I live among them - 'mudrats' has been a la mode for several years; 'still in our shadow' and 'we piss on your fish' is a nice retort that usually gets them spitting.
Problem being most teams already have more first team players than us. We usually have a paper thin squad once the window has closed.
We've lost Marshall Campbell and Evandro I think. And I don't really count him as he never played. Same with Keane and Mazuch. Fleming McKenzie and Batty have another years experience in them. Well get a few loans in right at the end A centre back and what else as permanents??
Scunthorpe and Grimsby would regularly be on our forums in the early noughties calling us Mudrats and Codheads . Really though , did I care , no.
Left back/right back/centre half. 1 winger depends what happens with Bowen/Grosicki May need 3. Striker to play in that 4-3-3 (Leon Clarke was linked he would work in that position) Midfielder depending what happens with Henriksen. That covers most bases.
I doubt we will be getting a right or left back Kingsley Lichaj first choice Mckenzie Fleming back up Definitely a centre half Surely eaves is the centre forward With dicko unfortunately as back up
We have been ‘linked’ with other players for key positions. Tafazolli is hopefully the centre half addition/cover. We know from last season Burke and De Wijs are injury prone so cover is essential. We also know players are up for sale - so if they go they need replacing. Dicko cannot play that Eaves role - Dicko could play in a 4-4-2 with Eaves - but we know Terry doesn’t play 4-4-2. It will be one striker with a winger either side. Dicko would almost be better off going out on loan to a club that will play a system that suits him.
Hull City have placed a £4m price-tag on Kamil Grosicki as they adopt a firm stance over the winger’s future in the closing weeks of the transfer window. Grosicki has returned to the City camp this week following an extended summer break and yesterday formed part of a side that beat Grimsby Town 3-0 in a behind-closed-doors friendly. It is understood City have told any potential suitors it will take a £4m bid to lure Grosicki away from the KCOM Stadium, an approach that is likely to dampen any interest in the Poland international. As yet, with just over three weeks of the window remaining, the Tigers have not fielded any firm enquiries for Grosicki. The experienced winger is City’s highest earner on a deal worth in the region of £25,000 a week and is now in the final 12 months of his current contract.
Though some were certainly bit part players, the players we've lost actually made 228 Championship appearances between them last season - Marshall 44, Mazuch 6, Evandro 23, Pugh 14, Kane 39, Keane 8, Campbell 39, Martin 30, Elphick 18 and Ridgewell 7.
4 million for Grosicki is surely peanuts in today’s market. Probably his wages that would scupper a move.
And we’ll get a few loans in again like last time. But id query those stats tbh I suppose sub appearances maybe in martins case. Did Evandro really play half a season?? I doubt it
I bet his wages are peanuts in today’s market. He’d be an excellent buy for any of the cash rich and spending clubs in the division looking for promotion.
Seems a bit strange that we haven't heard of firm interest in our 'assets' of Bowen .. Grosicki .. and dare I say it Henriksen. I'm sure we will lose at least one of those 3 by the end .. although I do believe at least 1 will be still here. I'm also a little surprised that no one has come in for Batty .. young lad had a great first season and has shown a lot of potential.
PSG have rejected a £40m bid plus Ivan Rakitic and Philippe Coutinho from Barcelona for Neymar. [L'Equipe]