The 'Model'

Is there any reliable method of measuring that ...

... or will we have to rely entirely on guesswork?

 

When it begins to stall and no evolution is seen. Or an over reliance on a single method.

 

That's it Bob, act like a child. Utterly pathetic.

 

I was referring to the ego.

 

It's what happens if you think you're the best thing since sliced bread and can do no wrong because you've done the easy bit.

 

I'm still struggling mate, what was the easy bit and who did it?

This is all a bit cryptic for me.

 

Why is the Norwegian sovereign wealth fund never mentioned? Norway hasn't pissed anyone off as far as I know.

Plus it's the biggest sovereign wealth fund of all of them

 

Haven't they got two? The Oil Fund and, errm, the other one?

 

No idea mate, just googled them and they are minted, plus they must be nice lads and lasses

 

Exactly, the Saudi population aren't exactly in any position to complain about where the money's going.

 

Apparently the Norwegian one is a pension fund, my post was very much trying to lighten the mood

 

Oh they're definitely minted. The Oil Fund takes all the wealth from their old fields and puts it to public use. Or something like that, I've got no idea about finance. I like it there though.

 

Yeah, that's the one that's not the oil fund.

 

Any half decent recruitment team with a few quid behind them can assemble a squad full of kids with potential.

It's getting the players in to complement those kids and develop that potential that's the problem. That's where the model needed to evolve.

As nice as it is to have these kids, we've not given them the senior professionals around them to help their progress and we're seeing that now. We've just bought more kids in the apparent belief that we'll get another Jack Clarke, Cirkin or Ballard hitting the ground running every time.

 

So was mine mate, I was implying the Saudis could have their heads lopped off for moaning.

 

I mean in saying you won't say anything, you've said - as vaguely as ever - what you're always saying.

I reckon we will just wait for the press release.

 

Ah right, good point although I think someone may have already made the same one a few times already.

Sadly there's no chance of that happening.

 

Id disagree with the 1st part, it takes talent n ambition to build a team of youngsters. This is the same recruitment team n model that put together a squad that got us out of L1 n to 6th in the championship last season.

That is quality and not easy to do

Theyve had 2 really poor windows imo, last jan n the summer (too soon to comment on this jan imo).

Theyve signed experienced players in the past so no reason why they wont do it again

Last summer was the big disappointment for me, not enough ready for now players. They can be young players but they must be able to play now and barely any signed last summer were

Nothing wrong with the model imo but the execution of the model (i prefer to call it a plan rather than a model tbh) in the summer in particular was shocking

 

I agree with most of what you say but from a pragmatic point of view we have had to try and buy youth to build up the academy and first team at the same time. If anything FFP has made what we have achieved even more difficult than most really see, as a lot of the focus is on the first team but in reality we have played the majority of the last 2 seasons with our under 23 squad and have had to rely on them as the priority has been to focus on building young players into better players to move the team forward.
What I guess I am saying is we look at the first team and see a need for more experience but in reality our first team would not have made the bench and have been given a chance at a lot of championship clubs. Our first team should not have achieved what they did last season. I brutal reality we should have been closer to relegation based on age and experience of players available.
How many other championship teams have gone through a re-build that we have and shown some success in what is a little over 2 years.
Brentford and Brighton are 2 reasonably placed premier teams who have tried to build on statistical based data systems and have recruited wisely and did so whilst in the championship, but still they did not stroll out of the league they put in years of work trying to improve on the model that they have and in Brighton's case spent overt 600 million which is still, I believe owed to back to Tony Bloom at some point unless he converts it to shares ??
Basically what we are trying to achieve is not easy and has a lot of pit falls and learning to go and we as fans can either buy into it or complain at every perceived little failure.
Do we need a bit of experience most definitely yes but I think that a bit of perspective is required as to why we have probably gotten the balance a little bit out as even most supporters would agree if we had 2 players with a track record in this league or higher then we would be happier but only if they are the right player as most seem to forget that Dack was signed because TM wanted him and because he has been crap they now want an extra player.

 

How much in total did we get for those 3 players you mentioned. I've just had a quick look and in the summer and January our total outlay on transfers was 14-15 million, where did that money come from, people claiming KLD just pockets RS money instead of investing it, but nobody mentions that a lot of ot was spent before we sold him