Miller11

Just remember what Mowbray said re the European scouting network... He had to catch a plane to Zurich and stay in a hotel to ask Balaji if he was allowed to catch a plane and stop in a hotel in order to scout a player in Europe. Another fine example of a normally functioning football club.

Complaining about the clubs transfer activity/policy is at least on topic. Complaining about people complaining about the clubs transfer policy is more of a stretch... it’s also much nearer to anything that could be construed as against forum rules.

This is the question that was put to Mowbray and Waggott at the consultation meeting: Do the club/owners have an aversion to signing defenders? Since Venky’s took over we have recouped circa £45 million on selling defenders, whereas we have only spent around £6.5 million on defenders during that period (85% of which went on one player) There is a perception that we have a “make do and mend” approach to the defence, often with players playing out of position at the back There seems a willingness to spend money in other areas when it is apparent to most that our defence has been something of an Achilles heel for years now. We have had a high turnover of players in defensive positions, but we have invariably replaced players we have sold for decent sums with free or nominal fee transfers When Venky’s first came along they spoke about their preference for “exciting, young, attacking players” – the transfer history during their tenure supports this, but does this extend to an unwillingness to sanction spending on defensive players? The response was emphatic: Defenders are coming We need defenders who can come straight in and improve the starting 11 Big ugly centre backs I guarantee defenders are coming No excuses Not up to the job We need better than Bauer Big, strong men who love defending Jake Cooper? He’s one who we could look at The recent about turn is a massive concern. I went from being confident to hopeful... hope it doesn’t end at dismayed.

You can draw conclusions when presented with evidence though. And there’s plenty of evidence to suggest my theory holds water.

Never mind the fees we payed for Armstrong, Brereton and probably now Gallagher too... Dominic Samuel cost more than our entire defence. Denying there is something beyond Mowbray’s control going on is burying your head in the sand. Venkys won’t spend on defenders.

It’s not that it’s a fantastic model, it’s just the nature of things. I think everybody accepts that Dack has a price? If a bid of £15 million came in from a prem club I’m sure we’d all be a bit gutted, but see it as him moving on like players do. If we then failed to reinvest that money, or wasted half of it on another Brereton, people wouldn’t be happy, but that’s a different matter. Look at some of the players we’ve lost in recent times - the argument isn’t that we sold them... Cairney - went too cheap Hanley and Duffy - weren’t replaced King/Mahoney - weren’t tied up so we lost out Raya - sold too soon For a time we had a squad with virtually zero re-sale value. Now we have some players who would actually command a fee, and eventually they will go.

Let’s use Konsa as an example. Bought 12 months ago from League one for 2.5 million, played a season with them and sold to a Prem team for 12 million. They have already made signings in that position and could well make more. No fan of any club wants to see their best players sold, but when a team from a higher division comes in and gives you a big profit, you accept it as inevitable. If we were to sell Dack, Lenihan it Travis, I’d have very little faith in us bringing in anyone remotely near the same level... fucking hell, I’d be pretty amazed if we replaced them with players who even play in the same position. Getting raided for your better players by top flight teams shows you are doing something right... it’s the nature of transfers. We are lightyears behind Brentford in terms of identifying players and recruiting them. Barring Dack, and to a much lesser degree Armstrong and Rothwell, the only players we have of any real value are academy products.

Nyambe stays back for every single set piece. Bell goes up for every single set piece. Bennett has played in the 10, centre mid and on both wings. Stats like this don’t really paint a full picture.

Mowbray: So Madam, Balaji, thanks for taking the time to speak to me Balaji: No problem Tony. As you know we are passionate, knowledgeable, supportive and humble Desai: I trust you are telling the peasants that at every given opportunity Tony? Mowbray: Oh yes, rest assured I am. But the reason I’ve called you today is we desperately need a new goalkeeper Desai: What’s a goalkeeper? Balaji: It’s a servant who cuts the grass Mowbray: Forgive me Bala, I think you’re thinking of a groundskeeper... goalkeeper is a position. We need a new player Desai: A young, exciting, attacking player? Mowbray: Well, no. Not really... it’s kind of a specialised position? Balaji: Can Benno not cover it? Mowbray: Ordinarily I’d say yes, but I don’t want to lose his energy and quality at right back. Desai: Can we not manage without one? Mowbray: Not really. The goalkeeper is the one that’s allowed to use their hands Balaji: Oh, that should be an easy job! Desai: Can we borrow one? Mowbray: That’s what I was hoping. I’ve got my eye on one Desai: Hmmmm, I don’t know about that Tony. We should really let the experts identify the players. Bala! Give Shebby a call Balaji: We aren’t friends anymore Desai: Well Where’s that list of Jeromes friends gone? Mowbray: I’ve taken the liberty of providing a video package. A kind of highlight real that shows what caliber of player we are dealing with. It shows the pinnacle of his career Desai: This is most unorthodox, but I’m intrigued. Let’s see it. * Mowbray presses play * Balaji: Wow! Desai: Authorised!

I’d also question how much we as a team worked on crosses during training. We always like very susceptible to them defensively and barely ever utilise them in our attacking play.

They seem to be playing the market really well though. The players they lost had an air of inevitability about them, and have gone to ‘bigger’ clubs for decent fees. They haven’t hung about, seemingly cast their net wide and are quickly re-investing. Just had a look at a look at a highlights package they put together on announcing the Diaby signing... lad looks a beast! We all know the potential pitfalls of getting too excited over a bunch of clips, but I can’t help thinking I wish we had someone like that.

Just been having a look at the business other teams in the league have done. One team that really stood out was Barnsley. Not unlike Mowbray, Stendel has done a bit of a raid on his past club, Hannover rather than Middlesbrough in this case. But as well as a couple from Germany they have also bought in what look like two big young centre halves from Denmark and Belgium. I don’t profess to know anything about these players, and they might not be any good, but while no doubt helped by the fact they have a manager from Europe, their scouting network clearly stretches a lot further than ours.

Jordan Archer was released by Millwall - he looked really good there for a while but lost his way (and place) this season. I think he’d be one who could give a good no.1 a challenge.

Yeah, that’s true. The Derby fans on that forum seem to think there’s something about him. His career seems to have gone down a David Bentley-esque path... albeit on a smaller scale.

Comments from the fans of his previous clubs on here say a lot

Well before they reach their peak and actualise their potential value. Sounds about right.

That would be disastrous! Serves me right for asking!

Because I think if they do leave it will be to Premier League clubs for big money. Obviously I don’t want to see them go as they are our best players, but we are where we are and we wouldn’t be able to stand in their way.

I reckon he has been told he will be first choice right back and captain.

My reactions would be something like this... Mulgrew, Williams, Bell, Evans, Armstrong, Brereton, Chapman, Wharton, Samuel, Nuttall, Davenport, Hart - indifference. Lenihan, Dack - Grudging acceptance Bennett, Smallwood - relief Rothwell, Magloire, Buckley, Butterworth - annoyance Nyambe, Travis, Graham - Fury

Can’t see too many being miffed with that one. Come on @Bbrovers2288 don’t leave us hanging!

There’s just as many painting a picture of a Rudolph Hess and that fat lad who got in trouble for eating a pie on the bench hybrid to be fair.

I think this is a classic case of Mowbray taking flak for something beyond his control. Steve Kean and his cronies dismantled a defence containing Samba, Nelsen, Givet, Jones, Salgado et al. It’s never been invested in properly since. One defensive signing since has cost a seven figure sum. Only about 4 or 5 players in the shit defence merry go round that has existed since then have involved a fee at all, all of which were nominal. There is a pattern absolutely screaming out. Venky’s wont sanction spending on defenders. I asked specifically about this at the consultation meeting with a lot of facts, figures, quotes etc. Mowbray and Waggott vehemently denied this is the case and guaranteed and promised defenders would be coming in. Defenders who were ready to improve the starting 11. They’d been back from India all of 5 minutes before the backtracking started, and he was talking about playing Downing at left back. Nonsense quotes like “we like exciting, young, attacking players”, that knob head Shebby Singh claiming Pedersen (and Steven Gerrard) had missed their true callings as full backs, Nzonzi, Bennett, Rodwell amongst others all used out of position, picking up broken down never has been a like Greer and Brown, the fact that the first players frozen out and fucked over under their reign of terror were Salgado, Samba, Givet and Ryan “in traction” Nelsen (as well as Andrews and Roberts who were the two who got most stick from the supporters)... They are just as shit with keepers too. Replacing Paul Robinson with Jason Steele was completely idiotic. We really did luck out with Raya coming through when he did. He’s gone now, and for all the talk of how easily replaceable he is, I bet we get a downgrade. Anyone who thinks Mowbray, or anyone who proceeded him since Kean, has free reign over transfers I think is absolutely kidding themselves. I reckon the extent of the meddling would horrify people of it all came out.

If Raya has been told he’s not going to be first choice, I’d fully expect him to push for a move to a club where he was. He’s been a regular for 2 seasons so dropping back to the bench wouldn’t be seen as an option to him I wouldn’t have thought. Also hearing a bit of a rumour (nothing more than that) that he wasn’t happy with the terms of his contract. One of our lower earners and wanted a bigger wage which we weren’t prepared to give him.

Or you were trying to pass bollocks off as a reputable story? Can’t imagine you get that many notifications with my name on. Constantly is definitely a stretch. Any examples? The ones I can think of were correcting (actually questioning is a better description of what I did) you when you claimed Nuttall had played a lot more than Brereton. Someone else corrected you. And I disagreed when you said Brereton should be starting ahead of Graham. Still do. If you want to make claims that aren’t challenged or discussed, and want everyone to agree with everything you post I’d recommend twitter.