The College Dropout

The major details have been agreed. The only remaining negotiables aren’t deal breakers maybe squad number, details on particular bonuses to finalise but not the big major things like salary, important bonuses etc.

What do you want to know? I put teams together to complete software projects in the main. Sometimes entire teams of contractors that require negotiation on a day rate. If the rates we can offer are too low, I can’t put together a competent team. As a manager you are backed by being provided resources. The players are the resources for Eddie, they are not through the door. He has not been ‘backed’. We are only as good as the people running the club. Amanda was excellent at a number of things - budgeting wasn’t one of them. I’m not sure what PIF or the Reubens are genuinely excellent at.

There’s no agenda. you back a manager by getting him players. You don’t back a manager by giving him the responsibility to sign players with his nephew but not able to offer the financial packages to sign the players. I put teams together for a living. If I’m unable to land the necessary talent in the market I’ve not been backed. If I’m allowed to chase professionals beyond our capabilities, I’m not being backed I’m being setup to fail. A higher up needs to tell me to pivot and if I don’t, intervene. You have a warped sense of how business should be done imo.

I don’t think they’ve really backed Howe though. If we are unable to offer the wages of other clubs he’s not being backed. It’s just a poor strategy to sanction.

I don’t agree that there isn’t much PIF can do to help our situation if they really wanted. That point falls flat for me. From whatever can see - our Chairman isn’t half as active as Chairman’s at other clubs. Including those with a multitude of responsibilities (Khaldoon). To say PIF and Yasir have done everything they possibly can to pump up revenues just isn’t convincing. I always thought if we wanted to keep Isak and Tonali we needed big ambtiroon in the short term. Threaten to move up a level and compound success. Villa fell a point shy of doing that but that was the model. And we look to have fucked it before the season begins.

It seems clear to me they want immediate results but haven’t done enough to alleviate PSR restrictions. Everything from the club suggests they expect Europe every season. Eales said it January 2024 and repeated it several times. That is why the transfer team have not taken gambles with targets. If your business model is to develop players - you don’t target 80% of our supposed transfer targets.

This.

Spreading payments across the initial contract is common practice except for release clauses. Brentford wouldn't have expected all £70m upfront anyway. Every club owes other club money for previous transfers. Fucking brokie.

Ok fairs. I don't think that approach + keeping the likes of Isak makes sense. If that's the approach you let your star players go until we are ready to take a step up. You will also expect to develop players and that might mean having low seasons outside of Europe. I don't think PIF are on board with that.

It’s not the plan though is it? We are going. After established PL players or A1 prospects in Europe.

So if he’s good and you do well you’ll pay more than the asking price. If he’s not good or you’re shit you’ll have paid £65m. it’s hardly a brilliant piece of negotiatio however you look at it. Add one are based on appearances and goals it seems. Easily achievable apparently.

a number of clean finishes off both feet Even this - a lot of the misses are down to poor shot selection which is a massive problem (decision making I guess). He tries to shoot a lot with his left and off balance. So often his last movement or touch before shooting isn' right which makes him fluff the finish which is a composure/technique combination. Part of the reason he takes so many shots with his left is he's not anticipating the pass correctly or positioning his body well - and then he takes a swipe. Compare to Isak. Isak doesn't use his left. He either positions himself to go right footed first-time or he brings the ball down to try and shift it to the right and attempt a finish he's comfortable with. Isak wouldn't attempt a lot of these shots at all.

We only got Isak because he had a 12-month stinker. We'll have to take a risk in some capacity.

Underperforming Xg isn't the worst thing if the overall Xg is strong and the player is young. With experience and composure, you would hope their conversion improves. A high Xg is always positive to me, even if the conversion isn't great. Jackson is at a point you think it's now or never to get it right. For me with Jackson, it's primarily composure than technical. But then they become one in the same. One of Isak's gifts is he's composed. He orients his body as such that he finishes on balance and tremendously cleanly. Henry talks about slowing down mentally and having automatic finishes, Isak often has that. Jackson doesn't, you can see his heart race increasing before he shoots. Off balance, rushed, timing is off. The rest of his game isn't like that so it's definitely mental. Which is probably a better barrier than a technical one but not worth £51m+ imo. I still like him. And we'll always sign strikers with significant risks or limitations. A certified bagsman and baller, mid 20's or younger is a £100m+ player. A baller that might become a bagsman is £80m+. Game is fucked.

Apart from the likes of Barnes - we could still go for the same types of player. We just sell them on. We should use our additional revenue vs Brighton to get bigger/more established talents.

Thanks you Martin

Yep we paid a premium for potential. £30m for a teenage fullback with 9 league games (in any pro league) under his belt is a lot of money. IMO we should continue with that type of deal. Pay a little more money for what we consider top talents in the 18-22 bracket. It requires patience from the board though. I think getting Hall rather than Robinson (who we were linked with and is a Howe style player) cost us a European place that season. Robinson replacing Burn at FB would've got us an extra 3 points imo. But in the medium-long term we have a better player. In the main - the bigger clubs have shown a reluctance to gamble in that market. And some of the riskier foreign signings. Your Watford JP's or Sarr's, Etikite after flopping at PSG, Kudus at Ajax, Paqueta at Lyon etc.

So you agreed a deal for more than the £70m Brentford asked for but in a better cash situation for yourselves? Yeh you folded cos you're cash broke.

Nope nor bagsman. But I still like him. Šeško is a bit of a baller at the least. So is Etikite. Wissa was a bagsman last season. Isak is both.

They’re haggling now. They saw our bid and want to get him for less. It’s not going to happen.

Agree with this. I like Jackson. But anything over that £50m mark is a robbery. About 15-17% cheaper than JP is about right.

It wasn’t just RB, Arsenal were tired of Šeško and agent. That’s where we might exit.

Man United quibbled with Brentford for weeks just to fold. They will do the same here. Its simple form RBs perspective. Match the bid.

When the journalists start to rile you up it’s probably time to log off x and NO

Deep down you know the answer.