I've read on the Pink Un that we are planning to make an offer for Hooper and break the wage structure in doing so. Do people believe this is true? Do they think it's a good idea?
I'm quite happy for us to sign him and Graham. Holt, Hooper and Graham would be a really good strikeforce and we could offload Morison and Jackson.
We have to break the wage structure to improve the team and attract a higher calibre of player. I am not sure whether Hooper would be my first choice though. I seriously would wait until end of the season and look abroad.
I am pretty much dead set against going British, but I don't mind us going for him because of his age and he's done it in the Championship which is a far better guide than the Mickey Mouse League. Plus Holt is getting on and he might be a good alternative as he dwindles.
Not Giovanni dos Slobadonovic Sanchez or some other such luxurious sounding moniker mate? Happy signing two English players? You're changing your tune old boy No seriously, if I could pick one player to sign this window (realistically of course) it would be Graham without a doubt. I really like him, see him as a very similar player to Holt and could be the natural successor and an absolute legend at the club. It won't happen though, Swans would be mad to let him go and if he did want out then I'm imagine it would be for more personal reasons, like wanting to be "nearer home" for example. With Newcastle and Sunderland sniffing and both in desperate need of goals we wouldn't have a chance of competing. He'll be in the England squad before the end of the season
I think it would benefit us more going abroad in the summer, better value for money for a start. Although there is a greater element of risk. I think we can survive this season with our current strikeforce which is why I would wait. If we looked like we were going down than I probably would go for Hooper or Graham. I don't think I would go abroad in January, they rarely just hit the ground running straightaway, there are exceptions like Papiss Cisse and Arshavin though. I agree with your points Munky, especially about him going Sunderland or Newcastle. I can't really see him coming here with those two sniffing.
January is not the time to break the wage structure, its when desperate team's make gambles either to get out of the relegation zone or into Europe. A review of the wage system will be pretty much demanded with the extra sky money and it should be the result of a thorough business plan. Talk of signing 2 strikers and "offloading" Morison and Jackson at this juncture is silly, a more long term look at the strikers at the club is a job for the close season. One or two clever bits of business may happen in january, like the Howson deal, yes we only bought him out of 6 months of contract but we'd have been unlikely to get him on the free. Up top we do look a little light but we also have midfielders and defenders chipping in with goals. If a deal for Hooper or graham or anyone really makes good sense and the numbers all work with the current plan then I'm sure McNally will make it happen if it dosen't there no way he will start throwing money at a problem that would benefit more from a more emotionless and risky position in the close season.
I'm with Bath on this /\ Breaking the wage policy in Jan is a last resort. Would have a knock on effect to other players and new contract / wage increase demands from others in the squad. I'd say with the new Sky contract coming into effect next season we'll see some changes to that policy in the summer. I'll not be upset if we don't secure new faces this month. I think we have the capability in the current squad to survive. I do however expect to be surprised by a signing coming out of left field that no one has considered. Seems to be the way it works.
Could get a loan striker on a view to a permanent in the summer... or Martin seems to have scored a few, train him as a striker?
No guarantees that any striker would be worth breaking the bank or structure for. Apart from scoring a few more, Holt can't do any more than he is doing and I don't think anyone else could either. He is going to want to play every game now he'smissed a ew and I wouldn't be surprised to see him come back all guns blazing, provided we give him the service.
should we break the wage structure to sign hooper? good question. it all depends on how much we are breaking it by! mcnally constantly states there is no definitive wage cap within the club. naturally, there is a limit to which we can go without a) screwing the finances up and b) pissing all the other players off, but i believe the press-quoted £30k a week is probably too much, baring in mind our next highest earner is on around £22k. is hooper worth £30k a week? not in my opinion, but he would improve our strike force and to improve our strike force, realistically, unless we are extremely canny and find a little gem somewhere, we are going to have to pay more money to get a decent forward. i don't think the fee would be an issue for the club - we have a kitty and i think with his deal running out in 18 months and him categorically stating he will not sign a new one, celtic may feel a bid of around £6m is enough to tempt them. that's big money for us, but it would give us a fabulous shot at survival this season (assuming he stayed fit) because he will score goals. he won't be anywhere near as prolific as he is in scotland but give him a chance and he'll take it. he probably also feels that to have any chance of representing england, playing in the premier league is the way forward. will we get him? not sure, probably not if i'm being totally honest, but i hope i'm wrong. we shall see...
We're going to have to break our wage structure eventually, though not convinced now is the time to do it. Quite happy for Moro to leave, but keep Jackson, as he stil has a role to play I feel.
if we feel we have enough to stay up without hooper, then its irrelevant about timing in my opinion. if he's available and we can afford him, we buy him. we shouldn't rest on our laurels just cos we feel we're ok this season with or without him - we should nail it and push on.
Hmm, not so sure we do have enough up front to stay up, especially if Holt gets injured again. I said that Holt wouldn't get to double figures this season and because of the way Hughton sets his teams up, I stand by that. Providing a relegation clause is written into the contract of any player we sign, we should go for it IMO
we need to break it at some point to get to the 'next level', whatever that is defined as. although jan is not good value on the transfer fee front, you'd have thought it makes no diff to the summer in terms of wages. there is no room to be sentimental in this league, albeit they would need to manage it carefully (with the rest of the dressing room).
the key to moving up the league, getting to the 'next level', is doing it slowly and edging forward as a club rather than trying to compete immediately. by edging the wages up slowly it reduces the chance of financial meltdown in the future but also means we can purchase a slightly better standard of player each season. i'm guessing we could comfortably go to £30k a week next season but if we then signed someone on £50k a week we'd jeopardise all the clubs hard work. this tactic of course requires patience - something many fans do not possess - but if they want to have a club who perform better than they currently do but also keep on doing it rather than do well for two or three years and then flop, that's the only option as far as i see it.
agreed supers, a la stoke / WBA. if you have a wealthy benefactor you can do it quicker, but with greater risk of stability within the club
west brom are a good example. their owner is the stingiest bastard on planet football yet you'd never know it by their league position and squad of players
