A very well put post. It becomes stranger week by week. Burnsy said just about a month ago 'there must be a plan, they knew all these players were leaving' but it seems like the plan left when Rosenior did. Ever since that sacking, the club has felt like it's running in a very different manner to how it had the previous 18 months.
Did we really have a plan under Rosenior either though? All short term signings really no eyes on next season, not much has changed realistically.
Maybe stability is a better way to put it. While we didn't have a particularly active transfer window last summer until after the season started, we already had a strong squad in the building. Last summer was more about getting rid of some of the bloated squad rather than bringing new faces in. I'd argue that although someone like Connolly ultimately didn't work out, he scored 8 goals in the first half of last season and in theory should have been progressing on a 2-3 year contract with us, which would have meant we would have had him on the books coming into this off season, rather than being shed. Allsop, well I haven't seen enough from Pandur to convince me that pushing Allsop out was the right call and that he couldn't have stayed on as our second choice keeper. Rosenior had the main building blocks for his squad in for almost all of his pre-season and friendlies to get his style and fitness requirements integrated.
I don't think they expected to have only one signed by the end of July. I think we've probably been turned down by a host of players and we're working down the list. Tan blamed the Euros, which felt odd at the time too and none of the players we're closing in on (not sure the right phrase), played at the Euros. I don't think we've been big planners, maybe that's changed over the last month as the vast majority of players we've been linked with are permanent. I'd hope that they've realised that rebuilding your squad every summer is plain stupid.
I think they underestimated the complexity of Walter’s system also. It must be fairly normal procedure for a coach to be 80% no to recommendations but Walter’s system really requires dynamic, technical players. A blend of Docherty and Seri, not the most common player
After watching recently, missing out on Kieffer Moore may have been a blessing, whilst he is excellent in the box, pressing remains a priority. Oscar pressed well today, setting up Pope to make a number of mistakes and us win the ball high up fairly often
It depends on the context which we're missing as to what stage of the process those 'no's are coming from. If the scouts are bringing a list hundreds long to Walter and he's stripping it back to the core names he wants us to pursue, that's very different from Tan coming to Walter at the end of the process saying "We've agreed terms with these 5 players" and Walter saying no to four of them. I'd also say if they've underestimated Walter's system they probably should have done a bit more research and due diligence before hiring him. The process took long enough as it was at the start of the Summer but it feels like we're only now kick starting our recruitment in the last week or so.
I think there are a lot more qualities that Walter desires as a minimum, compare that to Rosie it’s different. He didn’t feel it was important for a defensive midfielder to have defensive output for example. It’s certainly seems to have shifted, just a case of actually getting the deals done now.
You definitely can't have passengers in Tim's team and everyone needs to be able to put a shift in. I think that's why he's hesitant over Seri and I'm sure it's no coincidence that the best two performances have been with Simons at the base. We played quicker without Mika too. We clearly lack that quality in the final third and I think Longman was Longman today. Pressing he's very good, but that quality isn't there. Yes he's better from the left, but as soon as we sign a winger or 2, I think he'll be off. In some ways it's been good how cut-throat we've been getting rid of the likes of Ingram and Lokilo, even though it's left us short. I also don't think Acun been involved anywhere near as much, Fenerbahce appear to be taking a lot of his time and I think it's a major positive. He's rash, reckless and impatient and I don't think that's helped us at all. I'm not sold on Tan but I do think he's a more savvy operator. He's certainly the better talker.
We’ve signed pretty well the last 12 months irrespective of planning so clearly the ability to sign good players is there. Just needs to be refined to bring a long term view as well as short
Also I don’t think Tan actually scouts players he just has a lot of contacts in the game because of his background, imagine he does the bulk of the negotiating. Beri Pardo, Stuart White and Merthan Acil I believe would make up the “brain team”
One more day is gone, still only 1 new face in. I think we will lose this season at first 3 months, until team get to know each other. And a panic mid-season transfers will happen, to save team from relegation. I call this Turkish method, because it happens every season within relegation candidates.
We've signed some good players but there's been so much **** signed too and when you don't have parachutes you can't afford that. Is White still here? I assumed he would follow LD to Stoke.
It makes signing high-profile loan players pointless as we won't be in the mix this season, I think we've killed ourselves before a ball is kicked so it would be nice to have a building year. Then next year you can go for the high-profile loans to give you that extra edge.
Agreed, we have done a good job in shifting it this summer like you say, we’ll struggle esrly doors because of how we have set up but we are looking good if these signings come off short and long term
Losing Lee Darnbourgh and his staff had a bigger impact then people imagine. But they'd 'lost' him long before the Stoke job came along, which is probably why he left??
I've not seen Wallyball, I've barely read this transfer thread as most of it's speculation & arguments, which I can't be arsed with. What I can be arsed with is saying that most of this problem we find ourselves with, lack of a decent team that will compete where Acun wants us to, is 100% down to Del Boy himself for his initial over excitement to get his hands dirty & get rid of McCann & bring in his mate. I don't know if he's woke up & realised it's him or if someone has told him, perhaps Tan has a bit more influence? If we are to be successful under Acun, he needs to stop talking about what he wants & how things should work for us to be successful, league positions etc. I've had a few drinks tonight, so my thoughts aren't clear on what I want to say, so I'll end it here for now!
