It’s not the selling of the players I object to. Shandon is a fantastic young player who will play at PL level - if not with Brentford then his next club - assuming he can stay fit. And we’ve known about Fosu’s release fee so, as others have pointed out - not a lot that can be done.
My frustrations are firstly the timing. It’s crap. It hurts us enormously and I’m not buying those that have downplayed their contributions. Fosu’s form in the first half of the season was a big part of why we looked so good and got so high in the table. Baptiste makes goals and assist were a big part of us having a successful Xmas periods with wins and progress in the cups. He was just getting back to full form and fitness and would have contributed heaps more in the second half of the season.
To let Shandon go for what is, even according to the more optimistic of the guesstimates on here, just about market rate (or lower) with no time to adequately restock the squad is devastating and NOT the sign of a board who are chomping at the bit to get promoted.
Second frustration is the inbound business. We started this window needing an RB to replace Cadden, and a forward to help Taylor given that Mackie’s particular skill set doesn’t include goalscoring and clearly the manager thinks Agyei is one for next season. To end the window with some (admittedly extremely decent - but crucially only loaned) new midfield talent, no RB, no forward and the loss of Fosu and Baptiste for again - at best market rate is tough to swallow. All this assumes - as is reported currently - nothing happens by the way of incomings in the next few hours.
It has been decades since the Championship looked as close as it did over Christmas time. It may still happen. But a GOOD January window could have really brought it within reach. It may still happen, but barring any last gasp transfer window wheeler dealing miracles...it does feel further away (amplified by our recent stutter on the pitch too).
And all this is before a seemingly inevitable rebuild job again in the summer if/when Cam Bran and Dickie (plus Eastwood and insert any other ‘definitely leaving’ rumoured player name here) follow them through the exit door to a championship club which we ‘aspire’ to join at an indeterminate future date.
Still - we’d all much rather this scenario than watching Hutchinson, Trainer, Matt Day, Gnohere, Brevett and their ilk in the conference! Fingers crossed this (in my view understandable) negativity dissipates quickly and we get back to cheering KR & the lads on. Their job of delivering a successful season has been made harder and they need our backing.
