We are undoubtedly flying at the moment as a team, as a club. You can see that; not only in the play recently, but the celebrations (not the sweets smart arses!!) as well. I couldn't say i've seen a better spirit in the side than i do now, to which the whole footballing staff must take plaudits. We seem physiologically at ease being top, this i recon is due to the Premiership mentality of some of the players and the wide eyed fun of the newcomers like Clucas, who probably can't believe it, so unlike Brighton and others in the past, i don't think it will be a millstone for us, it could just keep geeing us on as the players EXPECT to be the best.... all this is flipping marvelous, however.....it means players are on other clubs, bigger clubs possibly, radar...so how important is it then to have created a gap between 1st and 3rd come the window ???? Could this be the key to how many we actually keep ???
It's not just a question of who we should keep but who we could add. QPR will risk losing Charlie Austin for free next summer unless they get £8m for him in January http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/footb...arlie-austin-6807379#rlabs=28 rt$sitewide p$7 The Hoops turned down offers for their England striker in the summer but Bournemouth are now leading the chase for the winter window QPR are prepared to risk losing Charlie Austin for nothing next summer unless they get at least £8million for him in January. Bournemouth — desperate for a new striker to help them stay in the Premier League — have already made an approach to the Hoops for the 26-year-old marksman. Eddie Howe has star man Callum Wilson out for the rest of the season and sees Austin — who used to play non-League for nearby Poole Town before rising through the footballing ranks to reach the Englan squad — as an ideal replacement. Championship Rangers, however, are determined not to let Austin go cheaply, despite the fact that he will have only six months left on his contract. Austin would play a significant part in a hoped-for promotion bid, in which case QPR feel the gamble on his price-tag would have paid off. The former Burnley and Swindon striker has so far scored seven goals in 12 appearances with Rangers sitting 13th — nine points off the play-off places. The currently managerless West Londoners have already held internal talks and will stick to their guns over the striker’s value as he has proven his ability to perform in the Premier League.
You have probably answered your own question in your words I've highlighted. The belief is there, the team spirit is there. All squad members want to play in the top league and most likely any offers from above will only come from teams who will be fighting for relegation from the premier league. Unless we have a major collapse (lose 5 or worse out of the next 8 games) between now and the opening of the window, why would any member of our squad want to move. We've just beaten 'Boro, 'Brum and outplayed Leicester in the last 2 weeks at home, plus won 2 potential banana skins away in the same 2 weeks. Unless an absurd offer comes in (both transfer fee and inflated personal contract offers), I don't believe any player will WANT TO move from a club that surely will be in the top 6 come Jan 1 (just look at the fixtures between now and then - can you see us getting less than 14 points from the 24 available and not be in the top 6 ?)
Who would you add though? Aside from a proper out and out left back as cover we have depth in every position. Even Jakupovic is looking confident this season. With Dio, Snodgrass and Davies to come back in, do we really need to even think about spending money? We haven't bothered using the loan window at all and unless we get some freak injuries or a big hitter leaves, I can't see us really bothering in January at all. Which will no doubt piss some people off, as there seem to be a lot of fans who get annoyed if we aren't signing 2 players a week during a transfer window. This being said, however, I'd like to see us continue our search in non-league for potential prospects to add to our youth/development squads.
I think Austin would be a good buy at £8 million in January as first a guarantee of promotion and second as a proven Premier League striker .
We've got the spine of a good PL team now! If we go up? We can afford to have another good keeper! We need another left back and a striker! SB can leave his phone on silent in Jan for me!
Playing devils advocat, it may depend on who comes in for our players, at present Dawson, Robertson, Livermore, Elmo, and to a lesser extent Thudd and Hernandez may have their heads turned with offers for upper to mid table Premier league teams. All but Thudd and Elmo have shown performance levels that would add to a mid Prem League team (in Hernandez case this may be an Italian club), Thudd aint getting the game time he probably thinks he deserves/ needs, and Elmo nearly had his head turned during the last window by the rumours that came out. Don`t get me wrong I`d love to see them all stay, but I wonder !
Any of the bottom ten teams would be mad not to look at our players and I imagine a fair few have already been scouted. However, the ball is in our court and we have the final say. If our players decide to stay, they can be safe in the knowledge that with their help they'll be back in the top division in 6 months anyway, along with any pay rises they'll get.
I like your sentiment, however we all know if players heads are turned the likelihood will be they get on their bike and off they go, the days of the clubs holding all the cards seems to have changed in recent years, especially if as said in my original statement the club is upper to mid table.
Even if we do go up, promotion isn't much use to someone's wages when they are out of contract (particularly if they are not deemed worthy of making the step up).
I can't see any of our players attracting "upper to mid table Premier league teams". The best they will do is sign for a "lower Premier League team" and risk relegation in the summer. Their best bet is going up with City. I think many will look at Chester and Brady and see the risks.
I also like the sentiment, however, they all have release clauses so the ball is actually in the court of the players and any club that wants to trigger a clause in order to open a conversation.
If a player's release clause is triggered than that's good news for us as most release clauses are much higher than what we paid. As has been said already, it depends entirely on who it is that's triggered it. The clause just means we have to accept the bid and the other club has the chance to speak to the player, it doesn't mean the player has to go anywhere. I can't imagine somebody like Diame taking off to Villa if they're ten points from safety on January 1st.
This is exactly the point that determines how players feel they are valued; all to often we hear a player give his reason for leaving as being another manager told him how he rated him, how he would fit him in and how much the club would benefit from having him. They rarely speak of money, even though it might, but not always, be a factor. Not negotiating new terms might seem clever, but I really don't think it is. This all sounds very neat, very cut and dried, but is it? Derby looked a cert last year, but they are still here. As for Crystal Palace and Leicester on Jan 1st 2014, say no more; will players wait to see who changes gear by Jan 31st 2015, as did Palace? I doubt it's as simple as you seem to think; I think the players have far more confidence in themselves than you have in them and the extra dosh won't go amiss either.
Those players who's contracts run out at the end of the season can speak to other clubs in January , hudds, Davis, and elmo I think are three. I've a feeling Southampton will come in for Roberson and or clucas
Bloody iPhone !!!! Those players who's contracts run out at the end of the season can speak to other clubs in January , hudds, Davis, and elmo I think are three. I've a feeling Southampton will come in for Roberson and or clucas
