| Getting closer to the window we needed 12:02 - Jan 29 with 3129 views | SomethingBlue |
A good thing with Al-Hamadi is that it safeguards us a little for next season, which is probably when we'll start to see the best of him – really young, one of the best emerging talents in the Football League, clearly a sky-high ceiling if it all comes together.
And you never know, sometimes things just click and the adaptation is instant. I think that's a little bit difficult in our system, especially for a striker, and things tend to take time – but it's happened before & will happen again. Intriguing to see what impact he makes in the next few months.
Al-Hamadi + More Experienced Head + Jackson would seem a good combination for the rest of the season, with Hirst perhaps back for the play-offs if that's the way things go. Without the middle of those, we'll be forced into a gamble.
After that, it's just that intensely annoying and slightly worrying full-back area where we've essentially lost two players unless Williams can make it back ...
[Post edited 29 Jan 12:03]
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| Getting closer to the window we needed on 12:12 - Jan 29 with 2940 views | tractorboy1978 |
If we can add Gallagher and a versatile full back, it will be an excellent window. I think being able to play both sides is important considering Clarke is still managing an injury. We saw on Saturday that Ball can't adequately play that RB role. And Tuanzebe whilst capable can't play it in the marauding way Clarke can. [Post edited 29 Jan 12:13]
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| Getting closer to the window we needed on 12:24 - Jan 29 with 2808 views | Exiled2Surrey |
| Getting closer to the window we needed on 12:12 - Jan 29 by tractorboy1978 |
If we can add Gallagher and a versatile full back, it will be an excellent window. I think being able to play both sides is important considering Clarke is still managing an injury. We saw on Saturday that Ball can't adequately play that RB role. And Tuanzebe whilst capable can't play it in the marauding way Clarke can. [Post edited 29 Jan 12:13]
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Agree with the OP - shaping up well but the other striker needs to be sorted. As an aside, looks like Woodrow broke his hand in the Cup so assume he is no longer an option (assuming he ever was).
On FB cover, I would have liked to see what Travis could do in that slot against Maidstone - can't remember, is he right-sided? The JD situation is so frustrating... | | | |
| Getting closer to the window we needed on 12:26 - Jan 29 with 2757 views | jayessess |
Strikes me that it was always likely to be an experienced one and a youngster. Far better for the youngster to be ours, rather than a loanee who'd be just as much of a risk but far less potential upside. |  |
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| Getting closer to the window we needed on 12:48 - Jan 29 with 2592 views | Illinoisblue |
| Getting closer to the window we needed on 12:26 - Jan 29 by jayessess |
Strikes me that it was always likely to be an experienced one and a youngster. Far better for the youngster to be ours, rather than a loanee who'd be just as much of a risk but far less potential upside. |
Agreed. And weirdly, even though we can assume Al-Hamadi was not our first choice, feels like he should be. Fits the profile perfectly. Young, fairly priced, high ceiling. |  |
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| Getting closer to the window we needed on 12:50 - Jan 29 with 2563 views | jayessess |
| Getting closer to the window we needed on 12:48 - Jan 29 by Illinoisblue |
Agreed. And weirdly, even though we can assume Al-Hamadi was not our first choice, feels like he should be. Fits the profile perfectly. Young, fairly priced, high ceiling. |
Presumably Stansfield was Plan A for that role. If that's case in our circumstances, he'd be far more of a sure thing for an immediate impact. | |
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| Getting closer to the window we needed on 13:41 - Jan 29 with 2338 views | Illinoisblue |
| Getting closer to the window we needed on 12:50 - Jan 29 by jayessess |
Presumably Stansfield was Plan A for that role. If that's case in our circumstances, he'd be far more of a sure thing for an immediate impact. |
The way the Stansfield interest was first reported it certainly seemed he was the main man. Assume the Rooney situation derailed things somewhat. | |
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| Getting closer to the window we needed on 13:46 - Jan 29 with 2288 views | portmanking |
| Getting closer to the window we needed on 13:41 - Jan 29 by Illinoisblue |
The way the Stansfield interest was first reported it certainly seemed he was the main man. Assume the Rooney situation derailed things somewhat. |
Yep, Stansfield + an Experienced Man was very much Plan A at the start of the window.
I'm confident Al-Hamadi will be a great long-term signing for us though. And if Stansfield didn't have the stomach for a top two battle then, frankly, feck him. | | | |
| Getting closer to the window we needed on 13:49 - Jan 29 with 2229 views | tonybied |
| Getting closer to the window we needed on 13:46 - Jan 29 by portmanking |
Yep, Stansfield + an Experienced Man was very much Plan A at the start of the window.
I'm confident Al-Hamadi will be a great long-term signing for us though. And if Stansfield didn't have the stomach for a top two battle then, frankly, feck him. |
I'm pretty sure Stansfield had little to do with the choice of coming to us or staying at Birmingham. I imagine it was mainly Fulham's choice to keep him there. |  | | |
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| Getting closer to the window we needed on 13:51 - Jan 29 with 2203 views | portmanking |
| Getting closer to the window we needed on 13:49 - Jan 29 by tonybied |
I'm pretty sure Stansfield had little to do with the choice of coming to us or staying at Birmingham. I imagine it was mainly Fulham's choice to keep him there. |
No, it was his call, unfortunately.
Rooney leaving and Mowbray (who pursued him hard last summer) joining turned his head. But still, playing under McKenna should be enough of a pull, so feck him. | | | |
| Getting closer to the window we needed on 14:00 - Jan 29 with 2078 views | LankHenners |
| Getting closer to the window we needed on 13:51 - Jan 29 by portmanking |
No, it was his call, unfortunately.
Rooney leaving and Mowbray (who pursued him hard last summer) joining turned his head. But still, playing under McKenna should be enough of a pull, so feck him. |
Unnecessarily arrogant and derisive. If he's settled, playing well and scoring, there's not much point in him moving so can easily see why he stayed put. |  |
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| Getting closer to the window we needed on 14:12 - Jan 29 with 2001 views | itfcjoe |
| Getting closer to the window we needed on 13:51 - Jan 29 by portmanking |
No, it was his call, unfortunately.
Rooney leaving and Mowbray (who pursued him hard last summer) joining turned his head. But still, playing under McKenna should be enough of a pull, so feck him. |
They gave his brother a job on their staff team as well |  |
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| Getting closer to the window we needed on 14:33 - Jan 29 with 1891 views | portmanking |
| Getting closer to the window we needed on 14:00 - Jan 29 by LankHenners |
Unnecessarily arrogant and derisive. If he's settled, playing well and scoring, there's not much point in him moving so can easily see why he stayed put. |
It's not arrogant whatsoever. If he'd rather stick with a team that's only got a safe mid-table spot at best to play for instead of stepping out of his comfort zone and taking another loan challenge with us to add to his football education further, so be it. | | | |
| Getting closer to the window we needed on 14:48 - Jan 29 with 1768 views | Exiled2Surrey |
| Getting closer to the window we needed on 14:33 - Jan 29 by portmanking |
It's not arrogant whatsoever. If he'd rather stick with a team that's only got a safe mid-table spot at best to play for instead of stepping out of his comfort zone and taking another loan challenge with us to add to his football education further, so be it. |
This is also my view. Stansfield has definitely got ability, but if he prefers to be a big fish in a small pond, I am not sure he is one for us, and I wouldn't be surprised if the powers at Fulham will consider it a lack of ambition.
More than happy with this one - he is going to go to paces that Stansfield maybe would not, and will surely ruffle some feathers on the way | | | |
| Getting closer to the window we needed on 17:06 - Jan 29 with 1464 views | LankHenners |
| Getting closer to the window we needed on 14:33 - Jan 29 by portmanking |
It's not arrogant whatsoever. If he'd rather stick with a team that's only got a safe mid-table spot at best to play for instead of stepping out of his comfort zone and taking another loan challenge with us to add to his football education further, so be it. |
Viewing it purely from the perspective of the respective positions Birmingham and Town are in is very narrow-minded imo. He's a loan player from a Prem club so not as if there's an incentive to go to a promotion-chasing team like there might be for a permanent signing. If he continues to do well for Birmingham the rest of the season then he'll probably have a pick of any Champ club that wants him next season. | |
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| Getting closer to the window we needed on 17:15 - Jan 29 with 1422 views | portmanking |
| Getting closer to the window we needed on 17:06 - Jan 29 by LankHenners |
Viewing it purely from the perspective of the respective positions Birmingham and Town are in is very narrow-minded imo. He's a loan player from a Prem club so not as if there's an incentive to go to a promotion-chasing team like there might be for a permanent signing. If he continues to do well for Birmingham the rest of the season then he'll probably have a pick of any Champ club that wants him next season. |
There's no incentive to get exposure to a playoff/automatic promotion campaign? I'm very puzzled by this. That's PRECISELY what Fulham would want for him, not playing in a bunch of meaningless dead rubbers between March and May. | | | |
| Getting closer to the window we needed on 17:19 - Jan 29 with 1367 views | LankHenners |
| Getting closer to the window we needed on 17:15 - Jan 29 by portmanking |
There's no incentive to get exposure to a playoff/automatic promotion campaign? I'm very puzzled by this. That's PRECISELY what Fulham would want for him, not playing in a bunch of meaningless dead rubbers between March and May. |
I think you're fundamentally misunderstanding the point of a loan spell to be honest. Birmingham are trying to pull away from the relegation zone, that in itself brings a type of pressure and builds some resilience. Don't think it's a bad thing at all for a young player to be exposed to that environment. Given how good he is I'd be very surprised if he isn't at a Champ club pushing for promotion next season. | |
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| Getting closer to the window we needed on 17:36 - Jan 29 with 1213 views | portmanking |
| Getting closer to the window we needed on 17:19 - Jan 29 by LankHenners |
I think you're fundamentally misunderstanding the point of a loan spell to be honest. Birmingham are trying to pull away from the relegation zone, that in itself brings a type of pressure and builds some resilience. Don't think it's a bad thing at all for a young player to be exposed to that environment. Given how good he is I'd be very surprised if he isn't at a Champ club pushing for promotion next season. |
But you're suggesting Fulham would rather he was involved in a relegation dogfight rather than playing in a fluid, free-flowing top 6 team. In what world does that make sense for his development? Any progressive club would rather their youngsters played with the pressure of promotion than relegation.
There's not a chance Birmingham are going down. Equally there's no chance they'll trouble the top six. It's probably the worst kind of loan you could have in the Champ IMO. | | | |
| Getting closer to the window we needed on 17:37 - Jan 29 with 1197 views | Bobbychase |
| Getting closer to the window we needed on 17:15 - Jan 29 by portmanking |
There's no incentive to get exposure to a playoff/automatic promotion campaign? I'm very puzzled by this. That's PRECISELY what Fulham would want for him, not playing in a bunch of meaningless dead rubbers between March and May. |
I know they probably won't go down but looking at the league table it will be a while before Birmingham can relax and enjoy some dead rubbers. |  |
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| Getting closer to the window we needed on 17:48 - Jan 29 with 1094 views | LankHenners |
| Getting closer to the window we needed on 17:36 - Jan 29 by portmanking |
But you're suggesting Fulham would rather he was involved in a relegation dogfight rather than playing in a fluid, free-flowing top 6 team. In what world does that make sense for his development? Any progressive club would rather their youngsters played with the pressure of promotion than relegation.
There's not a chance Birmingham are going down. Equally there's no chance they'll trouble the top six. It's probably the worst kind of loan you could have in the Champ IMO. |
I'm not suggesting that for starters and a club would view a player's development in a holistic sense so if he's halfway through a loan he's enjoying and is settled, there's little point forcing him to switch to a club in the same division. | |
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| Getting closer to the window we needed on 17:54 - Jan 29 with 1027 views | chicoazul |
So We still need two players with two days of the window left. |  |
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| Getting closer to the window we needed on 18:03 - Jan 29 with 944 views | Herbivore |
| Getting closer to the window we needed on 17:15 - Jan 29 by portmanking |
There's no incentive to get exposure to a playoff/automatic promotion campaign? I'm very puzzled by this. That's PRECISELY what Fulham would want for him, not playing in a bunch of meaningless dead rubbers between March and May. |
Pretty sure they'd like to see him playing regularly as well, no? He wouldn't necessarily have been first choice here and if it was only a loan move to us there's little incentive to move from a team where you're starting regularly to a team where you aren't. |  |
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| Getting closer to the window we needed on 19:02 - Jan 29 with 764 views | Nutkins_Return |
| Getting closer to the window we needed on 14:33 - Jan 29 by portmanking |
It's not arrogant whatsoever. If he'd rather stick with a team that's only got a safe mid-table spot at best to play for instead of stepping out of his comfort zone and taking another loan challenge with us to add to his football education further, so be it. |
Nonsense. He's on loan from a prem club and it's not his permanent home. But he's found somewhere where he's loved by the fans, guaranteed to play and guaranteed to be the main man where he can play and develop under a very good manager who he knows wants him to be a focal point. His brother has been added to staff and they have looked out for him.
At his age he needs to be playing, scoring and developing. He has that. He's enjoying his football. Shoe on the other foot and we'd be giving him so much credit for loyalty and wanting to play etc.
It seem Fulham only wanted it to be a loan. Why uproot all that positive stuff for a few months when you might play less.
Absolutely fine with his decision from his side though would have loved him on a perm. | | | |
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