OMG. sometimes I shake my head at the negativity we can throw around. Let's give Nigel a chance and unless he balls up and gets us relegated..... in Nigel we must trust
Personally I don't rate Agger. And for every Torres there is a Kyrgiakos, Aquilani, Keane, Ryan Babel, Glen Johnson, Albert Riera, Andrea Dossena, Lucas, Jermaine Pennant, Martin Skrtel, the list goes on. All I know is that very few Benitez signings markedly improved the side. Especially true after they gave him complete control of transfers in 2007.
Adkins was given no real budget in January. His job was to sure up the squad for promotion and Chaplow, Guly & Forte all played important roles in gaining us wins. It's true he has never been given a budget before, but until he actually makes a bad signing there is nothing to criticise, but at least in Cork we're being linked to the right type of player.
In truth guys and gals he hasn't gone out to actually buy someone outright. He has had a chance to look at them on loan first. This time is the first time he can actually make a decision based on opinion rather than seeing them already playing in a Saints shirt. Lets just see if he has the guts to make that type of decision or whether he will bottle it. It kind of surprised me that he didn't do more in the January window although perhaps it was understandable with the inflated prices being bandied around. This is the first time and real opportunity, for him to show his metal and for NC to show his intent. If they try and do things on the cheap, bearing in mind where we started, they and the team will struggle. Hence my original question!!
Yes this was a thread a couple of days ago but it is closed and I am unsure how or why this is the case! The suggestion that Adkins may not know how to spend big - by his previous budget's standards - money seems daft to me on several levels. 1. You don't choose players based on their cost. You choose players that you feel can add value to your squad, are available or willing/allowed to listen to you, and then see if they fit into financial plans appropriately. The issue is therefore about identifying talent and/or personality in order to find a fit and is not about money. We are likely to be able to afford a very big salary or two but I doubt we'll pay them as this would rock the boat with existing players. 2. Suggestions that Adkins has not spent wisely to date seem to ignore the fact that he inherited the best squad in the division and therefore only needed back-up players at key stages. The way you assess how well these back-up signings performed is by looking back at results at the end of the season. Does anyone want to suggest that our run in was in any way below expectations? 3. Suggestions that players are far more likely to sign for previous stars like Keegan and Souness may have some substance. But how many of those are managing in the Championship or League One for that matter? I would say that players are far more likely to be attracted to a slick set up coupled with ambition and a bit of pedigree. In that case, we will be among the most attractive destinations for prospective talent in the division! 4. How on earth can you criticise the guy that's just got us promoted in scintillating style? Rant over.....
Sorry guys and gals for some reason I accidentally closed this thread and I have no Idea how I did it. It is now back open.
Hotbovril I posted something similar myself earlier because I can't understand some people's mentality. We have just got promoted with an incredible run in and some want to criticise Adkins transfer ability when he has little opportunity to spend so far. It's as if they are looking for something to moan about, what are they going to do when things get difficult?
Over the last two seasons we have tried to recruit players who are not only good enough for our league position at the time (L1), but would be strong enough to be part of a Championship team, I am fairly certain that this time around we want players who are not just Champ level but would be able to carry on into the Prem. However whereas we were pretty much expected to make promotion last season, this season will be a lot tougher and promotion is very far from being a liklihood (despite any bookies odds) So attracting the right quality players will be correspondingly tougher. Adkins and Cortese will also be trying to balance the wage bill with the transfer budget, and at a guess they will be happier to put money into wages than into transfers, so I suspect there will be a few free transfers/loan deals rather than big money signings. Personally I think thats a better way to go. Adkins will be in the market for a better class of player than he was on his last spell in the Champ with Scunny so it is a level that he hasn't operated at before, in that sense he is unproven but I for one have confidence in him.
hotbovril.......you have some valid points. However you have not actually, in my eyes, perhaps understood what I was getting at in the threads title. All the things you say are true but it was not my intention to criticise him. You do have to admit at what ever level he has managed he has not had to go out looking for players perhaps valued in the millions. I am not saying he is looking for that type of player now. However it is a possibility and no matter how you look at it it is cutting new ground for him. Non of us know who he has targeted, if any. It is true from his own interviews though that he intends to bring a few players in. Whether he plays safe and brings in players he is used to dealing with or whether he ventures into what for him personally, is an unknown quantity. Only time will tell and others saying that NC will keep an eye on the valuation side is not making to much sense as he too is fairly new to the game. That is not meant as a criticism to either just stating a fact. Again to be fair whatever transfer NC and NA have got involved in in the main has worked out. Now they have to step up a level or two and that is not an easy task.
The proof ladies and gentleman, will only be in the eating, or the pudding there in... or whatever! I am looking forward to seeing who Mr Adkins brings on to this bus, and will hold any judgements back until they have had chance to prove themselves. This would be a good thread to have in December when we are about to embark on another transfer window and we would have had 4 months of seeing what the summer signings have done. If we are in the bottom three and struggling, some questions can be made. If we are mid table and no new signings have held down a first team place, we can praise the team and question the new signings If we are in the top 8, then whooppeee!
It's not so much the title Beddy as the responses some people have posted! You're just kicking the chat off. It's some of the chat I take issue with! Criticising someone before they've even had an opportunity is bonkers.
I am not at all concerned. It seems to me that NC and NA have been able to manage the players they have, and get together a team with the right "together on the bus" mindset and an ambition to get better. The budget may allow them to attract a more skilled player, but unless said players has the basic attitude that's right for Saints, then they will not be signed, or get selected if they are. The signings so far were only back ups and they have shown no lack of desire to play. Let's keep the faith.
Nigel has a proven track record of producing teams that play for each other on a low budget (in his previous incarnation). Doesn't matter what they cost, he will still be able to recognise a good player when he sees one. I don't think there are any managers that don't make mistakes. Every team has probably got players that have scarcely played since they were bought. The difference is that in past if NA spent his pittance he had to live with it, but with our squad he can sign someone and not use them if he doesn't want to. Nicola may not like it, but not every purchase works out.
I agree that Nigel has such a history, but then the requirements then were not as great as they are now. As good as he has been he must know that survival will not be sufficient. Only by bringing in the required standard of player will he ease any worried frowns on our furrowed brows.
Gambling on promotion by throwing big money aroud on very high profile players isn't Adkins' or Cortese's style. There will be several clubs doing it and someone has to lose out. What we've got is pretty decent already, so what we really need is young and talented players with room to improve and become valuable members of our team. They don't necessarily nead to be proven, a strong first 11 can be selcted from what we already have, so we only really need backups. They have the freedom to prove themselves if they have talent and the right attitude, which they will have if the scouts are doing their job. Cork is quality and reasonably priced, its why we're interested. He's young and his wage demands can't be crazy either. He'd presumably be more than backup if he signed, but you can't overlook players like him when they become available. The last thing we want though is another Puncheon, who thinks he's better than he is and believes he has a divine right to be the first name on the teamsheet even when he's ****.
