Summer Transfer Rumours 2020 (DEADLINE DAY from pg.258)

The defining statement of this thread "it's not my job to come up with transfers targets it's not what I am paid to do"

I wholeheartedly agree. On such a basis why would I give a 2nd thought to much of the nonsense posted about players the vast majority I expect have barely seen in person.

In the face of the past 6 months so many expectations show alarmingly little deference to reality. We can all read Wikipedia, Transfermarkt, Soccerbase etc., or may have a mate who follows whatever club etc.,

In the midst of a global pandemic which has savaged the economy of the industry someone has stepped in to the save the club from the "knackers yard" to enable a viable competitive squad.

Is it perfect? No it is fucking not. Yet we have added in team order; 

1. Gunter - Reading, 2. Inniss - Crystal Palace,3. Famewo - Norwich, 4. Maatsen - Chelsea, 5. Gilbey - MK Dons, 6. Watson - Notts Forest, 7. Shinnie - Luton, 8. Smyth - QPR, 9. Maddison - Peterborough, 10. Washington - Hearts

- Gilbey hails from Dagenham
- Washington was born in Chatham
- Famewo was born in Lewisham and started at Luton
- Watson is based in Beckenham and started at Palace 

11. Levitt - Man U, 12. Bogle - Cardiff are the exceptions with no links to the environs of London or the South.

It is a Covid 19 - Salary Cap recruitment programme. Minimal relocation costs (within Salary Cap) - minimal player family disruption yet with 6 or 7 on multi year contracts or including 1 year options we are seeing small steps to normality. 

In the circumstances it is an A minus grade for me.

There are 5 quality signings for a League 1 campaign:
- Gunter, Gilbey, Watson, Shinnie, Maddison

There are 3 youngsters with real potential:
- Famewo, Maasten and Levitt

There are 2 reclamation signings:
- Washington, Bogle

There are 2 further players with things to prove:
- Inniss and Smyth

Coming into this market after a relegation, months after the preparations of others and weeks after the market was open, in the space of 3 weeks it is a remarkable effort.

If you cannot respect such circumstances I suggest it says a great deal more about your understanding of the marketplace.

I agree the retention of Bonne and Phillips would have added notable value but quite simply this is about a new beginning.

The message is simple - if you are not signed up for the journey you are not needed here.

After 2yrs of begging and borrowing to construct squads - going forward it will be the club setting the agenda. We are in a period of transition.

As I have tried to point out there is a legacy situation here. YOU KNOW THE STORY. Month after month, as the divisions between the respective "executives" became ever more fractious, Administration grew ever more real.

With salary payments becoming ever more problematic, a large tax bill falling due and local creditors becoming evermore demanding if you do not think the prevailing decision makers did not give the nod to agents to test the market for their players you have never worked with a distressed business.

Expectations if not created were heightened. Pandoras' Box had been opened. You do not just get to stuff the expectations back in the box.

As for replacing Bonne if the right player was not there at the right price - he was not there at the right price. Gallen has 10/11 weeks to revisit the issue. Under the salary cap you most definitely only get to spend this money once.

The cost of a quality striker at that point over the remaining 4 month period may more easily fit under the total salary cap.

It is noticeable a number of loan signings elsewhere are just until January.

None of us know how our financial numbers look today.

What we do know is the club now has a "senior" squad of just 18 players. Thus the assertion you could have used the salary cap for 3 or 4 players on one striker is not only entirely speculative it further reduces your senior squad to 15/ 16. 

With 3 already injured, Aneke struggling to stay fit, Forster Caskey still off the pace and with Pearce (when fit) Pratley and even Williams struggling to play 2 games in a week the squad numbers would simply not be fit for purpose.

By my reckoning the club now has 47 players under professional contracts but even adding Maynard-Brewer, Maatsen, Levitt, Doughty, Morgan, Barker, Vennings and Davison to the mix perpetuates the default to "the next man standing" culture ingrained in the squad for years.

These lads have to compete to win their spot not be given it because there is no one else. Only two have the experience of a full first team campaign.

As of now there is a whole new team of players ready to pull on our shirt as we start a new journey. Those who did not want to travel the journey have made their choice. I genuinely wish them well.

Whether YOU wish to travel this journey, respecting where we have come from in such a short period, is entirely a matter for you.

I, for one, will most certainly be looking forward to seeing how we progress. No diversions, no distractions just, for the first time in 70 months, an aligned Executive and clubhouse to support in the pursuit of collective sporting success with all the usual bumps, bruises, successes and failures which will inevitably occur along the way. 

With respect if you cannot enjoy such a prospect in the middle of a global pandemic then I suggest it really is your problem.