Transfer News Transfer targets summer 2019

[Deleted member 142]

Mmm I am.not sure quite why you think that?
It sounds like we offered £150k plus presumably decent wages for Cadden.
So why its bargain.basement from here on in really doesn't make sense at all.

My point is that the article tells us nothing and my cynicism to our transfer activity leads me to view the article negatively. Others won’t.

I’m bored of these platitudes from OUFC.

 

[Foley]

My point is that the article tells us nothing and my cynicism to our transfer activity leads me to view the article negatively. Others won’t.

I’m bored of these platitudes from OUFC.

You are right in that it says little.
The bit that I don't get is how you can then surmise from it that it is bargain basement from.now on especially as the club were prepared to spend a lot on Cadden.

 

[FatOldSun]

In summary, he's never had more clarity, so he's meeting the board to get more clarity. Clear?

 

[beyondthefourth]

He's never had more clarity in general, I assume.

This meeting is probably to do with targets that are asking over the odds.

"Cadden is playing hardball with us now Sunderland and the MLS have turned his head. At what point do I have to say no to his demands and move on?"

People who are worried that our owners are going to pump debt into the club and leave us destitute are also seeming to get worried about us not splashing the cash on whoever we can just to fund a playoff push.

 

[n1]

In summary, he's never had more clarity, so he's meeting the board to get more clarity. Clear?

That's exactly how I read it!

The only positive is that these meetings tended to yield immediate transfer activity this year. Sometimes feels like everything's all lined up but that everyone has to wait for Tiger to fly over and sign things off or just be present...

 

[ZeroTheHero]

That article and Robinson's quotes within it are as clear as mud.

But in general it sounds as if Robinson is fairly unhappy with the situation and money is very tight.

 

[Deleted member 142]

You are right in that it says little.
The bit that I don't get is how you can then surmise from it that it is bargain basement from.now on especially as the club were prepared to spend a lot on Cadden.

And where is he?

Failed bids (again) won’t comfort me as another season just floats gently by.

Plenty of time left to turn this window around but right now I have a very strong sense of déjà vu.

 

[Scotchegg]

My point is that the article tells us nothing and my cynicism to our transfer activity leads me to view the article negatively. Others won’t.

I’m bored of these platitudes from OUFC.

Probably the most valid point so far. This article, like so many at this stage of preseason, tells us pretty much nothing, and could be the comments of 95% of football managers.

Some will see this negatively, and will reference last summer to justify their negativity.

Some will look at the reports of spending decent money on Cadden, matching bids for Sinclair etc as reasons to be positive.

Most will see it as nothing more than a few column inches, from a fairly ineffective local paper.

We won't know who's right or wrong for a few weeks yet!!!

 

[Bacon]

wait, the article tells us nothing, but the article tells us we are skint aswell...

Ok then

 

[IsleofWightYellow]

And where is he?

Failed bids (again) won’t comfort me as another season just floats gently by.

Plenty of time left to turn this window around but right now I have a very strong sense of déjà vu.

‘Failed bids’ won’t comfort you?

To me, it seems quite simple.

If we really had no money to spend, wouldn’t it be embarrassing to bid cash on players and offer them reasonable contracts that we couldn’t afford - what if they turned round and said yes?!

I see it like this - yes we have money to spend, but the type of player we want is young, talented to top League 1/Championship level, and will have good resale value in 1-3 years time. So we identify (can be hard, they’re not everywhere at our price bracket) and bid for them.

However

If a deal falls through, it doesn’t mean we have £150k + wages burning a hole in our pocket and we instead bring in a 32 year old journeyman in. We have a meeting, identify other targets (maybe even slightly pricier ones, who might not have been first choice as they are, in fact, more expensive) and go again.

Nothing to be worried about at this stage - first game is a month away, we’ve made two good signings, and actively looking for more.

 

[bazzer9461]

‘Failed bids’ won’t comfort you?

To me, it seems quite simple.

If we really had no money to spend, wouldn’t it be embarrassing to bid cash on players and offer them reasonable contracts that we couldn’t afford - what if they turned round and said yes?!

I see it like this - yes we have money to spend, but the type of player we want is young, talented to top League 1/Championship level, and will have good resale value in 1-3 years time. So we identify (can be hard, they’re not everywhere at our price bracket) and bid for them.

However

If a deal falls through, it doesn’t mean we have £150k + wages burning a hole in our pocket and we instead bring in a 32 year old journeyman in. We have a meeting, identify other targets (maybe even slightly pricier ones, who might not have been first choice as they are, in fact, more expensive) and go again.

Nothing to be worried about at this stage - first game is a month away, we’ve made two good signings, and actively looking for more.

Should have done that a while back possibly before the end of last season

 

[TailsWeWin]

‘Failed bids’ won’t comfort you?

To me, it seems quite simple.

If we really had no money to spend, wouldn’t it be embarrassing to bid cash on players and offer them reasonable contracts that we couldn’t afford - what if they turned round and said yes?!

I see it like this - yes we have money to spend, but the type of player we want is young, talented to top League 1/Championship level, and will have good resale value in 1-3 years time. So we identify (can be hard, they’re not everywhere at our price bracket) and bid for them.

However

If a deal falls through, it doesn’t mean we have £150k + wages burning a hole in our pocket and we instead bring in a 32 year old journeyman in. We have a meeting, identify other targets (maybe even slightly pricier ones, who might not have been first choice as they are, in fact, more expensive) and go again.

Nothing to be worried about at this stage - first game is a month away, we’ve made two good signings, and actively looking for more.

Exactly this. Patience.

 

[Foley]

And where is he?

Failed bids (again) won’t comfort me as another season just floats gently by.

Plenty of time left to turn this window around but right now I have a very strong sense of déjà vu.

Where is he? Oh come on.
It is very likely that we are putting in bids for players who are weighing up their options. Cadden is linked with Sunderland. They can afford to pay a lot more than us. Or do you think that we should 'break the bank's and jeopardise the clubs future?
Everything that we read seems to suggest that we are offering decent salaries and fees for players (Fosu cost a fee)
We are desperately short of a striker and CB, but I am.not sure why you read into the article tlwhich says nothing that it will be bargain basement.

 

[DavidB]

Tiger does like having his picture taken. I foresee him alongside 2/3 new signings, grinning madly. Then I woke up!

 

[sadoldsod1778]

Remember if players think we have money to splash about they are going to ask for more human nature and there agents.

 

[IsleofWightYellow]

Should have done that a while back possibly before the end of last season

And I’m sure they did.

But, if you think about it, the transfer market is such a transitional thing that it changes almost week to week.

For example:

Karl has just seen the squad do a weeks training in Portugal. So his targets might have changed, ie ‘Sam Long has come back fitter, more experienced and confident - we definitely don’t need a starting right back. Or, (for fairness) ‘Sam Long hasn’t really kicked on as I’d wish, Fosu absolutely destroyed him, so a RB is now top of my list (but Whyte can really play well as a striker, so that’s less important) etc. Couldn’t have made those decisions fully at the end of last season.

Also, day by day, players sign new contracts, sign for other teams, or decide to leave clubs. It’s a constantly shifting market, so information needs to be regularly reassessed.

Plus, someone like Mark Sykes could come back from international duty and say ‘I was chatting to my new roommate and he was saying he’s looking for more minutes at another club, give him a call’ etc - this has happened before. That player might not have been on anyone’s radar before, but it will still need to be looked at, and assessed for affordability etc.

Basically, to suggest that they should have had a numbered list of targets at the end of last season which they just go down one by one is ridiculous. It’s also bad business - I’d much rather they were agile, open to new opportunities and keeping in touch with what’s going on.

 

[Scotchegg]

We had a week or so at the training ground where the deals for Rodriguez and Fosu were completed.

We've then had a week in Portugal and now a weekend in Scotland. I wouldn't be surprised to see activity increase significantly next week on the return back to Oxford, and wouldn't be surprised to see at least two new faces by this time next week

 

[Thomas/Brock/Jones]

And I’m sure they did.

But, if you think about it, the transfer market is such a transitional thing that it changes almost week to week.

For example:

Karl has just seen the squad do a weeks training in Portugal. So his targets might have changed, ie ‘Sam Long has come back fitter, more experienced and confident - we definitely don’t need a starting right back. Or, (for fairness) ‘Sam Long hasn’t really kicked on as I’d wish, Fosu absolutely destroyed him, so a RB is now top of my list (but Whyte can really play well as a striker, so that’s less important) etc. Couldn’t have made those decisions fully at the end of last season.

Also, day by day, players sign new contracts, sign for other teams, or decide to leave clubs. It’s a constantly shifting market, so information needs to be regularly reassessed.

Plus, someone like Mark Sykes could come back from international duty and say ‘I was chatting to my new roommate and he was saying he’s looking for more minutes at another club, give him a call’ etc - this has happened before. That player might not have been on anyone’s radar before, but it will still need to be looked at, and assessed for affordability etc.

Basically, to suggest that they should have had a numbered list of targets at the end of last season which they just go down one by one is ridiculous. It’s also bad business - I’d much rather they were agile, open to new opportunities and keeping in touch with what’s going on.

Very well said

 

[beyondthefourth]

Should have done that a while back possibly before the end of last season

We have done. But we need to be able to propose to the board that "We're no longer pursuing the initial targets, should we go after this guy now? How much can you sanction for us to bid on him?"

There are still plenty of people that haven't gone anywhere, that will need to before the end of the summer. Surridge, for instance.

 

[Manorlounger]

Now I had a slightly different perception of that interview. Chris Williams is no mug and, having seen what has been posted on here and knowing the way the fans react to gossip and rumour, wanted to present something of an update. We all heard about the "Recruitment strategy meeting" we know that Tiger will be at the Glasgow game, we know that we still haven't signed a striker so, Chris saw it as an opportunity to get the message across from the "horse's mouth" that things are in the pipeline, KR is looking and places importance on that looking, for a striker and a CB.
The old adage goes that if you only have bad news, say nothing. However, this forum will put it's own spin on nothing!
So, I am willing to believe that the club is very actively searching for the right players but, those players have got lots of suitors and wily agents and are still playing the waiting game. Let's see who blinks first. Thing is, nothing we say or moan about will change a damn thing. It will be what it will be. Lets face it, we are not the biggest, richest club and if some other club is willing to pay more, then we lose out. Not for want of trying. And, keep in mind the financial rules on how much we can pay.
Will admit though, I hate this waiting and constant searching of the web for any news!