20 minutes ago, Swanson said:

Crazy overpriced market in England... why aren't Mowbray and his scouting team looking abroad? Can't remember any foreign players being linked.

No scouting network abroad anymore?

32 minutes ago, Tom said:

7m for a lad with about 20 goals in the championship - madness, sheer madness.

Wonder what Matt Jansen goes for in today’s money? Even Marcus Bent would be a £10 million man 

All of a sudden Armstrong looks like a steal...

3 hours ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

An injury plagued lad from Oxford. Nice. 

Maybe not about otzumer, but I'm sure their fans are saying they would prefer Rothwell over Lowe. 

Lol they will in 6 weeks!

17 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

Shouldn't I? Not saying you would, but some who are now saying Wildschut, Outzumer and Mcamanaman are great signings and better than what we have signed, would flip it completely around if we had signed the 3 of them. The genuine issues and concerns about their records would be highlighted. When Bolton and Wigan sign them it's apparently great business. I just find it funny is all.

You are making up your own agenda pal.  If we signed Otzumer instead of Rothwell, do you really think people would be saying "Meh we should have signed the injury plagued lad from Oxford."

Appreciate that clubs other than Rovers do make good signings (comparatively) -in some people's opinions (clearly not your own).  Just like fans of other teams will be comparing theirs to ours and doing likewise.

31 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

Otzumer and wildschut on loan are not better signings than Davenport and Rothwell. What has Otzumer done in the championship, is he not bought on potential too? Wildschut is a loan. Let's see who will have the most sell on value in a season or two. 

The rose tinted view some fans have of other clubs is hillarious. Making out Mcmanaman is some amazing signing for Wigan yesterday. If we signed him people would be saying he hasn't done anything in the last 3 seasons. 

What has Rothwell done in the champ?  Wasn't always a first teamer  for Oxford. Be interesting to compare Otzumer's stats with Rothwells at the end of the season.    Davenport could be decent.  Yes Wildschutt is a loan and a very good one at this level. Loans are hard to do though because of the world cup...

Bolton have managed to get a couple of decent signings through the door on the cheap.  

Otzumer and now Wildschutt (sp) if they hadn't signed Lowe as well, I'd be saying hats off.  Not bad for a club supposedly in dire straits. 

Better than our recruitment so far, as we are relying on potential.

Just now, The Gull said:

Doom merchants are out in force at present I see, a 2-0 defeat at home to a top 4 Premier League team who played in the Champions League final is an a disgrace for some. 

Get a grip. 

It's a strong Liverpool reserve team.

Some teams in league one would have said the same about our squad in context.  We've huffed n puffed but the lack of forward thinking players is worrying.  At least we've had a good run around.

Fair point. I'll save my tenner next time.

Just now, Doaksie said:

Davenport 'does a Bell'. Tired bodies lead to tired minds, in the midst of a fitness push in pre season. Understandable the quality has shone through in the end. Can see another couple, but will do no harm. And at best focus a few minds as to how short we are. 

Tired? Bell and Davenport only been on pitch 20 mins ?

2 0

Gave ball away again

Just now, Tormund said:

They were always going to be too strong. 

Oh aye.  I never thought we'd get owt.  Shot on goal would be nice though.  

Could finish 3 or 4 this.  Scousers full of tall, quick players.  Everything we are not.

Liverpool very wasteful.  We have absolutely nothing going forward.

We are playing with no striker.  Just weird.  Samuels wide right.  We really are short.

33 minutes ago, RovingRover said:

Really foolishly hoped deep down that we'd have a player announcement just before kick off. Such as Dack signing a new contract or a new forward coming in.
How very foolish of me.

Thought the same!

23 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

Our budget needs to stop somewhere though. We shouldn't be held to ransom or pay more than a player is worth. It's a waiting game. Burnley, Spurs and Everton are all yet to make a signing. It's not easy, even when you have bags of cash. 

Did you have to mention them 

1 minute ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

I wouldn't mind working there myself, although we had a very tropical summer here this year.

Yes of course agents are approached, but 99% of them undoubtedly give the club ridiculous figures. We think a player is worth 300,000 and should be paid 8,000 per week(based on our current wage structure and what that player has actually achieved to date). The agent says well the club will accept that, but you need to offer him 20,000 a week. The club then say no, we want 2 million for the player. Agent comes back and says, actually he is now talking to another club and they are offering 22,000 per week(I am sure they lie about this). Now imagine that, but with 10 clubs involved with that particular player and his agent. We are probably involved in this dance for around 5 players. As happens every window then, time ticks down and you reach a compromise. The agents can potentially mess things up if call too may bluffs, but these guys are sneaky , real sneaky... 

If it was a case of us paying what the club and agent say first time of asking, we would be getting fleeced left, right and center 

Exactly.  So we shouldn't be surprised if goal posts get constantly moved.  It's supply and demand of a single individual. If you want the player enough, make sure you budget for them..

5 hours ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

Do you really think it's as simple as knowing the fee and wages before going for a player? Wow. It's so simple. Why does practically every transfer drag on I just don't know. You should be our Head of negotiations  before you inevitably get poached by Madrid of course

You aren't telling me that agents aren't approached pre transfer bid to get an idea of wages/likelihood of them joining?

If we didn't then that is naive in the extreme.   However, Competition for a signature may drive a contract up. 

Then by correlation,  if you know the initial contract demands and that there is interest in a player....you need to budget accordingly which it appears we haven't done. 

I look forward to working in Spain ?

34 minutes ago, Blueandwhitemike said:

 

It doesn't say we missed out on him,  just that  City aren't letting him go as they are taking him on tour which would suggest he's a good player though I would expect Foden to go to a premier league club if any.

TM says he has four or five plates spinning so that suggests we are certainly trying.

IF we are in for Maddison then TM's comments about agents might suggest that he is after quite a bit in wages. When TM  made his comments about the budget after coming  back from India I remember thinking that we might have a few million to spend  but it might be difficult  as when you spend  a couple of  million or more on  a player they expect wages to match, who knows maybe 20k+  a week and it didn't seem like they wanted to upset any players by getting ones in on significantly better wages.

It is all conjecture of course but it might be that TM and Waggott are trying hard to persuade Maddison, or any other relatively high fee player and agent, to take lower wages and it is dragging on and on.  You can tell Mowbray has been getting frustrated over the last couple of weeks especially and that he is sensitive to fan frustration but  I expect he will still make the number of signings he wanted to but the quality might be a little more questionable.

 

 

 

 

No point signing players If they aren't going to improve what we ave.  Under 23s can plug gaps.  

If they weren't aware of the expected fees and wages of players they were interested in, then clearly the scouting system isn't working.

Is Cory Evans the best we can trot out for the kit launch?Surely Graham, Dack Smallwood etc.  People we actually like. 

Hope the fact that Dack's not in the picture isn't a sign.

NB. Don't like the kit at all.

1 hour ago, Tom said:

Rich says the link isn’t Maddison and isn’t anything to get too excited over - so not Chapman either.

Sounds like a loan

Sounds like we are going to be way weaker than last year.

Another false dawn. 

Sounds a bit of a Kent! Avoid.

1 hour ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Ok you win you've got round me with flattery. Lol.

I'm not averse to the loan system per se if it is used sparingly to add a bit of pizzazz and the finishing touches to your transfer business. Ideally you'd like someone truly exceptional that you could never afford to buy outright in a month of Sunday's like Woodburn from Liverpool or Foden from City. As OH says though you're heading for trouble if you're trying to make it the staple of your business purely to avoid paying transfer fees.

One of my main objections to relying on the loan system though is the element of uncertainty. At least if you're in to buy a player permanently things are under your control to the extent that if you want to you can keep upping your offer until you get your man.

If you're relying on Premier League loans after the transfer window has shut then the bigger Clubs are under no obligation whatsoever to let their players go out on loan to the lower leagues. You've no real idea whether players will be made available to loan or even if they are if they're in the positions you want or if they fancy joining you. And if it all comes to nothing it's too late to do anything about it then.

Completely agree with that.  90 percent of loans made should be with an option to buy.  No problem at all with that model.  The 10 % should be the premier league gem.

Just now, rigger said:

More than likely, but only an opinion not a fact.

Aye.  IMO