General Jan transfer window

[greatunclekip]

Hard to please aren’t you? Not long ago you were telling us all how nailed on it was we’d be in Division 2 next year. A few few months on and a guaranteed Division 1 place isn’t good enough for you.

Here’s a thought, the board may not be perfect but they are are what we have. It’s a shame they don’t spend their money the way you want them to. Get over it.

Sorry Sir, i forgot opinions arent allowed. Especially negative ones. All bow to the altar of Tiger and be glad we arent looking at relegation! Thank you lord thankyou.

 

[Oufcrealist]

That's not the only way it makes sense though.

It is the way transfer windows work. I would estimate that 70% of deals during January went through in the last week. As many others have said, we had already covered the players going out with business we had done earlier.

We made offers for at least 3 right backs, but then it was felt that in Long and Forde we have better options in the club than those we were looking at. The striker position is more difficult simply because no one was selling. Name one striker that moved in this window that we should have got? Or one that didn't move? It's easy to bang on about getting players in, but very much harder to find the player who will improve on what we have.

Our operating losses are around £3m a season. Fosu and the cup run cover half of that. It still leaves a big hole in the finances, especially when you add in the cost of arbitration and the training ground.

As disappointing as the sales were, it makes business sense and keeps us more sustainable for the future. Rather than seeing it as some sort of financial panic, it is actually a sign that our club is being managed properly and isn't just a train set to toy with promotion and then discard (Sunderland?!).

Blimey!! You have gone almost completely full circle in under a week !!

 

[LondonRoader]

Is it a case that we had a striker and RB lined up but needed to sell first? Then when we eventually did sell, the timing, plus selling clubs/agents possibly bumping their price after our windfall, made life very difficult for us. I’m not knocking the club if that’s the case, it’s prudent business, but does it make all the events in the last couple of weeks more logical?

That isn't the case..

 

[DorsetYelloww]

Don’t understand why people keep mentioning this like it’s a massive negative. We still have many valuable and promising assets. We have shown a canny ability to identify prospects in the recent past, so we probably will do again this summer. We have these excellent players here for the promotion push. I really don’t see the problem.

I’m on board with the criticism re not bringing in a fullback or a striker, and with the sale of Baptiste, but this seems like a weird thing for people to be consistently bringing up.

Because people keep talking about those players like they are ours. The Board hasn’t added to the team by replacing 2 valuable players of our own, with 3 loan players who we earn the club nothing in terms of future value.

Personally I think our chances of promotion have dramatically reduced with the loss of Baptiste and Fosu and the failure to invest in a RB etc.

Now if that’s the case Brannagan and Dickie will also go in the summer. That’ll be 5 key players netting a total of somewhere between £8-10 million (Before add ons) in just 12 months. I don’t care how good our recruitment is, it’s not going to be able to replace 5 key players every season. It’s not sustainable.

So let’s look at it from the perspective if we do get promoted. If the Board aren’t willing to invest to the level required in league 1, using their own funds, what do you think the chances are of them funding a much more expensive Championship campaign? I’d say zero, unless there is a seismic change with the stadium plans etc off field.

Thats why it matters.

 

[DorsetYelloww]

Because people keep talking about those players like they are ours. The Board hasn’t added to the team by replacing 2 valuable players of our own, with 3 loan players who we earn the club nothing in terms of future value.

Personally I think our chances of promotion have dramatically reduced with the loss of Baptiste and Fosu and the failure to invest in a RB etc.

Now if that’s the case Brannagan and Dickie will also go in the summer. That’ll be 5 key players netting a total of somewhere between £8-10 million (Before add ons) in just 12 months. I don’t care how good our recruitment is, it’s not going to be able to replace 5 key players every season. It’s not sustainable.

So let’s look at it from the perspective if we do get promoted. If the Board aren’t willing to invest to the level required in league 1, using their own funds, what do you think the chances are of them funding a much more expensive Championship campaign? I’d say zero, unless there is a seismic change with the stadium plans etc off field.

Thats why it matters.

Meant to also say that £8-10 million player transfer income is versus an operating loss of circa £2-3 million. The Board is not investing in the team, not because they can’t, because they choose not to. And that should concern everyone.

 

[Teddydee1980]

Meant to also say that £8-10 million player transfer income is versus an operating loss of circa £2-3 million. The Board is not investing in the team, not because they can’t, because they choose not to. And that should concern everyone.

There was a word that Zaki used a few times in the interview I didn't like... 'Trading'. We're undoubtedly creating revenue at the moment. Perhaps it's all to clear the debts and theres a good investment pot building up for whatever happens in the summer...

 

[DorsetYelloww]

There was a word that Zaki used a few times in the interview I didn't like... 'Trading'. We're undoubtedly creating revenue at the moment. Perhaps it's all to clear the debts and theres a good investment pot building up for whatever happens in the summer...

That’s one possibility. Or they are keeping their investment to an absolute minimum as an exit strategy incase the worst happens.

The trouble is it’s impossible to tell as his comments are often contradictory.

It was clear Zaki was rattled by Jerome‘a questions. He didn’t like being challenged.

 

[Steve McAvoy]

The only confusion for me was the claims all month Karl had money to strengthen his squad if needed, let alone our bids......., for Cadden and O'Donnell.

That's the bit that now MAKES NO SENSE WHATSOEVER & is now at odds to Zaki sustainability statements.

Meant to also say that £8-10 million player transfer income is versus an operating loss of circa £2-3 million. The Board is not investing in the team, not because they can’t, because they choose not to. And that should concern everyone.

Would it be ok if I don’t get concerned even though I ‘should’? Primarily because there is f all I can do about it. I’m not a close chum of the chairman, Robbo or anyone else at the club so don’t have the kind of inside track claimed by so many on here. I’m really pleased with the cup results that the team has achieved this year, while recognising in the grand scheme of things that these surplus monies barely scratch the sums necessary to sustain a professional football club. I’m a member of Oxvox and have huge respect for the efforts they make on all our behalf.
Good luck to our Team tonight!! And best wishes to all those who are going to the Game.

 

[Fred]

My feelings on the Shandon/Tariq transfer are that the board have not disclosed how much they went for. So people are rightly upset, has Shannon gone for peanuts because of his injury history or has he gone for a decent amount?
The board will sell players to keep the club afloat, we understand that, we’re Oxford, it’s always been that way, but we do like to know what’s going on.

I don't understand why but it is very common for the deal not to be made public isn't it?

 

[ttg17]

Because people keep talking about those players like they are ours. The Board hasn’t added to the team by replacing 2 valuable players of our own, with 3 loan players who we earn the club nothing in terms of future value.

Personally I think our chances of promotion have dramatically reduced with the loss of Baptiste and Fosu and the failure to invest in a RB etc.

Now if that’s the case Brannagan and Dickie will also go in the summer. That’ll be 5 key players netting a total of somewhere between £8-10 million (Before add ons) in just 12 months. I don’t care how good our recruitment is, it’s not going to be able to replace 5 key players every season. It’s not sustainable.

So let’s look at it from the perspective if we do get promoted. If the Board aren’t willing to invest to the level required in league 1, using their own funds, what do you think the chances are of them funding a much more expensive Championship campaign? I’d say zero, unless there is a seismic change with the stadium plans etc off field.

Thats why it matters.

I agree that our chances have decreased and I also agree, as I think I said a few hundred pages back on this very thread, that this season is pretty make or break in terms of personnel. If we don’t go up, Dickie and Brannagan will almost certainly leave in the summer too, and maybe others, making next year likely to be a rebuild. It’s disappointing, but it is what it is.

I don’t agree that people are talking about Holland and Browne like they’re ‘ours’. They’re talking about them as replacements for the course of this season, which is important for that reason. From a financial standpoint, they’re not our prospects, but we do have other extremely promising talents coming through - Sykes and Moore, and perhaps even Agyei, spring to mind. I for one am happy with the model and think we’re executing it really effectively, so see the loans just as vehicles for achieving our aims this season rather than as long term valuable assets of the club.

I get the anxiety about us possibly being left with few assets in the summer, but I think it’s important to remember too that a year is a long time in football. This time last year we’d only just signed Sykes (I think), Whyte had had a couple of fun moments but still looked a lightweight and inconsistent winger and Dickie was considered the weaker second fiddle to Nelson in central defence. All of those players have developed massively in the intervening period. There’s no reason to think we won’t do it again imo.

Finally, the bit I’ve highlighted doesn’t really mean anything. What is ‘the level required in league 1’? The level required for promotion? Because if that’s the case they are currently doing that, given our league position and the fact we are in and around the promotion places, surely? Hell if we’d kept Brannagan fit for the last month or so we’d probably be top of the table. Also what is the level? How much are they currently investing? How much more do you want them to invest? I don’t think any of us are under any illusion that we would REALLY struggle if we were in the championship next year, but the word invest seems weird, given we have literally invested brilliantly in terms of flipping assets in a short space of time for a massive profit. I really don’t think the issue was a lack of will to invest a sensible amount (a right back in L1 for 1m I really don’t think is a sensible amount), but more the lack of any kind of sensible recruitment planning and process in the buildup to January. Also, I’m still getting to grips with the complexities of FFP, but I do wonder how much our board can literally just give to the club to buy players.

 

[Bigfella72]

We don’t own Browne...or Holland...or Kelly...or Woodburn...or Taylor. Loans have their place and I think most of ours are great prospects, but they are not our prospects.

Not really the point tho.