Transfer News Summer 2023 Transfer Window Thread

[Left Wing Cross]

By any metric you choose.

Other than perhaps (some) fans expectations.

However, they do own their own ground so they don't lose a significant chunk of their revenue in rent

 

[TailsWeWin]

It's not fear, it's sensible planning and balanced recruitment.

GOD has lots of potential but isn't quite ready to a first choice striker in a promotion chasing side.

Perkins has only recently played 10-15 games as a striker at PL2 level, he's played much deeper previously so isn't just inexperienced as a footballer but also as a striker too.

I said he could be absolutely fantastic for us and a real breakthrough, but equally could be as effective as Konate.

We have the budget to sign another experience forward, it would be negligent to just assume the other 2 strikers will cut the mustard if Harris gets a serious injury or can't play 50 games this season.

“As effective as Konate” ?! Wow, that’s pretty damning!

 

[joshua]

Have we signed Marriott yet?

Please no no no

 

[werthersoriginal]

By any metric you choose.

Other than perhaps (some) fans expectations.

Like Bradford are a bigger club than Luton?
I'm really not sure what a 'bigger club' means.

 

[Grumpy Git]

Well we need to sign another striker. Perkins isn't proven at this level.

He needs to play first!

 

[Swaby39]

Well we need to sign another striker. Perkins isn't proven at this level.

How will he ever be proven if you put 2 experienced strikers ahead of him? That would also make Gatlin 4th choice, likely out of the squad entirely, which seems daft given the value he's added from the bench. Fearlessness of youth is also not to be underestimated.

I think we're set up front. Plenty of variety, balance and fire power. The left wing looks thin to me. If we can get someone there who has a knack for goals, it takes the onus away from finding a proven goal scorer without leaving anybody redundant. That's where the vacancy is.

 

[WuTang]

“As effective as Konate” ?! Wow, that’s pretty damning!

Less likely with our recruitment model now but you just never know with any signing. When the money is clearly available for an experienced striker, the club are openly happy to get one in to flesh out our options, I find it fascinating that some would rather we just gamble with what we have.

This is the weakest league one has been in years, we've had a great start and made some great signings, why not let the board have a real go at it if they want to?

We all have to comply with 60% turnover spent on wages, there's no limit on transfers fees if the owners want to spend. That means the wage bill allows another in, let's go get one.

 

[Jster]

By any metric you choose.

Other than perhaps (some) fans expectations.

To be honest, I'm struggling to find *any* metric on which we're bigger right now. Certainly not on level played, or average attendance (even just counting seasons we've played at the same level lately). I think you have to look back to our pre-conference days to find a time when we were in any sense bigger than them.

 

[NorthernExile]

By any metric you choose.

Other than perhaps (some) fans expectations.

What metric are you choosing?

Oxford as a big club feels so 2006.

We were big once, and we have the potential to be big again, but I think by most people's standards (neutrals at least) we're not a bigger club than Rotherham.

 

[werthersoriginal]

To be honest, I'm struggling to find *any* metric on which we're bigger right now. Certainly not on level played, or average attendance (even just counting seasons we've played at the same level lately). I think you have to look back to our pre-conference days to find a time when we were in any sense bigger than them.

They have been better than us for twenty years, have a better ground, and have more fans. We were good in the 80s and are 'down south' so possibly tend to get more media attention.

 

[IsleofWightYellow]

“As effective as Konate” ?! Wow, that’s pretty damning!

To be fair to Konate -

If you took Mark Harris, or Ruben Rodrigues (for example) and shoved them into that poor, struggling, underperforming, tactically muddled side, as Konate was, I reckon they’d struggle, too.

If you gave Konate time to train under Manning and learn how he wants players to press etc, and then put him in to a team high on confidence, top of the league, he may well have done better. I remember on his debut he made a few good runs and looked quite quick and skilful, but it was a tough side to try and turn around singlehandedly…

 

[OX14]

How will he ever be proven if you put 2 experienced strikers ahead of him? That would also make Gatlin 4th choice, likely out of the squad entirely, which seems daft given the value he's added from the bench. Fearlessness of youth is also not to be underestimated.

I think we're set up front. Plenty of variety, balance and fire power. The left wing looks thin to me. If we can get someone there who has a knack for goals, it takes the onus away from finding a proven goal scorer without leaving anybody redundant. That's where the vacancy is.

What if Harris picks up an injury or suspension, we are then down to Perkins and O'Donkor both unproven to score goals at this level?

I would say we should go for Longman on a permanent who can come in and cover Browne now but also swap with Harris, Perkins and O'Donkor when needed. But this Marriott bid rumour must have some truth to it.

 

[Andy1505]

Anyone featuring should not be loaded out as clearly we need them eg GOD.
I'd be happy to see Henry and Murphy sold or loaned though. Think we need a new number 2 GK in.

Err no, why do we need a new keeper? Easty is as good as it comes as a no. 2, he's capable, experienced and will support the young keeper we currently have.

 

[MJB]

What metric are you choosing?

Oxford as a big club feels so 2006.

We were big once, and we have the potential to be big again, but I think by most people's standards (neutrals at least) we're not a bigger club than Rotherham.

 

[holdsteady]

They have been better than us for twenty years, have a better ground, and have more fans. We were good in the 80s and are 'down south' so possibly tend to get more media attention.

We were bigger than Rotherham, then they overtook us and are now bigger than us, but potentially we, as a side at the centre of a county and that county’s only professional sports team are bigger than them. We have just underperformed that badly for years that we fell behind and remained behind f*****g Rotherham.

You have to respect Rotherham they have been performing at around their peak level for 20 years, that’s a well run club. Whereas we had our bones picked clean by our saviour.

 

[Andy1505]

Easty has just signed a new contract so our goalkeeping department is sorted for this season!

 

[SirAndyOfCrosby]

What metric are you choosing?

Oxford as a big club feels so 2006.

We were big once, and we have the potential to be big again, but I think by most people's standards (neutrals at least) we're not a bigger club than Rotherham.

I didn't say we're a big club, but we are bigger than Rotherham (although the queue of supporters lining up to vehemently deny it does somewhat illustrate my point re: fans expectations).

Clubs fluctuate in their position in the League. Some get new grounds. Some get cash injections via despot regimes or local philanthropists. Whilst these things may have an effect over time (if sustained), personally I look at longer-term trends, historic support and what happens when the chips are down.

If you put every club in the land in the same scenario (let's say, mid-table L1, with a ground/access facilities such as ours but with unlimited capacity) how would they all fare relatively?

Do you think Rotherham would get higher gates than ours? Conversely if we were in The Championship with an impressive city/town centre ground would we be scraping 10k like Rotherham?

Rotherham, Wigan, Reading, Bournemouth etc have all, to varying extents, enjoyed years of favourable conditions that have elevated their standing in the game. And whilst it has given them some (short-term) appeal, it hasn't changed the ultimate fabric of the football club.

Give each of them a relegation or two and see what happens.

Give us just one promotion and a proper stadium and see what happens.

 

[werthersoriginal]

We were bigger than Rotherham, then they overtook us and are now bigger than us, but potentially we, as a side at the centre of a county and that county’s only professional sports team are bigger than them. We have just underperformed that badly for years that we fell behind and remained behind f*****g Rotherham.

You have to respect Rotherham they have been performing at around their peak level for 20 years, that’s a well run club. Whereas we had our bones picked clean by our saviour.

I'm just not sure what 'bigger' means. It's not only current league position or attendances, nor is it history. We might have more potential, but historically we haven't been better than them apart from that period in the 80s. In 1960 we were non-league, they were in the second tier.

 

[stokeu]

Wolverhampton Wanderers are surely the biggest team. 22 letters bigly.

 

[SteMerritt]

I didn't say we're a big club, but we are bigger than Rotherham (although the queue of supporters lining up to vehemently deny it does somewhat illustrate my point re: fans expectations).

Clubs fluctuate in their position in the League. Some get new grounds. Some get cash injections via despot regimes or local philanthropists. Whilst these things may have an effect over time (if sustained), personally I look at longer-term trends, historic support and what happens when the chips are down.

If you put every club in the land in the same scenario (let's say, mid-table L1, with a ground/access facilities such as ours but with unlimited capacity) how would they all fare relatively?

Do you think Rotherham would get higher gates than ours? Conversely if we were in The Championship with an impressive city/town centre ground would we be scraping 10k like Rotherham?

Rotherham, Wigan, Reading, Bournemouth etc have all, to varying extents, enjoyed years of favourable conditions that have elevated their standing in the game. And whilst it has given them some (short-term) appeal, it hasn't changed the ultimate fabric of the football club.

Give each of them a relegation or two and see what happens.

Give us just one promotion and a proper stadium and see what happens.

We certainly have a lot of potential, hopefully the new ground will be built and from then on we should really start to rise. It would be so good to get back to being a solid Championship side.




(for starters....)