The deadly summers of 2013 and 2014

[in exile]

One of our problems over the last few seasons is that the squad the managers have been picking from has only been around 20 of the 25 players and that we have had constant injuries to those 20, which has resulted in players being played out of position.

every club has injuries

Yes and our squad looked as though it was set up on the basis of we wouldn't get any.

yeah we should have had a squad of 30 then when the other clubs were only allowed 25 but they will be ok as they have crystal balls

No wonder they get injuries

[Damo70]

Taking out last summers signings there are 29 players listed in the original post. In my opinion only 7 have been successful and 4 or 5 of those are debatable.

[tomd2103]

Taking out last summers signings there are 29 players listed in the original post. In my opinion only 7 have been successful and 4 or 5 of those are debatable.

When you add to those, some of the substandard players who have come through and featured regularly in that time period (the likes of Baker, Lichaj, Bannan etc.) then it's not hard to see why we've been as bad as we have been. 

[cheltenhamlion]

Can we just box off the "transfer committee". There isn't one. Just more Sherwood press driven bullshit.

I don't mean to get ratty with people but the amount of buying in to anything negative, no matter how daft, is driving me nuts!

See the forthcoming H+V for the reason why I believe that to be the case....

[conman]

Can we just box off the "transfer committee". There isn't one. Just more Sherwood press driven bullshit.

I don't mean to get ratty with people but the amount of buying in to anything negative, no matter how daft, is driving me nuts!

See the forthcoming H+V for the reason why I believe that to be the case....

because tom fox said there isnt one

[London Villan]

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but for the £40m we received in the summer we should have really bought (with the addition of another £10/£15m) 4 or 5 replacement players for the 3 key ones that left. Bringing in 12 new players, the majority with little top level experience, has proven to be a folly.

It really takes some doing to take an established Premier League team (even one bouncing around the bottom third) and be eleven points adrift at the half-way point of the season.

2013 and 2014 were very poor, but this close-season has relegated us.

[saunders_heroes]

Can we just box off the "transfer committee". There isn't one. Just more Sherwood press driven bullshit.

I don't mean to get ratty with people but the amount of buying in to anything negative, no matter how daft, is driving me nuts!

See the forthcoming H+V for the reason why I believe that to be the case....

How do you know this?

[glasses]

Great thread.

I asked on another thread somewhere, of the players we have bought since o Neill left,  how many have made a decent contribution to the team, or have or are likely to make any money.

It's a very small list IMO.

[Steve R]

Can we just box off the "transfer committee". There isn't one. Just more Sherwood press driven bullshit.

I don't mean to get ratty with people but the amount of buying in to anything negative, no matter how daft, is driving me nuts!

See the forthcoming H+V for the reason why I believe that to be the case....

Totally agree CL. I don't think our transfer process is all that different to other clubs. There does seem a tendency to decry every aspect of the club right now. I guess in the position we are in it is natural for objectivity to go out of the window.

The point made by the Op is perfectly good, I said the same thing - unwittingly - in another thread a few days ago.

I'd go back even further and say that transfer activity since around 2008 has ill served the club and led us to where we are today. We seen to go into every transfer window needing an unlikely number of new recruits. That number has been increasing each year. No single year's dealing is going to redress the balance. That is nothing to do with a supposed 'committee', it's just a reality of football.

[ROBBO]

I agree with a previous poster our problems started with MON and have gone downhill since. Some of the players he bought were roundly criticised by all on here especially his but British only philosophy, Heskey was a prime example but there are numerous others. Lerner was prepared to spend big in those days money wasn't an issue but MON pissed it all up the wall, every manager since has the excuse that they were restricted by the need to reduce wages and could only buy from the basement.

[ciggiesnbeer]

Good post indeed, enjoying reading your contributions lately.

Agreed. Interesting posts Ivo.

[pbavfckuwait]

Transfer Committee or not, our main scout or Head of Recruitment (player wise) came from Liverpool who when you look at what Rodgers spent on who evers recommendation, was not that impressive, yes at least they have given this guy a buss pass and a Euro tunnel pass, but I am yet to be convinced of his capability to be the best out there and when you are looking to cut costs like Randy has, the person who is sourcing out the new talent has to be the best and as stated in another thread, we may now have the structure in place that we have all been crying out for but if it is staffed by muppets still no better than not having one at all.
Also looking back over Randy's years I would be very interested to see what deficit there is on money spent on players and money we have received on sales.

[cheltenhamlion]

Can we just box off the "transfer committee". There isn't one. Just more Sherwood press driven bullshit.

I don't mean to get ratty with people but the amount of buying in to anything negative, no matter how daft, is driving me nuts!

See the forthcoming H+V for the reason why I believe that to be the case....

because tom fox said there isnt one

Let's turn this on its head. Leicester are being lauded this season but almost all of their goals have come from cheap, lower league recruits in Vardy and Mahrez. Do you think it was their scouts that suggested signing them? Or that Nigel Pearson spent 80% of his week watching games in Division 4 and the second tier in France?

And for everyone using "Transfer Committee" as a stick to beat the club with, nobody seems to know who is on it. Or how it works. Or why it is shit. It just is and everyone at the club, whether it exists or they are involved or not, is an idiot on account of it.

What do you think happens? That, at the start of the summer, the board sit in an office with piles of cash on tables on front of them like an episode of Dragons Den? That Sherwood walks in and offers to pay 50% of the fee for Andros Townshend out of his own pocket if the club will cover the other half and his wages?

Or do we do exactly what every other club do. Who is on the out pile? What gaps does that leave? Any suggestions Mr Sherwood? If we need someone in that position, with those attributes, what have the scouts seen? What do you think Tim? Sign X.

Every club does the same.

[UK Redsox]

C'mon Chelters, its sensible posts like that which could kill a thread

[pbavfckuwait]

Totally agree with you Cheltenham, but as I have stated previously and you use Leicester as a great example, what ever system we are using, when we as a club have had a major financial restructure, you have to make sure that the person/s that you are relying onto pick the gems are the best out there, I do not believe that Reily is.