I see someone agrees with me (couldn't copy the tweet) - Wish Marcus Edwards well, last spurs starlet a certain Mr Kane went on to do okay post CH tactial ineptitude. I’m sure this is a sweetener in a deal for @Madders10 #ncfc
Barnsley very much wanted Watkins to stay but he refused the contract to move to us. IMO he's a useful player in 3 different positions. If we have two main strikers, he's a useful option as a third striker in a counter-attacking situation, particularly coming on to replace a tiring lone striker. He plays wide on either side but not as a winger, as that's not his skill set. He works hard and tracks back better than any of our other attacking players. On a free and reasonable wages I still consider that good business. Hanley and Franke certainly weren't freebies, and the latter is the only player this year who hasn't worked out but Hanley is now looking our best defender. Trybull on a free and the Gunn and Reed loans were all excellent business and Vrancic has adjusted his game, developed his defensive skills and is looking a different player now. Husband is a useful back-up for Lewis and I'll reserve judgement on Stiepermann until he plays in a midfield role. Not a bad group of 'freebies, loans and cast-offs' IMO.
Maddison @ Spurs for mega millions but probably spend a lot of time on the bench? Still he could be a very rich young man so may not be too concerned. Depends on whether or not he wants to play as often as possible. Possible Ali’s back up man.
Possibly Ali's replacement, bigger clubs have been circling for Ali for a while if the media is to be believed. Is Ali going to turn down a move to RM or Barca? Bah!
The difference is firstly as KIO says, whilst CJ is seen as over the hill, he is still actually a striker and OK as backup, but not really someone I want starting any longer. That said, our system seems to make strikers look bad so, both Watkins and CJ could still be useful, afterall even Oliviera is struggling in this system. Inspite of that struggle he has go 7 goals so he still looks a far better option than either of the others. To Rick, Watkins may have been wanted by Barnsley and we obviously got him for free, but that means we offered more in wages, my concern is that we are paying another player who whilst versatile is; not actually very good, doesn't enhance our first XI, if we are looking at having a small competitive squad, I'm not sure we can afford passengers who contribute little and have disappointed in the vast majority of their chances. Bah!
Not from watching him play. Which is what you base your CJ verdict on. Watkins won’t get the goals to keep us up.
Didn’t know that Watkins turned down a new contract at Barnsley and chose us instead, thus a free transfer. Good point about Ali and the Barca/RM speculation.You lads are on the ball as well as NCFC.
If you only have 2 strikers Jerome and Oliviera and sell one of them you then only have 1 striker. Jerome is at the age where he will leave for free next year so better to get some fee for him ,however if we are enquiring in this window to replace him they know we are an injury or suspension away from having to use Watkins. They will probably ask for more knowing we are desperate.
I doubt that Watkins was on very high wages at Barnsley and thus even with an increase to come to us his wages should still be within our new wage structure. At 27 currently, we don't have a small squad. I think we'll just have to agree to disagree about what Watkins contributes to the squad.
So 4 years out of 7 in the Premier League is failure, mismanagement and inability to run the Club. How many other Clubs of our size can boast that record? As for freebies, loans and cast offs what else do you expect when you are trying to cut your average wage to under £10k a week. Just look at the accounts and explain to me how we could carry on as before. Even with the drastic reduction in the wage bill it will still exceed what we take through the gate this year and next year there is no parachute money. Please explain in words that a simple ex-accountant like me can understand, how the Club can be managed in a way better than it is presently and please don't insult my intelligence by referring to a hypothetical, non-existent billionaire knight in shining armour charging up Carrow Road to rescue the maiden.
Ashley Fletcher from Middlesbrough possible loan striker. Cost £6.5m from West Ham but not getting much action at the Riverside Stadium. Rumour has it that Spurs could offer £20m for Maddison which, if true, would be very tempting. Suspect that Webber/Farke/DS would turn this down as there are other clubs hovering in the wings and he could be worth more in June.
No matter how good, or bad, Watkins is/could be, with the departure of CJ, we are in desperate need of another championship class striker. The Mata rumour has gone very quiet now as well.
If we sold CJ and possibly Basil today and the window shut tomorrow then obviously we would be up to our necks in the proverbial but that isn't going to happen. Personally I would sell the pair of them to get money in and reduce the wage bill and get in on loan an experienced striker with Championship experience who needs a bit of game time, buy a lower league striker with potential and put another of our youngsters in the squad.
Don't know much about Ashley Fletcher, but he came up through the ManUtd system, then moved to West Ham. Boro bought him for the PL but it hasn't worked out. On a loan, it seems reasonable but it also seems like a gamble if he is the only striker coming in.
1 goal in 16 Championship appearances, I thought we were looking to improve our striking threat !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11
Norman Stanley Fletcher would offer more potential. Sell CJ and push the boat out for Jack Marriott at Posh.
That's how it works though. Lower PL clubs take the best of the Championship, then the Championship take the best of the L1 players.
Even if we get pushed North of £5m for the 23 year old Posh striker Marriott if he bangs them in at Championship level that will double or triple his value. Lower Prem sides won't gamble because it's too big of a step up and they probably have better players. One thing we can offer a League 1 striker is game time if he's one of only 2 centre forwards
