Jordan Ayew - sold to Swansea

[citizenDJ]

From that, reading between the lines it appears we are in discussions to sign him with his current club.

That's true, although it does seem to be inferring that perhaps the two clubs are yet to reach agreement. Maybe I'm reading too much into it.

[LeeB]

From that, reading between the lines it appears we are in discussions to sign him with his current club.

That's true, although it does seem to be inferring that perhaps the two clubs are yet to reach agreement. Maybe I'm reading too much into it.

The tone of their chairman suggests they're hopeful of a positive outcome, but that's just a hunch really.

[KRS]

If they try to get more money than he's worth on the basis that we have recent sales and are a PL club, then I hope the club have the balls to move to other targets rather than pay over the odds.

[ktvillan]

On this matter of when to buy, the transfer window is in effect an auction.   In my own line of business I attend anything between two and eight auctions a week across East Anglia.   Like all sales, the seller wants to get the most money he can, the buyer wants to pay the least.  From a lifetime of experience you learn that the dynamic of a sale is a price peak between a third and a half way through a sale, but then as buyers spend their money the prices begin to fall and are at their lowest just before the end of a sale but the last few transactions the prices rise very sharply as panic buys kick in.   It's not rocket science.   You survey the entire range of what is on offer, whatever it might be, horses, properties, potatoes, cars and you don't dive in and chase the market if there are alternatives later in the day that are as good but cheaper.   The richest men at the car auctions are those who buy in the last hour of a sale, leave their purchases overnight and put them in the first hour of the following day's sale.   It is not failing to prepare it is using your money to best advantage.  In horse dealing the practice has the great name of "pinhooking".

I don't think your analogy quite fits Brian.  If you're still hanging around at the car or horse auction when the race has already started, you might get a good deal, but you aint going to win the race. 

[old man villa fan]

On this matter of when to buy, the transfer window is in effect an auction.   In my own line of business I attend anything between two and eight auctions a week across East Anglia.   Like all sales, the seller wants to get the most money he can, the buyer wants to pay the least.  From a lifetime of experience you learn that the dynamic of a sale is a price peak between a third and a half way through a sale, but then as buyers spend their money the prices begin to fall and are at their lowest just before the end of a sale but the last few transactions the prices rise very sharply as panic buys kick in.   It's not rocket science.   You survey the entire range of what is on offer, whatever it might be, horses, properties, potatoes, cars and you don't dive in and chase the market if there are alternatives later in the day that are as good but cheaper.   The richest men at the car auctions are those who buy in the last hour of a sale, leave their purchases overnight and put them in the first hour of the following day's sale.   It is not failing to prepare it is using your money to best advantage.  In horse dealing the practice has the great name of "pinhooking".

I don't think your analogy quite fits Brian.  If you're still hanging around at the car or horse auction when the race has already started, you might get a good deal, but you aint going to win the race. 

Not this year but you will be better placed the year after and those following

[silhillvilla]

Our current squad is bereft of quality and goals. It's all well and good sitting tight at an auction but we are not in a position to do this and we aren't at an auction.
Our targets should have been identified weeks if not months ago. Why it's taking so long to sort is a very risky policy .
Am I concerned ? Yes, I am.

[Dante Lavelli]

On this matter of when to buy, the transfer window is in effect an auction.   In my own line of business I attend anything between two and eight auctions a week across East Anglia.   Like all sales, the seller wants to get the most money he can, the buyer wants to pay the least.  From a lifetime of experience you learn that the dynamic of a sale is a price peak between a third and a half way through a sale, but then as buyers spend their money the prices begin to fall and are at their lowest just before the end of a sale but the last few transactions the prices rise very sharply as panic buys kick in.   It's not rocket science.   You survey the entire range of what is on offer, whatever it might be, horses, properties, potatoes, cars and you don't dive in and chase the market if there are alternatives later in the day that are as good but cheaper.   The richest men at the car auctions are those who buy in the last hour of a sale, leave their purchases overnight and put them in the first hour of the following day's sale.   It is not failing to prepare it is using your money to best advantage.  In horse dealing the practice has the great name of "pinhooking".

I don't think your analogy quite fits Brian.  If you're still hanging around at the car or horse auction when the race has already started, you might get a good deal, but you aint going to win the race. 

Depends, the horse/car you're buying will be racing for 3 or 4 more years, so that has to be a consideration.

[Villa in Denmark]

Our current squad is bereft of quality and goals. It's all well and good sitting tight at an auction but we are not in a position to do this and we aren't at an auction.
Our targets should have been identified weeks if not months ago. Why it's taking so long to sort is a very risky policy .
Am I concerned ? Yes, I am.

Do you really think that we get to the first of July and then whoever the manager is sits down to start watching YouTube compilations, picks out 5 or 6 and says, "They'll do. Fuck it's only a couple of weeks until pre-season, we're bollocksed."

What we see of transfer deals is probably about 5% of interminable back and forth.
Sometimes you'll never find agreement, either on transfer fee, or you're so far apart on  (what an agent has indicated) personal terms that it's not worth continuing.

We have no idea how much of this goes on, or how long this process has been going on with Ayew. I doubt that the first time Sherwood looked at him was the day before our interest was leaked.

[Concrete John]

Our current squad is bereft of quality and goals. It's all well and good sitting tight at an auction but we are not in a position to do this and we aren't at an auction.
Our targets should have been identified weeks if not months ago. Why it's taking so long to sort is a very risky policy .
Am I concerned ? Yes, I am.

If we're buying from the market that Lambert shopped in things can be done a lot quicker.  With the calibre of player we're looking to buy now, there's more to it because:-
a) their clubs want to keep them
b) you have to actually persuade them to come
c) there's more money involved

You can have a ham sandwich more or less whenever you want, but a Sunday roast takes more prep time.

[Toronto Villa]

Our current squad is bereft of quality and goals. It's all well and good sitting tight at an auction but we are not in a position to do this and we aren't at an auction.
Our targets should have been identified weeks if not months ago. Why it's taking so long to sort is a very risky policy .
Am I concerned ? Yes, I am.

You concerned. Do you have any other settings? We could sign Messi and you'd be shitting it he might trip on the way out to the pitch.

[clash city rocker]

The good managers identify players and then have them watched for a considerable amount of time. That's the way I hope Sherwood is operating.

[Toronto Villa]

It appears to me as if we have spent a decent amount of time in France doing just that.

[Villa in Denmark]

On this matter of when to buy, the transfer window is in effect an auction.   In my own line of business I attend anything between two and eight auctions a week across East Anglia.   Like all sales, the seller wants to get the most money he can, the buyer wants to pay the least.  From a lifetime of experience you learn that the dynamic of a sale is a price peak between a third and a half way through a sale, but then as buyers spend their money the prices begin to fall and are at their lowest just before the end of a sale but the last few transactions the prices rise very sharply as panic buys kick in.   It's not rocket science.   You survey the entire range of what is on offer, whatever it might be, horses, properties, potatoes, cars and you don't dive in and chase the market if there are alternatives later in the day that are as good but cheaper.   The richest men at the car auctions are those who buy in the last hour of a sale, leave their purchases overnight and put them in the first hour of the following day's sale.   It is not failing to prepare it is using your money to best advantage.  In horse dealing the practice has the great name of "pinhooking".

I don't think your analogy quite fits Brian.  If you're still hanging around at the car or horse auction when the race has already started, you might get a good deal, but you aint going to win the race.

The analogy is fine if you recognise that both horse racing and motor racing are also run over seasons.

If you're a jockey lacking a ride with the choice of jumping on the first nag that goes past just to make sure you're in the first race, you're doomed to fail in that race and all those that follow. Wait a bit longer and the owner of a half decent horse with a bit of potential walks past looking worried because he can't find a jockey, we'll happy days, everyones a winner.

Or you've just turned up in F1 and you need an engine supplier.
Take the overpriced package from Renault (shit for those that don't follow F1), knowing that you're going to be at the back of the field all season, or wait to tie up a deal with Mercedes (currently supplying engines to 4 of the top 6) after a couple of races knowing that you'll at worst be competitive in the middle the field for the rest of the season.

[Mister E]

... Our targets should have been identified weeks if not months ago. Why it's taking so long to sort is a very risky policy ...

I do think you're being slightly naive.
I do think TS and O'Reilly have got a plan, and they are playing it out. It may be 'squeaky botty' time - but I think we need to go with it for the next couple of weeks.

[silhillvilla]

Our current squad is bereft of quality and goals. It's all well and good sitting tight at an auction but we are not in a position to do this and we aren't at an auction.
Our targets should have been identified weeks if not months ago. Why it's taking so long to sort is a very risky policy .
Am I concerned ? Yes, I am.

You concerned. Do you have any other settings? We could sign Messi and you'd be shitting it he might trip on the way out to the pitch.

The last 4 years has been one concern ride. We should have a ride at Alton Towers called "Aston Villa", a montage of close up facial pics adorning the carriages - DOL, GED, ECK, MON, GMAC, Kiraly, Agathe, Berger, Bakke, Pires, Holt, Cole, Jenas, Senderos .
People get off the ride looking pale, shaken and confused with a sense of no direction.