Kounde is like 5'8 of something - as part of a three man defense yes, back 4 unless he's playing fb not for me. Edit - CDM he'd be perfect
Thought for the day. Chris Wood cost more than Alan Shearer and Michael Owen and Callum Wilson. Runs for cover as Roly starts reading post...
We softened the blow for Burnley. "We may have been relegated, but let's not forget we got the daft Geordie's to give us <snigger> £25m for Wood <bursts into endless laughter>" It's hard to think of a worse striker to play for the club (modern times at least), even through the Ashley drought. I mean, Remy, Ba, Cisse, Carroll (first time around) and Rondon were here during those disgraceful years and all of them were miles better than Wood. I think even Sibierski, Murphy, Lovenkrands and Joselu were more dangerous. The only one pushing him up the order of worst ever strikers are Xisco, Slimani and Kuqi. Pound for pound, to use a L** Ch*****y expression, he's hands down the worst.
Caulkin's reported that Ashworth won't be here til November. First, what kind of ****ing idiot has a 12 month notice period in their contract? Second, why the **** would you hire someone who can't start work for 12 months? Hope their transfers are more Bruno/Trippier and less Ashworth/Wood this Summer.
A year's a long time in football. Doesn't seem like a sensible approach. I was hoping @magdad was right about 1st June.
I'd say Michael Owen was the worst, as he actively helped us to go down with his sick bed antics AND didn't give a sh*t. We went on a run and stopped losing games when we had Wood in the team - not solely down to him, far from it, but a nice run all the same. We all wish he'd scored more or assisted with more goals from the chances he had, but in mitigation Almiron and ASM's service from the wings wasn't exactly brilliant. I guess he'll stay as a squad player (unless we sign two new strikers). We clearly need much better than Wood if we want to keep the progress moving forward.
Was a 9 month gardening leave period, still confident it will be done first few days of June. People thinking he's our transfer guru are going to be mistaken though. He's coming in to build the structure from the ground up, academy, development squad, women's team, infrastructure, scouting networks, grass roots etc. So other than having feedback as part of a larger team which will also include Eddie Howe, Steve Nickson the md etc. We won't be relying on him other than for younger players.
They've only known what direction they could go in for a couple of months and it's not been an issue so far anyway. A year in business is nothing really. If you want the right result you wait for the man you really want. Everything has gone perfectly so far.
End of the day the man they need in charge of recruitment is already in situ - That man is, who it should be - Eddie Howe.
Not for me I think the games moved on. He's a brilliant coach and will have a few ideas on what he needs, but recruitment should never me down to just the manager. They should get a say and all come to decisions.
That's how it is currently working and Ashworth will feed into that too with Head of Recruitment and Scouts etc in addition to at least one board member. Dan Ashworth being there today, next week, next month, next year isn't going to hold us up this summer.
Something I watched a couple of nights ago put the Ashworth thing into perspective from both sides - Think it was Loaded HQ on YouTube. Brighton are a club that have done very well recognising young players from abroad that have been trained by the club, given first team opportunities and have then been sold on for large profits. Your ideal stepping stone club as it were. They are not going to accept a £3-£5m payoff from NUFC and risk us gate crashing on their targets that they could sell for £10m, £20m, £30m or more in the future until they have secured these players services. Once they have done what they wanted whilst Ashworth was in situ they will then accept a compensation to release him from his contract. Ball's in our court at that point in time - Offer them some wedge or sit it out till November. Just bare in mind they don't want to be seen as an easy financial target.
