Will Buckley being the perfect example of what Aberdeen just said. We lost our nerve in selling him this summer, but we made a healthy profit, and even Brighton have got a player with more potential than they paid for.
From the website... Although he's wearing number 31 kit, this squad number - and all the others for existing players - are yet to be finalised.
Odd signing, a released player from a relegated club that conceded 87 goals last year. At 26 he doesn't fit the model of developing and selling on and as a big lump (if memory serves me right) wouldn't be an obvious partner for Taylor. Looks like Dyche may have bought a player in his own image as his first signing! Lets hope for some more encouraging business this week.
I think all of us would like to go for bigger-name players, but we just simply cannot afford to. Look where it has got us the last couple of times though.... At the moment, we are still suffering, wth a large debt over our head. We need to get that down before we can 'splash the cash'! Of course we all want to compete - but at the moment, I think most fans just want us to survive all the changes, and would be very happy with mid-table.... and hopefully kick on in the near future!
Fair point but I think we've got enough youngsters in the squad.and we don't just want to sign players who we have to move on a year or so later to as 46 yearold Hornet says to progress. Suspect we will be looking for more experienced but cheapish signings to add depth.
Well said Bucks ! Give me 4th from bottom of this league for this season , I would take it! sure GT ,SD and uncle Baz would too! Also worth adding that whilst we have had our insular problems recently, dont forget we are not the only skint club around, a lot of clubs are going to catch a cold when the new regs come in and we are further down the road of self sustainability then many! Clubs like Cardiff and brum have big debt compared to us and if there sugar daddies got bored and left them , they would be in a leeds style problem!
Despite never having seen the latter, I think Sean Dyche and Craig Forsyth are very different players. And they look a little different too.
I would have disagree 46YH, personally I would rather spend some years in League 1 than gamble with the very existence of the club.
When we talk of Premiership or Championship quality I think that all the way down to Div 2 all the strikers can score, the midfielders either tackle, pass & run and the defenders block and mark but the higher up the league you go the players do their jobs more consistantly and at a faster pace. But also the players around them have a big affect. It's hard to be a great defender in a poor defence or a great stricker with no service. This is all stating the bleeding obvious but always worth remembering when we think about new arrivals.
You don't remember Dychey's tricky runs down the left wing then NNW? ;-) Mirfin is the first signing that Dyche has initiated.
I'm happy with this signing. I liked the look of Mirfin years ago when he was getting a reputation at Huddersfield. There was talk then of him becoming a Premiership defender. I don't think it's fair to say that because he played for an unfashionable side which went down that he's not up to it. Plenty of good defenders have played in bad sides: for example, Dann and Johnson for Birmingham are good players, and Martin Taylor did well last season in spite of our goals against column. Mirfin's a good age and seems determined to fight for a place here. That's exactly what I hope happens, i.e. I don't think he should walk into the starting eleven as of right. It would be a great shame if he's been signed as a replacement for any of our current defenders. I don't think any of us expected us to sign a centre back but, given we're light on numbers, reinforcements in any position are welcome.
I agree with a lot of what you say, but have to acknowledge our circumstance. When I look at the ground I think 3rd division, and for sure we are playing above our level. When you look at the clubs who are overtaking us (Brighton as an example), it is clear we are nowhere near the "top 30" club we were 10 years ago. We have to continue to defy the odds each and every season, otherwise we are "doomed". Wasn't it a Scotsman who said that!!!! I blame the Scots for 67, 75 and 1977!
Eleven Danny Grahams will do for me though obviously with ability in all positions. So I'll stick to looking in the 100 to 500k window.
Im actually happy with the signing. Dyche has seen that the defence does need some work seen as we were pretty poor as a back 5 last year. Good to have some more competition for places aswell,means complaceny can't become an issue given Marriappa and Taylor were both guarenteed starters last year. However i was impressed with them both last season a bit of competition now might spur them on to better next season! Left back is still an issue but im sure Dyche will sort this. Players only began ball work and had 1st day proper of pre season today,so id expect more signings in the next 10 days..don't think Dyche will want anyone to miss out on to much of the pre-season with us. Good to see that this is a 'Dyche' signing aswell and not one that the jock had earmarked. I think there will be more positive news to come and hopefully we will get some players in now for positions that do need stregthening i.e the WHOLE left hand side...yes a new winger as well as a LB would be good! And time to get DG replaced! Onwards and Upwards fellow Horns!
Never a bad thing to get back-up/competition to our defence, who aren't exactly solid anyway. He's not costing us anything and he's coming from the only club to have a lower budget last season, so his wages won't be too huge. We'll need experience where we can get it, so this is good news. Well done Dyche, let's hope for more this week.
Indirectly, I suppose this also increases the competition for Doyley, Hodson and the new left back assuming he arrives. Having a third first team centre back makes putting Mariappa at full back a realistic option if those players aren't performing.
