I have just listened to this and I have to say it is fantastic!! The opening line really sets the tone for the honest, frank and jovial interview. He recognises the tricks from agents and knows that Watford will have to be strong. But he thinks we "operate in the right way" in how we deal with transfers. He is honest that we will have to see who is a Watford player come Feb 1st, but we will "have to see what the market presents" us. "Even Ronaldo went eventually" for a given amount!! Marv is "in the shop window" and people are "quite rightly" liking what they see. He feels Sordell should be "gracing the premiership" but people have to pay "true worth" for the player. He has enjoyed the transition from coach to manager, despite only having "9 regcognised first team players" and having brought in "£5,500,000 but only spending £1,000,000, due to the workings of the club". He reminds us that "Danny, Don and Will Buckley were 54% of our goals" and it is "a big bridge to build" but we are "on our way". He says that fans know that the club "works under strict guidlines" and that the club is honest about that. He also says there is a "great honesty" amoungst the players and they "work very hard". He says that "what we can't buy" in talent we try to "develop through the youth team", but we have to "get the balance right". He says that one of the things which is ingrained in the players is the "work ethic" and that no player "goes out there to play badly". Certainly not at Watford. "We have to work for what we have". He says "Mapps is a fantastic young man, a fantastic pro" and that Sordell is "learning to be a pro" and "learning the ugly side of the game" He says that he and the club are honest with the players and he will tell them that they are a Watford player, but if the right offer comes in then that may change. He asks for honesty from the players, and in return he is totally honest with them. Both Marvin and Adrian (and their agents) know how Dyche feels about them, but also how the values them, and at the moment its a "little more than the market suggests" He then goes on to talk about his time at Nottingham Forrest under Brian Clough. He says they were "interesting days which at the time was frightening but on reflection was inspirational. If he [Clough] said you played well you could not fit through the door, but if he said you played badly you walked into the room on a horse. He reminises about the time where Clough rang down to the booot room asking to get his hand made leather shoes cleaned and a young player answered the thing saying "hello, hello. Who's that?" You can then imagine the conversation which followed between the young player and the boss. He then bites Key's head off when (for the 2nd time) he calls Mariappa, Marlappa. Keys then shrugs it off "yeah that's him". That sums up the prat!! If you are going to do an interview do your f***ing research first!! They then go onto discuss the Chesterfield-Middlesbrough Semi-final. Sean scored a penalty to make it 0-2 to Chesterfield, but the match ended 3-3 after several refereeing blunders (http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-hewitt-keeps-the-chesterfield-dream-alive-1267030.html). He then talks about the rest of his playing career, where he played at Bristol City where he went to L*t*n on loan and enjoyed his time there (knew there was something wrong in his mind). He also mentions his back injury he suffered at City, and says he feels it was not treated properly. But Milwall stood by him when the injury struck again. Has anyone ever heard Dyche called "exhaust pipe"?? Apparently its his nickname in the press circles. Keys describes his voice as though he is talking through a cheese grater. Apparently Dyche's little boy, "whilst he is looking through his piggy bank" has a very similar gravel in his voice. He says he does not use the gravel in the voice, and Mitchell looks to intimidate, but people often make the misconception. He says he was a "big soft center back" No-one ever turn you back on the ball, according to himself he "goes mental" We will have to ask him. He thinks that goals could be stopped. On the topic of Friday, he thinks that its a "tough task but an enjoyable one". He admits that we might need the rub of the green a little and them to change their team and them have an off day, but if we play our best it will be good. The game is good for the club and the players, but they will enjoy learning the physical side of the game. He is well aware of the pressure on him and the challenge. He said he did not walk into the job with his eyes closed, and he could have walked away with MM, but he wanted the test. He says that the pressure he is under is nothing more than you would expect. His brother is a labourer working one day a week, he says that's real stress. He is working on the stress of good things, performance and being better and helping others to be better. He is enjoying his job, even with the challenges. The players are working so hard, and there is no lack of desire and hard work. GT is there to talk to even though he leaves the manager to manage as he sees fit.
A good summary Dan. One thing that was mentioned was that a defender, name forgotten, moved within the Championship for £5m. I feel sure that Watford are thinking about that sort of money when it comes to Aidy.
I believe you are talking about Matt Mills going from Reading to Leicester for £5.5mill. He is right to point that out. Mapps is one of the highest rated CBs in the championship atm, yet we are being rumoured to have been offered £2mill for him!! Its laughable!!!
I agree £2M is laughable, but I also think Reading were laughing when they got £5.5M for Matt Mills! I wish valuations were as easy as just comparing one player and one deal with another, but they are not. They are also a lot to do with the length remaining on the contract and the value of the contract, as well as how valuable the club perceive the player is to them, or who else is coming through (e.g. when we got Tony Coton it was because Birmingham had a young keeper called David Seaman coming through so they were happy to sell Coton). We have little coming through that could replace Mapps immediately, unless the club are considering the time is coming to blood Thompson in the middle, and Bas has already mentioned his value to us, so that is all good news. But Mapps only has 18 months on his contract which will reduce his valuation. Maybe Mills had a lot longer left? I wouldn't be surprised if somewhere above £3.5M was enough for us to accept, although I would be sorry to see him go.
£2m's a perfectly respectable opening offer. Not high enough for us to even think about, but I can't argue with a club opening negotiations at that sort of mark, especially when Graham went for £3.5m. If the opening offer was £700k on the other hand, I'd advocate taking a leaf out of Ken Bates' book. None of this namby pamby complaining in the media, just send the offending chief executive a gravestone. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...nited-chairman-Ken-Bates-trademark-blast.html (unlike many things you might read in the Daily Mail, I know for a fact that that happened)
