Forward line

[Shaun Rice]

Whingit that’s not a plan B! That’s a plan C,D or maybe even E. No proper club should find themselves needing to play their centre half as a striker.
Actually we’re were playing one up top then with only two recognised strikers in the squad.

 

[Marked Ox]

Whingit that’s not a plan B! That’s a plan C,D or maybe even E. No proper club should find themselves needing to play their centre half as a striker.
Actually we’re were playing one up top then with only two recognised strikers in the squad.

It worked with Chris Sutton.

 

[Millman]

1st you say it wasn’t what we were was told what we were expecting so what were we expecting? KR said early summer he was looking at around 10 players coming in 3/4 of that has been done he would of liked most of that done before the start of pre season unfortunately that didn’t happen which has also been the case for the last 3 seasons

The players you mentioned we should be keeping who are they? If you mean Ledson & Rothwell they were always looking to move on this season we were lucky to keep them last January & all the players KR released were rightly moved on

We have 3 players on loan (not like we’ve got 13) with another 2 set to come in on loan which are all high quality so what to moan about, our recruitment has been decent bar a couple of signings we are short in, as we all know we need a out & out number 9 striker or even 2 along with a defensive midfielder & maybe another winger, it’s hardly a disaster now

Its not about the numbers coming in it was about the quality KR was announcing we would be signing top players, all business done early, and an ever varying number of players. KR does indeed talk a lot, and does like to overstate things a bit which is all fine. If you took all of what he said on face value you would indeed be disappointed. Personally I always thought it was a bit of reach what he was claiming but what is disappointing is the lack of a decent striking options so close to the season, plus I do question just what our player budget is this year.

Ledson was always going. Rothwell was a disappointment (I understand we are lucky to keep them etc but we are doomed to mediocrity until we become a team that can keep more of its players for a bit longer). Richardino was a good player and a shame we didn't sign (but we may have replacements who offer better value for money). Unless we sign Karacan or a good replacement Doughty might be a miss. Plus maybe we should have kept one of the strikers we let go if we are struggling to find replacements (to be honest after last season I am amazed we kept Obika).

Loan players are a big risk as we have found. Play well and they run the risk of being taken back to their parent club in Jan (often to be re-loaned to another club who stumps up more money). Having some loans are fine as they often add quality beyond what we can afford, but to be reliant on them in key positions is a risk. In the past we have been able to sign some of the loans at the end of the season I do not see this with the players we currently have. Therefore we are doomed to a massive rebuild either in Jan or next year (especially so given that we know our best contracted players leave each year). I wonder just what future are we building other than season by season maintaining our position with a hope we get lucky (which is fine but is not a mark of big investment).

I agree with your assessment of the players we still need, and the fact it is not a disaster. I also understand this is part of the game at this level unless you are one of the bigger clubs with good financial backing. I suppose I am just a bit disappointed that it is beginning to look like while we are an improvement over last year's disaster we really aren't pushing onward. This all comes back to the question of just what Tiger can afford and what are his plans mid to long term.

 

[greatunclekip]

Who honestly thought we'd be going into the new season with Obika as main striker?!

Its a bit of a balls up in anyones book.

 

[Victor1986]

Very good post Millman.
Like everyone else I am hoping for signings in the next 48 hours - otherwise our recruiting has indeed come up way short of what we really need. Tiger has gone very quiet & I do wonder if there are money problems behind the scenes?

 

[malcolmsmoustache]

Its not about the numbers coming in it was about the quality KR was announcing we would be signing top players, all business done early, and an ever varying number of players. KR does indeed talk a lot, and does like to overstate things a bit which is all fine. If you took all of what he said on face value you would indeed be disappointed. Personally I always thought it was a bit of reach what he was claiming but what is disappointing is the lack of a decent striking options so close to the season, plus I do question just what our player budget is this year.

Ledson was always going. Rothwell was a disappointment (I understand we are lucky to keep them etc but we are doomed to mediocrity until we become a team that can keep more of its players for a bit longer). Richardino was a good player and a shame we didn't sign (but we may have replacements who offer better value for money). Unless we sign Karacan or a good replacement Doughty might be a miss. Plus maybe we should have kept one of the strikers we let go if we are struggling to find replacements (to be honest after last season I am amazed we kept Obika).

Loan players are a big risk as we have found. Play well and they run the risk of being taken back to their parent club in Jan (often to be re-loaned to another club who stumps up more money). Having some loans are fine as they often add quality beyond what we can afford, but to be reliant on them in key positions is a risk. In the past we have been able to sign some of the loans at the end of the season I do not see this with the players we currently have. Therefore we are doomed to a massive rebuild either in Jan or next year (especially so given that we know our best contracted players leave each year). I wonder just what future are we building other than season by season maintaining our position with a hope we get lucky (which is fine but is not a mark of big investment).

I agree with your assessment of the players we still need, and the fact it is not a disaster. I also understand this is part of the game at this level unless you are one of the bigger clubs with good financial backing. I suppose I am just a bit disappointed that it is beginning to look like while we are an improvement over last year's disaster we really aren't pushing onward. This all comes back to the question of just what Tiger can afford and what are his plans mid to long term.

Bang on. This underlines exactly what quite a few of us have been saying since the takeover. It's all very well having big plans, but it's generally a good idea to back them up with cash. The difficulties we have been having with recruitment indicate (and this is putting it politely) there is a big gap between what we have been told and what is being delivered......

 

[Berliner]

Plus maybe we should have kept one of the strikers we let go if we are struggling to find replacements (to be honest after last season I am amazed we kept Obika).

Good lord no! I'd rather have money in the bank or invested elsewhere than paying another penny to one of Thomas, Van Kessel or Roberts.

 

[Navegante]

Like everyone else I am hoping for signings in the next 48 hours - otherwise our recruiting has indeed come up way short of what we really need.

Potentially a part-finished squad to go with our part-finished stadium and part-finished training ground. In KR we trust.

 

[Millman]

Good lord no! I'd rather have money in the bank or invested elsewhere than paying another penny to one of Thomas, Van Kessel or Roberts.

Thomas wasn't awful. I was thinking more of him and Hemmings, not Van Kessel or Roberts.

 

[m]

It's good to know that nobody wants a sustainable OUFC.

 

[Millman]

It's good to know that nobody wants a sustainable OUFC.

I think we all do and in many ways it is preferable to some alternatives. But it is not what owners and manager have been saying to expect.

Sorry to dig up history but Eales told us he sold to Tiger as it was what was best for the club. This is obviously bull. It was what was best for him. What really galls me is what we could have had what is now at Sunderland. A fraction of that investment would have set us up for life. Instead we have an owner who to be honest none of know if he can fund us sustainably or if given our current level without the stadium we can ever be long term stable.

 

[PottersRightBoot]

It’s a difficult market that’s affected by big money signings by the Prem of WC players who are back late for training,

We will obviously be bringing in more players before the deadline. It’s not ideal timing but Robinson clearly wants certain players. .


There is a lot going on here outside clubs control - cut them some slack.

Generally I read so much negative B*****s about our club on this forum. There is no evidence I’ve seen that our owner is potless . Point me to it please.

Please God can the season start soon.

 

[malcolmsmoustache]

I think we all do and in many ways it is preferable to some alternatives. But it is not what owners and manager have been saying to expect.

Sorry to dig up history but Eales told us he sold to Tiger as it was what was best for the club. This is obviously bull. It was what was best for him. What really galls me is what we could have had what is now at Sunderland. A fraction of that investment would have set us up for life. Instead we have an owner who to be honest none of know if he can fund us sustainably or if given our current level without the stadium we can ever be long term stable.

Correct. We have seen no evidence of a credible plan. And at the risk of repeating myself, renting a new training ground from the council, creating a 'new' u23 team (basically re badging what we already had) is not evidence of appropriate funding. We are obviously struggling to get good standard L1 players into the club on permanent deals. All very concerning.

 

[windmill]

I think we all do and in many ways it is preferable to some alternatives. But it is not what owners and manager have been saying to expect.

Sorry to dig up history but Eales told us he sold to Tiger as it was what was best for the club. This is obviously bull. It was what was best for him. What really galls me is what we could have had what is now at Sunderland. A fraction of that investment would have set us up for life. Instead we have an owner who to be honest none of know if he can fund us sustainably or if given our current level without the stadium we can ever be long term stable.

Why would any decent strikers be available so close to the new season. Surely they would all be signed up. KR must have some other irons in the fire. There is no other logical explanation. It beats me, it really does.

 

[Foley]

Correct. We have seen no evidence of a credible plan. And at the risk of repeating myself, renting a new training ground from the council, creating a 'new' u23 team (basically re badging what we already had) is not evidence of appropriate funding. We are obviously struggling to get good standard L1 players into the club on permanent deals. All very concerning.

Some of this is so disingenuous.
To suggest that we are rebadging what we have with the U23s is ridiculous. I wonder whether you read the club's news?
There is an U23 coach who is new (I assume that you don't think that this is free as Derry would have cost a fair amount for a coach at this level)
In the past we had the Youth Team and first team squad . We have kept in more of the young players the we used to and have taken on Little, Whyte, Norman, and others from other clubs. So there is no way that the U23s have simply been re badged. Out of interest do you think Chris Allen will have taken this role on if they said ',it is as it was before get on with it '
With regard to the first Team squad of course we are players short. KR I suspect will be the first to say that things have been more difficult than he thought.
But to diss the U23 progress and the training facilities is ridiculous

 

[Mellowyellow]

Why would any decent strikers be available so close to the new season. Surely they would all be signed up. KR must have some other irons in the fire. There is no other logical explanation. It beats me, it really does.

He very quickly talked himself into a situation the fans liked the sound of, back in April. We”re coming up to a time when they will expect him to deliver. Sartori and KR would seem to have been a better option than with Tiger. If therefore Eales had been genuine in his wish for the best for the club, things might have been so, so different

 

[beyondthefourth]

He very quickly talked himself into a situation the fans liked the sound of, back in April. We”re coming up to a time when they will expect him to deliver. Sartori and KR would seem to have been a better option than with Tiger. If therefore Eales had been genuine in his wish for the best for the club, things might have been so, so different

Shall we at least wait to see how Sunderland get on before we compare the two situations?

 

[m]

Correct. We have seen no evidence of a credible plan. And at the risk of repeating myself, renting a new training ground from the council, creating a 'new' u23 team (basically re badging what we already had) is not evidence of appropriate funding. We are obviously struggling to get good standard L1 players into the club on permanent deals. All very concerning.

We've never seen any evidence of a credible plan from anyone ever.

You can choose to ignore where the spend has been. Fine. Doesn't prove anything other than you have made your mind up already though.

Why do you feel that OUFC need to be bankrolled and can't be competitive on a sustainable budget?

 

[Millman]

Is it just me, but I am struggling identifying where the U23 stops and where the first team squad begins. I fully expect the U23 squad vying for places in the first team squad, but to me it is becoming very difficult to see just how big the first team squad is or who is recruited for what part of the setup (we currently have only 14 players born before 1995 and two are incoming loans and one of them is out on loan Pekalski). I fully support a U23 squad as an extension of the youth setup and an addition to the first team squad. But do we currently have a U23 squad or a large part of the first team squad that is mostly under 23?

 

[RyanioBirdio]

One striker and another wide player wanted, according to KR today. There are already seven players vying for three places behind the lone striker. Wonder if one of them could be on the way out?