S.A.F.C. - the future

  • Please bear with us on the new site integration and fixing any known bugs over the coming days. If you can not log in please try resetting your password and check your spam box. If you have tried these steps and are still struggling email [email protected] with your username/registered email address
  • Log in now to remove adverts - no adverts at all to registered members!
Not sure if anybody has posted this thought... but if Birmingham have any decent 16-18 year olds who don't want to risk seeing this B and C team idea through - then Speakman and Dodds must be in prime location to scoop them up.

Jude Bellingham's younger brother?
 
I was about to say this. He'd be the last to go out of the ones I listed, in my opinion. But this should be his last year as a player at this club. If he wants to keep playing then good for him, but I'd love it if he stayed with the club as a coach.

Maguire and Power, for me, whilst both have arguably been decent enough servants - I'd love to see both go ASAP. They completely represent the Stewart Donald era and I want Johnson to be able to build his team. I'd add Wyke and Grigg to the list but their contracts may prohibit it.

EDIT - just read an article which says Wyke's contract expires this summer as well. He's another one I'd add to this list of definitely leaving in 2021.

Maybe I'd add Grigg too. But that would mean zero goals from our forwards so far this season.
 
I mean, this might be harsh, but it may be a case of needs must. If we need space in the salary cap and there are no takers in January, there could be any number of them getting released, if the new owner is willing to pay them off.

But I'd suggest Graham, Grigg, McLaughlin, Flanagan, Matthews and Dobson are all vulnerable. It's telling that LJ wants to look at Patterson tonight.

One thing to bear in mind is that we have switched from three centre backs to two. And when you have a limited squad size, you need to get the balance right. So whilst we have had a shortage of CBs due to injury, I can see perhaps a defender being sacrificed for a midfielder.

You'd like to think Flanagan and Dobson would both have interested parties in January on a free or nominal fee.
You missed out O'Brien & Power
 
Yeah...I dont really know what im talking about tbh so I will shut up:emoticon-0102-bigsm

I think it is a valid point that you raise, we will have to get "inventive" to get some of these players off the books and clear space for new signings. Perhaps we could follow Derby's example and say that all the players we don't want are now coaches.
Before anyone says anything I'm not talking about a X9 / X10 bus:emoticon-0102-bigsm
 
Lee Johnson apparently just went into detail on talksport about his "long chat with Stewart Donald" who is a "great man who loves the club".

:emoticon-0108-speec

He did also say there were plans for investment that blew him away.


You must log in or register to see media

You must log in or register to see media
 
Last edited:
Lee Johnson apparently just went into detail on talksport about his "long chat with Stewart Donald" who is a "great man who loves the club".

:emoticon-0108-speec

He did also say there were plans for investment that blew him away.

You must log in or register to see media
Just heard all that totally bypassed the question of new money coming and just spoke about SD slightly worrying if I am honest
 
That's a long way from what I'm saying tbh mate.

Even the happiest clapper, which I'm not, has doubts and questions.. It's just that relentlessly making up 'facts' to fit a negative agenda isn't being cautious imo. People continually insisting they're right and that nothing will change, in the face of lots of things changing, isn't having doubts. The way Dreyfus is being portrayed as a gullible young kid, having his pants pulled down, is very poor imo.

Of course we all have doubts and questions about him but some people have already made the minds up before he's even arrived. At some point we all have to grit our teeth and risk having our fingers burned again. Otherwise this pessimism and lethargy, around the club, will persist imo.

I don't expect people to drop their guard but I'd rather not be told I'm a gullible fool being played, I'd prefer to make my own mind up. I haven't once praised Johnson, Speakman, Sartori, Dreyfus but neither have I condemned them ....

... I prefer to make up my own mind than be told what to think by people who already have.
For me personally I feel more optimistic than cautious but at the same time I understand som of the caution. However ther is some strongly pessimistic views that I find hard to believe and as Smug says some info being interpreted to uphold these views. Truth be known nobody really knows fully what is happening inside the club structure other than the people involved but because of the changes already made and they have been confirmed by the cub then I am fairly confident that SD is no longer pulling the strings and we have a change at our club. For that reason and the fact I think as a fan base we need to believe that change is good and even if LJ is not the man he can do nowhere than PP as at least he seems to have some kind of plan.
 
Lee Johnson apparently just went into detail on talksport about his "long chat with Stewart Donald" who is a "great man who loves the club".

:emoticon-0108-speec

He did also say there were plans for investment that blew him away.


You must log in or register to see media

You must log in or register to see media

That does sound a lot like Donald is leading a long term project rather than being booted out.

Obviously it's an abridged version of the story mind.

Personally, all that sounds great, investment, the academy, young players.

If that happens Mr Bobby could be the ****ing majority shareholder and I would be cool with it.
 
My main problem is why is he giving this interview before he can talk about the long term plans. Who gains from him giving this interview right now?

I'm not buying in to the conspiracy theories. I just want some clarity around this as we all do. If the club want to keep tight lipped about stuff, they should be keeping tight lipped. Not doing live interviews with talksport during the week.
 
Lee Johnson apparently just went into detail on talksport about his "long chat with Stewart Donald" who is a "great man who loves the club".

:emoticon-0108-speec

He did also say there were plans for investment that blew him away.


You must log in or register to see media

You must log in or register to see media

SD - "Please mention how great I am!"
 
I listened to the interview on talksport. Johnson was clear that the drive to get him in position was from Speakman and Rodwell. When asked about ownership he said that he had done his homework and had a chat with Donald, but again referred to the ownership group rather than specific names afterwards.

Reading between the lines he is Speakman's pick. It all happened so suddenly after Speakman arrived. Rodwell as CEO was part of the interview panel. Talking to Donald was instigated by Johnson who wanted to hear from the current owners (my guess) about ownership direction and plans directly. If so good on Johnson for doing his own checking. Obviously I could be wrong, but that is my take on it.