| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton 20:40 - Jul 27 with 22670 views | portmanking |
I got the impression from Kieran's post match comments that he was giving Ashton a little nudge to focus minds on strengthening the squad.
As well as Harness did, to have him, Ladapo, Barbrook etc. involved underlines how thin we are. The squad did need major surgery to compete next season, no matter how attached we are to the Class of 2023-24. |  | | |  |
| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 07:38 - Aug 2 with 2616 views | portmanking |
KMac is NOT a happy bunny. In the slightest. | | | |
| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 08:05 - Aug 2 with 2448 views | tractorboy1978 |
| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 07:38 - Aug 2 by portmanking |
KMac is NOT a happy bunny. In the slightest. |
What can we do though? As I posted a couple of times previously on here, I think the reality of how hard this window was always going to be is starting to bite. | | | |
| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 08:10 - Aug 2 with 2400 views | portmanking |
| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 08:05 - Aug 2 by tractorboy1978 |
What can we do though? As I posted a couple of times previously on here, I think the reality of how hard this window was always going to be is starting to bite. |
There's been several targets we've 'missed out on' that Kieran thought we had over the line (not talking about Philogene). He's cut a very frustrated figure in Germany all week apparently.
Right now, we're going into our first PL season in 22 years with a WEAKER squad than we had last season, availability wise. [Post edited 2 Aug 2024 8:11]
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| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 08:13 - Aug 2 with 2366 views | revdrb |
| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 07:38 - Aug 2 by portmanking |
KMac is NOT a happy bunny. In the slightest. |
Is this in terms of number, quality or pace of the signings. Or in terms of one's we might have missed out on?
I'm guessing a combination of each of these? | | | |
| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 08:30 - Aug 2 with 2204 views | chicoazul |
| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 08:10 - Aug 2 by portmanking |
There's been several targets we've 'missed out on' that Kieran thought we had over the line (not talking about Philogene). He's cut a very frustrated figure in Germany all week apparently.
Right now, we're going into our first PL season in 22 years with a WEAKER squad than we had last season, availability wise. [Post edited 2 Aug 2024 8:11]
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Gonna be absolute mayhem at this rate. We’re going to get slaughtered every week. |  |
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| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 08:41 - Aug 2 with 2089 views | Zx1988 |
| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 08:10 - Aug 2 by portmanking |
There's been several targets we've 'missed out on' that Kieran thought we had over the line (not talking about Philogene). He's cut a very frustrated figure in Germany all week apparently.
Right now, we're going into our first PL season in 22 years with a WEAKER squad than we had last season, availability wise. [Post edited 2 Aug 2024 8:11]
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Are we talking players that have popped up on the radar, such as Downes? Or have these players generally not been reported on by the media? | |
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| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 08:43 - Aug 2 with 2044 views | Kieran_Knows |
| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 08:05 - Aug 2 by tractorboy1978 |
What can we do though? As I posted a couple of times previously on here, I think the reality of how hard this window was always going to be is starting to bite. |
Missing out on Downes and Philogene, when we thought we had them both (and probably seen other targets move elsewhere in the meantime whilst we thought we had them 2), has hampered us. |  |
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| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 08:45 - Aug 2 with 1999 views | Meadowlark |
Another thread from know-it-alls telling us how we think. 🥱 |  | | |
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| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 08:47 - Aug 2 with 1982 views | ibbleobble |
| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 08:30 - Aug 2 by chicoazul |
Gonna be absolute mayhem at this rate. We’re going to get slaughtered every week. |
😂😂😂 - is this because we haven’t signed a new squad of 25 players? | | | |
| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 08:49 - Aug 2 with 1941 views | portmanking |
| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 08:47 - Aug 2 by ibbleobble |
😂😂😂 - is this because we haven’t signed a new squad of 25 players? |
It's because we have zero squad depth in crucial areas and a glaring lack of quality to even compete at PL level.
As a side note, I really believe the transfer window should shut before the first PL game. What use is it starting the season knowing full well players still have a fortnight to move on? [Post edited 2 Aug 2024 8:50]
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| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 08:50 - Aug 2 with 1926 views | tractorboy1978 |
| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 08:43 - Aug 2 by Kieran_Knows |
Missing out on Downes and Philogene, when we thought we had them both (and probably seen other targets move elsewhere in the meantime whilst we thought we had them 2), has hampered us. |
I don't doubt it but not sure what more we could have done. Numbers wise we hit the mark so can argue it's more on McKenna than anyone else that we didn't convince them to sign - not that I am blaming him, the reality is any decent player is going to have other (often better) options than us. | | | |
| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 08:53 - Aug 2 with 1878 views | portmanking |
| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 08:50 - Aug 2 by tractorboy1978 |
I don't doubt it but not sure what more we could have done. Numbers wise we hit the mark so can argue it's more on McKenna than anyone else that we didn't convince them to sign - not that I am blaming him, the reality is any decent player is going to have other (often better) options than us. |
Which begs the question, are we aiming TOO high? Should we just be focusing on the cream of the Championship crop and hoping the bulk can cope with the step up?
It just feels too important not to strengthen certain areas (CM and CF). It would be terminal for us before we've even kicked a ball. | | | |
| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 08:55 - Aug 2 with 1841 views | Nutkins_Return |
| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 08:49 - Aug 2 by portmanking |
It's because we have zero squad depth in crucial areas and a glaring lack of quality to even compete at PL level.
As a side note, I really believe the transfer window should shut before the first PL game. What use is it starting the season knowing full well players still have a fortnight to move on? [Post edited 2 Aug 2024 8:50]
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We had all this last year....
The prem is a different beast in fairness but we will have the depth come the start of season/end of window. Generally same for every club. We actually got a lot of very good business done very early and got the players we wanted.
McKenna like all managers will have wanted a few less injury niggles and a couple more in. Does anyone really think a guy like McKenna who has a great quality of keeping a calm and even head is going around "cutting a frustrated figure" who h isn't his character or professionalism at all. Absolute nonsense | |
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| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 08:57 - Aug 2 with 1821 views | ibbleobble |
| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 08:49 - Aug 2 by portmanking |
It's because we have zero squad depth in crucial areas and a glaring lack of quality to even compete at PL level.
As a side note, I really believe the transfer window should shut before the first PL game. What use is it starting the season knowing full well players still have a fortnight to move on? [Post edited 2 Aug 2024 8:50]
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This your “ideal” squad but all of a sudden it has a “glaring lack of quality”. You’re on the Div list.
My ideal squad for 24/25 by portmanking 23 Jul 2024 22:48Muric
Walton
D. Martin
Johnson
H. Clarke
Davis
**1x LB (freebie/loan)**
Greaves
Woolfenden
Burgess
Tuanzebe
Edmundson
Morsy
**Sheaf**
Taylor
Luongo
1x CM (loan/freebie)
Burns
Hutchinson
Chaplin
**Szmodics**
**J. Clarke**
Broadhead
Hirst
Delap
**1x older striker (loan/freebie)**
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| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 08:58 - Aug 2 with 1817 views | Zx1988 |
| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 08:53 - Aug 2 by portmanking |
Which begs the question, are we aiming TOO high? Should we just be focusing on the cream of the Championship crop and hoping the bulk can cope with the step up?
It just feels too important not to strengthen certain areas (CM and CF). It would be terminal for us before we've even kicked a ball. |
It's an interesting point; perhaps we are being too ambitious?
It feels to me that, back in L1 and the Championship, we had the financial clout to outbid other clubs and, even when we couldn't, the prospect of the project was always a good selling point.
This time around, I get the feeling that a lot of the players we're targeting couldn't give a damn about the project, and would rather go to whoever will give them the better contract and best chance of competing in the right part of the division. | |
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| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 09:03 - Aug 2 with 1767 views | NedPlimpton |
| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 08:43 - Aug 2 by Kieran_Knows |
Missing out on Downes and Philogene, when we thought we had them both (and probably seen other targets move elsewhere in the meantime whilst we thought we had them 2), has hampered us. |
Did we "miss out" on Downes?
Surely he was always likely to end up at Southampton. Yes, we were clearly in for him but he would have been nowhere near as close to joining as Philogene |  | | |
| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 09:06 - Aug 2 with 1724 views | hype313 |
Sounds like Blackburn are constantly changing the goalposts, which makes any deal incredibly difficult.
Downes was always an uphill battle due to his links with Martin.
I get McKenna is probably frustrated, we all are, however it's a really tough window to navigate, you want PL quality but who can we get that isn't going to be on £100k a week?
Sheaf? He's injured and a while away and Coventry will want silly money.
It's a fine balance, and whilst I would like to have more bodies in, I know Ashton loves a deal more than any of us, and I'm in no doubt he's doing all he can to get players in. |  |
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| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 09:06 - Aug 2 with 1715 views | tractorboy1978 |
| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 08:53 - Aug 2 by portmanking |
Which begs the question, are we aiming TOO high? Should we just be focusing on the cream of the Championship crop and hoping the bulk can cope with the step up?
It just feels too important not to strengthen certain areas (CM and CF). It would be terminal for us before we've even kicked a ball. |
I thought Ioannidis seemed ambitious but I wouldn't put the other two in that category. I like Downes and think he would have done well here but he's hardly a slam dunk at PL level. Much below that level and you aren't getting the type of quality we need. If our market is decent Championship players we aren't really moving the needle. We may need to take a couple of risks from abroad. | | | |
| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 09:07 - Aug 2 with 1701 views | Zx1988 |
I don't understand the pile-on from some quarters on the OP. They had a lot of good information from inside the club during McKenna's contract talks, so they strike me that they know what they're talking about.
If they're saying that McKenna is unhappy, and that we've missed out on targets that McKenna thought were done deals, I'm inclined to believe them. | |
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| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 09:10 - Aug 2 with 1643 views | hype313 |
| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 09:07 - Aug 2 by Zx1988 |
I don't understand the pile-on from some quarters on the OP. They had a lot of good information from inside the club during McKenna's contract talks, so they strike me that they know what they're talking about.
If they're saying that McKenna is unhappy, and that we've missed out on targets that McKenna thought were done deals, I'm inclined to believe them. |
I think any manager would be annoyed if targets aren't brought in, Fergie used to spend his summer holidays apocalyptic, Wenger by all accounts got blindsided a number of times on key targets, it's the way football operates. | |
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| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 09:13 - Aug 2 with 1589 views | portmanking |
| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 08:55 - Aug 2 by Nutkins_Return |
We had all this last year....
The prem is a different beast in fairness but we will have the depth come the start of season/end of window. Generally same for every club. We actually got a lot of very good business done very early and got the players we wanted.
McKenna like all managers will have wanted a few less injury niggles and a couple more in. Does anyone really think a guy like McKenna who has a great quality of keeping a calm and even head is going around "cutting a frustrated figure" who h isn't his character or professionalism at all. Absolute nonsense |
I can assure you it's 100% not absolute nonsense.
I tend to agree that the bulk of new faces will improve us, but there's still lots of work to do. IMO, it's a big issue that we're likely to be sailing close to August 31st on deals at this rate. | | | |
| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 09:16 - Aug 2 with 1543 views | Europablue |
| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 08:50 - Aug 2 by tractorboy1978 |
I don't doubt it but not sure what more we could have done. Numbers wise we hit the mark so can argue it's more on McKenna than anyone else that we didn't convince them to sign - not that I am blaming him, the reality is any decent player is going to have other (often better) options than us. |
The two players we have lost out on were Philogene who was offered Champions League football with his former club, and Downes who played for Southampton last season and has a lot of unknowns about whether it would be wise to come back. KM was probably a big pull factor for both cases, but we have to accept that a lot of the time players just choose a different club. | | | |
| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 09:19 - Aug 2 with 1480 views | portmanking |
| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 09:16 - Aug 2 by Europablue |
The two players we have lost out on were Philogene who was offered Champions League football with his former club, and Downes who played for Southampton last season and has a lot of unknowns about whether it would be wise to come back. KM was probably a big pull factor for both cases, but we have to accept that a lot of the time players just choose a different club. |
The two players we've *publicly* lost out on... | | | |
| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 09:24 - Aug 2 with 1427 views | Nutkins_Return |
| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 09:13 - Aug 2 by portmanking |
I can assure you it's 100% not absolute nonsense.
I tend to agree that the bulk of new faces will improve us, but there's still lots of work to do. IMO, it's a big issue that we're likely to be sailing close to August 31st on deals at this rate. |
What are you assuring me on because as I say even if McKenna is internally frustrated (like 90% most pre season) he's not going around showing it. That would be very poor management and I think we know he's not in that bucket.
Would he/Ashton/we like a few more onboard. Yep. That's absolutely obvious. Is it a big crisis. No. Will we get more in. Yes.
I think we were tracking ahead of schedule 2-3 weeks ago on business done. We're now a little behind. | |
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| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 09:25 - Aug 2 with 1406 views | FrimleyBlue |
| McKenna turning up the heat on Ashton on 09:13 - Aug 2 by portmanking |
I can assure you it's 100% not absolute nonsense.
I tend to agree that the bulk of new faces will improve us, but there's still lots of work to do. IMO, it's a big issue that we're likely to be sailing close to August 31st on deals at this rate. |
I find it interesting that people think a guy who turned down a management job at a stable prem side wouldn't be annoyed at being a couple weeks away from season starting and having to cancel friendlies because he does t have enough players.
He's a manager who plans every last detail of every session, he would have specific plans on how he wanted to do things and they've gone tts up of course he's going to be pssed off. |  |
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