Why Bristol City made the right decisions in the January transfer window Bristol City writer Gregor MacGregor talks Lee Johnson, Steve Lansdown, January signings and the transfer window One of the costliest Championship deals was signed off right at the end of the 2017 January transfer window. Jordan Rhodes with that prolific spell in England’s second tier at Blackburn Rovers of 83 goals in 159 league games was the prize capture joining up with Sheffield Wednesday from Middlesbrough. Although going through initially as a loan the obligation was there for the Owls to complete a permanent deal in the summer for some reported £10m. The big money signing was not enough for the Hillsborough side to go up. please log in to view this image Lois Diony arrived at Bristol City in January on loan from St Etienne Splashing the cash in football does not always equate to success. Sometimes it helps but more often than not it’s a case of throwing money away. Should Bristol City have chucked money at it in January? I say no. The club has a transfer and recruitment policy that is serving them well. Why rip that up and make an about turn? Secondly, who foots the bill for those big money signings? Ity’s financial records over the last few years show that the club is propped up by investment from Steve Lansdown but is slowly making progress to becoming self sufficient. Increased attendances, more commercial revenues and reduced costs are all helping the BS3 outfit to move steadily towards self sufficiency. As Mark Ashton and Steve Lansdown have repeatedly said, this is about the long term. please log in to view this image Steve Lansdown (far left), Mark Ashton (middle) and Lee Johnson The club needs to be on a sound footing for many, many years and not just flirt with the Premier League for a costly season or two. Then there are the immediate squad logistics. What does it say to Bobby Reid and Famara Diedhiou if the club suddenly went out and splashed some £15m – the going rate for a top level Championship player – on a new striker who takes their place in the side? Not only does it risk unsettling the current squad but City have based a lot of their recruitment strategy on showing new recruits that there is a pathway through to the first team for young talented players. The likes of Liam Walsh and Lloyd Kelly will be looking to replicate Josh Brownhill and Callum O’Dowda’s breakthrough success. City want to make stars not buy them. please log in to view this image Ryan Kent While Lois Diony is something of a punt (as was Arnie Garita) the loan arrangement means that it is a deal “loaded” to Bristol City’s advantage, as explained recently by CEO Ashton. This is not to say that Lansdown won’t invest at the right time and where prudent – just look at club record signing Diedhiou who is getting better and better by game, knocking in his fourth goal in three games yesterday and looking like a potential £15m player of the future if he keeps developing and improving. No, sorry, Robins supporters, this may take some time but that’s the way forward. And it’s great that a club is looking to build sensibly rather than based on flash in the pan success that has seen countless clubs – Leeds, Sheffield Wednesday, Middlesbrough, Nottingham Forest and others no better off. please log in to view this image Liam Walsh joined Bristol City from Everton in January While the Diony deal may not work out, Ryan Kent is looking like a well-planned signing and Walsh may well come good in the longer term. And this is the way forward for City, where the owners have ploughed money into big signings previously, been burnt “chasing the dream” and are not willing to bankroll such crazy and frivolus spending again. Instead, it’ll be a steady building up of the facilities: the improved Ashton Gate and a new training facility when the Failand complex is given planning permission and fully constructed. January recruitment then, but on a measured scale. For that is what is working for Bristol City, so why change? please log in to view this image Eros Pisano The Robins are still wonderfully placed and promotion isn’t a distant possibility just yet. And with Nathan Baker, Milan Djuric, Eros Pisano, Callum O’Dowda and Gary O’Neil to yet return there is plenty of Championship experience to rejoin the squad, too. https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/bristol-city-made-right-decisions-1235057
What I have seen achieved the last 3 years at every level of the club , where we were to where we are now it's brillant, 0ut of the mid 60's and into the 21st century, we won promotion and the tin pot cup under Cott's to start things off and we are still on the up, nothing won under LJ yet, at least we are in a position still to possibly do something. But as the man said, we are going the right way, you'll get no argument from me.
