Deano’s wishlist - the Jan transfer speculation/guaranteed nonsense thread

[adrenachrome]

I don't understand the pessimism. People need to chill.

I’m guessing it might have something to do with people saying exactly what you just said over the past 8 years then seeing us drop from 6 th in the league to mid table championship and still being told what’s with the pessimism and all we need to do is chill

if the last few years have told us anything it’s that we have had quite a bit to worry about and people saying just chill have been consistently wrong over a long period of time

we all hope it’s going to change, I personally still believe in Smith although my faith sometimes weakens
but you can’t blame people for being pessimistic and even a bit paranoid when you look at the state we’ve got ourselves into this past decade,
 I doubt it’s going to help people ‘just chill’

"We'll be fine" was the equivalent mantra to "just chill" for many seasons so I think your point is well made, John.

Nonetheless, I think Dean Smith will get the job done. There will be obstacles along the way, which may be tremendous.

[brontebilly]

For those who think grealish will almost certainly go, I have two questions:

Given he's got a lengthy bumper contract, what do you think we'd sell him for?

Who do you imagine might pay that?

25m, Maddison went for 20m last year so we wont be getting too much more than that.

Tottenham, they went for him before and will do so again. Brilliant coach and would be a superb move for him.

Liverpool have the likes of Lallana on the bench, Grealish is a long way better than him with far more potential.

Arsenal with Ramsey and Ozil off...Chelsea need a replacement for Hazard, West Ham have plenty of dough

Grealish and McGinn will almost certainly be gone in the summer, both far too good for our poxy division

[paul_e]

I don't understand the pessimism. People need to chill.

I’m guessing it might have something to do with people saying exactly what you just said over the past 8 years then seeing us drop from 6 th in the league to mid table championship and still being told what’s with the pessimism and all we need to do is chill

if the last few years have told us anything it’s that we have had quite a bit to worry about and people saying just chill have been consistently wrong over a long period of time

we all hope it’s going to change, I personally still believe in Smith although my faith sometimes weakens
but you can’t blame people for being pessimistic and even a bit paranoid when you look at the state we’ve got ourselves into this past decade,
 I doubt it’s going to help people ‘just chill’

The counter argument there is that employing Bruce/Sherwood/Lambert/McLeish is a consequence of the panic (but at board level). Signing shite like McCormack, Whelan, Hogan, etc is another. A calm and considered plan on how to stop us falling and turn things around, implemented as soon as Houllier was taken ill, would've seen things go very differently.

[nigel]

For those who think grealish will almost certainly go, I have two questions:

Given he's got a lengthy bumper contract, what do you think we'd sell him for?

Who do you imagine might pay that?

My guess is that he signed a bumper contract with the knowledge that he will be free to go if we don't go up.

Spurs, I reckon, would pay between £30-40m.
I've a feeling that Jack would only leave for a PL team that would challenge for top 6, though, as he wants to play European Football
It wouldn't surprise me if a German, Spanish or Italian team show interest

[PeterWithesShin]

Jack as a replacement for Hazard?

[Sexual Ealing]

Jack as a replacement for Hazard?

He's very good but he's nowhere near Hazard, and he's not that type of player (Clive) anyway. I can't see him wanting to leave for a bottom half PL team unless the money is astronomical (which I guess it would be). I think any PL side apart from Man City and Man Utd could find a regularish place for him in their squads.

[KevinGage]

It won’t surprise me if Smith has looked at with Purslow and said privately we’re not ready for promotion.

When will we be ready?  When we lose Abraham, Grealish and McGinn next season?

Teams this season will be promoted with lesser players than those. We are sitting 10th with them in our squad. I love what each offers but it’s takes more than three players to get promoted. And I love McGinn and he’s a super player but I don’t see him being glamorous enough for the PL. For what we will want clubs looking for that type of player will have lots of foreign, cheaper options.

If we aren't one of them, I'd say one of the promoted sides this year could find a spot for McGinn.  Plus the likes of Brighton (should they stay up) or Burnleh.

[Sexual Ealing]

It won’t surprise me if Smith has looked at with Purslow and said privately we’re not ready for promotion.

When will we be ready?  When we lose Abraham, Grealish and McGinn next season?

Teams this season will be promoted with lesser players than those. We are sitting 10th with them in our squad. I love what each offers but it’s takes more than three players to get promoted. And I love McGinn and he’s a super player but I don’t see him being glamorous enough for the PL. For what we will want clubs looking for that type of player will have lots of foreign, cheaper options.

If we aren't one of them, I'd say one of the promoted sides this year could find a spot for McGinn.  Plus the likes of Brighton (should they stay up) or Burnleh.

That would be a good indicator of why big teams like Leeds and Villa stay down for so long; smaller clubs enjoying happier times represent a step up now more than ever.

[Matt C]

There’s no way Grealish is staying if we don’t go up and I’d be amazed if he’s not got some sort of release clause in his contract.

Odd window all round this year. Questions marks on all the players we’ve signed and of the critical positions that needed addressing - keeper, left back, centre half & holding midfielder- we’ve only really addressed 50%. That said, you want to leave these transfer windows stronger than you started them - are we?

[Ads]

Are we stronger than December?

The answer is unequivocally yes. We have a better keeper and two left sided defenders, one of whom will start today.

We missed out on the screening player we all fancied, but perhaps Axel can fill that role?

We've a great chance to close the gap to the Play Offs to 2 points today. With Jack coming back, the best striker in the league, the capability of playing the best football by a mile and now perhaps a solid defence, I'm surprised at the absecence of belief. Only rather I'm not, not surprised in the least.

Edit:

I also wonder what people watch in this league as their expectations of our squad seems divorced from the reality of our opponents. For sure Hutton and Taylor aren't what I consider good enough. But did anybody watch Derby last night? Did you see them and think despite our deficiencies they're impossible overcome? That they're absent of deficiencies themselves? As if that's the conclusion you've come to, you have some strong powder round your parts.

[Matt Collins]

We all love Jack and I doubt we'd accept less than 30

If I were spurs would I pay 30? I'm really not sure. He's still really only had half a season, plus a few runs here and there, where he's looked that value. And even then he's never really more than a 3-5 goals a season man

Would spurs have looked back and wished they'd got him this summer? I doubt it. He wouldn't get in their team at the moment and if eriksen left for example I think they'd want more of a proven goal and assist meister

[JJ-AV]

Grealish will surely have a release clause if we don't go up. I have this horrible feeling he and Tammy will end up at Wolves.

[Clampy]

I don't understand the pessimism. People need to chill.

I’m guessing it might have something to do with people saying exactly what you just said over the past 8 years then seeing us drop from 6 th in the league to mid table championship and still being told what’s with the pessimism and all we need to do is chill

if the last few years have told us anything it’s that we have had quite a bit to worry about and people saying just chill have been consistently wrong over a long period of time

we all hope it’s going to change, I personally still believe in Smith although my faith sometimes weakens
but you can’t blame people for being pessimistic and even a bit paranoid when you look at the state we’ve got ourselves into this past decade,
 I doubt it’s going to help people ‘just chill’

"We'll be fine" was the equivalent mantra to "just chill" for many seasons so I think your point is well made, John.

Nonetheless, I think Dean Smith will get the job done. There will be obstacles along the way, which may be tremendous.

The point I was trying to make was (and Paul e touches on it) is that we're trying a different approach now. People didn't want another old school manager who brought in 29-30 year old's. They wanted what we've got. Smith wants to lower the age of the squad and the player's he's brought in so far are in the mid 20's range so he's sticking to his word on that. Besides, this is not just his first transfer window, it's also Purslow's and Jesus Pitarch's but so far I've read a few  comments like 'He's only played so and so many games in 4 years or  'He's too much like Ashley Westwood' etc. Let's give these guy's and the new broom a chance rather than worry because we've made past mistakes.

[dave shelley]

I thought my world had come to an end when we sold Gerry Hitchens (RIP) to Inter Milan.  I was devastated when we sold Bruce Rioch to Derby and likewise Andy Gray to Wolves.   I will also be disappointed if/when Grealish and/or McGinn are sold but, to quote TSM11, "we go again".  Why?  because we have to.  At the moment we are nothing more than a feeder club and until that one season when it all comes together, that, sadly is what we are going to stay.

[Tayls_7]

Dwight 

Platt and Sid to a tinpot Italian club.