A waste of money yes in the context of where the money needed spending re which positions needed strengthening/prioritising but as an individual, and in an overinflated transfer market, I think Harrison has been value for money and has been given an unfair amount of flak on here. Regardless of Harrison/James and which one is the better player, you could argue that the money spent on James was a waste as Harrison was already at the club. And let’s say Harrison, with his loan fees and transfer fee cost 50% less than James. Using the Moneyball concept can anyone honestly say that James has contributed to the team 50% more than Harrison? I don’t think so.
You seem to have omitted season after season of loan fees and wages. Plus things like insurance etc we spent on Harrison.
The biggest mistakes we have made in the transfer market has been having the telephone number of Wolves. Douglas hardly used but cost serious wedge and then loaned out. Helda Costa cost close to £20m including 2 sets of loan fees, at least Harrison has weighed in with some goals every season
Harrison was loan fee plus £8m but we rolled it over to loan fee and £10m ltransfer fee but we rolled it again to loan fee and £11m which we did. So it was 3x loan fees plus £11m
which worked in our favour, so we didn't have to commit to him when we couldn't afford him and/or were struggling with FFP. Its a bit rich for anyone to complain at what he cost us in loan fees - they were a transfer 'saving' in the budget for those years.
Bielsa spent quite a bit, especially on the loans, not to mention the 20m we'll have to fork out next week for Jean-Kevin Augustin, but he got us promoted, and that's all that matters.
You do. But if you don't get your u23s practising then you aren't going to get them doing it at first team level. The top players can pass through a part press and hit accurate long balls to players in space against a full press. Average sides panic when they get swarmed and hoof it. All cat and mouse but once you default to going long you need players who can hold the ball up... before you know it, you're millwall with matt smith Educated passing from defence is part of modern football. I'd prefer to see the 23s practice it and fck up. It's a development league.
He also brought in wads of cash elland which you always conveniently fail to mention. BPF Vieira Roofe Jack Clark Pontus That's just off the top of my head. Don't know why you keep posting that Bielsa was a big spender to get us out of the Championship when that simply was not the case.
You do wonder, though I haven’t completely given up on Firpo, we could have saved his transfer fee, given Alioski the pay rise he wanted and instead strengthened the midfield that many think was the most important area to address in this team. Despite his limitations I wonder whether we miss his energy more than we thought we would.
