The January 2015 Transfer Rumour Thread

[hilts_coolerking]

Say what you might about O'Neill's profligacy, and he was - there's no getting away from that, but as soon as Lerner took matters into his own hands the decision making at the club has been truly abysmal.

[Ian.]

Say what you might about O'Neill's profligacy, and he was - there's no getting away from that, but as soon as Lerner took matters into his own hands the decision making at the club has been truly abysmal.

If he hadn't isn't there an argument that we would have completely spiraled into a huge debt?

I know theres been crazy plans, ideas and changes in direction. Most of which have not worked out but taking the powers away from MON had to happen, the spending had to slow down or stop and the wage bill had to be trimmed.

[olaftab]

Hopefully Lambert can sort out a decent player for 3m rather than an underplayed, overrated, overpaid prima donna.

Yes.

[hilts_coolerking]

If he hadn't isn't there an argument that we would have completely spiraled into a huge debt?

I know theres been crazy plans, ideas and changes in direction. Most of which have not worked out but taking the powers away from MON had to happen, the spending had to slow down or stop and the wage bill had to be trimmed.

I don't think anyone denies Lerner had to rein things in but it was the speed and severity with which he did it that we've not recovered from.

[Ian.]

If he hadn't isn't there an argument that we would have completely spiraled into a huge debt?

I know theres been crazy plans, ideas and changes in direction. Most of which have not worked out but taking the powers away from MON had to happen, the spending had to slow down or stop and the wage bill had to be trimmed.

I don't think anyone denies Lerner had to rein things in but it was the speed and severity with which he did it that we've not recovered from.

Ok, true. What baffled me was during all these years after MON we still have had some big signings with big salaries in Hutton, Given N'Zog and Bent. I know Bent was certainly required and saved our bacon but these signings went against the grain from MON walking.

[brontebilly]

Say what you might about O'Neill's profligacy, and he was - there's no getting away from that, but as soon as Lerner took matters into his own hands the decision making at the club has been truly abysmal.

The decision making that led to handing MON a blank chequebook was more damaging.

[pauliewalnuts]

Say what you might about O'Neill's profligacy, and he was - there's no getting away from that, but as soon as Lerner took matters into his own hands the decision making at the club has been truly abysmal.

The decision making that led to handing MON a blank chequebook was more damaging.

They were both damaging - the leaving MON in charge of the chequebook, and everything that came after he'd gone, too.

The thing is, when MON was spending the money, we had no idea how dangerous the finances were getting (partly because General K used to tell us not to worry our little heads about the money, they knew what they were doing, when they quite clearly did not), and then when he'd gone and Lerner had to make the big decisions all on his own, it became at first a mess, and then a mess that he didn't really give a shit about.

I am not having much of the criticism of Lerner (ie the mental "he's taking money out of the club" line that keeps coming up despite the huge evidence to the contrary), and I defended him longer than most, but I'll never forgive him his sudden, abrupt decision to not give a fuck any more.

All that "we'll be here through thick and thin" nonsense the General used to tell us, and the very instant it first became thin rather than thick, they just stopped giving a toss pretty much overnight.

Really disappointing it turned out like that.

[Damo70]

The only defence I would give regarding Lerner is that when you don't give a f**k, stop giving a toss (as paulie said) or start losing interest in something you will only do the bare minimum required of you. When you lose interest in something you lose interest. We can only hope he is giving a lot of power to Fox who obviously has to give a toss to earn his living.

[tomd2103]

Say what you might about O'Neill's profligacy, and he was - there's no getting away from that, but as soon as Lerner took matters into his own hands the decision making at the club has been truly abysmal.

The decision making that led to handing MON a blank chequebook was more damaging.

They were both damaging - the leaving MON in charge of the chequebook, and everything that came after he'd gone, too.

The thing is, when MON was spending the money, we had no idea how dangerous the finances were getting (partly because General K used to tell us not to worry our little heads about the money, they knew what they were doing, when they quite clearly did not), and then when he'd gone and Lerner had to make the big decisions all on his own, it became at first a mess, and then a mess that he didn't really give a shit about.

I am not having much of the criticism of Lerner (ie the mental "he's taking money out of the club" line that keeps coming up despite the huge evidence to the contrary), and I defended him longer than most, but I'll never forgive him his sudden, abrupt decision to not give a fuck any more.

All that "we'll be here through thick and thin" nonsense the General used to tell us, and the very instant it first became thin rather than thick, they just stopped giving a toss pretty much overnight.

Really disappointing it turned out like that.

When did that happen though?  The signing of Bent and others in January 2011 would suggest he was still engaged at that point.  I think the McLeish appointment probably signalled the end of any real ambition. 

[Toronto Villa]

Yet they paid him like we were aiming for top 20 ranking in Europe let alone the PL.

[silhillvilla]

Torres brace for athletico .

[mr underhill]

yes according to the club he's returned as a 'man' apparently. That came as something of a shock to me because I always thought he was, but perhaps he had some sort of sexual orientation crisis at Chavski which explained his lack of form for years.

[pauliewalnuts]

yes according to the club he's returned as a 'man' apparently. That came as something of a shock to me because I always thought he was, but perhaps he had some sort of sexual orientation crisis at Chavski which explained his lack of form for years.

Wasn't his nickname at Atletico as a youngster 'El Nino'? (with a squiggly accent on the second n), meaning "the kid"?

Is probably a reference to that.

[RussellC]

Does anybody know definitively how many free spaces we actually ave left in our 25-man squad? It can't be very many (if indeed any) following Gil's arrival...

[timeoutbigbar]

Being linked with Cristian Rodriguez from Atletico Madrid on loan.  Good player, Uruguay international, think he'd suit the premier league, has the physical strength and a great left foot. 

Would make sense for them too, seeing as he isn't getting regular starts, while they also want to free up a non EU space in their squad to put their summer signing Correa in. 

Almost certainly bollocks, mind.