The reported pay cut was on twitter which I couldn't copy and paste as I'm on my tablet and the advice given on that issue does not work on my tablet, but it was on supers account and I trust his source.
13th in the table No more parachute payments Playing boring ineffective football Rarely score Selling our best players But apparently everything is fantastic according to Rick and we are just moaning for the sake of it .
OK DD, here's your source from the EDP at 1.32pm today: "The 26-year-old Dutchman has made just 13 league starts for the Canaries since joining from Wigan in the same window last year, in a move that cost Norwich closer to £4m than the £7m figure originally circulated." http://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwic...ldschut-set-for-cardiff-loan-switch-1-5350228
OK so we don't know the facts, it's clear the media do not either. But no media source has quoted a value that I think reflects a club that has negotiated a good fee for a talented player. The market continues to be barmy, every window the fees for bang average players grows, Pritchard is being let go to easily for too little if there is any truth to the quoted figures, of course if all the paper/tv/media are £2-5m south then we'l played Webber. But I refuse to believe that all rumours are that far out. Webber should want us to know just how much he screwed them for just if nothing else to make us think at least we didn' have our pants pulled down. Alternatively he let' us believe we get the bare minimum to lower spend expectations that are already low! Bah!
OK, I'll chip in (sorry General - couldn't quite make a pun of it) with my tuppence worth on the topic. Yes, all and sundry - SW/DF/ Ed et al said we DIDN'T have to sell players this window, but as I (and others) have said, this was initiated by the player (or his agent) and basically we've been 'mugged' on the price!!! Well done Wagner and co - you MUST be 'laughing all the way to the bank!!!!' IF JM chooses to follow suit then after the Sheffield United game, the only other first team game I'll be attending this season is the old farm derby and perhaps the last home game of the season against Leeds. Should JM also jump/get pushed, then IMO we're destined to a VERY long stay in the Championship. Edit - I DREAD to think what price season tickets will be when the renewal letters are sent out next month and IF as many people as have said that they are giving up their ST actually make that decision, then a waiting list for STs will be confined to history. I'll also add that there are many like ILD who will turn up for all the home games (and possibly several away one) and I wish them well and who knows, NCFC MAY one day return to the PL (Promised Land/Premier League - delete whichever does not apply!!!)
We'll, there are two ways to go, IMO. We could sell no one and put off the next stage of restructuring until the summer (selling then maybe), or we could sell our most valuable player and continue the rebuilding now. I'm not keen to lose Pritchard, but I also don't want to force him to stay either. IMO, Maddison, Wes, Vrancic, Naismith and Stiepermann are more than enough cover at AM and we can now strengthen elsewhere. For that reason, yes, I think £12m+£2m is good business. Wail on though if you like.
We can only hope that we didn't hold out to the last minute because we've identified players to bring in and want to get on with it. I won't hold my breath.
But we did at least pretend to fight to keep hold of / maximise the sale value of Fer, Olsson, Brady, Howson... So why let Pritchard go at the first hint of an offer without trying to hold out for more? And when you say players to bring in, a) I hope you're correct and b) I hope they can adapt to Farke's style of play or we''ll have gone backwards (again)
According to Sky Sports Hearts have mad contact with City about Naismith's availability and are thought to be close to matching City's valuation of the player, with Rangers also thought to be considering making an offer for the player - Just hope it is not too long before we see some incomings rather than outgoings (so long as they are in the right position(s) and are quality players)
Before the season started, I would have agreed about the cover for Pritch but given how few goals we scored before his return even with Madders, we just dont carry any threat above and beyond their brilliance together. WE sell Pritch we have waved a white flag for this season. Add to that, that getting players we truly want for the rebuild will be near impossible and even harder for responsible fee given our negotiating skills I understand the need to build the team/squad and if we were getting a good price for Pritch, then fine, long term the two together is a luxury we cant afford and maybe not brilliant for the shape of the team. But we carry little threat without both with the current squad so I will continue to consider it poor business until proved otherwise Bah!
As for the fee, I don't believe SkySports' £10m for a minute, this well after a range of sources reported an £11m bid before further negotiations took place. Wagner then announced that after further talks took place a deal was reached. To me that points to £12m+£2m being the likely deal. We value Pritchard at £15m or so, but Huddersfield need a deal they can afford. I suspect that 12m+£2m was more than they wanted to pay. Like buying a house, the final price is going to be in the middle. £14m overall seems to me to be a reasonable outcome, not a 'mugging' at all.
Maybe foolishly I believe that Webber will have planned for Pritchards and/or Maddisons departures. He and Farke will certainly by now know the areas they most want to strengthen and which players have a future in the new system. Let's not forget that our perceived current strongest line up is made up of 8 players already here (some because of the failings of new recruits) But I don't think the blood letting is anywhere near done. And much as we all love Maddison he very well could be another problem in the system. Bah!
Predictions for the next 2 transfer windows. Sell Jerome Loan Naisy out and pay him to play in Scotland. Sell Klose Have bids for Nelson and stretch that soap opera out £10m on the table and Maddisson is off to a mediocre Prem side to watch , if we are lucky they will loan him back as he is still a rookie A decent bid for Pinto and that could get tempting Has Trybull accepted a new deal ?
£14m isn't a mugging, more of a bare minimum to me, the risk being that we end up with only £12m if as seems eminently possible they were to get relegated. That is a very poor price. Bah!
Why would the club go on letting fans believe the fee was £7M if it was closer to £4M? It would be in the board's interest not to let us think they were a bunch of mugs.
