Thank Gawd there's only 3 more days of this transfer window left. The way things are going, I can see us having a whole new team by Saturday. I just hope they can gel to keep us safe before the relegation axe falls
Yann has not been 'happy' from what I have seen and heard all season, and I think it has shown in some games. I'm sure he is not the only player that fits into this category.
The club was governed for the bulk of this season with a huge cloud of uncertainty over it. Change has now occurred, later than hoped, but that uncertainty seems to have continued.
I hope and expect this all to positively resolve itself, however I think we are starting to get glimpses of the impact of some of the behind the scenes uncertainty of the last 10 months.
Hopefully the fact that you simply don't sell your best players if you are in a relegation battle will win the day.
It's the uncertainty over Powell that's at the root of a lot of this in my view. Get him signed up and then the rest will begin to settle down.
For Yann in particular, Powell showed faith in him and got the best out of him. I can quite imagine his disillusionment with the possibility that Powell might not be around. But this is another reason why I don't expect him to be signing for Bournemouth any time soon, unless the decision is taken out of his hands. I expect Powell to get a new contract, 2 or 3 years, and then he can start making decisions about his squad.
Whilst I'm on, there's been a lot of innuendo about RD forcing players onto Powell. I don't see it that way. We have a squad that needs improving and needs numbers, and if RD has some of sufficient quality kicking around his other clubs for free then Powell is hardly going to look the gift horse in the mouth.
If 2 or 3 players do land on permanent deals before the window closes, then to me it looks like Powell may have had the best of both worlds - go bring in some quality, but feel free to use these players for nothing in the meantime. If they work out, great; if they don't, well nothing ventured and all that, and no-one's lost anything.
Sounds like things are heating up for once in a January window.
If yann wants to go then let him, if players still want to leave even though we have been taken over then its time for them to move on while we may still get money for them. As someone else mentoned, if they have a bigger bond with Powell than the club then off they go.
In the position we are in we need a sense of stability, if only because we don't want a group of unhappy players more interested in their future elsewhere over the next few months. We need a group of players completely fixed on getting us up the table, so the answer is simple get CP etc done asap.
Brighton have made a bid for Charlton midfielder Dale Stephens, Sky sources understand.
The highly-rated 24-year-old has been linked with a number of clubs in the past 18 months, including Aston Villa, who failed with a bid in the summer of 2012.
Now Brighton are looking to land Stephens, who has been with Charlton since joining from Oldham in 2011.
Oscar Garcia is keen to bolster his squad and has identified Stephens as one of his main targets.
Brighton failed with a bid for Middlesbrough winger Muzzy Carayol over the weekend.
We have three decent, out of contract in the summer, players, Whiggins, Stephens and Kermorgant. They will either be sold now or signed up to new contracts over the next few weeks. Nothing else makes footballing or commercial sense.
I'd say end of february we'll have the same squad minus a couple of fringe players and will have bought in some much needed players up front and on the wings. Yann will have signed a new contract following CP being handed a new deal.
Yann was injured earlier in the season and did not start in any game between Hudds away and Leeds at home, in that time we played 9 Championship games and scored 6 goals. In the 16 Championship games he has started we have scored 16 goals.
Given that Stephems has been (apparently) home sick since pretty much the day he joined I highly doubt he's up for moving to a club that's even further from the frozen north now when he'll have his pick of sides in the Summer (and will be able to command better wages).
I don't see any of our OOC players wanting to go in January when they can wait four months and pick up more money and have a broader range of clubs to choose from. Whether they'll be motivated to give 100% whilst they are still here and risk ruining all that with an injury is a very big question.
Just because someone bids for one of our players does not mean we have to sell them.
Brighton: we'd like to buy Dale Stephens. Charlton: no deal Dale: I hear that Brighton are after me. Since I'm not getting a new contract here atm, I submit a transfer request.
Comments
For Yann in particular, Powell showed faith in him and got the best out of him. I can quite imagine his disillusionment with the possibility that Powell might not be around. But this is another reason why I don't expect him to be signing for Bournemouth any time soon, unless the decision is taken out of his hands. I expect Powell to get a new contract, 2 or 3 years, and then he can start making decisions about his squad.
Whilst I'm on, there's been a lot of innuendo about RD forcing players onto Powell. I don't see it that way. We have a squad that needs improving and needs numbers, and if RD has some of sufficient quality kicking around his other clubs for free then Powell is hardly going to look the gift horse in the mouth.
If 2 or 3 players do land on permanent deals before the window closes, then to me it looks like Powell may have had the best of both worlds - go bring in some quality, but feel free to use these players for nothing in the meantime. If they work out, great; if they don't, well nothing ventured and all that, and no-one's lost anything.
Sounds like things are heating up for once in a January window.
Brighton have bid for Stephens
Can we panic yet?
The highly-rated 24-year-old has been linked with a number of clubs in the past 18 months, including Aston Villa, who failed with a bid in the summer of 2012.
Now Brighton are looking to land Stephens, who has been with Charlton since joining from Oldham in 2011.
Oscar Garcia is keen to bolster his squad and has identified Stephens as one of his main targets.
Brighton failed with a bid for Middlesbrough winger Muzzy Carayol over the weekend.
I'd say end of february we'll have the same squad minus a couple of fringe players and will have bought in some much needed players up front and on the wings. Yann will have signed a new contract following CP being handed a new deal.
CharltonLife Kentaddick exclusive right there ^
Our clever, clever don't give your key players or manager contracts tactic is clearly working ; - (
Brighton are interested in signing Charlton midfielder Dale Stephens. #bhafc #cafc
But I'm sure we could do without the side shows and diversions around key games
I don't see any of our OOC players wanting to go in January when they can wait four months and pick up more money and have a broader range of clubs to choose from. Whether they'll be motivated to give 100% whilst they are still here and risk ruining all that with an injury is a very big question.
Charlton: no deal
Dale: I hear that Brighton are after me. Since I'm not getting a new contract here atm, I submit a transfer request.