Two of the highest ever potential transfers have both turned down a future with Bristol City, so is there something in the air down Bristol way that puts them off, you tell me. To be perfectly blunt I wasn't impressed by the attitude from either of these guys so basically I'm glad they're not joining us, plus I thought the money asked was way too high for us to spend with a clear conscience, and clearly they never had intention of joining us unless we were prepared to break the bank even further. If we were prepared to spend that kind all along then why the heck haven't we been looking in a slightly lower price market to add 2-3 players rather than a single over priced wannabe who wants the earth for a salary? The commitment we would have had from these 2 would have been non-existent and the best move we have made since our promotion is not employing either of these guys, trust me. Let's just hope that there is still time to get back in the real world in which Bristol City exists and move on with life rather than try and convince someone who clearly never wanted to be with us at any time during the negotiations. This has been a reality check for many of us to try and understand why we chose to change a lifetime of transfer deals to stick our collective heads in to a space where we have never been before? Have we now set out our stall to attract the questionable over priced young bucks to our club, and are the clubs wishing to move a player on rubbing their hands in glee at the thought that Bristol City have opened up their pocketbook after years of prudent spending? I hope we haven't ruined any chance we had of bringing in new players to boost the current squad by telling the rest of the footballing world that we are ready to dip deep and spend? I hope not! Where do we go from here after spending what seemed an eternity to try and seal either of these deals and lose out? Time for some people at Bristol City to earn their salaries and get on the business of what should have been done and dusted long before the start of the season. Trying to put the final pieces together at this time of the year is unforgivable, especially when it is very evident to all that support our club that we are not prepared for the task in front of us. Trying to lay the blame at the feet of any individual is pointless, downright harmful and a waste of time so let's move on, but trying to find the answers in the transfer market at this late stage will be virtually impossible and I have rarely agreed that the loan market is a long term viable solution. Buy or lease?
Both players want Prem football They have 10 years in the game, then unemployment for who knows how long Its the economics of being a pro sportsman
Their agents are telling them what salary to request and we're saying "no". It's that simple. There is no loyalty involved here, simple free market economics. What it does tell us is that the Board are more than likely sticking to their guns of not selling out by going greater into debt to try to achieve the dream. I, for one, would like the club to be around for another 100 years and mortgaging our future on a few so called stars is not the way to achieve that longevity.
My heart bleeds 10 years work and with the right investments/advice you need never work again my son If only that was true for the rest of us
Makes I larf ten years earning the Salarys these guy want,my heart bleeds for them. Do not want jumped up little arses who have not even cracked it thinking their bigger than the club coming here. Stay away we don't want you.
absolutely laughable, 1 half decent season at Brentford, and the brats crying, I want be in the prem- try paying your dues mate, till then @iss off.
Can you really blame them for wanting to play at the highest level ? It does mean they don't see us as a viable club for promotion, and its up to us to prove them wrong
I'm with redrobin on this one and his comments strike a somewhat similar position to my thoughts on the subject of what's happening on the player financial front today. Whilst on the same topic, some time ago I posted a thread regarding Raheem Sterling calling him much the same as redrobin's remarks and was royally roasted by some saying that things were that way for a reason and supposedly having to do with a short career span. Very sad news for all those who truly believe in the right of players to bag all the money they can, and to hell with loyalty, because they will be very distressed to hear that the subject player, who I had the temerity to call a money grabber, is now selling his multi million mansion complete with swimming pool and all the toys, and will possibly spend all of the revenue from the sale to benefit less fortunate people (so I hear), or he may go totally in the opposite direction and re-invest in real estate with 2 swimming pools. That nice Mario Balotelli, who fully understands the meaning of the word commitment, has pledged his future to Liverpool and it has nothing to do with the fact that if he stays for the entire season he will receive a 6 figure - wait for it - LOYALTY BONUS. Now that's what I call loyalty. Bah humbug from me.
I think our owner was trying to make a statement to the world at large that we are in fact serious players and are prepared to pay the going rate. Something he has ben accused of not wanting to do up to now. No win situation, it would seem, damned if you do, damned if you don't....
I like the idea of being serious players and it's about time. Will other clubs see that as a sign of our intentions, or just a way of squeezing higher transfer fees?
Oh I know, but if these cosseted and over-hyped/over paid individuals realised what a privileged life they've been lucky to enough to stumble upon they'd be on their knees thanking their lucky stars.
Got to say I applaud BCFC's ambition but surely £9m would be better spent on 3-4 players at £1-2-3m apiece. Gray is not worth anywhere near £9m but he did show what he could do last Saturday. Must be a kick in the gut for the chairman to have 2 players turn the club down. Problem is that it is too late now, the window shuts in a few days. ps. It was a lot clearer at Ashton Gate than the game nearly 40 years ago when I saw Bristol City's game v Leeds abandoned due to thick fog. Saw some good games there @76-79.
fact of the matter is he is not good enough for the prem.which is why there not kicking the door down for him.
I doubt the salaries were the major blocker here. Transfer fees have shot through the roof, but wages aren't increasing anywhere near as highly. Wages are where the club really pays, and it's where FFP definitely counts, so no club is going to pay more than £30-40k a week in the Championship unless they're making serious cash. I very much doubt that Gray would've asked for £40k, maybe not even £30k. Both players didn't want to join because there was no benefit to joining. Gayle would take a drop to a newly-promoted club, and Gray would take a drop to a club that is no better off than his current club. We missed our chance. We should have made these signings months ago. There is absolutely no excuse for it. Gray was a panic buy, and arguably so was Gayle. If I were Lansdown, I'd do exactly what we did with Kodjia, and start trying to land proven goalscorers from outside of England. Mickaal Le Bihan would be a great partner for Kodjia as both are French and were near the top of the goalscoring charts in the French second division last year. The current trend in the Championship and other leagues seems to be to look at who is scoring loads of goals abroad and to spend £2-3m bringing them over instead of £6-7m on a comparable player from England. Bring in Mickaal Le Bihan to give Kodjia someone that speaks French that he can immediately work with, probably for around £1-2m, and I reckon both will score at least 15 goals each this season. From there, we can blow the stupid money we've been throwing around on places that genuinely need it, like midfield.
I think some of the comments made about these two players are just embarrassing, ok they didn't want to join us, get over it, BCFC may be important to us but up against the rest of the country we are in the minority. Yes they may have turned us down over money but if two firms I have no loyalty to offer me the same job who wouldn't go for the one offering more money? Also from an outsiders point of view If we were to take off our City tinted spectacles Burnley seem to be a well run club with seemingly more potential than us at the moment. So lets stop the hate and move on in supporting our club and the five quality signings we are getting in next week
Not sure about the 5, but everything else here I agree with. We are sounding more like spoilt brats than the players we are slagging off
