Will he improve our defense? I have no idea, but I hope so. Michael Bailey has similar concerns in the Pink'un after the announcement:
"However, these quotes continue to ring in my ears – from my conversation with Ruhr Nachrichten’s BVB II correspondent Tobias Johren as Farke’s unveiling at Carrow Road approached last month: 'I don’t think they have players in the fourth tier of Germany who could help in the Championship. They are good players here but I would be really surprised if that happens.' And yet it has, which is where some context will help fill the gaps as City try to solve a jigsaw puzzle that comes with 100 different pieces – but you only need four to finish it. It’s enough to give anyone a headache."
I now feel somewhere between a 'tickle' and a 'headache'. DH may be right and there's a quality, experienced CB coming in later once other players have left. If those other players include Jerome, however, then I move closer to the 'headache'. I hope I'm wrong, but I have a certain misgiving about this new 'possession football' meaning a lot of 'tika-taka' sideways passing on the half-way line. I hope that's not the case, but I just don't know. Sorry Dave, but no clear tickle for me yet.
I'm with Rick here, everyone seems to be getting a hard on over players and management of very limited pedigree and even less experience of playing at our current level.
Like Neil, Farke talks the talk, but this is a country with a different footballing culture and a significant step up for him so whilst I am excited by our brave new dawn, it also worries me that we are seemingly happy to be striping out a lot of quality that we had/have and so far there is little sign of better replacements.
Bah!
Like Neil, Farke talks the talk, but this is a country with a different footballing culture and a significant step up for him so whilst I am excited by our brave new dawn, it also worries me that we are seemingly happy to be striping out a lot of quality that we had/have and so far there is little sign of better replacements.
Bah!
I was waiting for someone to give us the lowdown on our new bilingual articulate ,dynamic ,swashbuckling ,gifted and powerful new centre back with an amazing footballing philosophy and drive.
Plus a career highlights YouTube video.
Great stats too never lost a professional 1st team game ever .
My pants are the driest they could possibly be .
Perhaps I'm reading that article in a different manner to you, but to me it seemed quite positive overall. I'd consider Zimmerman a replacement for Turner, rather than one of our core CB options. At the moment I'm expecting (and I'd perhaps argue so does Michael Bailey based on that article) another CB signing to partner Klose, or a replacement for Klose should a deal for him be made. Then Martin and Bielik will be bench options, and Zimmerman in reserve.
If Zimmerman is as good as Farke says about translating the tactics he wants on to the pitch, he may be pivotal in demonstrating to the other teammates exactly what the gaffer wants. This may initially be in training, but it all helps. Things get lost in translation and there is nothing better than learning by doing. I think this is a shrewd move and a good bridge between Farke and the rest of the team.
Stripping out quality that failed to get us anywhere last season. Appreciate you want to see better replacements but I'm happy to give the new leadership and their recruits a chance to show us what they can do. At least we seem to have a real strategy this time. [pants status: dry]
I've just come back to this thread after a short break and it’s interesting to see that some are a tad concerned that we may be ‘selling/getting rid of quality players and replacing them with unknowns’. If we look back to when McNally recruited PL as our manager, we had an unknown manager and a bunch of players most of whom none of us had ever heard of before and yet look at what was achieved then – let’s say I’m 75% certain that we will see something akin to that and if we don’t, I’ll happily ‘eat humble pie!!’
I’ve finally made up my mind that I’d be happy to see CJ sold, as whilst he brings a lot to the team, his misses cost us quite dearly both in 2015-2016 and again last season and the fee we get could help to strengthen in other areas. Also, if JM gets regular starts, I’m certain that he’ll way in with a fair few goals, or at least test the keeper and I’d like to see Morris given his chance to show what he can do.
I’ve finally made up my mind that I’d be happy to see CJ sold, as whilst he brings a lot to the team, his misses cost us quite dearly both in 2015-2016 and again last season and the fee we get could help to strengthen in other areas. Also, if JM gets regular starts, I’m certain that he’ll way in with a fair few goals, or at least test the keeper and I’d like to see Morris given his chance to show what he can do.
I don't think so, though he was on loan last season - http://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwic...igns-new-contract-with-norwich-city-1-4912234
I'm also happy to see what the new team can do, it's just that whilst some of the blood letting was clearly necessary, when we are hearing that; Dorrans, CJ and Howson may all go too, players of that quality are harder to reflace in the bargain bin. We are signing and being linked with players from 4th tier leagues and lower, I start to worry that perhaps we are going overly frugal. I know that once some of those guys have gone, we may then spend a bit more on more high profile replacements, but given the stated intent to reduce the squad size, I don't think these guys are being signed as just squad players. So good eye for plyers or not between Farke and Webber, we are shopping at Trabant and hoping for the odd BMW. It worked at Huddersfield and I'm not moaning perse, but I'm also finding it hard to get swept up on a euphoric wave when we have;
Maybe a talented manager? who is well thought of in the game and in Germany, but until now has only managed in the 4th tier and never played or managed outside of Germany (Though germany seems as good a place as any to have spent all that time) leave alone experienced the championship.
Signing a series of freebies or sub £1m players, there is an addage about getting what you pay for, Now Norwich have got this disasterously wrong before, as most of the players have been underwelming for the inflated sums we paid. I know this is the main reason that Webber was brought on board, but he whilst clearly successful at Huddersfield still has plenty to prove. If nothing else the return to Dortmund for a second u23 boss makes him look a little one trick?
Likely to sell Howson and CJ, CJ probably to a promotion rival.
Don't get me wrong i am glad we are signing players early and that one of them is a CB, but I worry that a CB who is 24 and playing in the 4th tier of German football may not improve our defense. That we have got him suggests that there was not a long queue of other offers in Germany where presumably he was well known, so can he be that good? We will have to wait and see?
IFWT
Bah!
Great post General and I have to agree with all you say. I'm QUIETLY confident that SW is more than 'a one trick pony' and that DF and his cohorts will take what's left of last year's squad add in a few 'Skodas' and maybe find an 'Audi'
but couldn't resist your analogy!!
but couldn't resist your analogy!!
Great post General and I have to agree with all you say. I'm QUIETLY confident that SW is more than 'a one trick pony' and that DF and his cohorts will take what's left of last year's squad add in a few 'Skodas' and maybe find an 'Audi'
I'm hoping that these german lads can build us our Audi's, Mercedes and BMW's from the youth set up, who knows one day Jacob could be a Porsche! The way we are operating at the moment it feels more like EU barn finds, lets just hope some of them turn out to be classics instead of non-running rust buckets!
Bah!
Not sure it's been mentioned, if it has I missed it, but we've been linked with Motherwell defender Ben Heneghan . Right sort of age at 23, the rejected and come good hungry sort of player again perhaps. We haven't faired so well with our recent recruits playing north of the boarder so another who would leave me underwelmed, though I haven't really seen him play. Cheap too at £300k, but Burnley with their PL riches will likely get him on wages if genuinely interested.
Bah!
Bah!
Hmm, another right sided CB, and another one you couldn't be sure will make the step up. I'd be surprised if this move happens now Zimmerman has signed. I'd have thought Raggett, Zimmerman and Heneghan were all being considered for a similar squad role. If anything, I'd perhaps start to get nervous now if he does sign!
In his interview he said that his physical style would be more suited to English football than German, and he has always followed the EPL. Plus his connection to DF made it an easy decision for him.
Allow me to introduce Sebastien Bassong, whose CV includes such luminaries as Metz, Newcastle and Tottenham. Slow, ponderous, frequently caught in possession / out of position most games.
I'd suggest he didn't exactly 'improve our defence' in his last 2 years at the club?
And I trust Herr Zimmermann at CB more than Russell Martin - and I've not even seen him play yet!
And I trust Herr Zimmermann at CB more than Russell Martin - and I've not even seen him play yet!
I trust Robert Zimmerman at CB more than Russell Martin and I've not seen him play either although I do have a few of his CD's.