Hmmn. I agree it's probably nothing more than just bad luck in terms of those 2 (although 1 of them was clear that he didn't want to leave from the start, meaning he wasn't really commited to a move away, so you can probably question the logic in going for him in the first place). But do you really think that, while we've been clearing out 20 players, the 2 we got gazumped on are the only players we've tried to sign since the window opened? Yes, we MIGHT get Melhelm, the Columbian lad and 1 and, finally, one or more of Millar / Hughes / McKenna over the line but I'd bet my bottom dollar we've failed with several more that we no nothing or little about. The recruitment team have been failing so far this summer, for whatever reason. There's no way we would have expected to be in this state at this late stage.
Yes Some deals take time Other deals can be concluded quite quickly We’ve done neither and we are in desperate need for players The manager is wanting them in and asking for them He’s got just over a week to mould a team for the first game of the season Thats unfair on him But we know who gets the blame when things go wrong
Walter is an unknown over here were as last summer Rosenior had a good rep from his Derby days and his first 6 months with us. That being said, Twine and Lokilo and Vinegar scream 'club' signings, Delap had a poor season prior, Philogene required us to do a permanent with a buy back to probably make us Aston Villa's preference. Connolly was most likely a Rosenior signing but both the club and Aaron seem to had reservations over a longer terms deal. Furlong was a club singing for the future and Morton was a loan on deadline day. Loans don't have as much long term commitment so its easier for a player to say yes, also the parent club does most of the decision making. Loans being an easier decision and our league position led to the signings in January. We were willing to splash the cash and it got us the players. Carvalho is the only one you could assume took a bit more selling but who knows how much say Liverpool had in the end. Ultimately he was going to start here without a doubt. Abdus was a club singing and if you remember Rosie was reserved at using him at first, did Rosie want Abdus is another conversation but unlike Pandur, once Abdus was in the team you couldn't really drop him. What I'm trying is say is that out side of 'procession football' I'm not sure Rosenior was the draw, as much as the narrative Rosenior and THE CLUB were pushing at the time suggest. It's a much better image than, we're willing to pay the big money and do 'creative deals' (Philogene, Abdus, Giles?... Zambrano next?) to get the players in. Walter and the Championship will appeal to some players in the top two German divisions, we need to be look there. I imagine we are and they'll be the names we start hearing. Rightfully, the clubs initial targets were likely domestic players with Championship experience. Most clubs have a foreign league they regularly track players from. German and Turkey are surely where the success will be for us. Although Asante fell through, as did Moore - they are good solid targets that we ran very close. That at least suggests a conscious approach. Imagine if we'd upped the wage offering/sign on free to entice them back and it impacted future business - look at Seri, as much as he's a good player, freeing up his wages sounds like a great idea. The club definitely need to sort it out as the optics don't look great and that will rub off on potential targets however we CAN sign players, we CAN sign real quality from the UK and abroad we just need to get on with it.
Getting on with it is where my problems are. We've had 6 weeks now to do something. Anything! Yes we've got Drameh but, that's it. I'm not really counting Giles that had to happen anyway... Something is wrong with Acun atm. People can disagree with me as much as they want to but, it's clear to me for a few weeks now that his main focus is Fenerbache. Tan and Acun are reluctant to give Tim the tools he needs. It's unfair on him. He's the one the book will be thrown at when we're inevitably low down the table come Christmas.
Theres no way tim would move his family over here as well as his two assistants and their families If he wasnt given assurances
