Jermain Defoe (no longer a rumour)


Considering we need a striker, and the three names we’ve been linked with, so far, are Clarke-Harris, Cameron Archer and JD - I’m confident that we’re looking in the right places / enquiring for the calibre necessary.

I mean, we are desperate, we can’t go without another striker for the next few months, so I trust the recruitment based on the Cirkin, Pritchard, Dajaku, Hoffmann signings
People keep saying how great the recruitment was, yet we are outside the top 2 (once again) and look likely to finish where we did last season.
 
People keep saying how great the recruitment was, yet we are outside the top 2 (once again) and look likely to finish where we did last season.

The recruitment has been great within the parameters set by the new club philosophy.

Could it have been better or different? Yup in my humble opinion.

But the recruitment team haven’t ticked all the boxes which hasn’t been the case for many years.

There are many reasons for our current situation…the recruitment team are well down the list.
 
I can't understand the clamour to sign a 39 year old no matter how good he once was.
At 39 years old most of our bodies are frail.
The most improved aspect of the club since KLD came in has been recruitment.
The model has been, as Stewart Dajaku and Hoffman has proved, taking young, hungry undervalued players or overlooked players like Winchester or Pritchard and giving them opportunities.
Who could ever forget the contribution Jermaine made? But sadly footballers have a shelf life. Pace deserts, instincts dull, energy fades.
Great if we get him on a 6 month contract but other than cameo's I think we delude ourselves if as a player he is anything more than a bit part option.
 
The recruitment has been great within the parameters set by the new club philosophy.

Could it have been better or different? Yup in my humble opinion.

But the recruitment team haven’t ticked all the boxes which hasn’t been the case for many years.

There are many reasons for our current situation…the recruitment team are well down the list.

This “new club philosophy” is bullshit spouted by KLD lovers.

We’ve been signing crocked midfielders and young defenders on loan for years man.

Show me what is “new”

I got slated for saying Evans and Pritchard were crocks
 
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if he goes to Oxford after we've made him an offer fair enough. probably down to location and guaranteed game time. would love to see him back but we should not be bending over for a 39 year old who hasn't played any meaningful football in months. if (and it's just a hypothetical if) he wanted guarantees and we can't give him it that's absolutely the right decision. just please don't score the f***ing winner against us in the playoffs
 
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if he goes to Oxford after we've made him an offer fair enough. probably down to location and guaranteed game time. would love to see him back but we should not be bending over for a 39 year old who hasn't played any meaningful football in months. if (and it's just a hypothetical if) he wanted guarantees and we can't give him it that's absolutely the right decision. just please don't score the f***ing winner against us in the playoffs
Oxford won't make the playoffs man, don't worry 🤣
This “new club philosophy” is bullshit spouted by KLD lovers.

We’ve been signing crocked midfielders and young defenders on loan for years man.

Show me what is “new”

I got slated for saying Evans and Pritchard were crocks
Wow 🤣

Just take a look at our average squad age this year and then come back on here spouting that bullshit.
 
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Oxford won't make the playoffs man, don't worry 🤣

Wow 🤣

Just take a look at our average squad age this year and then come back on here spouting that bullshit.

Ah so signing younger crocked midfielders is a “new philosophy” Sanderson was young,, Dunne was young etc etc take your blinkers off man.

There’s no new philosophy.

Is signing a 30 year old crock as opposed to a 35 year old crock a “new philosophy”

Let me remind you Wigan are above us with our “rejects”
 
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Ah so signing younger crocked midfielders is a “new philosophy” Sanderson was young,, Dunne was young etc etc take your blinkers off man.

There’s no new philosophy.

Is signing a 30 year old crock as opposed to a 35 year old crock a “new philosophy”

Let me remind you Wigan are above us with our “rejects”
Fuck me...your life must be depressing as fuck mate. Feel for your other half.
 
Fuck me...your life must be depressing as fuck mate. Feel for your other half.

My life is fabulous cheers mate.

Not getting caught up in hysteria etc has done me fine. Didn’t believe it with Donald (check my posts if you wish) not getting caught up in it now.

Nothing has changed, convince yourself it’s different if you wish. When we don’t go up again at least you’ll be happy the failure was down to players with a younger average age.
 
My life is fabulous cheers mate.

Not getting caught up in hysteria etc has done me fine. Didn’t believe it with Donald (check my posts if you wish) not getting caught up in it now.

Nothing has changed, convince yourself it’s different if you wish. When we don’t go up again at least you’ll be happy the failure was down to players with a younger average age.
🤣🤣 Not arguing with you mate. You're entitled to your opinion as much as I am. I've been pessimistic as fuck in recent years, but genunely do feel a change in strategy and direction this year. To me it feels different, but maybe that's just me.
 
Ah so signing younger crocked midfielders is a “new philosophy” Sanderson was young,, Dunne was young etc etc take your blinkers off man.

There’s no new philosophy.

Is signing a 30 year old crock as opposed to a 35 year old crock a “new philosophy”

Let me remind you Wigan are above us with our “rejects”

It's obvious what our new philosophy is. Our Sporting Director has told us on numerous occasions what we are trying to do and the signings back that up.

Our permanent signings and those with agreed fees this season come to an average age of just over 23.

Hoffmann - 22 (Loan with an agreed fee)
Huggins - 21
Cirkin - 19
Dajaku - 20 (Loan with an agreed fee)
Pritchard - 28
Evans - 31
Hume - 19
Batth - 31

The average age of our squad is 24.7, which is the 6th lowest in the league.
Last season the average age of our squad was 27.3 which was the highest in the league.
 
It's obvious what our new philosophy is. Our Sporting Director has told us on numerous occasions what we are trying to do and the signings back that up.

Our permanent signings and those with agreed fees this season come to an average age of just over 23.

Hoffmann - 22 (Loan with an agreed fee)
Huggins - 21
Cirkin - 19
Dajaku - 20 (Loan with an agreed fee)
Pritchard - 28
Evans - 31
Hume - 19
Batth - 31

The average age of our squad is 24.7, which is the 6th lowest in the league.
Last season the average age of our squad was 27.3 which was the highest in the league.

Fair point but at the end of the season if we miss out age is pointless. Without googling what was the average age of our squad the last three years? And more importantly did that make failure anymore acceptable?

My point is “the new philosophy” should be getting out of this league, age shouldn’t play a part.
 
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My life is fabulous cheers mate.

Not getting caught up in hysteria etc has done me fine. Didn’t believe it with Donald (check my posts if you wish) not getting caught up in it now.

Nothing has changed, convince yourself it’s different if you wish. When we don’t go up again at least you’ll be happy the failure was down to players with a younger average age.
Ive been a fan for a while now and I'd say it's relatively new for us. Top of my head like but only Brown and Durban have tried it in my time following the lads.

I'm all for it. Nothing better than watching young lads develop, it's what the game is about for most sides lacking the support of multi billionaire sponsors. We won our only major trophy during my lifetime with a side largely developed on the back of a youth policy.
 
Because of who said player is, and the demeanour of LJ in his press conference.
It doesn’t take much for people to get on his back, this will just fuel it
There was nothing in his press conference have a meltdown about. And it doesn't matter who the player is, just because the fans want him to sign doesn't mean he wants to sign
 
I can't understand the clamour to sign a 39 year old no matter how good he once was.
At 39 years old most of our bodies are frail.
The most improved aspect of the club since KLD came in has been recruitment.
The model has been, as Stewart Dajaku and Hoffman has proved, taking young, hungry undervalued players or overlooked players like Winchester or Pritchard and giving them opportunities.
Who could ever forget the contribution Jermaine made? But sadly footballers have a shelf life. Pace deserts, instincts dull, energy fades.
Great if we get him on a 6 month contract but other than cameo's I think we delude ourselves if as a player he is anything more than a bit part option.

At 39 most of our bodies are frail? :lol:
 
Ive been a fan for a while now and I'd say it's relatively new for us. Top of my head like but only Brown and Durban have tried it in my time following the lads.

I'm all for it. Nothing better than watching young lads develop, it's what the game is about for most sides lacking the support of multi billionaire sponsors. We won our only major trophy during my lifetime with a side largely developed on the back of a youth policy.
Spot on.

I genuinely pity anyone who looks at some of the football we are playing this season and says “nothing has changed”.

We are an absolute joy to watch at times and if we don’t go up it will be because we haven’t got the balance quite right and there are another two clubs doing very well, not because we are making the same old mistakes.
 
Fair point but at the end of the season if we miss out age is pointless. Without googling what was the average age of our squad the last three years? And more importantly did that make failure anymore acceptable?

I agree that promotion is a must and whilst it's great having a young squad it means fuck all if we're still in League1. What our recruitment team are trying to do is to sign players that they believe are good enough for promotion now and are at an age that they believe can then kick on and improve in a higher division so we aren't constantly signing 11 players a summer or that we can sell for a big profit.

I'm glad we have gone down this route though as I think it is the best way to succeed long term.
Wigan remind me of our Championship winning side under McCarthy. Not necessarily the team that will hammer teams but keep on grinding out results as they're very experienced for this level but once they get promoted aren't as well equipped as the other teams they have finished ahead. Wigan have some good young players that will make the step up but also have a canny few that probably won't make it and are at an age they won't see much financial gain from if they sell.
 
Spot on.

I genuinely pity anyone who looks at some of the football we are playing this season and says “nothing has changed”.

We are an absolute joy to watch at times and if we don’t go up it will be because we haven’t got the balance quite right and there are another two clubs doing very well, not because we are making the same old mistakes.
As our lads develop we'll slowly become stronger. Some will leave, some will stay. That's the way it plays out. Invest the transfer money wisely and move on.

It's all about getting our football right, developing a platform that the best of our lads will thrive under. A window and a half in has us not too far away at the moment and that's in the face of injuries and having to field an engine room full of kids.

We're still a tad short IMO, just shy of being on track to go up and stay there which has to be the first target. Being a yo yo side, doing a Rotherham, isn't enough, we need to have a core of committed hungry players, experienced and talented enough to make a fist of the championship. Buckle up. 😄
 
Problem is, a lot of these lads will be off if we don't go up. Fair do's, we'll probably get decent fees for most, but we'd be having to mould a new side again for our fifth outing in this league and things will get tougher.

I think we can already tell that we're not awash with money, can we really fund things like the academy at 5/6 million a year whilst continuing in this league?.....will the talented young lads want to stay around when clubs in a higher division come calling?

We really need to have the best window possible and give ourselves the best chance of promotion, be that automatically or thru the play offs. If there's quality to be had then we really need to be in for it or all the good work that's been done this season could get wiped and we're back to square one.
 

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