So before summer i.e. last January we were the "better option" for players themselves and this summer we weren't all of a sudden. Wonder what changed. And I don't simply buy into the idea we were shopping in the basement bin either. We've laid out some good fees this summer - although clubs and agents discuss ball park figures so they know they are on the same page before anything formal happens anyway, regardless of the end of the market we were shopping at.
Just to answer you about the ones you named I’d already given the valid reasons they didnt come to Syd . I think we did well the previous summer because we targeted but non first team players from the Prem , Delap , Fabio , Moreton etc all had a point to prove but were loams where you get no return on the investment - unless they get you up - they didnt and their parent clubs got it . We changed our tack I think to get players who on the face of it might increase in value - unfortunately the choice has been suspect to say the least - but one better full back and one real goal scorer who were performing and all would now be well . It’s all a gamble isn’t it except for us fans .
You wonder what changed? Seriously? Acun binned off a perfectly good manager and appointed a maniac. No wonder players were scared off. To be honest, I don't blame them.
I'm not at all Acun out, but he is as capable.of errors of judgment as anyone. Seems to be taking steps to rectify it with a pragmatic appointment this time so we just have to cross our fingers and hope for an upturn.
What changed? The coach... Yes, it may have been a factor. Our targets also changed. The fact we got a manager in late was a factor too. We were into recruitment before TW arrived, possibly part of the reason early targets didn't come off. We recruited over summer for the longer term so as to avoid such churn in the future, at least that was the plan. As a result we can't just go out and get players like Philogene and Delap etc. Also, the scale of the job didn't help either. We had a very small squad at the point we were courting the likes of Moore. And then there's the things we're assuming changed, when some of the failed deals were down to the likes of players choosing the better option for them personally. It could just as easily have happened last summer. We also went for players where there was stronger competition for them as well.
I doubt there were many as 'in demand' as the likes of Carvallo and Giles were last January but even if our budget doesn't stretch to that kind of signing and even lesser valued players are choosing other clubs or to stay put, that's a stark contrast to the previous couple of windows. Some players very quickly saw red flags with Walters playing and management style. Football is a small world. Players talk.
Strange when we had that clown Shota in charge We still attracted seri tufan Oscar Christie wonder how ?
Christie was a free agent Oscar was an unknown in England and Tufan was out in the cold at Fenerbache having failed in England previously. I wouldn't say at the time of signing they were particularly highly sought after with loads of competition.
I don't think we'd ever generally attract those sorts of players on a permanent deal unless we were looking for top end Championship players after getting promoted for example. It just is what it is. We brought in better players last season, but they've all gone now and were pretty much always going to. We've recruited more long term this season and we're either significantly weaker as a result, or we're currently underperforming. Time will tell on the last part of that, but I don't think anyone can look at how the summer transfer window went and chalk it up to things like, basket case club, or Rosenior going, or mad owner etc with such simplicity - certainly not when we're talking specifically about players choosing to go elsewhere. There's more to it than that. As for the players you mentioned above, that squad was 'padded out' with some serious talent that essentially didn't belong to us. Some of them were 'fallen angel' types that had previously played at an obviously higher level. Most of our recruitment this season has been more about potential or players that have played at this level.
I do take your point that we do seem to have gone more for a development strategy with some promising young players, but the fact remains that we didn't manage to attract key players in 2 essential positions, and even the owner has acknowledged we finished the window with unfilled holes in the squad - though not for the lack of trying.
Personally I think some of the failings there are down to bad planning, leaving too much too late, Acun being uninvolved until late, and possibly Tan Kessler depending on the potential ins and outs of whatever went on there. There's also the chance we've been 'rejected' no more than targets any other season - it may have just been more public this summer on purpose in an effort to quell the rising tide (at the time) of 'when the hell are our signings coming in'. I mean, it was absolutely ridiculous how little business we did, even when the season had started.
I don't think that proves what you think it does. That summer we were continually turned down by domestic targets just like we were this summer. Acun's always had a problem in that his ambition in terms of transfer targets isn't matched by his pull, not with domestic players anyway. Under Rosenior we briefly had a very good reputation as a club domestically which helped during that time. Hopefully under Selles it will be similar in time.
Just looked at the 4 strikers who wouldn’t come two have hit 8 goals ( the loanees ) and the two buys Asante and Moore have got one each - very hit and miss , Bedias got more than both hasn’t he ? Mind you one success is at Stoke 30 miles from his parent club Leicester , the other is at Boro who if they didn’t have Doak would be nowhere . Just shows what just one effective player can do .
What is good is that our legacy of two stints in the Prem and the Cup final have continued to remain on young players minds and recollections so it must help - that period was the best marketing we could have done - Acun gets great positive reports from Talksport with S Jordan like him or not it all helps .
Whatever you think of the job Rosie did, I find the claim that his sacking had no impact on the perception of the club, to be mildly ridiculous.
WE debate it, but I've never heard another pundit or football fan say anything other than it was a ridiculous decision.
That's your opinion and of course you're entitled to it, but from the agents, coaches and players etc I speak to from other clubs, the reputation hasn't changed. The loan signings of burns and rushworth also show clubs and players still trusted us. LR did a good job for us, but failing to hit the play offs with the squad he had was actually seen as a failure by a fair few people within football.
