Transfer Window 26/27 Summer Embargo Window

[SteMerritt]

 

[BrockBuster]

I know it might be getting boring seeing posts from the Preston forum, but I didn't see the harm in sharing, as it seems it could be useful to know. This fan has been deemed very ITK for them and was a big influence on the Mills rumour. The fans were taking their word as gospel, saying Mills was a done deal, and now they've come out and confirmed they have no idea what's going on and later have spoken that they think they may be priced out of signing Mills. We know that keeping Mills will be a difficult as he'll have interest, but it always felt weird that no reporters were posting about this and that it was purely Preston fans

View attachment 36860

May be a 'teamlikeoxford' have stuck to their guns for once and pushed for a true market value for Mills rather than what PNE want to pay.

Maybe they're hoping for Mills to force the issue, but would hope he's not that type of player.

 

[Burglar Bill]

Totally agree Billy. There was some sense to what Dusan told OxVox to be honest. Either we sold a few players to comply without necessarily having the wiggle room to bring in adequate replacements anyway (and with our recruitment...), or we accept our lot and fight to keep what we have with faith in them being good enough to keep us in contention.

When putting it like that, we've gambled but probably the best option in the circumstances. This of course changes if we suddenly sell players we aren't contractually obliged to now...

 

[Burglar Bill]

May be a 'teamlikeoxford' have stuck to their guns for once and pushed for a true market value for Mills rather than what PNE want to pay.

Maybe they're hoping for Mills to force the issue, but would hope he's not that type of player.

Don't think he is, but his dad was a bit of a mercenary back in the day if I recall

 

[Bicester Yellow]

ifinancial discipline does not automatically mean selling every valuable player and accepting a season of struggle.
There is a huge difference between reducing an unsustainable wage bill in a controlled way and conducting a fire sale. Selling the club’s biggest assets may bring in money, but it also removes the players most capable of getting us promoted. That could leave us weaker on the pitch, reduce attendances and commercial income, and potentially cost the club far more in the long term.

The sensible approach is to move on the players who are expensive, or not contributing enough(romany prelec, while retaining the core of a squad that should be competitive in League One. That appears to be what the club’s statement is suggesting.

f the financial position were so desperate that major sales were unavoidable, you would expect those players to be actively marketed and surrounded by serious transfer speculation by now. So far, that has not happened.
Yes, the losses must stop and the wage bill must come down. Nobody is disputing that. But the answer is intelligent restructuring, not ripping the squad apart and voluntarily throwing away our best chance of returning to the Championship

I’m not saying a fire sale Billy but while we are in League 1 we shouldn’t have players on unsustainable wages that we can’t afford to sustain.

We have no chance of returning to the championship this season ( I hope I’m wrong & we absolutely rip it up) but sooner or later those assets will need to be sold and wages reduced from next season onwards at the very least but we have no chance of going up this season in my opinion & I know that won’t be a popular one but there we go.

We certainly can’t keep losing £17m a year that’s for sure.

 

[Bicester Yellow]

Totally agree Billy. There was some sense to what Dusan told OxVox to be honest. Either we sold a few players to comply without necessarily having the wiggle room to bring in adequate replacements anyway (and with our recruitment...), or we accept our lot and fight to keep what we have with faith in them being good enough to keep us in contention.

When putting it like that, we've gambled but probably the best option in the circumstances. This of course changes if we suddenly sell players we aren't contractually obliged to now...

Gambled that we have a chance of promotion with this squad, which we don’t in my view.

The depth isn’t there, what do we do next summer if we are still a league 1 club, sell the players for less 1 year on?

 

[Billyox]

Gambled that we have a chance of promotion with this squad, which we don’t in my view.

The depth isn’t there, what do we do next summer if we are still a league 1 club, sell the players for less 1 year on?

Where do you think this squad as it stands could finish??

 

[Bicester Yellow]

Where do you think this squad as it stands could finish??

10-12th is my personal view with the fact we will get injuries & over a long season fatigue will kick in.

 

[londonyellow]

10-12th is my personal view with the fact we will get injuries & over a long season fatigue will kick in.

Is that factoring in Dusan's 'promotion mentality' though?

 

[Manorlounger]

10-12th is my personal view with the fact we will get injuries & over a long season fatigue will kick in.

But, surely this would apply to every other team in the league? We all have the same squad numbers, we all have the same transfer windows, we all have to abide by the same financial regulations. Are you, in fact, saying that the existing squad is not good enough, not robust enough to get through what will be, according to the Chairmans/club statement, the half season to the January window?

 

[Wallop]

I’m not saying a fire sale Billy but while we are in League 1 we shouldn’t have players on unsustainable wages that we can’t afford to sustain.

We have no chance of returning to the championship this season ( I hope I’m wrong & we absolutely rip it up) but sooner or later those assets will need to be sold and wages reduced from next season onwards at the very least but we have no chance of going up this season in my opinion & I know that won’t be a popular one but there we go.

We certainly can’t keep losing £17m a year that’s for sure.

'We have no chance of returning to the championship this season'

Really? The team below is the one that won the Play-off final in 2024.

Goalie - Jamie Cumming still here

Defence - Sam Long and Ciaron Brown still here - Helik (at least) matches Moore and Currie is an upgrade on Bennett. Spencer also an upgrade on Long in the RB position

Midfield - Brannagan and Goodrham still here - BDK is an upgrade on Rodrigues and I like what I see of McDonnell

Attack - Harris still here - Mills is equivalent to Murphy and Emahku imho can and will be better than Dale

GK	1	Jamie Cumming
RB	2	Sam Long
LB	12	Joe Bennett		87'
CM	8	Cameron Brannagan		64'
CB	5	Elliott Moore	(c)
CB	3	Ciaron Brown
RM	20	Rúben Rodrigues		80'
LM	19	Tyler Goodrham	90+8'
CF	21	Mark Harris
RW	30	Owen Dale
LW	23	Josh Murphy
Substitutes:
MF	18	Marcus McGuane		64'
MF	6	Josh McEachran		80'
DF	22	Greg Leigh		87'
Head Coach:
Des Buckingham

So whilst I am not in the 'HMS p**s The League setting sail' camp - I think the team we have for this season (subject to any sales) is stronger than the one that got promoted to the Championship in 2024. If we retain our current squad, I would expect us to be top 8 at Christmas.

Whether we'd want promotion and the uncontrolled spending that might cause is of course a totally different question!

 

[TheDukeOfBanburyshire]

10-12th is my personal view with the fact we will get injuries & over a long season fatigue will kick in.

Is this squad currently better than the one that was promoted via the playoffs? Will we benefit from retaining a vast majority of the squad and continuity? I do, and I think we should still be targeting the playoffs as a minimum.

 

[Jaboysmith]

I agree, no lower than 8th for me, and while I agree depth is an issue, hopefully by the time real fatigue and load management sets in, it will be close enough to January, where we *should* be able to bring in understudies.

 

[Bicester Yellow]

But, surely this would apply to every other team in the league? We all have the same squad numbers, we all have the same transfer windows, we all have to abide by the same financial regulations. Are you, in fact, saying that the existing squad is not good enough, not robust enough to get through what will be, according to the Chairmans/club statement, the half season to the January window?

But every other team isn’t under an embargo and every other team probably have slightly better balanced squads than we do.

Injuries at CB & CM & we will be in serious trouble, I’m not suggesting we are going to get relegated, I think an extremely unfortunate set of events would cause that.

I personally don’t think the squad is as strong as some think it is.

Just my opinion

 

[Bicester Yellow]

'We have no chance of returning to the championship this season'

Really? The team below is the one that won the Play-off final in 2024.

Goalie - Jamie Cumming still here

Defence - Sam Long and Ciaron Brown still here - Helik (at least) matches Moore and Currie is an upgrade on Bennett. Spencer also an upgrade on Long in the RB position

Midfield - Brannagan and Goodrham still here - BDK is an upgrade on Rodrigues and I like what I see of McDonnell

Attack - Harris still here - Mills is equivalent to Murphy and Emahku imho can and will be better than Dale

GK	1	Jamie Cumming
RB	2	Sam Long
LB	12	Joe Bennett		87'
CM	8	Cameron Brannagan		64'
CB	5	Elliott Moore	(c)
CB	3	Ciaron Brown
RM	20	Rúben Rodrigues		80'
LM	19	Tyler Goodrham	90+8'
CF	21	Mark Harris
RW	30	Owen Dale
LW	23	Josh Murphy
Substitutes:
MF	18	Marcus McGuane		64'
MF	6	Josh McEachran		80'
DF	22	Greg Leigh		87'
Head Coach:
Des Buckingham

So whilst I am not in the 'HMS p**s The League setting sail' camp - I think the team we have for this season (subject to any sales) is stronger than the one that got promoted to the Championship in 2024. If we retain our current squad, I would expect us to be top 8 at Christmas.

Whether we'd want promotion and the uncontrolled spending that might cause is of course a totally different question!

Time will tell, and as I said in one of my previous posts I hope I’m wrong.

If we had stronger depth in certain areas I’d say we have a chance, currently I don’t think we do which is why I think we will find it tough.

 

[Billyox]

10-12th is my personal view with the fact we will get injuries & over a long season fatigue will kick in.

So not miles of a play off spot
My own opinion is slightly higher between 6th and 10th

 

[Digby]

'We have no chance of returning to the championship this season'

Really? The team below is the one that won the Play-off final in 2024.

Goalie - Jamie Cumming still here

Defence - Sam Long and Ciaron Brown still here - Helik (at least) matches Moore and Currie is an upgrade on Bennett. Spencer also an upgrade on Long in the RB position

Midfield - Brannagan and Goodrham still here - BDK is an upgrade on Rodrigues and I like what I see of McDonnell

Attack - Harris still here - Mills is equivalent to Murphy and Emahku imho can and will be better than Dale

GK	1	Jamie Cumming
RB	2	Sam Long
LB	12	Joe Bennett		87'
CM	8	Cameron Brannagan		64'
CB	5	Elliott Moore	(c)
CB	3	Ciaron Brown
RM	20	Rúben Rodrigues		80'
LM	19	Tyler Goodrham	90+8'
CF	21	Mark Harris
RW	30	Owen Dale
LW	23	Josh Murphy
Substitutes:
MF	18	Marcus McGuane		64'
MF	6	Josh McEachran		80'
DF	22	Greg Leigh		87'
Head Coach:
Des Buckingham

So whilst I am not in the 'HMS p**s The League setting sail' camp - I think the team we have for this season (subject to any sales) is stronger than the one that got promoted to the Championship in 2024. If we retain our current squad, I would expect us to be top 8 at Christmas.

Whether we'd want promotion and the uncontrolled spending that might cause is of course a totally different question!

With all what’s going on we will be sharing Cities ground !

 

[Bicester Yellow]

Is this squad currently better than the one that was promoted via the playoffs? Will we benefit from retaining a vast majority of the squad and continuity? I do, and I think we should still be targeting the playoffs as a minimum.

I think the depth in certain areas isn’t better than what we had in the playoff season and you’ve also got to factor in there are certain players who are a couple of years older with 2 tough/physical seasons in the championship behind them.

I think that our squad isn’t as strong as some others do, I don’t mind if people do, somebody is going to be wrong, football is a game of opinions, what I’ve stated is mine.

I could be right, I could be miles off but I’d rather put my opinion out there than not at all.

 

[Bicester Yellow]

So not miles of a play off spot
My own opinion is slightly higher between 6th and 10th

Not miles, but I don’t think we will end up in them, which at the end of the day is all that fans remember at the end of the season.

 

[Billyox]

Time will tell, and as I said in one of my previous posts I hope I’m wrong.

If we had stronger depth in certain areas I’d say we have a chance, currently I don’t think we do which is why I think we will find it tough.

Sorry for setting everyone on you
Not my intention

 

[EastStandYellow]

'We have no chance of returning to the championship this season'

Really? The team below is the one that won the Play-off final in 2024.

Goalie - Jamie Cumming still here

Defence - Sam Long and Ciaron Brown still here - Helik (at least) matches Moore and Currie is an upgrade on Bennett. Spencer also an upgrade on Long in the RB position

Midfield - Brannagan and Goodrham still here - BDK is an upgrade on Rodrigues and I like what I see of McDonnell

Attack - Harris still here - Mills is equivalent to Murphy and Emahku imho can and will be better than Dale

GK	1	Jamie Cumming
RB	2	Sam Long
LB	12	Joe Bennett		87'
CM	8	Cameron Brannagan		64'
CB	5	Elliott Moore	(c)
CB	3	Ciaron Brown
RM	20	Rúben Rodrigues		80'
LM	19	Tyler Goodrham	90+8'
CF	21	Mark Harris
RW	30	Owen Dale
LW	23	Josh Murphy
Substitutes:
MF	18	Marcus McGuane		64'
MF	6	Josh McEachran		80'
DF	22	Greg Leigh		87'
Head Coach:
Des Buckingham

So whilst I am not in the 'HMS p**s The League setting sail' camp - I think the team we have for this season (subject to any sales) is stronger than the one that got promoted to the Championship in 2024. If we retain our current squad, I would expect us to be top 8 at Christmas.

Whether we'd want promotion and the uncontrolled spending that might cause is of course a totally different question!

It depends. If we lose Mills and BDK. we got no natural right winger with pace. BDK goes we got no one who can control a game and create in midfield. Left with Brannagan and Mcdonnell, if either of them pick up injuries we are screwed. Same for Helik or Brown. We got Long as cover but we are still very light at CB. Up top we got nothing. Harris yes got decent amount of goals but we dont have a good as an attack as we did last time out.
Any injuries and players getting burnt out i can see us around mid table. If not and we can make transfers in January. Maybe top 8/10.

 

[MJB]

But every other team isn’t under an embargo and every other team probably have slightly better balanced squads than we do.

Injuries at CB & CM & we will be in serious trouble, I’m not suggesting we are going to get relegated, I think an extremely unfortunate set of events would cause that.

I personally don’t think the squad is as strong as some think it is.

Just my opinion

I agree with you (with the squad as it is currently).

Barring injuries to key positions and significant further sales, I think the first eleven could potentially challenge for a play-off place, but the squad as a whole probably brings us down to something around midtable.

The beauty (and frustration!) of football is that it can be so unpredictable, so we could potentially finish much higher or lower than this.

But I think we should be competitive and don’t, hopefully, look to be a basket case for the coming months.

That seemed questionable when the embargo was announced so I’m comfortable with that.

A promotion tilt would be brilliant, but were I a betting man I’d predict us to be around midtable.

 

[Bicester Yellow]

I agree with you (with the squad as it is currently). Barring injuries to key positions and significant further sales, I think the first eleven is play-off challenging but the squad as a whole probably brings us down to something around midtable.

The beauty of football is that it can be so unpredictable so we could potentially finishing much higher or lower than this.

But I think we should be competitive and don’t, hopefully, look to be a basket case for the coming months. That seemed questionable when the embargo was announced so I’m comfortable with that. A promotion tilt would be brilliant, but I think were I betting man I’d predict us to be around midtable.

Yeah like I said yesterday, I don’t think we will finish as low as some ‘pundits’ are predicting.

I don’t think we will be anywhere near relegation and like you I would say most of the 1st 11 is good for this division but January is a long time away without any reinforcements & a lot of football is played before then.

I think it’s asking a lot for Brannagan,Brown & others to all remain fit & 100% for that period when we then MIGHT be able to bring in transfers.

It’s a lot of guesswork and hoping for luck.

Hence why I said 10th/12th.

I think personally our home form will carry us this season.

 

[Upthecowboys]

10-12th is my personal view with the fact we will get injuries & over a long season fatigue will kick in.

My guess is this squad is around a 10th placed squad. I actually think our best 14 players are better than top 10, but we’re bound to pick up injuries..

My hope is that we are 10th or higher going into late December. Then hoping we can strengthen (sensibly) in January to have a bit of a go at it in the 2nd half of the season.

 

[Bicester Yellow]

My guess is this squad is around a 10th placed squad. I actually think our best 14 players are better than top 10, but we’re bound to pick up injuries..

My hope is that we are 10th or higher going into late December. Then hoping we can strengthen (sensibly) in January to have a bit of a go at it in the 2nd half of the season.

Ah yes, the January transfer window.

A famously good time to do business

But I agree with what you say.

That will be the hope, let’s hope that they are getting us into position by January for a strong window as we will need it.

 

[westyorkshireexile]

Everyone is overlooking the fact that we already have three longterm injuries and one player out on loan who counts as part of the aquad.

 

[Billyox]

I agree with you (with the squad as it is currently).

Barring injuries to key positions and significant further sales, I think the first eleven could potentially challenge for a play-off place, but the squad as a whole probably brings us down to something around midtable.

The beauty (and frustration!) of football is that it can be so unpredictable, so we could potentially finish much higher or lower than this.

But I think we should be competitive and don’t, hopefully, look to be a basket case for the coming months.

That seemed questionable when the embargo was announced so I’m comfortable with that.

A promotion tilt would be brilliant, but were I a betting man I’d predict us to be around midtable.

I am a betting man
Currently we are 13/2 for promotion
And 7/2 for relegation

So, allowing for bookmaker margins, they are pricing Oxford as a lower-mid-table side with some relegation danger, rather than genuine play-off contenders.

But 7/2 implies a substantial chance of finishing in the bottom four, and I do not see Oxford as one of the division’s bottom four

So after weighing it and looking at the odds
God at 50/1 top scorer is printing free money

 

[Bicester Yellow]

I am a betting man
Currently we are 13/2 for promotion
And 7/2 for relegation

So, allowing for bookmaker margins, they are pricing Oxford as a lower-mid-table side with some relegation danger, rather than genuine play-off contenders.

But 7/2 implies a substantial chance of finishing in the bottom four, and I do not see Oxford as one of the division’s bottom four

So after weighing it and looking at the odds
God at 50/1 top scorer is printing free money

We were 12/1 for relegation 2 months ago.

I don’t see us as relegation candidates but if there was a value price for us to finish bottom half I’d take it.

 

[Billyox]

We were 12/1 for relegation 2 months ago.

I don’t see us as relegation candidates but if there was a value price for us to finish bottom half I’d take it.

They dont do it on 365 but how about season handicap market 17 point head start at 18s

 

[Bicester Yellow]

They dont do it on 365 but how about season handicap market 17 point head start at 18s

Do we get promoted if we win that?

 

[Oufcrealist]

How long have PNE been chasing Stan?

From memory the rumour started when the players returned, Stan then didn’t go to Spain!!!!

Now has his agent been doing some work behind the scenes a nd put some sort of package together?

Seems the rumour must have legs in it for it still to e running.
Maybe it’s that PNE have finally approached the club or Stan may have put in a transfer request, we just don’t know.

But hope this is resolved quickly because it isn’t doing the club or the fans any good or the rest of the squad.
Looks like the club don’t want him to go unless they get a realistic valuation.

Not sure what happens if Stan wants to go and the club say no.

They've been very interested in him since his MOTM performance at their place in March.