Players, short careers etc

[sonyc 5,481]

Lots of questions being asked at the moment so here is my tuppence worth:

Should we go down and a few younger players state their desire to leave because they want to test themselves at a higher level having tasted the EPL this year, or they have a chance  to go to a top 6 club with a chance of playing in Europe, or to further their ambitions to play for the national team (Ben, Max, Todd just for example) will we hold them to their contracts? 

The reason I ask is that you'd have thought we might allow one to leave but certainly not the nucleus of the team. Yet, players and their agents have such power these days. The club may not wish them to go but the players push for a move (thinking here of the Pritchard situation which felt at the time not something Farke was wanting, as he publicly alluded to it).

I guess it also depends on our recruitment ahead (I know opinions are polarised on the current campaign!) and the extent we might invest parachute payments (arguably with lower championship wages we may have greater financial headroom?).

Anyway, much as we may not like it, my main point is that players could force their moves?  I've not noticed any posts on this. It wouldn't be the first time it's happened at clubs.... it's happened at before ......Almost that the club becomes a victim of it's earlier success.

[smooth 114]

Players have windows, look at Oliveira and the money reportedly we could have sold him for. We didn't and we had a situation that cost us £££ but also around the club we had a disgruntled player.

Grabban as well had proposed interest with Bournemouth, we declined and had a bad egg.

Look at the Murphy's and then JM and his move to Leicester. That injury almost cost us and some players never come back the same.

There will always be disgruntled players who want playing time etc but here we have exciting young players who are rightly getting attention.

If there is no offer or enquiry this window it is because clubs can wait till the Summer and again play hardball knowing that we aren't going to keep hold of all of them.

If a cracking offer was to come in now for Aaron's, he would be the only one we have top cover for, with the excellent Byram. However we would still need full back help in a new addition.

The club no doubt is planning, we have Cantwell, Godfrey, Lewis, Aaron's, Pukki and Buendia who will all have speculation.

In years gone past it has been 1 or 2 players but all 6 starters will be touted with moves. So enjoy it now, as we did last season. 

It does beg the question if an offer came in we liked would we sell 1 knowing that £££ can be reinvested in 2 players who can help the team right now and next season.

I don't think it will happen but if we do go down we will have 6 players that rightly will be touted with moves away that in an ideal world we could sell over a few windows.

Of course if we stay up, the wages and premiership football is still there but the big teams will still have a lot of clout as our model would dramatically change and if Leeds and West Brom came up then I am sure we would have the smallest summer transfer spend again. Which of course makes battling for premiership status harder.

We may be bottom of the table but I can't think of a team in this position with so many players being touted with moves from a starting 11

 

[ged in the onion bag 854]

7 hours ago, smooth said:

We may be bottom of the table but I can't think of a team in this position with so many players being touted with moves from a starting 11

I mentioned this elsewhere..... 'Have you ever seen a team bottom of the pile but still so united, still battling hard, still playing good football and still improving... this is unprecedented'...we have enough quality to avoid the trap although perhaps not enough in depth.  There's still a chance.   

Fact is though that the plan falls down if we sell 4 or more of these players as we can't replace them in the 'team' scenario.    This team has taken time to gel, new players will not fit in immediately and for the plan to work we need to be replacing our fringe players over time unless they can step up.... that's progression.     Not replacing our best ones.     

We are in an unprecedented situation with the quality and the bizarre amount of points we have, we do deserve more but if we avoid relegation we will not need to spend too much as this team is getting better with plenty of growth in it.... yes we will need at least 4 or 5 to come in and our scouting supported by the funds that will be available with the insurance or more EPL money will hopefully come good again.    Performance wise, we ain't far away from being mid-table.

3 pts at Old Trafford for starters! OTBC

[wcorkcanary 4,329]

8 hours ago, smooth said:

We may be bottom of the table but I can't think of a team in this position with so many players being touted with moves from a starting 11

Not a team of ours maybe,  but that Wigan team that got relegated  and won the FA Cup had some pretty  decent players in it , played in way that was bold and yet easily turned over, much like us. 

[sonyc 5,481]

3 minutes ago, wcorkcanary said:

Not a team of ours maybe,  but that Wigan team that got relegated  and won the FA Cup had some pretty  decent players in it , played in way that was bold and yet easily turned over, much like us. 

That's a good analogy.

[ged in the onion bag 854]

5 minutes ago, wcorkcanary said:

Not a team of ours maybe,  but that Wigan team that got relegated  and won the FA Cup had some pretty  decent players in it , played in way that was bold and yet easily turned over, much like us. 

better book accommodation for Wembley in May then!!!!!!!!! 

[wcorkcanary 4,329]

1 hour ago, ged in the onion bag said:

better book accommodation for Wembley in May then!!!!!!!!! 

It'd be flights I'd be booking, can stay with friends about an hour from Wembley by train. Look at us , fourth round not played yet and we're talking Wembley. Gonna have a look at Ryanair right now.👍😉

[sonyc 5,481]

11 hours ago, smooth said:

Players have windows, look at Oliveira and the money reportedly we could have sold him for. We didn't and we had a situation that cost us £££ but also around the club we had a disgruntled player.

Grabban as well had proposed interest with Bournemouth, we declined and had a bad egg.

Look at the Murphy's and then JM and his move to Leicester. That injury almost cost us and some players never come back the same.

There will always be disgruntled players who want playing time etc but here we have exciting young players who are rightly getting attention.

If there is no offer or enquiry this window it is because clubs can wait till the Summer and again play hardball knowing that we aren't going to keep hold of all of them.

If a cracking offer was to come in now for Aaron's, he would be the only one we have top cover for, with the excellent Byram. However we would still need full back help in a new addition.

The club no doubt is planning, we have Cantwell, Godfrey, Lewis, Aaron's, Pukki and Buendia who will all have speculation.

In years gone past it has been 1 or 2 players but all 6 starters will be touted with moves. So enjoy it now, as we did last season. 

It does beg the question if an offer came in we liked would we sell 1 knowing that £££ can be reinvested in 2 players who can help the team right now and next season.

I don't think it will happen but if we do go down we will have 6 players that rightly will be touted with moves away that in an ideal world we could sell over a few windows.

Of course if we stay up, the wages and premiership football is still there but the big teams will still have a lot of clout as our model would dramatically change and if Leeds and West Brom came up then I am sure we would have the smallest summer transfer spend again. Which of course makes battling for premiership status harder.

We may be bottom of the table but I can't think of a team in this position with so many players being touted with moves from a starting 11

 

If any of our players were approached by any of the top 6 would they turn a move down? I don't think so. All the younger players have been linked to any combination of Man Utd, Arsenal, Liverpool, Man City and Spurs. Seen Wolves linked too. And the speculation has been on and off for months not just in this wondow. Chelsea is the only one I've not seen anyone associated with.

[Capt. Pants 4,194]

I don't think it's necessarily a good thing half the team may be available for sale. If one goes they'll all want to go so we'll be left with half a team or those that remain will be demotivated. Hopefully we have a conveyor belt of young talent coming through to replenish the 'pool'.

The top 6 are all trying for a Champions League place so our youngsters might not be what they need right now, especially if we are asking for top dollar, as we must be. More likely they will leave at the end of the season at a reduced price.

[sonyc 5,481]

2 minutes ago, Capt. Pants said:

I don't think it's necessarily a good thing half the team may be available for sale. If one goes they'll all want to go so we'll be left with half a team or those that remain will be demotivated. Hopefully we have a conveyor belt of young talent coming through to replenish the 'pool'.

The top 6 are all trying for a Champions League place so our youngsters might not be what they need right now, especially if we are asking for top dollar, as we must be. More likely they will leave at the end of the season at a reduced price.

Yes I meant at the end of the season Captain rather than in this window.