Transfer Window January 2024 Transfer Window Thread

[greatunclekip]

Certainly not the assistant Des needed based on in-game evidence, he needed someone who's really been through the ringer in the EFL with some contacts. Can't imagine for a second he was the one he wanted, but the one he's now got. You can't possibly look at that situation and think all is well, a problem has emerged somewhere since Des' arrival. You don't make an expensive, long term appointment like Buckingham and follow it up with that 8 weeks later. When cost-cutting short-termism like this starts to creep in, it's very ominous and screams out that the belt has tightened for the time being.

It feels like it's every single January the belt tightens. So frustrating.

Every time we have a chance, even in the past where one or two key signings would have seen it through, we go into belt tightening mode.

 

[Marked Ox]

My biggest concern, is football is always about a network and contacts in the game . My worry is Des and CH probably don’t have this so we are relying on Faz as the only person at the club who has this?

He'll have contacts from his coaching overseas as well as his time working with Chris Wilder with us as a 1st team coach and his time with Stoke.

 

[Daviddidcotexile]

It feels like it's every single January the belt tightens. So frustrating.

Every time we have a chance, even in the past where one or two key signings would have seen it through, we go into belt tightening mode.

What belt tightening. I didn't read Des and Tim messages as not investing. However it is easy to be down beat as you demonstrate on a regular basis

 

[Dudders89]

He'll have contacts from his coaching overseas as well as his time working with Chris Wilder with us as a 1st team coach and his time with Stoke.

And Waldron??

 

[greatunclekip]

What belt tightening. I didn't read Des and Tim messages as not investing. However it is easy to be down beat as you demonstrate on a regular basis

Let us see.

 

[Marked Ox]

And Waldron??

He'll have contacts as well but I'd assume more towards data driven anyway. I was answering more that Des will have contacts.

 

[werthersoriginal]

It feels like it's every single January the belt tightens. So frustrating.

Every time we have a chance, even in the past where one or two key signings would have seen it through, we go into belt tightening mode.

Dunno if it's belt tightening or just sorting something for now having missed out on candidates. We'll see whether we spend on players or not soon enough.

 

[Ewes]

Nothing agains Chris, but we have all been saying for weeks that Dez needs help, then they appoint the guy who has already been helping him. Have we moved any further forward?

I wonder if we were trying to prise Dean Whitehead away from his role at Watford?

 

[Didcotox]

Reading through this thread has highlighted an embarrassing amount of bed wetting from some. Worst thing about transfer windows for us is the behaviour and comments of some on here.

 

[WuTang]

Concerning that out of the 6 potentially coming in, only '1 or 2' of them will be permanent.

That's not concerning, that's the January window in a nutshell.

I don't know why fans are so against loans and look down on them over permanent transfers in the winter window. January is the perfect time for loans instead of permanents. The prices for a permanent transfer are far higher in January and that's if the player is even for sale at all. Clubs do not want to lose their best players when they have something to play for, and they also don't want to let go those who might be needed in case of injuries. It's a good chance for signing players with 6 months left on their contract for a smaller fee before the rest battle it out for them in the summer as a free agent, that's the smart permanent business you can do but that's a small pool of players.

Loans are low risk high reward and often give you an opportunity to sign them permanently if the player enjoys his time here, yet if he's garbage you aren't stuck with them for the next 2-3 years. It's a short window with a lot of players to sign whilst we have a ton of injuries and recalls to deal with. I don't think we even have time to be bidding till the last day for permanents when decent players are available on loan.

 

[Lescottsforehead]

That's not concerning, that's the January window in a nutshell.

I don't know why fans are so against loans and look down on them over permanent transfers in the winter window. January is the perfect time for loans instead of permanents. The prices for a permanent transfer are far higher in January and that's if the player is even for sale at all. Clubs do not want to lose their best players when they have something to play for, and they also don't want to let go those who might be needed in case of injuries. It's a good chance for signing players with 6 months left on their contract for a smaller fee before the rest battle it out for them in the summer as a free agent, that's the smart permanent business you can do but that's a small pool of players.

Loans are low risk high reward and often give you an opportunity to sign them permanently if the player enjoys his time here, yet if he's garbage you aren't stuck with them for the next 2-3 years. It's a short window with a lot of players to sign whilst we have a ton of injuries and recalls to deal with. I don't think we even have time to be bidding till the last day for permanents when decent players are available on loan.

Yeah but we’ve got to spend that £400k to prove we have it, regardless of who it’s on, that’s the issue apparently

 

[behindthegoal]

It feels like it's every single January the belt tightens. So frustrating.

Every time we have a chance, even in the past where one or two key signings would have seen it through, we go into belt tightening mode.

Perhaps we aren't prepared to pay stupidly inflated prices... These clubs paying out these sums will come unstuck... Bury springs to mind

 

[tatabanya]

Reading through this thread has highlighted an embarrassing amount of bed wetting from some. Worst thing about transfer windows for us is the behaviour and comments of some on here.

I don't see much bed-wetting over transfers?

 

[Followtheox1]

I don't see much bed-wetting over transfers?

A little.

 

[greatunclekip]

Perhaps we aren't prepared to pay stupidly inflated prices... These clubs paying out these sums will come unstuck... Bury springs to mind

Ah yes. The Bury clause. Similar to the Histon clause.

 

[tatabanya]

A little.

Well yes we have Leysboy banging on about bargain basements and GUK's scheduled posts about 400k, but most of the upset on the forum in the last couple of days has been unrelated to transfers or the window being open

 

[vapourtrailOX]

I'm surprised to read people talking of belt-tightening at the announcement of CH. Not aware of any clubs who operate by breaking the bank on an assistant manager and it's not as if there is a revolving door of journeyman assistant managers who go from club to club to lend experience to young coaches (otherwise they would be managers themselves).

Seems to me that assistant managers are always quite opportunistic appointments based on relationships in the game. I'm pleased that it turns out the guy who Des trusts to move forward with happens to be an ex-player who is held in high regard, who has been coaching at the club for some time, and whose laudable playing career didn't end so long ago that he would be out of touch with modern football.

From a fan's perspective, it isn't really that obvious what qualities an assistant *should* have other than having a bond with the coaching staff and players, sharing the club's ambition and maybe adding something the head coach might not do (like Mous with set-pieces). The difference the assistance really makes is in reassuring us fans that the coaching staff are well-stocked and that the manager can be productively challenged by another voice and different ideas.

With that then I'm wondering who would be considered as an ambitious assistant appointment? I don't think one exists. Happy with Hackett and excited for some signings now!

 

[GreenMachine]

I am excited personally to see what we get in last window was a breath of fresh air hopefully they can build on it.

Gutting the loan players have left as they have actually been pretty good for once.

Will see how Des handles this window if he can get the same quality in that Manning did.

We might get in some supprises that will keep us right up here at the top of the league fighting for promotion hopefully Des can use some of those Man City connections.

Positive overall. Wether will be that way at the end of the window time will tell!

 

[Swaby39]

What belt tightening. I didn't read Des and Tim messages as not investing. However it is easy to be down beat as you demonstrate on a regular basis

Everybody is reading between the lines and will interpret it differently since we don't have the ability to actually ask and be answered. But the botch job we've done with Des' assistant is tinpot behaviour - not even a social media post highlighting it, it's been buried in a CEO update as a side issue, almost as though they're embarrassed. Hogg got loads of attention/media exposure by comparison. Des has been questioned on this for weeks, it isn't hard for the club to notice that this was quite a big talking point and that's how they answer it. We waffle on about top 30 aspirations but making moves that really belong in non-league and people hate to call it what it is for fear of 'disrespect' to people who have served our club well and so on... But the two are not entwined. We're either going somewhere or we're not. Which is it? We can't seem to make our mind up. Bullish summer window, pillars in place but then didn't tie down an excellent manager who couldn't get out quickly enough. Then spent big on a replacement only to take 8 weeks to give him a B-tec assistant with an 'anything can happen' January ahead despite being in prime position to get out of the league. What are fans meant to make of the last 6 months?

Let's see what movement there is with players. 6 in would be good but essentially just fills the vacancies created by loan recalls and Gorrin leaving + 1 extra. It's hardly blowing the door to promotion off the hinges given we needed a few extra bodies as it was. But plenty of time, plenty of rumour and possibility so I will keep an open mind. But we need more than to fill gaps alone.

 

[Wandering Yellow]

I have no wish to get involved with the incredibly tedious debate over fans being moaners/bedwetters. Football fans are desperate for their club to do well and can be a bit irrational. It's been ever-so. Every fanbase will be the same.

To my eye, it looks like there is something about the way we do our business that means we miss out on key targets. And I say that whilst acknowledging our summer window was more than acceptable and has been decimated by some extreme bad luck with injuries.

If we don't have three fit, raring-to-go pros in by Saturday I can't say I will be expecting a good result against a poor Carlisle side. The clock is ticking, if the money and the ambition is there, let's get the ball rolling and lift the spirits of the supporters.