We have a whole recruitment team, you think Tan ignored them and signed anyone who offered him a backhander?
I wanted Giles to work, I thought he was a great signing last season and even when he has lacked application this season, I thought he would come good. He was absolutely superb for Middlesbrough a couple of years ago and I thought we would eventually see some of that. But even I’ve lost the faith now. He plays as though he is too good for this level of football, that he is so good he only needs to play at 75%. He was clearly instructed to play it long to Longman in the first half but kept rolling down the line and giving it to their player. I felt sorry for Longman, Giles was making him look a mug. Does he think he’s a Premier League player and he’s currently resting at Hull ahead of his inevitable return? Cos right now his next move is back to Shrewsbury Town, not a promoted PL club.
Yes. Absolutely i do. Or are you suggesting this 'whole recruitment team' thought these players were championship level? He had the final say, did the final negotiations and then got Acun to sign off. That is exactly how it worked. Acun sacked him without comment for a reason. It wasn't because the Apple Crumble and custard ran out in the East Stand.
Acun is not a regular owner type though, he started as a sport journalist of Besiktas where he became successful due to his close relationship with star players, especially Sergen and Amokachi. He then built his media empire thanks to football, his Tv shows got highest views when Ronaldinho or Terim showed up, Sergen Yalcin was a jury in his talent show. He is close friends with Emre Belozoglu, Okan Buruk (there are other connections between that I don't want to mention) and also from next generation Arda Turan and Mesut Ozil and they constantly visit his shows. So he likes connection with players and agents, works for him multiple ways.
I'm sure he does and has made some great signings based on those connections. Tufan for example. I just know he didn't get involved with plenty of others. He has been a fool but hopefully has learnt from it and we can clear out, rebuild for next year and come back from league one stronger with this manager who does seem to have passion and a decent reputation.
4 points out of the last 39 (I think that's right?) is absolutely shocking!! But our defeats have mostly been very slim margins. Not getting stuffed. Injuries barring, we will likely improve as the next few weeks go by under Selles and start picking up points (you would think and have to believe). Pedro is transformed. Alzate is getting closer to match fitness. Jones likely back next week. Burstow has shown he has something about him. Hopefully Simons is back too, not a game changer but atm we need him as an option. Then in January we will strengthen where needed. Not enough to transform us, but at least enough to pull away from the likes of Oxford, Portsmouth, Plymouth, Cardiff. Then we strengthen again in summer under Selles and Dublin. I am concerned, of course I am. But I said the next few weeks under Selles are going to be difficult, no quick fix, and so it's proving. I'm still of the opinion we will stay up and get back on track. It feels to me like Acun has learnt hard lessons. .... and just wait until Sinik pulls on the shirt once more
There are quite a few on here who believe we are the only club going to strengthen in January. Those mentioned in other posts are just as likely to try to strengthen to avoid relegation.
Why should we need to strengthen when we have just assembled a whole new squad? Why does alzate need to get to match fitness when he’s been here since September?
And those above us are quite rightly better prospects to sign for right now. We've won the lowest amount of games and lost the most. With the least points. Why would they decide to come here now? Why? Why not Oxford, Cov, Swansea, Norwich? What would attract anybody here? Atleast before we had a upward trajectory and not just a depressing place to live. Now we have a depressing place to live with nothing here and a football club drifting ever backwards....What if anything is attractive?
Some really good comments on here in the last few hours which I've enjoyed reading. (cf. the bickering nonsense that some threads descend into). Alarming though as it's obvious things have gone tits up in the last half year for the club. The objective is now very short term: not get relegated. Only then can we reset and look at getting progress back on track. Hopefully Selles has had his eyes opened in the last few games. Hopefully he's seen that there is a player in particular who should never wear the shirt again. Hopefully he's seen that there's a loyal and likeable player who needs a break. Hopefully he's seen that he needs to sign a 'thou shalt not pass' hard as nails mofo for the midfield. We can get out of this mess. There's time. There's plenty of poor teams in this division who, alongside us, could easily be relegated. It needs leaders now. Blokes who will be bloody-minded enough to not give in. Not be defeated. Inspire others. Go above and beyond. Care. Snarl. Put their body on the line. Believe. Not give up. Enjoy the challenge. Have we got that type of player?
That’s my slight worry about the ‘Brains Team’ targeting young players in January, possibly from abroad. We need to bolster the squad with Championship experienced players in my opinion. I just don’t think we’ll be relegation battle ready if we don’t.
Fair questions but that's now history. We are where we are. Millar's and Belloumi's injuries have hit us hard. Giles has now proved he's a waste of space for us. For some unknown reasons, we built a squad bereft of goals right across it, full of short arses and still lacking real pace, physicality, leaders. We didn't add the DCM we need. Etc etc. It shouldn't have been the case given that we brought in 17 players to supposedly build on what we had left, but it is. Re. Alzate. He signed late, hadn't had a proper pre-season, got his match fitness somewhere near then got injured. Rinse, repeat
I have just spoken to a friend of mine who is a Middlesbrough fan and a big friend of John Hendrie. They travel and watch matches together. Seems that interest in Giles still exists. They seem to think they might get him on the cheap. I think id br saying to them we'll take Isaiah Jones and £1 million and you have a deal.
He can't go to Boro, when we next played them pearl clutchers on here would have nightmares about the abuse he receives. The views expressed in my posts are not necessarily mine.
If we can get anything for Giles, take it. He's possibly the worst footballer we've had at the club since our flirtations with the Premier League. No? Name one worse. Edit: that's a permanent signing. You're not having Ebiowei.
I admire your optimism. But a transformation from a man standing around and occasionally falling over, to a man jogging around largely in the wrong direction and falling over more regularly, is perhaps not at the top of our need list. I exaggerate for effect, he is proving more mobile now. But he is way short of what we need, outside the confines of the six yard box.
