Our problem in recent years has been an
older squad of players on high wages and without much sell on value. Yes it was difficult to see the likes of Ruddy and Bennett go for free but no one wanted to pay both a fee and their wages. The same will probably be true with Naismith but that was gamble to try to keep us in the PL. I doubt that will ever happen with SW.
We now have a much younger (and hungrier) squad, assembled very shrewdly and economically by SW and DF as a stable means of moving forward. It is a huge restructuring and there have been teething problems, but there's also a host of young players coming through to follow in the steps of the Murphy's and Maddison. Lewis has just done that and Godfrey and others will follow soon.
I have to say that it is a bit of a leap to say shrewdly at this point and whilst I don't know the details of Hanleys contract, it seemed to me and many observers like an expensive knee jerk to the woeful early defensive efforts so ecomonically might be a leap too.
Many of these younger hungry players were here already, so far I would say SW and DF have been as much miss as hit with transfers, time will tell with many. But here's the incomers and my thoughts on how shrewd the business was:
Gunn (loan) Undeniably good business, a keeper whilst inexperienced that quite simply is a quality above what we have any prospect of paying for under the current financial constraints
Shrewd
Reed (loan) OK business, the jury is still out on Reed for my money. He is undoubtedly talented but, when he plays it means Tettey isn't there and we look weak
Juries out
Watkins (Free) OK so he was free, but looks terrible within our system or just terrible. His wages could be better spent elsewhere on evidence so far
Waste of a shirt
Zimmermann (Free) For a free an excellent bit of business, currently looks 3rd choice behind Hanley and Klose, but on a free and likely on low wages definitely
Shrewd
Trybull (free) For a free an excellent bit of business, a very good player when supported by Tettey, but unfortunitely like most of his teammates goes missing when Tettey isn't there.
Shrewd
Franke £3m So poor has been Marcel thus far that he has already been sent out on loan and the reason we had to shell out money we didn't have on Hanley
Poor business
Husband £1.13m So far has shown little to suggest that he is anything better than a pretty average backup to the finally fit again Lewis. As I assume he was supposed to be our first choice but isn't good enough I have to say
Poor business (though he was cheap)
Vrancic 0.75m So far has flattered to deceive, some excellent touches and there is undeniable talent, but if he is in the team we will play worse. The managers persistence in the hope he adjusts to the British game is admirable in someways but play Vrancic and it costs points
Poor business (though he was cheap)
Stieperman £1.7m Has put some useful shifts in during the unbeaten run at FB, is versatile and has limited oportunity in his prefered position. I question whether he is good enough to play in midfield as he cannot get a game there even when we have struggled and plainly isn't a FB. As a utility player he is a useful squad man, not sure I would say this was entirely shrewd business but not bad either.
Juries out
Hanley £3.8m A panic buy after our horror start, but a good player at this level none the less. The question is did we have to pay more than we should in wages to get him? Klose and Zimmerman have formed a good partnership that means even though he is a good player was this truely good business with Raggett still to come in too? I can't call it shrewd because you pay more (Possibly more than the budget and wage structure was designed to allow) and you will get a better player. No coincidence that a more expensive, championship hardened player could hit the ground running.
Decent business, maybe not shrewd
Raggett £0.27m Well thought of but we haven't even seen him near a city shirt so the
Juries out
Abrahams £0.27m Well thought of but we haven't even seen him near a city shirt so the
Juries out
Savvas Mourgos Und Well thought of but we haven't even seen him near a city shirt so the
Juries out
Power nominal fee Well thought of but we haven't even seen him near a city shirt so the
Juries out
(Source transfermarkt, accuracy on numbers maybe questionable)
So for me 3 bits of business coming in look shrewd, for most the juries out with some poor business too. Ultimately Gunn is the only player who has come in and shone. The other leading lights were all here already.
Getting rid of players who were out of contract was easy and obvious. Extending Russ's contract and a failure to get some other expensive flops out the door mean Webber has not exactly pulled up trees. So whilst I trust him the Jury is still out.
Farke the Jury is still out on, but inspite of the dull, goal shy stuff so far, I'm still just about supportive of him. Chopping and changing all the time doesn't work, building with a degree of continuity is the way forward, but as I questioned with both Hughton and Neil, is Farke going to bring the right way forward? As long as Webber is here we should have some continuity of thought and policy so I will trust to him, to keep/sack Farke as necessary and replace him if it comes to that, with someone who may get better out of the players but will also be looking to play with a similar ethos.
Shrewd? Not convinced on the evidence so far, Economically after Hanley, no.
Bah!
