Tell him it's a false economy not to pay Phillips another grand or two a week if that's what his agent is asking, as it's absolutely dwarfed by the potential lost transfer fee.

Aye, to encourage clubs to nurture their own players some sort of FFP easing on graduates should be in place. Something like if someone graduated from your academy, only half their wages count towards FFP, or their first professional contract doesn't count towards it. Something like that. I'm sure it won't happen though. Probably not enough clubs affected anywhere near as much as us by it, and some clubs like Preston don't even operate a full youth program (no U-21s in their case). So they probably wouldn't vote for it, and Waggott wouldn't have the nous to suggest it.

Problem with that, in terms of this season at least, is that we will probably buy an RB who will be expected to be the starter, then have JRC and James Brown ahead of him in the pecking order. I'm not a fan of JRC and Brown is pretty untested, but the friendlies do suggest they're ahead of him for now. Then there's...is Batty an RB? Some posters on here rate him very highly indeed.

Christ, in that case he probably gets to speak to the owners more than most of our managers do! If he moves into management one day maybe he'll end up managing here...which would be great if he's any good, but bad for many reasons if he isn't.

Utterly. That means he was above him, but also below him. No wonder nothing got fucking done.

One of the best volleyers of the ball I've ever seen. Sad watching that and seeing celebrations with all the cracking players we had then. Also sad seeing Steve Kean celebrate one of them...

If so, I'd have to file that under 'worrying'.

Or it might suggest he wants to get on with the job without distractions. We would only hear the usual repetitive soundbites anyway. Personally I don't think he should wait until the window closes though, we could do with at least one interview before then to let us know how it has been going generally. I don't see much point in it being right now though. The same calls would only resurface in a week or two and there's clearly not much to say yet. Anything he says will just be branded as excuses, so it's probably the smart move to not do interviews just yet. I'll judge him on incomings not interviews though. I'm not saying 'chill there's no need to panic' btw, I'm just providing balance. We have plenty of past transfer windows shambles under Venkys to point to, and we are definitely late in the day (again) with no signings in the building. I think a little more leeway should be granted this time for now, due to all the changes we have had in the management structure and personnel, but this is a disappointing start to the window. 'Panic' is almost by definition something it's never beneficial to do. But criticism and concern will be very warranted if players don't start arriving very soon. It won't be unsalvageable still, unless we don't have enough decent players in by the window's close, but the sooner the better.

Where are you drawing the conclusion from that he is starting to feel the heat? There haven't been any interviews in order to make such a judgement.

I don't think it is, personally. I'll be very surprised if we don't bring in a RB, a CB and a CM who are all expected to start as long as they prove up to it. I don't see any reason we wouldn't. I'm not saying they'll be perm deals, and 3 certainly isn't enough, but I can't see a universe in which those won't be the 3 main priorities for JDT and GB. Ok well they might plump for a winger instead of a CM if they only brought in 3, depending how impressed they are with Wharton and Garrett, but only a madman would think we don't need a CB and RB. Links suggest we are after midfielders too.

If we didn't own BBD and we were offered to loan him for one season at a cost of £8 million, would you do that? Because in essence that's what you're proposing. I agree we should be able to land 15 mill for him though.

Haha, let's be fair though, he did find Van Dijk, so they clearly shop around. They shop on the continent more than we do anyway. And they don't just sign players to smash poor SPL sides, they try to compete in European comps.

LT have mentioned it a few times. They say he has a sell-on, but that it's significantly smaller than the Armstrong one. Don't think they've ever stated a percentage.

Just for a little 'end product' study, had a look at Bowler's stats last season. He scored 7 goals and had 3 assists in 42 league games. A solid return from the wing for sure. However, Sam Gallagher, played primarily from the 'wing', scored 9 goals and had 3 assists in 37 games (just under 300 less minutes if we do it that way). Just saying. I know lots of other things come into play (like how we were better than them most of last season, that they might play their 'wingers' in a different way to us, Gally playing up front sometimes, etc) and that the game isn't entirely about goals and assists, so nobody needs to try tell me any of that. In a (hopefully) better team he may be able to improve on those pretty solid numbers. I just wonder a bit from how Blackpool fans talk about him (living there I can confirm they really really rate the lad, but also that they're a bit delusional) versus the stats, whether he is more one of those flashy entertaining players than one who puts getting the job done first. Mind, Rothwell was a bit like that and I'd have him back. Only 23, room to improve too. It would be seen as a bit of a coup, and Blackpool fans would be spitting feathers. On another note, I think he moved there on a free from Everton. The sort of moves we should always be looking to make. Lots of quality slips through Prem nets.

Not in the same level of role though I don't think. Just says 'a senior scouting role'.

Out of curiosity, what happened before Bosman to players whose contracts ran out? I'm too young to remember.

I don't think there being a sniff of a rumour matters a jot. Probably just keeping leaks under wraps. Besides, it's also not true, there have been rumours. Ben Davies the main one recently.

Bradley Johnson signed for MK Dons.

Didn't realise that. In that case, yes he's just the sort of signing we could make...

Wow, that would be a hell of a signing, most of the league would be jealous of that. Which is precisely why I've got more chance of winning the Euromillions tonight.

Could be a combination of lack of options and trying to convince him he is valued here so he signs.

He's 17 so, even easier 😉

From experience on this board, the first signing will calm most people down. For about 3-4 days and then spleens will vent once more. Maybe 2 days this time, since we have so much work to do.

Why won't they? It has happened to other clubs of similar size. Yes, some clubs have got away with it, but some haven't. As time has gone on I think we're seeing more of the latter than the former, and the closing of loopholes like selling training grounds and stadia.

Yep we've waited too long, been fucked around over and over, and the squad and late appointment issues absolutely fall on the club, they're not things that just happened to us that we couldn't prevent. But like you say, none of it the manager's fault, and those are ships that have sailed. To be realistic, as well as fair to JDT and GB, we have to be patient and give it time. Not forever of course, but time. The 2 or 3 more managers is the risk we carry if we are not patient with the appointment. Clearing out the board? They can't go soon enough, even if JDT does superbly. That's an independent thing and should be happening regardless (sadly it won't). The club can't prove the squad decimation and late appointments were done to increase our chances of promotion, because they weren't. They were just the result of incompetence. But if we don't go up this year, but go up next year, I'm sure everyone can accept that from the new management.