We're a Championship Club with a skillful midfielder who a Premiership Club is looking at enviously - so much so they've offered £1.5m.
Quite rightly we've rejected that. If you want to purchase one of our players Mr Lambert, then please don't make a derisory offer, which is about half of what you are paying a certain Mr D Bent per annum in wages alone.
Come back with a better offer and we'll consider it. You've two days left to make your mind up. Meanwhile Mr Powell has to call back that nice Mr Pardew who is also interested.
I can't believe our fans are so fickle as to belittle one of our top assets that we've invested time and money on, developing a player who has achieved a higher level of performance, so much so that his services are in demand from Premiership Clubs.
We're a Championship Club with a skillful midfielder who a Premiership Club is looking at enviously - so much so they've offered £1.5m.
Quite rightly we've rejected that. If you want to purchase one of our players Mr Lambert, then please don't make a derisory offer, which is about half of what you are paying a certain Mr D Bent per annum in wages alone.
Come back with a better offer and we'll consider it. You've two days left to make your mind up. Meanwhile Mr Powell has to call back that nice Mr Pardew who is also interested.
I can't believe our fans are so fickle as to belittle one of our top assets that we've invested time and money on, developing a player who has achieved a higher level of performance, so much so that his services are in demand from Premiership Clubs.
You guys creaming your pants about how much money we might get by selling players. Money does not win matches, players do. Did you see Southampton or Norwich the season before, flogging off their best players just before the window? Did you see us doing it last season? No, we had a team building plan, we fulfilled it largely before the season started, and then we went about winning games. If Solly, Stephens or Hamer leave now, then that is a very bad sign about the state of our club. Do not kid yourselves otherwise.
Well I think that's my point....
Don't think anyone has said they are happy we are selling them, just stating that if we are going to sell it seems we are going to get a decent amount of money in, which is some consolation at least. Don't see what's offensive in saying that.
You've been calling for people to wise up to the perilous financial state of the club and then when people say they are willing to accept the sale of a couple of our better players if it's necessary to help safeguard the club's future you get your knickers in twist in about that.
What do you expect people to do? Form an angry mob and congregate around the statue of Sam Bartram with pitchforks and burning torches?
I expect the current board to be as smart as the one that took us from near bankruptcy to near a Europe place; throughout that time it made sure, either formally or informally, that fans were well informed about the finances, so that we have realistic expectations about what we can achieve and what might need to happen. When Bowyer and Mills were sold, I and many others understood exactly why, and when Parker was sold I understood that every board member did everything possible to prevent it happening. That is what I have been asking for. To be given an insight into how bad things are, when after all, things are bad at many other Champ clubs. To be fair, some informal channels have been kept open, but if -IF - these sales come to pass then it will mean that information may not have been accurate.
I can live with selling Stephens if that is the only one, and we get 1.5m for him. Although the timing is hardly ideal, and we will suffer for it. But if you add to that either Solly or Hamer, sorry that is a fire sale as Rothko rightly described it. And it does not matter how much money we get in, because we won't be able to spend it. We will plummet down the table and before you know it people will be muttering about the manager being under pressure.
If you want a manager to manage effectively, do not undermine his plans at the last minute for financial reasons which could have been identified several months earlier. If you are in business, you know that is true of any business.
That's all rather melodramtic though Prague.
Solly, Stephens and Hamer are all good players in their own right and all played their part in last season's success and this season's solid start. None are so integral to our team that I would forsee us collapsing without them as we did after selling Parker/Murphy/Reid.
Pritchard is a different type of player but he's already showed he's up to Championship standard and our best run of form last season actually came when Stephens was injured. We've already signed a right back in Wilson and, whilst it's unlikely he'll be as good as the brilliant Solly, it is a little unfair the way he already seems to have been written off as a liability by many fans before he has even started a league game. Likewise, were Hamer to go we have just signed another promising young goalkeeper of a similar age. Okay hamer has been maturing nicely with regular football and ther may be an element of 'back to square one' if Button ends up first choice but I doubt it will be differnece so noticable as to be comparable to when Man Utd replaced Schmeichel with Taibi (my chronology of Man Utd goalies may be a bit out here!).
Doubtless selling players CP considers first teamers will weaken us but to suggest we'll "plummet down the table" before you even know how good some of the alternatives in the squad are just makes you sound a bit hysterical.
You don't address my central arguments, i note. We are a league above last year. You think we make progress by selling three players and replacing them with two who are clearly not as good? At the last minute? Well fortunately your strategy has not been implemented. If it is implemented and the results go badly, I hope you will not be one of those who starts to slag off Powell.
To be fair, some informal channels have been kept open, but if -IF - these sales come to pass then it will mean that information may not have been accurate.
As there are no people of influence remaining on the board between then and now, how exactly have ''informal channels been kept open''?
Are you referring to individuals who are not privy to board level discussions, but who are willing to spread a bit of their own 'information' for whatever purpose they choose?
Best ignore them if that's the case. Done nothing but stir a hornets nest among lifers so far.
You don't address my central arguments, i note. We are a league above last year. You think we make progress by selling three players and replacing them with two who are clearly not as good? At the last minute? Well fortunately your strategy has not been implemented. If it is implemented and the results go badly, I hope you will not be one of those who starts to slag off Powell.
I also agree 100% with Prague. The fans should send a clear message to the board who in turn should send a clear message to any wannabee buyers...F*** OFF.
Arthur I have always understood that a business looks very different depending on from which end you view it. I never relied on a view that came from just one end. One of the many great achievements of the Board post 1992 was that it helped a lot of people see it from both ends. I can assure you that I don't take as gospel the perspective of those at the "sharp end". However I deplore the implication that anyone I trust from the "sharp end" has interests other than CAFC in their hearts. Setting emotion aside, no one has ever demonstrated what other interests might drive them, since by definition they are not able to take over the club.
You don't address my central arguments, i note. We are a league above last year. You think we make progress by selling three players and replacing them with two who are clearly not as good? At the last minute? Well fortunately your strategy has not been implemented. If it is implemented and the results go badly, I hope you will not be one of those who starts to slag off Powell.
Where do I suggest it's the way to make progress? It'll likely weaken us but we could conceivably end up a team not significantly different in ability, albeit thinner of squad. My argument is that, in my opinion, the players who will likely replace Solly, Stephens and Hamer in the team, should they be sold, are likely good enough to still see us be a decent side. It's unlikely going to turn us into a basket case team who can't defend and can't score and our central strength of determination should still be there because we know Pritch is like that and all the evidence we've heard about Wilson says he is, above all things, a real trier. We're not selling Andy Reid and replacing him with an injured and disinterested Lee Cook.
If Cash has walked away with his cash and the books just can't be balanced without selling players and replacing them as cheaply as possible, what option do the board have? I'm not burying my head in the sand, I'm not pretending that these sales were always part of the plan and that it's not a sign that, for whatever reason, the club needs to bring in some funds - I'm just not going to start declaring the end is nigh because of a couple of player sales.
You talk about not wanting fans putting pressure on Powell but you yourself are intimating that it's a let down that we're not following Southampton and Norwich's model and shooting for back to back promotion. That puts pressure on because it gives the impression that comfortable in mid-table would be a let down, which I don't think it is.
My expectation was to stay in this division this season without getting heavily embroiled in a relegation scrap, other people may have had higher expectations but I think that was always unrealistic. I think we could lose those three players and still meet my expectations, but even if we don't... no I won't be calling for Powell's head just like I never once called for Parkinson's, Reed's or Curbs'. Hell, I even stuck by Pardew until the bitter end even though I didn't think he was a good appointment from day 1.
Is it worth mentioning at this point that 'Sky sources' are little more credible than those of The Sun or Talk Sport?
The bid has jumped from £600k one minute to £1.5m the next, both of which come from suspect origins. I'm only surprised The Moose hasn't yet been invited to the party.
Those applauding big TJ for playing hard ball on this one are a little premature (hopefully).
Exiled. Take your points on the first two paras. No way do I expect us to even try to do a Norwich - Southampton. My worry is that the new owners might - financially- be banking on that. I will be delighted with 8th, and settle for 15th. I just cannot see how we can hope for even that, if we degrade the squad that last year played a division lower. Also i think we should always remember it's about squads. If Solly gets injured, we've got Wilson. If Hamer gets injured we've got Button. But if we haven't got Solly and Hamer, and Wilson or Button get injured...
WHY DO PEOPLE THINK HAMER IS GOING. This is driving me nuts, lucky i'm off to NYC tomorrow for a few days so I'll be missing deadline day. Think by that time i would have probably located and murdered a few lifers
Exiled. Take your points on the first two paras. No way do I expect us to even try to do a Norwich - Southampton. My worry is that the new owners might - financially- be banking on that. I will be delighted with 8th, and settle for 15th. I just cannot see how we can hope for even that, if we degrade the squad that last year played a division lower. Also i think we should always remember it's about squads. If Solly gets injured, we've got Wilson. If Hamer gets injured we've got Button. But if we haven't got Solly and Hamer, and Wilson or Button get injured...
what did you post about 'high risk' when i mentioned about playing solly and stephens in the 1st 3 games?
WHY DO PEOPLE THINK HAMER IS GOING. This is driving me nuts, lucky i'm off to NYC tomorrow for a few days so I'll be missing deadline day. Think by that time i would have probably located and murdered a few lifers
I completely agree. The level of paranoia on CL is ridiculous!
Arthur I have always understood that a business looks very different depending on from which end you view it. I never relied on a view that came from just one end. One of the many great achievements of the Board post 1992 was that it helped a lot of people see it from both ends. I can assure you that I don't take as gospel the perspective of those at the "sharp end". However I deplore the implication that anyone I trust from the "sharp end" has interests other than CAFC in their hearts. Setting emotion aside, no one has ever demonstrated what other interests might drive them, since by definition they are not able to take over the club.
You havent answered the question. As there is no board continuation, how can there be continued informal communication from them?
Unless your subtle insertion of the nebulous 'sharp end' means you gain your information from any friend working at the club, whether or not they are involved in key board decisions..
Exiled. Take your points on the first two paras. No way do I expect us to even try to do a Norwich - Southampton. My worry is that the new owners might - financially- be banking on that. I will be delighted with 8th, and settle for 15th. I just cannot see how we can hope for even that, if we degrade the squad that last year played a division lower. Also i think we should always remember it's about squads. If Solly gets injured, we've got Wilson. If Hamer gets injured we've got Button. But if we haven't got Solly and Hamer, and Wilson or Button get injured...
what did you post about 'high risk' when i mentioned about playing solly and stephens in the 1st 3 games?
Comments
Dale is Deffo worth at least 2 mill plus some more
NettoSainsbury's tea bags for Doris the tea lady :-0Quite rightly we've rejected that. If you want to purchase one of our players Mr Lambert, then please don't make a derisory offer, which is about half of what you are paying a certain Mr D Bent per annum in wages alone.
Come back with a better offer and we'll consider it. You've two days left to make your mind up. Meanwhile Mr Powell has to call back that nice Mr Pardew who is also interested.
I can't believe our fans are so fickle as to belittle one of our top assets that we've invested time and money on, developing a player who has achieved a higher level of performance, so much so that his services are in demand from Premiership Clubs.
If Pardew wants him then the price is 5 million!
Solly, Stephens and Hamer are all good players in their own right and all played their part in last season's success and this season's solid start. None are so integral to our team that I would forsee us collapsing without them as we did after selling Parker/Murphy/Reid.
Pritchard is a different type of player but he's already showed he's up to Championship standard and our best run of form last season actually came when Stephens was injured. We've already signed a right back in Wilson and, whilst it's unlikely he'll be as good as the brilliant Solly, it is a little unfair the way he already seems to have been written off as a liability by many fans before he has even started a league game. Likewise, were Hamer to go we have just signed another promising young goalkeeper of a similar age. Okay hamer has been maturing nicely with regular football and ther may be an element of 'back to square one' if Button ends up first choice but I doubt it will be differnece so noticable as to be comparable to when Man Utd replaced Schmeichel with Taibi (my chronology of Man Utd goalies may be a bit out here!).
Doubtless selling players CP considers first teamers will weaken us but to suggest we'll "plummet down the table" before you even know how good some of the alternatives in the squad are just makes you sound a bit hysterical.
We are a league above last year. You think we make progress by selling three players and replacing them with two who are clearly not as good? At the last minute?
Well fortunately your strategy has not been implemented. If it is implemented and the results go badly, I hope you will not be one of those who starts to slag off Powell.
Are you referring to individuals who are not privy to board level discussions, but who are willing to spread a bit of their own 'information' for whatever purpose they choose?
Best ignore them if that's the case. Done nothing but stir a hornets nest among lifers so far.
NO SALE!!
must be a stressful time.
I have always understood that a business looks very different depending on from which end you view it. I never relied on a view that came from just one end. One of the many great achievements of the Board post 1992 was that it helped a lot of people see it from both ends. I can assure you that I don't take as gospel the perspective of those at the "sharp end". However I deplore the implication that anyone I trust from the "sharp end" has interests other than CAFC in their hearts. Setting emotion aside, no one has ever demonstrated what other interests might drive them, since by definition they are not able to take over the club.
If Cash has walked away with his cash and the books just can't be balanced without selling players and replacing them as cheaply as possible, what option do the board have? I'm not burying my head in the sand, I'm not pretending that these sales were always part of the plan and that it's not a sign that, for whatever reason, the club needs to bring in some funds - I'm just not going to start declaring the end is nigh because of a couple of player sales.
You talk about not wanting fans putting pressure on Powell but you yourself are intimating that it's a let down that we're not following Southampton and Norwich's model and shooting for back to back promotion. That puts pressure on because it gives the impression that comfortable in mid-table would be a let down, which I don't think it is.
My expectation was to stay in this division this season without getting heavily embroiled in a relegation scrap, other people may have had higher expectations but I think that was always unrealistic. I think we could lose those three players and still meet my expectations, but even if we don't... no I won't be calling for Powell's head just like I never once called for Parkinson's, Reed's or Curbs'. Hell, I even stuck by Pardew until the bitter end even though I didn't think he was a good appointment from day 1.
The bid has jumped from £600k one minute to £1.5m the next, both of which come from suspect origins. I'm only surprised The Moose hasn't yet been invited to the party.
Those applauding big TJ for playing hard ball on this one are a little premature (hopefully).
Take your points on the first two paras.
No way do I expect us to even try to do a Norwich - Southampton. My worry is that the new owners might - financially- be banking on that. I will be delighted with 8th, and settle for 15th.
I just cannot see how we can hope for even that, if we degrade the squad that last year played a division lower.
Also i think we should always remember it's about squads. If Solly gets injured, we've got Wilson. If Hamer gets injured we've got Button. But if we haven't got Solly and Hamer, and Wilson or Button get injured...
As there is no board continuation, how can there be continued informal communication from them?
Unless your subtle insertion of the nebulous 'sharp end' means you gain your information from any friend working at the club, whether or not they are involved in key board decisions..