Silly season is upon us, and as targets (real or imagined) make the media, I'm curious: what appetite do you have for risk in this transfer window? Over the summer, we certainly gambled; of our eight acquisitions, including Boruc, only one had previous Premier League experience, and six were 23 or younger. Some paid off; Clyne made the step up so effortlessly that his age seemed immaterial. Others have shown the talent and varying degrees of success, while a couple have shown only that they're some distance from being contributors. Obviously, we'll bring in a variety, but what should be the focus? Add experience to a rather youthful squad to push for immediate results, but potentially place ourselves on the mid-table treadmill? Blow the wad on a couple established top-quality players...and alter our wage structure to fit? Or roll the dice on young talent again knowing that the cost of getting it wrong could be more than just financial? While this kinda demands a poll, there will be no poll, because screw polls.
I was thinking about this with the Insigne "rumour", and realised I'd much rather safe players just because of the hassle that comes with fans getting on the back of risky purchases that don't come off. That said, I'd get irritated if we brought in a bunch of "solid" older players (much like Steven Davis) because we wouldn't grow that way (for the record, I like Steven Davis, I just don't want 11 of him). So I want young players who are already good enough to play and are risk free and will only get better. Not too much to ask, right?
I'm getting a little uncomfortable with the amount of Serie A players being linked to us. I know there are good players over there, and we have an Italian connection, but it seems really naive to focus so much on scouting one country and ignore others, especially as the style of football in Italy is so different to that in England. If our summer signings consist of Astori, Nainggolan, Insigne and Alvarez I'll be pretty annoyed. I'm really hoping that it's just lazy journalism that's resulting in this unbalanced proportion of player rumours being from Serie A.
Yeah, it was the Insigne rumour that prompted the same thing with me, and thus this thread. Honestly not sure, especially as there's uncertainty even within those narrow bands...a cheap, solid pro could be Michu, the veteran on a free transfer (but high wages) could be Bosingwa.
It's a good question. Obviously we don't know everything that goes on at the club but from the rumours that we do hear I slightly worry that Cortese focuses too much on chasing "statement" signings.
Saying that Joe, if the press said about EVERY player we were watching, there'd be a huge list. It's probably the lazy journalism if we're being sensible. I wouldn't be surprised that with the South American element in our coaching staff, there may be a few players from that region that we were looking at, hence the Frickson Erazo rumour.
I trust the set up we have to go for who we need to improve us. If that means two big ones or four/five medium ones, then so be it.
Trouble is in reality opinions vary so much as to what players would and would not fit into our style of play it has got to be nigh on impossible to get it right with every player we acquire. Some no matter what league they come from...(that is from the equivalent of the premier) will take to our current way of playing football like duck to water. Some will struggle and take a bit of time (Ramirez) others will just not make it. So perhaps a bit hit or miss at times. Guess that is why they should be very careful with the purchases.
There are some decent players at teams such as Lyon where good players may be available, such as Dejan Lovren a quality centre back.
I think our transfer policy is likely to involve an element of risk as we are probably going to go for the younger players who can come on sensible wages, and whose value has probably not peaked. Ignoring the risk, it's a lot more exciting than West Ham's policy, they know pretty much what they are getting with most of their signings.
There's also a certain satisfaction about getting a decent but unproven player with the right attitude and getting the best out of them. I think a lot of players in our team shine because they play for Southampton...and I think they will stay with us because they are aware of it. I prefer this to buying a player who is already the finished article...may be good enough, but has nowhere to go.
Agreed, it's for this reason I don't get the hysteria in some circles over Morgan leaving in the summer, I just can't see it. If there is one player who seems to have fully bought into what Cortese is trying to do, it's him. Every time he goes on that pitch you can see the passion in him and he seems a very intelligent young chap, he knows he can afford to give it a go here and he seems genuinely grateful for the faith that has been put in him.
Fact is you can buy ten prospects for the price of one or two proven stars. If only half of them turn out to be successful you're still well ahead. That's the strategy we've generally seen from the club (adding experience when the price is right), and I see no reason to think that will change.
Plus the club has to be realistic in terms of players we can attract. Take Insigne and whilst I'm prepared to be proven wrong its unlikely a player will forgo Champions League football & regular football in a top European league to come to us. So that leaves us with players on the way down or those with Potential to go up. I'd like to see us carry on with players on the rise who are hungry to impress.
Buying an established player or experienced player does not always guarantee success........Torres is a good example of this. Once an outstanding payer now a good player still but showing nothing of his previous form. (You notice I did not go down the Andy Caroll route that would lead to a discussion just on him!) So buying young for us at least is the right policy in my view. Unless that is you can afford the likes of Van Persie and co.......
I bet QPR staff and fans alike thought they had a dependable acquisition in Bosingwa. Turns out he could be depended on to do absolutely hee haw for the team or club whilst being perfectly content to pocket his cash and smile at relegation.
