| I know this will get mega downvotes 20:46 - Aug 2 with 2797 views | FromReuserWithLove |
and cries of me being so awfully negative and I know “things don’t work like that in the real world mate” etc etc but I really can’t help feel this pre-season/transfer has been a total mess thus far. Obviously things can change but I feel Ashton and Co should have sorted out a few glaring problems a lot more efficiently. |  | | |  |
| I know this will get mega downvotes on 20:50 - Aug 2 with 2425 views | Nutkins_Return |
Wtaf. I can't think of a better pre-season and posted about this early.
Some stressful/frustrating moments in the window. Omari going and Hackney not coming is sad/frustrating.
But we get Jens + 1 quality additional CM and a Striker and we look great to be honest. We will likely need one more Wide forward now because of Omari/Broadhead situation.
We've looked excellent in pre-season. |  |
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| I know this will get mega downvotes on 20:54 - Aug 2 with 2354 views | Churchman |
Given transfers involve selling clubs, players, Agents, families, how exactly should Ashton and co sorted out a few glaring problems a lot more efficiently? Who, when, what were your expectations?
I’m just interested in the workings of your view. |  | | |
| I know this will get mega downvotes on 20:56 - Aug 2 with 2318 views | Cheltenham_Blue |
You? Being negative?
Surely not. |  |
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| I know this will get mega downvotes on 20:58 - Aug 2 with 2288 views | groovyASH |
Some good solid team building performances against decent opposition.
Only issues are the injuries which are an inevitable part of football.
Re: transfers, patience. We don't throw stupid money around, we don't behave desperately, we play a long game with the players we want and have usually ended up getting them.
Inevitably the likes of Hutchinson leave like Delap before him but this gives us flexibility and headroom in return.
McKenna and Ashton have earned the right to our patience and belief. They've done nothing to burn that away |  |
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| I know this will get mega downvotes on 21:02 - Aug 2 with 2233 views | FromReuserWithLove |
| I know this will get mega downvotes on 20:56 - Aug 2 by Cheltenham_Blue |
You? Being negative?
Surely not. |
Think there’s a healthy mix of positivity and honesty in my history tbf. Some debates I raise will get jumped on by those who assertively disagree but that’s fine, it’s what opinions are all about right.
I just feel losing Burgess, Axel and having uncertainty around many others at this stage is a bit of a concern and coupled with our struggles to get targets through the door in good time has made pre season a bit disjointed and ‘not ideal’ as Kieran would put it. I’m just saying it how I see it. I could dress it up it a positive spin but honestly, what would be the point?
It is absolutely fine to see it differently. | | | |
| I know this will get mega downvotes on 21:03 - Aug 2 with 2231 views | Swansea_Blue |
| I know this will get mega downvotes on 20:50 - Aug 2 by Nutkins_Return |
Wtaf. I can't think of a better pre-season and posted about this early.
Some stressful/frustrating moments in the window. Omari going and Hackney not coming is sad/frustrating.
But we get Jens + 1 quality additional CM and a Striker and we look great to be honest. We will likely need one more Wide forward now because of Omari/Broadhead situation.
We've looked excellent in pre-season. |
I’m getting the same vibes as when we went to Austria in 2023 and won that cup. But this time we’re comfortably seeing off higher ranked teams, rather than scraping by. Every team has its challenges with transfers and injuries, etc., but we look chuffin good! I’m probably getting carried away, but we could boss this season big time. Any other additions now will just ramp up how much we take the piss.
#allaboardhmspisstheleague |  |
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| I know this will get mega downvotes on 21:34 - Aug 2 with 2013 views | Illinoisblue |
I think the problem is we’re shopping in a market that will always be a stretch for us while we’re in the championship. We clearly have the money but every young player dreams of the premier league. Added to that is the 24/7 speculation and rehashing of 17,000 tweets and rumors. We likely don’t know 95% of what goes on with agents and clubs. I can’t recall if it was Ashton or KM who said a couple months ago “we are pretty far down the line with our deals”. That may have been true two months ago. Looking a bit hollow now. [Post edited 2 Aug 21:34]
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| I know this will get mega downvotes on 21:59 - Aug 2 with 1834 views | positivity |
| I know this will get mega downvotes on 21:02 - Aug 2 by FromReuserWithLove |
Think there’s a healthy mix of positivity and honesty in my history tbf. Some debates I raise will get jumped on by those who assertively disagree but that’s fine, it’s what opinions are all about right.
I just feel losing Burgess, Axel and having uncertainty around many others at this stage is a bit of a concern and coupled with our struggles to get targets through the door in good time has made pre season a bit disjointed and ‘not ideal’ as Kieran would put it. I’m just saying it how I see it. I could dress it up it a positive spin but honestly, what would be the point?
It is absolutely fine to see it differently. |
there's no positivity in your history.
you wish!
seriously though, we all wish transfers happened easier, but that's the way of the world, we could have plumped for the easy options (kept luongo, kept harness etc) and had more numbers in the squad, but ambitions are higher and we may yet get a much higher calibre of signing. already matusiwa and young look quality
it's a risk, but plumping for the safe, easy option is also a risk | |
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| I know this will get mega downvotes on 22:03 - Aug 2 with 1795 views | Freddies_Ears |
| I know this will get mega downvotes on 20:50 - Aug 2 by Nutkins_Return |
Wtaf. I can't think of a better pre-season and posted about this early.
Some stressful/frustrating moments in the window. Omari going and Hackney not coming is sad/frustrating.
But we get Jens + 1 quality additional CM and a Striker and we look great to be honest. We will likely need one more Wide forward now because of Omari/Broadhead situation.
We've looked excellent in pre-season. |
And we haven't blown our budget, only to find that we urgently need cover for new longterm injuries. | | | |
| I know this will get mega downvotes on 23:29 - Aug 2 with 1562 views | Joey_Joe_Joe_Junior |
| I know this will get mega downvotes on 21:34 - Aug 2 by Illinoisblue |
I think the problem is we’re shopping in a market that will always be a stretch for us while we’re in the championship. We clearly have the money but every young player dreams of the premier league. Added to that is the 24/7 speculation and rehashing of 17,000 tweets and rumors. We likely don’t know 95% of what goes on with agents and clubs. I can’t recall if it was Ashton or KM who said a couple months ago “we are pretty far down the line with our deals”. That may have been true two months ago. Looking a bit hollow now. [Post edited 2 Aug 21:34]
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Last year it was we don’t have a European scouting network, so we can only buy players from the Championship for big fees. Well Sunderland have blown that out of the water this year for basically the same net spend. Let’s see how they do this season.
Surely this year the excuse can’t be we are aiming too high?
End of the day it is their job to identify realistic targets and get them over line, whatever market we are shopping in.
It’s been underwhelming thus far and we are short handed going into the season as it stands in multiple areas of the pitch. I don’t really think that’s up for much debate personally, KM even alluded to that. You have to consider our financial situation and having McKenna to sell to prospects.
There is four weeks left so we just have to hope we can get a lot of done still and that’s when everyone can assess now they think we’ve done. We really need Cajuste to happen now though. Who knows how fit/game ready he is without a true pre season.
There’s lot to be positive about but since we’ve had the cash I’ve been fairly like warm on some of our business for the fees paid tbh. |  | | |
| I know this will get mega downvotes on 01:01 - Aug 3 with 1326 views | berkstractorboy |
| I know this will get mega downvotes on 20:50 - Aug 2 by Nutkins_Return |
Wtaf. I can't think of a better pre-season and posted about this early.
Some stressful/frustrating moments in the window. Omari going and Hackney not coming is sad/frustrating.
But we get Jens + 1 quality additional CM and a Striker and we look great to be honest. We will likely need one more Wide forward now because of Omari/Broadhead situation.
We've looked excellent in pre-season. |
Don't forget keeping KMc and O'shea signing a new contract both big plusses. | | | |
| I know this will get mega downvotes on 05:13 - Aug 3 with 1147 views | DavoIPB |
Even the areas we were well stocked in are starting to look thon on the ground. Right back still looks a real problem. Centre mid we are well short and now our attacking options are dwindling fast. Can feel a panic buy or two coming in. | | | |
| I know this will get mega downvotes on 06:11 - Aug 3 with 1089 views | victorysquad |
I think the strategy is to make some player sales but build a team that can cope better in the prem should we get promoted
Trouble is we have to wait till later in the window to pick up better quality
But i think it is the right strategy
i remember Newcastle last championship team going up were packed with quality and that imo is the best way to get out this league
So buckle up, as Km said. | |
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| I know this will get mega downvotes on 07:11 - Aug 3 with 943 views | lurcher |
You can only judge our transfer business when the window closes. The period between the season starting and the window closing will be the liveliest. |  | | |
| I know this will get mega downvotes on 07:14 - Aug 3 with 919 views | franz_tyson |
Well the football's been pretty good.
Just we haven't got the centre midfield sorted and the striker here yet. And also Hutchs replacement. Don't think we can blame Ashton for Hutch. Hardly a disaster.... we're just not in place for the start of the season.
We will see at the end of the window, but it does feel we go too high and too long sometimes for Target A and there's the possibility we miss out on Target B and C. I'm thinking Hackney and the Chelsea lad and previous years we've wasted time with Broja and the Greek striker. If we get the players in - then fine, but I do wonder if we need to have a clearer picture of what we can get realistically. Hackney said from the beginning he wanted PL football and we spent a lot of time and effort trying to sell something he didn't want. If Kieran McKenna is as good as coach as is made out, then we should be able to find a good Championship player for good money and improve him by 10% or whatever. Not sure about this we have to buy PL ready players... why not buy players who can get us out of this division first and foremost. | | | |
| I know this will get mega downvotes on 07:31 - Aug 3 with 834 views | Kieran_Knows |
| I know this will get mega downvotes on 07:14 - Aug 3 by franz_tyson |
Well the football's been pretty good.
Just we haven't got the centre midfield sorted and the striker here yet. And also Hutchs replacement. Don't think we can blame Ashton for Hutch. Hardly a disaster.... we're just not in place for the start of the season.
We will see at the end of the window, but it does feel we go too high and too long sometimes for Target A and there's the possibility we miss out on Target B and C. I'm thinking Hackney and the Chelsea lad and previous years we've wasted time with Broja and the Greek striker. If we get the players in - then fine, but I do wonder if we need to have a clearer picture of what we can get realistically. Hackney said from the beginning he wanted PL football and we spent a lot of time and effort trying to sell something he didn't want. If Kieran McKenna is as good as coach as is made out, then we should be able to find a good Championship player for good money and improve him by 10% or whatever. Not sure about this we have to buy PL ready players... why not buy players who can get us out of this division first and foremost. |
I hate this notion that ‘we waste time on transfers’. That just doesn’t happen. We find out weeks/months beforehand if a target is prepared to join us, normally via an agent. Then it’s about negotiating with said club and player himself the terms.
Sometimes they join, sometimes they don’t. But we clearly don’t waste time on any deal. |  |
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| I know this will get mega downvotes on 07:41 - Aug 3 with 770 views | franz_tyson |
| I know this will get mega downvotes on 07:31 - Aug 3 by Kieran_Knows |
I hate this notion that ‘we waste time on transfers’. That just doesn’t happen. We find out weeks/months beforehand if a target is prepared to join us, normally via an agent. Then it’s about negotiating with said club and player himself the terms.
Sometimes they join, sometimes they don’t. But we clearly don’t waste time on any deal. |
Howd you know that?
I bet working towards getting to a stage where you can agree a fee with another club over a player takes a lot of work. Also, it means you lose focus on other players.
We know from previous experience we've wasted time with certain players. Look at Broja last year... messing around right at the death and then there's drama over medicals and all sorts ... and then we were all about to get the Arsenal player on deadline day and offload Broadhead. Nonsense.
If what you said was right then we wouldn't have gone through last week's scenario with Hackney. He didn't want to join us and it was too hard a sell. | | | |
| I know this will get mega downvotes on 07:41 - Aug 3 with 763 views | Herbivore |
| I know this will get mega downvotes on 21:02 - Aug 2 by FromReuserWithLove |
Think there’s a healthy mix of positivity and honesty in my history tbf. Some debates I raise will get jumped on by those who assertively disagree but that’s fine, it’s what opinions are all about right.
I just feel losing Burgess, Axel and having uncertainty around many others at this stage is a bit of a concern and coupled with our struggles to get targets through the door in good time has made pre season a bit disjointed and ‘not ideal’ as Kieran would put it. I’m just saying it how I see it. I could dress it up it a positive spin but honestly, what would be the point?
It is absolutely fine to see it differently. |
Burgess and Axel have been replaced by Kipre and Young, arguably we've upgraded on them, so I'm not concerned on that front. We need a couple of CMs, a striker, and we'll need to replace Omari if he goes. Four weeks of the window left, a strong squad despite the gaps, and nobody else has completed their transfer business yet either. I'm not worried. |  |
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| I know this will get mega downvotes on 07:44 - Aug 3 with 737 views | Kieran_Knows |
| I know this will get mega downvotes on 07:41 - Aug 3 by franz_tyson |
Howd you know that?
I bet working towards getting to a stage where you can agree a fee with another club over a player takes a lot of work. Also, it means you lose focus on other players.
We know from previous experience we've wasted time with certain players. Look at Broja last year... messing around right at the death and then there's drama over medicals and all sorts ... and then we were all about to get the Arsenal player on deadline day and offload Broadhead. Nonsense.
If what you said was right then we wouldn't have gone through last week's scenario with Hackney. He didn't want to join us and it was too hard a sell. |
It’s just obvious, isn’t it?
I bet the club doesn’t have a ‘top target’ either. Not in this day and age, anyway. They will have a drawn up a list over a period of time of players that fit certain attributes for the position required and therefore they will negotiate on several players at all one time. They wouldn’t have spent weeks negotiating with Boro for Hackney and put their feet up thinking ‘we don’t need to negotiate for anyone else’. It’s not just Ashton who deals with clubs/agents. Werhun is involved as are a number of other people.
This isn’t Fifa or Football Manager. | |
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| I know this will get mega downvotes on 07:52 - Aug 3 with 693 views | franz_tyson |
| I know this will get mega downvotes on 07:44 - Aug 3 by Kieran_Knows |
It’s just obvious, isn’t it?
I bet the club doesn’t have a ‘top target’ either. Not in this day and age, anyway. They will have a drawn up a list over a period of time of players that fit certain attributes for the position required and therefore they will negotiate on several players at all one time. They wouldn’t have spent weeks negotiating with Boro for Hackney and put their feet up thinking ‘we don’t need to negotiate for anyone else’. It’s not just Ashton who deals with clubs/agents. Werhun is involved as are a number of other people.
This isn’t Fifa or Football Manager. |
It's not a case of putting their feet up - but they can't go in the same level of negotiations with other players as they did with Hackney in the last week. The world doesn't stand still for us. Other possible candidates could be negotiating with other clubs whilst we were dealing with Hackney or other clubs aren't now willing to sell.
We all know there's multiple conversations going on with agents, clubs, etc, but I would have thought when it gets serious then it takes up a lot of time and interest cools elsewhere. | | | |
| I know this will get mega downvotes on 07:55 - Aug 3 with 673 views | Kieran_Knows |
| I know this will get mega downvotes on 07:52 - Aug 3 by franz_tyson |
It's not a case of putting their feet up - but they can't go in the same level of negotiations with other players as they did with Hackney in the last week. The world doesn't stand still for us. Other possible candidates could be negotiating with other clubs whilst we were dealing with Hackney or other clubs aren't now willing to sell.
We all know there's multiple conversations going on with agents, clubs, etc, but I would have thought when it gets serious then it takes up a lot of time and interest cools elsewhere. |
Just because the deal for Hackney was agreed last week, doesn’t mean that it wasn’t weeks of negotiations beforehand. If the ITK account on Twitter is to be believed, negotiations started in the middle of June. That’s almost 6 weeks. In which time, we’ve signed 4 players, all of which we’d have been negotiating in that period also. | |
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| I know this will get mega downvotes on 08:01 - Aug 3 with 638 views | Churchman |
| I know this will get mega downvotes on 07:31 - Aug 3 by Kieran_Knows |
I hate this notion that ‘we waste time on transfers’. That just doesn’t happen. We find out weeks/months beforehand if a target is prepared to join us, normally via an agent. Then it’s about negotiating with said club and player himself the terms.
Sometimes they join, sometimes they don’t. But we clearly don’t waste time on any deal. |
I think the view that ‘we waste time on transfers’ implies transfers are easy to do.
Club wants to sign Bingo Billy. Ashton speaks to agent and counterpart at Real Ale Madrid, fee agreed. Agent negotiates wages and terms. Bingo turns up, stethoscope waved about; medical sorted, puts his X on the contract and inanely grins at the camera holding up his new nylon shirt. Hurrah!
The reality is £millions involved, a buying club with what it’s prepared to spend, an Agent, selling club wanting the max, player with his own wishes, his family, possibly moving to an unknown part of the country. It all sounds hideously difficult to me and I’ve no idea of the true process. Clearly there are plenty of ITK people on here who do, so perhaps somebody could explain it.
‘We waste time on transfers’ implies that whoever does recruitment is incompetent. Is that the case? Last year, some suggested Ashton spent too much time posing for the cameras in a hard hat focussing on Portman Road work to the detriment of transfers. Was that true? I don’t think it’s as simple as that or correct.
It is obvious to all but the dumbest that ITFC were well behind the curve with infrastructure including scouting and recruitment thanks to Evans. Recruiting with money to get out of League One was clearly far easier than trying to bring people in higher up the food chain. It was to Cook’s credit that he had an eye for a player and I don’t think overall his successors have done too badly.
Mistakes? Of course, but no club or manager has ever gone through player trading and not made mistakes. That’s just life. Is the club’s recruitment good/professional enough? No idea. Some on here clearly don’t think so.
The picture will be clearer in a months time. I hope by then whoever we have at the club buys into it and all are pulling in the same direction. If we have unhappy people in the building (like possibly Hutchinson) that won’t happen and we can forget this season.
A dramatic conclusion that I don’t think will happen because I believe a lot will be sorted in the next two or three weeks. | | | |
| I know this will get mega downvotes on 08:04 - Aug 3 with 614 views | mrshallisfit |
| I know this will get mega downvotes on 08:01 - Aug 3 by Churchman |
I think the view that ‘we waste time on transfers’ implies transfers are easy to do.
Club wants to sign Bingo Billy. Ashton speaks to agent and counterpart at Real Ale Madrid, fee agreed. Agent negotiates wages and terms. Bingo turns up, stethoscope waved about; medical sorted, puts his X on the contract and inanely grins at the camera holding up his new nylon shirt. Hurrah!
The reality is £millions involved, a buying club with what it’s prepared to spend, an Agent, selling club wanting the max, player with his own wishes, his family, possibly moving to an unknown part of the country. It all sounds hideously difficult to me and I’ve no idea of the true process. Clearly there are plenty of ITK people on here who do, so perhaps somebody could explain it.
‘We waste time on transfers’ implies that whoever does recruitment is incompetent. Is that the case? Last year, some suggested Ashton spent too much time posing for the cameras in a hard hat focussing on Portman Road work to the detriment of transfers. Was that true? I don’t think it’s as simple as that or correct.
It is obvious to all but the dumbest that ITFC were well behind the curve with infrastructure including scouting and recruitment thanks to Evans. Recruiting with money to get out of League One was clearly far easier than trying to bring people in higher up the food chain. It was to Cook’s credit that he had an eye for a player and I don’t think overall his successors have done too badly.
Mistakes? Of course, but no club or manager has ever gone through player trading and not made mistakes. That’s just life. Is the club’s recruitment good/professional enough? No idea. Some on here clearly don’t think so.
The picture will be clearer in a months time. I hope by then whoever we have at the club buys into it and all are pulling in the same direction. If we have unhappy people in the building (like possibly Hutchinson) that won’t happen and we can forget this season.
A dramatic conclusion that I don’t think will happen because I believe a lot will be sorted in the next two or three weeks. |
Point of order. Who is this Bingo Billy you talk of and are we in for him? | | | |
| I know this will get mega downvotes on 08:07 - Aug 3 with 597 views | franz_tyson |
| I know this will get mega downvotes on 07:55 - Aug 3 by Kieran_Knows |
Just because the deal for Hackney was agreed last week, doesn’t mean that it wasn’t weeks of negotiations beforehand. If the ITK account on Twitter is to be believed, negotiations started in the middle of June. That’s almost 6 weeks. In which time, we’ve signed 4 players, all of which we’d have been negotiating in that period also. |
Look I don't want to get t1t for tat, but those 4 players we brought in you mentioned were for different positions. They weren't part of the Hackney scenario. Including Matusiwa, who was a replacement for Morsy. They were separate negotiations which didn't depend on the outcome of Hackney. My point is if negotiations started for Hackney six weeks ago and his position was only resolved yesterday - how much has it affected other possible negotiations for that CM position? I don't know... if we bring in a decent CM alternative to Hackney soon, then it's not a problem. | | | |
| I know this will get mega downvotes on 08:11 - Aug 3 with 566 views | Herbivore |
| I know this will get mega downvotes on 08:07 - Aug 3 by franz_tyson |
Look I don't want to get t1t for tat, but those 4 players we brought in you mentioned were for different positions. They weren't part of the Hackney scenario. Including Matusiwa, who was a replacement for Morsy. They were separate negotiations which didn't depend on the outcome of Hackney. My point is if negotiations started for Hackney six weeks ago and his position was only resolved yesterday - how much has it affected other possible negotiations for that CM position? I don't know... if we bring in a decent CM alternative to Hackney soon, then it's not a problem. |
Aren't we meant to be on the verge of signing Cajuste? | |
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