How about Andrea Pirlo

I can’t shake the images of him walking around the pitch as if he was above this level last year. Sure it improved, but his initial reaction wasn’t of one to prove he should be playing at a higher level, it was more of a child sulking. even later when he seemed 1/2 interested I didn’t think he was head and shoulders above our own players. At this point I’d rather see our own players cut their teeth unless the player is of the quality of jpv, Elliot, or reed. The Poveda’s, Clarkson, Palmers and Giles of the world don’t help us build a club, they just fill space. Space I’d rather see given to our own players.

We really should be able to produce our own rather than pay to develop kids from a similar cat 1 academy like Leeds or produce our own as good or better.

I’m starting to think that sone of the young lads are better filling out the squad than the late career guys we’ve had. Experience counts but developing youth can pay dividends. Why pay the Johnsons, Smallwoods, mulgrews of the world for a front row seat?

Good to see a move made. Assuming Diaz is sold we will need an striker. We never replaced Armstrong and as well as Vale has played I’m not so confident he and Gally can shoulder the load. Another mid would be nice but I’d prefer our young players, Wharton, Garret over sone old bloke like Johnson. I think Carter is a good reserve but with Ayala history we need another center back. Just hate to have Carter not playing.

Recon the wages on that group are double our current 1st team.

Holtby, Johnson, downing, Bennett, Armstrong, Douglass, Trybull all also off the books in the last 2 years. Surely the wage bill has to be 50% what it was in 2020/21. All replaced by academy kids.

Pike is probably the best long term bet in house. Carter is a center half, JRC best suited for the training room and Brown probably not top class...so like everywhere else, it's relying on a teenage to come through.

Not sure it's fair to consider the 5 (6 if you count the injured Poveda) in players going out if you dont also count the players returning form loan.

The reality is more likely he was Ferked about by TM for the last 3 years. Told he wasn't good enough, played out of position, then left out of the squad entirely at times. He likely had decided to leave in 2020 when JRC was touted as "better" than him. Of the 3 that have left, he and Rothwell were never really provided the confidence under TM.

Likely because before last campaign no one would have expected any fee at all for him.

Why we have sell ons added on to a £5 million bid for a then teenager with no first team experience is beyond me. Could you imagine 3 years ago someone coming in and offering £5million for Buttersworth, let alone add ons?

It’s also great to figure out what moronic things they regurgitate from the previous chap.

Something like,”you’ll being playing right back”

Friendlies have 2 purposes. Gain fitness for established players and an opportunity to prove they belong to those that are trying to make the first team. Gally could have scored 5 and it wouldn’t have changed his place in the side. Vale, Wharton, Carter, Magloire, Phillips, Garret need to use these games to catch the managers eye.

I’d want unicorns to fly above ewood park and fart rainbows before each match. About as likely as Ayala being fit for a full campaign

I'm convinced 90% of the media links are agent trying to find a market for their players.

Can only hope he gets to write up their line up sheet each week. Arma in goals, Derragh, you go lead the line! Go get em lads!

Hopefully the transfer business doesnt' follow the same path as the manager appointment...after all I recall that the manager would be announced first, then the Football Director...I'm hoping the signing dont come after the season begins.

Roth well quit when the transfer to Bournemouth was blocked. He’s never going to admit it, but it was obvious. BBD and Khadra injuries left us without any quality up front and between Zeefuik and Naymbe there was rarely a fit RB. Markanday lasted all of 5 min While TM tactics were shite, we also had a run of injuries that hurt the 2nd half results. We were relying of Lenihan, Ayala and JRC to get the games best chances. What it shows is what we all knew, the depth wasn’t there.

Both him and Naymbe had 5 years of listening to Tm go on about the great club that Middlesbrough is. No wonder they jumped at the chance to go

assuming there is one

Looks like the rules are set to be more restrictive. 70% cap on revenue. Means the thing that matters most is income. If you focus on expenses you’ll never be competitive https://www.nationalworld.com/sport/football/what-are-uefas-proposed-financial-fair-play-changes-how-new-rules-will-work-3623936

Should be solid after the sale of BBD. Last campaign had the training grounds on the books, this one has AA sale and assuming we again sell in the embers of the window next will have Diaz. That should be 3 years with abnormal revenue. If that doesn’t get us to safety what will?

We should have no issues with FFP atm. The Armstrong sale was so late, I believe it’s on the accounts for this year. We had to do training ground sale for last year. Agree he will be sold, but we should be able to invest the Armstrong proceeds now. Also without the maximum wages under our structure picked up by Rothwell, Lenihan and Naymbe there room to bring in and pay players. I’m confident that the budget exists without the sale of Diaz.