Can't argue with that Bazza, but we are talking 5 years down the road in all reality....and that;s with a fair wind at a guess, seeing where the economy is heading right now. Even before a sod is lifted, you can guarantee that costs will have spiralled and "efficiency measures" will have to be made elsewhere (ie playing budget and maangement structure/backroom staff).But a DOF I think would now be crucial for OUFC if we are to become a top 30 club hopefully once SB has been built.
Yes I agree Barnsley isn’t a great pull, though they prob offered more and may be seen as more likely to be promoted. We need to become more persuasive as a club, it seems. For a while now we’ve identified and pursued targets but not got them.And the town that’s famous for lamb chops is more of a pull?
Come on
Something is very wrong when Cadden who lives very close to us decides to go up north presumably for more money
As someone else has said if it had been Derby Sheff W Ipswich or Portsmouth I wouldn’t have a problem but Barnsley?
And a beautiful little village it is. Call in at the local.Yes I agree Barnsley isn’t a great pull, though they prob offered more and may be seen as more likely to be promoted. We need to become more persuasive as a club, it seems. For a while now we’ve identified and pursued targets but not got them.
Interestingly, Barnsley chops aren’t named after that Barnsley, but after a village in the Cotswolds near Bibury.
I thought I'd "herd" that before....I did wonderYes I agree Barnsley isn’t a great pull, though they prob offered more and may be seen as more likely to be promoted. We need to become more persuasive as a club, it seems. For a while now we’ve identified and pursued targets but not got them.
Interestingly, Barnsley chops aren’t named after that Barnsley, but after a village in the Cotswolds near Bibury.
New board this summer, Carlton Morris being sold for £2m. New board have said that they have to be financially prudent, so taking measures to avoid being a financial mess. Wage structure will still be very different to ours.But I thought I read they were in a bit of a financial mess
Totally agree with the ground situation and let’s hope a decision from the OCC won’t be to long after a planning application has been presented. Would like to think also the board have already sounded our potential firms to erect the new stadium so as to start once permission is granted.Can't argue with that Bazza, but we are talking 5 years down the road in all reality....and that;s with a fair wind at a guess, seeing where the economy is heading right now. Even before a sod is lifted, you can guarantee that costs will have spiralled and "efficiency measures" will have to be made elsewhere (ie playing budget and maangement structure/backroom staff).
Lets say, for arguments sake, that the club owners/investors in the SB project have £150million they are prepared to spend. That is going to buy a whole lot less in 6, 12, 24 months time (however long PP takes) than it will today...
I think that's more to do with our recruitment strategy than being continually rebuffed. Apart from Cadden we generally aren't linked with players with this profile.Reality is we're really not a great draw when you compare the fact our wages are competitive with a lower to mid range L1 club, our three sided stadium is in the a**e end of nowhere and house prices around Oxford are almost as bad as London.
DOF may improve some aspects (not getting into the power/political issues which can arise from those types of structures), but is always going to be a tough sell.
Look at our transfer dealings in recent times. It's either players who are crocks who need to rebuild their careers, players coming down the leagues (normally after a successful loan spell with us) or players few have heard of from Ireland.
Very rare for us to sign players from lower leagues who are on an upward trajectory as often we find other clubs outbid us.
I think the top 30 club bit is an aspiration and certainly not on the agenda until Stratfield Brake is in the bag.
As much as we might want that to be the case now, it would be non-sensical for the owners to think otherwise surely?
Can't disagree with much of that. But I think the club know that and work really well with the positive draws that we have.Reality is we're really not a great draw when you compare the fact our wages are competitive with a lower to mid range L1 club, our three sided stadium is in the a**e end of nowhere and house prices around Oxford are almost as bad as London.
DOF may improve some aspects (not getting into the power/political issues which can arise from those types of structures), but is always going to be a tough sell.
Look at our transfer dealings in recent times. It's either players who are crocks who need to rebuild their careers, players coming down the leagues (normally after a successful loan spell with us) or players few have heard of from Ireland.
Very rare for us to sign players from lower leagues who are on an upward trajectory as often we find other clubs outbid us.
Ryan, you suggest that Cadden turned down Oxford in the past 36 hours.
I was under the impression ( only reading through the lines) that we had given up on Cadden a while ago and were looking elsewhere?
Is that not true?
He talked about us playing three at the back but when McNally went seemed to suggest that idea was now dead. That's what I find strange.He seems to be going for a back 4 and the players generally fit that formation.
I think that the point is that IF there is a requirement to change the formation, there is the flexibility to do that?
Or maybe it was because our main LWB target had informed us that he would be declining our offer...He talked about us playing three at the back but when McNally went seemed to suggest that idea was now dead. That's what I find strange.
That's true and it's something that I think the club have done purposely. We have become the club for young players coming from Ireland, or from Premier League academies. If we re-branded with a Peterborough-style recruitment policy for example, maybe we could attract more of these players.I think that's more to do with our recruitment strategy than being continually rebuffed. Apart from Cadden we generally aren't linked with players with this profile.
He seems to be going for a back 4 and the players generally fit that formation.
I think that the point is that IF there is a requirement to change the formation, there is the flexibility to do that?