January 2016 - Transfer Rumours, Speculation & Suggestions

[rob_bridge]

Teams are in and around the relegation zone for one reason only and it's because they're shit, so let's face it they're gonna lose games, and lots of them. Back to back wins and you're back in the mix. We've given up way too early.

Absolutely. I am sick of the excuses, we simply have not been prepared to do what is necessary to attract players and have given up.

Sunderland have given themselves a chance by bringing some fresh players in, so have Newcastle, Swansea and Norwich.

It isn't like only one team is going down, three clubs are, which makes that lot just as risky a proposition as we are to potential new signings. Those clubs have weighed up the risks and either taken them, or mitigated them. I don't believe that Norwich or Swansea will have done any deal that is going to cripple them on relegation, they are well run clubs. We could have done the same or more, we are bigger with more revenue and more chance of coming back up.

I'd say the difference between a 10 point gap and a 4 point gap changes the situation for both clubs and players completely.  Those clubs are taking a calculated risk, on the other hand we could be committing financial suicide.  All those clubs are 50/50 bets to stay up, what would you give us 90/10 if that.

Can't we get players on loan who return to their parent club at end of the season?

If they want to come and are within the allocated budget, Yes.
If not then, No.

Debuchy looked like he was may be coming but may not now. It may be that Arsenal are hanging on until Sunday to make a decision.

[rob_bridge]

I think Sunderland's spending is miscalculated and that they'll struggle with their wages in the Championship.

Do you not think they'd have relegation clauses in there?

Like ourselves some will, probably the recent signings, and some won't.

E.g. in our case Gabby doesn't have one so he can continue to morph into Jabba whilst gleaning 3m a year of us.

[Ads]

I also get the impression that Ellis Short is about as useful as Lerner at running a club.

[Clampy]

I'm a little surprised no-one has come in (as yet) but at the same time, bearing in mind where we are, I'm not. Garde did say it was likely to be a last minute job, so we'll have to wait and see.

[Dave]

I think Sunderland's spending is miscalculated and that they'll struggle with their wages in the Championship.

Do you not think they'd have relegation clauses in there?

Like ourselves some will, probably the recent signings, and some won't.

E.g. in our case Gabby doesn't have one so he can continue to morph into Jabba whilst gleaning 3m a year of us.

I bet he will have one.

His most recent contract was September 2014, I'd be very surprised if we didn't include provisions on which league we were in.

Undoubtedly we wouldn't have bothered for his earlier contracts.

[Bully2345]

It should be standard practice for relegation release clauses to be present. All Arsenal contracts include one, despite there being virtually no chance of it ever happening.

I know they're in a slightly stronger bargaining position but it highlights the irresponsibility of boards across football that clubs at serious risk of relegation don't always include them. No wonder we have Leeds and Bolton situations.

[Dave]

It should be standard practice for relegation release clauses to be present. All Arsenal contracts include one, despite there being virtually no chance of it ever happening.

It should be, and I'm pretty certain that it is now.

I bet that no contract we offered anybody in the O'Neill days had one in though.

[rob_bridge]

I also get the impression that Ellis Short is about as useful as Lerner at running a club.

Similar number of average / overrated / inappropriate managers, similar number of overpaid overrated British players paying far too much in transfers. No strategy jumping from one approach to another.

Yep I think we have had a lot in common with Sunderland this decade.

[rob_bridge]

I think Sunderland's spending is miscalculated and that they'll struggle with their wages in the Championship.

Do you not think they'd have relegation clauses in there?

Like ourselves some will, probably the recent signings, and some won't.

E.g. in our case Gabby doesn't have one so he can continue to morph into Jabba whilst gleaning 3m a year of us.

I bet he will have one.

His most recent contract was September 2014, I'd be very surprised if we didn't include provisions on which league we were in.

Undoubtedly we wouldn't have bothered for his earlier contracts.

I'm not sure as this was at the time they handed a new 4 year contract to Mr Mumbles.
I hope you're right - well actually I hope it a 95% write down in his case. He'd still be paid 150k per year too much.

[AVH87]

I'm a little surprised no-one has come in (as yet) but at the same time, bearing in mind where we are, I'm not. Garde did say it was likely to be a last minute job, so we'll have to wait and see.

You should definitely be a politician 

[ozzjim]

Nothing on Kalinic either.  The Santos link had gone quiet even at 300k. Vidic has taken retirement. Fox et al are sitting in a bunker somewhere oblivious to it all.

[PaulWinch again]

Great, which means we'll be trying another complete overhaul of the squad this summer rather than trying to start it now.

[Percy McCarthy]

I think Sunderland's spending is miscalculated and that they'll struggle with their wages in the Championship.

And be subject to a transfer embargo sooner rather than later

Whereas we'll avoid a transfer embargo by erm... imposing one on ourselves.

[PeterWithesShin]

I'm not surprised we're struggling to bring anyone in. I haven't given up on us yet but if I look at it realistically and from the outside like a player/agent etc will be, we're in a really shit position and most will think we're gone.
There's 45 points to play for, we need 10 of them just to catch up. When you look at a side that have won 2 out of 23 games, it's not looking too likely. Which is what players will be thinking, it must be very hard to get a player to come when there is a strong chance that in a few months their wages will be slashed. How many here would move jobs knowing that their wages at the new job could, and probably will, be halved in 4 months or so?

McGrath it's an utterly shit situation we've gotten ourselves into.

[Chris Smith]

Any player with ambition is going to be reluctant to sign for us and past mistakes mean that we are not going to pay over the odds for those looking for one last pay day. So we are looking at potential or loans.

It's probably the sensible approach for the long term but a depressing one for the here and now.