January Transfer Thread - it couldn't open and close any quicker

[braineclipse]

Eh. I think it's pretty fair -it's something he actually said, and presumably believes. It also matches what his boss tends to think, and his boss's approach to transfers has been...increasingly called into question recently (happily so, imo).



Or, and hear me out here - we could focus on negotiating for players the year-round, working on it so that we have incomings that the manager wants early in the window, with plenty of time to acclimatize, take part in training and get up to speed quickly.

As opposed to the approach we have generally had since Modric, which is to apparently doze off between October 1st and May 31st, only waking up as a club once the window actually opens, by which point loads of clubs more proactive than us have already made signings and improved.

And then Levy steps in and haggles until deadline day, further delaying this already torturous process that is only difficult for us - few other clubs seem to experience the same mental blockages, year after year.

Alternate ways to understand what he said has been talked about repeatedly. Not sure if there's any point in going over it again. Others have a more charitable interpretation than yours.

I think Paratici may do a bit more of that. But it's also true that most clubs and players will be fairly reluctant to negotiate in a serious way outside the transfer windows, with good reason. Will be exceptions, but most players we'll want will have a lot of options.

Right now we need a balance between signing players for the future and signing players for here and now. Both Sarr and Bryan in during the summer, I think that's rather good going in that respect.

 

[DubaiSpur]

Alternate ways to understand what he said has been talked about repeatedly. Not sure if there's any point in going over it again. Others have a more charitable interpretation than yours.

I think Paratici may do a bit more of that. But it's also true that most clubs and players will be fairly reluctant to negotiate in a serious way outside the transfer windows, with good reason. Will be exceptions, but most players we'll want will have a lot of options.

Right now we need a balance between signing players for the future and signing players for here and now. Both Sarr and Bryan in during the summer, I think that's rather good going in that respect.

Eh. Re: Hitchen, I just have a dim view of his work in general - certainly the two years when he was apparently in the driving seat have produced both baffling inaction and spectacular duds when we did act. Paratici being at the helm means we hopefully see less of him, but I can't shake the feeling that we'll only really have a competent scouting and analysis department when he leaves - not before.

On identifying and negotiating for players in between windows, the Sarr-type deals aren't the ones I'm trying to highlight - with Modric, we broke our transfer record to sign a player before the season had ended, so he could show up to training on day 1 of pre-season with plenty of time to spare, and spend the summer up to that point getting settled in, thus minimizing disruption.

I'm not saying we should do this with just youth players - I'm saying we should do it in general. Scouting, negotiating and closing should be a year-round activity, window or no window - tons of clubs do operate that way, including the likes of Leicester and co.

We used to do it under Comolli, and after him for a little while, too - but we just became incredibly lazy and/or cheap in the interval. And I'm not convinced it's quite as hard as you say, if only because other clubs do it who are about our size and level of ambition - including Dortmund and Leicester.

 

[braineclipse]

Eh. Re: Hitchen, I just have a dim view of his work in general - certainly the two years when he was apparently in the driving seat have produced both baffling inaction and spectacular duds when we did act. Paratici being at the helm means we hopefully see less of him, but I can't shake the feeling that we'll only really have a competent scouting and analysis department when he leaves - not before.

On identifying and negotiating for players in between windows, the Sarr-type deals aren't the ones I'm trying to highlight - with Modric, we broke our transfer record to sign a player before the season had ended, so he could show up to training on day 1 of pre-season with plenty of time to spare, and spend the summer up to that point getting settled in, thus minimizing disruption.

I'm not saying we should do this with just youth players - I'm saying we should do it in general. Scouting, negotiating and closing should be a year-round activity, window or no window - tons of clubs do operate that way, including the likes of Leicester and co.

We used to do it under Comolli, and after him for a little while, too - but we just became incredibly lazy and/or cheap in the interval. And I'm not convinced it's quite as hard as you say, if only because other clubs do it who are about our size and level of ambition - including Dortmund and Leicester.

I just don't know which decisions were his. We had managers with quite a lot of power at that time.

Sarr is one that still turn up on the first day isn't he? What's the difference between us signing someone in the summer window for the next season and Leicester signing someone in January for the next season?

Deals during the season, outside the transfer windows are possible, but I think it's a lot easier to make that happen when there's a large power imbalance between the clubs.

Not against us doing it, but the main problem with our recruitment has been signing the wrong players too often.

Would rather get someone in that's a good fit last moment than someone that's an OK fit at the start of the window. Early is better, but shouldn't be the main priority.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

I just don't know which decisions were his. We had managers with quite a lot of power at that time.

Sarr is one that still turn up on the first day isn't he? What's the difference between us signing someone in the summer window for the next season and Leicester signing someone in January for the next season?

Deals during the season, outside the transfer windows are possible, but I think it's a lot easier to make that happen when there's a large power imbalance between the clubs.

Not against us doing it, but the main problem with our recruitment has been signing the wrong players too often.

Would rather get someone in that's a good fit last moment than someone that's an OK fit at the start of the window. Early is better, but shouldn't be the main priority.

What signings wouldn’t you have made when we made them?

 

[Gazza]

I just don't know which decisions were his. We had managers with quite a lot of power at that time.

Sarr is one that still turn up on the first day isn't he? What's the difference between us signing someone in the summer window for the next season and Leicester signing someone in January for the next season?

Deals during the season, outside the transfer windows are possible, but I think it's a lot easier to make that happen when there's a large power imbalance between the clubs.

Not against us doing it, but the main problem with our recruitment has been signing the wrong players too often.

Would rather get someone in that's a good fit last moment than someone that's an OK fit at the start of the window. Early is better, but shouldn't be the main priority.

How about not compromising like we have usually done, and get the right player in early? That should be the way forward.

 

[Bishop]

That one line in one interview really has stuck with some in the most uncharitable interpretation


Gil to is clearly a proactive forward looking deal.

Can understand the frustration that we at point point seemes to stop making deals after it was an integral part to our success for quite a while.

Not sure that can be put on Levy or Hitchen. I think later years Pochettino had quite a bit of control over transfers, as did certainly Mourinho.

A lot of calls to back the manager and sign players the manager wants for the first team. Do that, get criticism for not buying potential. Do the opposite, get criticism none the less.

Most good points but Mourinho had no control over transfers. His first January he desperately wanted a striker, we have him Bergwijn. The following summer he wanted a top class CB, his preference being Skrinnier. Instead he got inexperienced Rodon on the lats day of the extended Football League window. So if he couldn't get his absolute first choice requests he had no control.

 

[Finney Is Back]

What signings wouldn’t you have made when we made them?

Bergwijn…. A lot of money spent on a position that wasn’t key (especially with Jose demanding a CF).
Rodon…. Jose wanted a real top class CB. If we weren’t prepared to pay the money for one then we at least needed to get Rodon done before the Europa squad window closed so that he could be integrated in those ‘easy’ games.

Gill was also a strange signing for a club with little money to spend and some holes in the first team not addressed.

 

[braineclipse]

What signings wouldn’t you have made when we made them?

Several, including players still at the club.

Judging in hindsight isn't really fair so I'd rather not list them. We haven't been successful enough in the transfer market though.

 

[braineclipse]

How about not compromising like we have usually done, and get the right player in early? That should be the way forward.

There has to be some compromises when we need multiple players in and have limited funds. When, where, how to compromise though, that's open to discussion.

 

[Daisuk]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1479450153006379013

 

[parklane1]

I know we agree on non-Levy things, but one day you'll agree with me on Levy too - I know it, mate. That will be the day.

Do not hold your breath for that to happen, after all what would you do with all your Levy voodoo dolls when you get over your fixation with Levy.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Several, including players still at the club.

Judging in hindsight isn't really fair so I'd rather not list them. We haven't been successful enough in the transfer market though.

Hence why I asked who you wouldn’t sign… but not added then now bit

every player we have signed apart form Clarke was a right profile player IMO
Most have been young
Most have been the stand out in their league and in theory reach to step up

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Bergwijn…. A lot of money spent on a position that wasn’t key (especially with Jose demanding a CF).
Rodon…. Jose wanted a real top class CB. If we weren’t prepared to pay the money for one then we at least needed to get Rodon done before the Europa squad window closed so that he could be integrated in those ‘easy’ games.

Gill was also a strange signing for a club with little money to spend and some holes in the first team not addressed.

There is a logic there I agree
But as with every manager we don’t know who they actually wanted and we’re they “gettable”

 

[Gazza]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1479450153006379013

Swap deals are like unicorns born in space and travelling through time, reaching earth never to be seen.

 

[billyiddo]

Most good points but Mourinho had no control over transfers. His first January he desperately wanted a striker, we have him Bergwijn. The following summer he wanted a top class CB, his preference being Skrinnier. Instead he got inexperienced Rodon on the lats day of the extended Football League window. So if he couldn't get his absolute first choice requests he had no control.

He wanted a top class CB alongside several other positions. Can't always hit them all and the man himself said at the time he was more than happy with the backing he had, of course as usual when results suffer he looks for excuses

 

[Gazza]

He wanted a top class CB alongside several other positions. Can't always hit them all and the man himself said at the time he was more than happy with the backing he had, of course as usual when results suffer he looks for excuses

Not this again lol. He wasn't going to come out and say the team were brick. We all saw Hitchin talking to skirinars people in Italy, we needed then like we need now some top players in key areas, no matter which way we look at it.

 

[billyiddo]

Not this again lol. He wasn't going to come out and say the team were brick. We all saw Hitchin talking to skirinars people in Italy, we needed then like we need now some top players in key areas, no matter which way we look at it.

Yes this again and it'll always be this again if people keep choosing to ignore clear, straightforward quotes that contradict their bias.

We tried to get him in, but having spent 70m net already that summer whatever Inter were asking for for him was too much - i personally think it's a bit on the unreasonable side to be raving about a missed big money signing in the same window the club had spent well in (and by well i mean high net)

 

[Gazza]

Yes this again and it'll always be this again if people keep choosing to ignore clear, straightforward quotes that contradict their bias.

And obvious enough to see what kind of calibre Mourinhos teams were compared to the average tools down players he inherited. We needed then as we do now quality. Happy to let others continue I'm out.

 

[billyiddo]

And obvious enough to see what kind of calibre Mourinhos teams were compared to the average tools down players he inherited. We needed then as we do now quality. Happy to let others continue I'm out.

Not sure the relevance of your first line to what's being discussed is? We need quality now and needed quality then, as my edit in the last post mentions - we spent 80m net that summer, a little unreasonable to focus on the one transfer we couldn't get over the line

 

[Gazza]

Not sure the relevance of your first line to what's being discussed is? We need quality now and needed quality then, as my edit in the last post mentions - we spent 80m net that summer, a little unreasonable to focus on the one transfer we couldn't get over the line

We can spend all the money in the world and still be brick if we don't get the players of quality required.