Dokko Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 Quite clear since the first week of the window we weren't actively interested in signing anyone. If something came along which was a good deal then we'd have a sniff, but we haven't gone out to get any targets we've identified to cover areas of weakness. If Rafa is happy with that then fair enough, time will tell if it's enough for see us through. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
manorpark Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 A surprising number of people have said to me that there is no transfer activity because of the fact that Mike Ashley has "got involved" again, as was said a few weeks back. Many people thought it could not be true, that (even) Ashley would not have been so stupid as to interfere (ever) again, with transfers. Seems like the 'rumours' were true. It seems likely that, because of that, Rafa is now dispirited enough to not 'force through' transfers that he thinks we need. Many people now feel that Rafa will see us promoted (with or without transfers-in this January) and will then be off, straight away. Ashley has interefered, the "stain" of his new involvement (and I know he is the owner !!) will be too much for Rafa, as he will know it means that we will be permanent failures . . . again. It is a great shame, the dreams of us becoming a 'proper football club' again, appear to have been dashed. Speculation? Yes indeed, but it seems to be quite possibly what is happening, to be quite likely what is actually behind this strange transfers failure. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alijmitchell Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 I am a little concerned that we seem to be not getting anyone. We could really do with a little extra quality. However I can see we have a settled squad and with AFCON players coming back we're pretty strong. So I can see why we won't be bent over a barrel for players that aren't in the bracket we are ultimately after. However, the part of this that does potentially worry me is the possibility that players have been identified and Rafa hasn't been backed. If that is the case I can see trouble ahead Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
xLiaaamx Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 Why would he stay till the summer then leave as opposed to go now? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hanshithispantz Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 Why would he stay till the summer then leave as opposed to go now? Because it wouldn't be surprising if they told him he'd have funds for the summer and then the same thing happens. Only next time leaving us with a poor Premiership squad which he probably won't accept. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
madras Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 Why would he stay till the summer then leave as opposed to go now? Because it wouldn't be surprising if they told him he'd have funds for the summer and then the same thing happens. Only next time leaving us with a poor Premiership squad which he probably won't accept. In that case you'd think even more that he'd have the clout to say"back me now or I go" Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
manorpark Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 Why would he stay till the summer then leave as opposed to go now? Because, he is a football person and he cares about how he spends his life, what he does with his life, and he intends to get us promoted. Then, if the rumours of the recent Ashley involvement in transfers policy are true (as seems worryingly likely) then he will be off . . . straight away. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
STM Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 A surprising number of people have said to me that there is no transfer activity because of the fact that Mike Ashley has "got involved" again, as was said a few weeks back. Many people thought it could not be true, that (even) Ashley would not have been so stupid as to interfere (ever) again, with transfers. Seems like the 'rumours' were true. It seems likely that, because of that, Rafa is now dispirited enough to not 'force through' transfers that he thinks we need. Many people now feel that Rafa will see us promoted (with or without transfers-in this January) and will then be off, straight away. Ashley has interefered, the "stain" of his new involvement (and I know he is the owner !!) will be too much for Rafa, as he will know it means that we will be permanent failures . . . again. It is a great shame, the dreams of us becoming a 'proper football club' again, appear to have been dashed. Speculation? Yes indeed, but it seems to be quite possibly what is happening, to be quite likely what is actually behind this strange transfers failure. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
merlin Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 Why would he stay till the summer then leave as opposed to go now? If he gets the club promoted its another notch on his CV...esp with having to deal with Ashley & Co and he probably wants to finish the job if he can. If he goes now he gets aggro from the club, fans and media who will say he couldn't hack the Championship.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
madras Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 Why would he stay till the summer then leave as opposed to go now? Because, he is a football person and he cares about how he spends his life, what he does with his life, and he intends to get us promoted. Then, if the rumours of the recent Ashley involvement in transfers policy are true (as seems worryingly likely) then he will be off . . . straight away. So he's quite happy to be a patsy in the short term ? He's not the man I thought he was then, Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
manorpark Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 A surprising number of people have said to me that there is no transfer activity because of the fact that Mike Ashley has "got involved" again, as was said a few weeks back. Many people thought it could not be true, that (even) Ashley would not have been so stupid as to interfere (ever) again, with transfers. Seems like the 'rumours' were true. It seems likely that, because of that, Rafa is now dispirited enough to not 'force through' transfers that he thinks we need. Many people now feel that Rafa will see us promoted (with or without transfers-in this January) and will then be off, straight away. Ashley has interefered, the "stain" of his new involvement (and I know he is the owner !!) will be too much for Rafa, as he will know it means that we will be permanent failures . . . again. It is a great shame, the dreams of us becoming a 'proper football club' again, appear to have been dashed. Speculation? Yes indeed, but it seems to be quite possibly what is happening, to be quite likely what is actually behind this strange transfers failure. Glad you are happy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRon Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 Why would he stay till the summer then leave as opposed to go now? Because it wouldn't be surprising if they told him he'd have funds for the summer and then the same thing happens. Only next time leaving us with a poor Premiership squad which he probably won't accept. In that case you'd think even more that he'd have the clout to say"back me now or I go" It depends how desperate he is to get someone in this window. He might be okay with sticking with what he's got then spending more in the summer. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
manorpark Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 Why would he stay till the summer then leave as opposed to go now? Because, he is a football person and he cares about how he spends his life, what he does with his life, and he intends to get us promoted. Then, if the rumours of the recent Ashley involvement in transfers policy are true (as seems worryingly likely) then he will be off . . . straight away. So he's quite happy to be a patsy in the short term ? He's not the man I thought he was then, He is the man I thought he was. Read what I wrote again. Rafa has standards of life, unlike some other football managers, one in particular who just "upped and left us" . . twice. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Altamullan Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 Fuck me, the amount of worry racing around these threads is bordering on delusional. 'Very likely', 'almost certainly', 'quite likely', appended to a load of speculative: we're doomed, Cashley is meddling again, Rafa is bound to leave and other random hypothetical threats. I get it. Ashley has history. We've all to some degree been traumatised (I don't use the word lightly) by what he has done to our club. Stay in the moment folks. Cross bridges when we come to them. Just because it has been, doesn't mean it is, or it will be. We're having a pretty damn good season, not a walkover but was never likely to be. Rafa has inferred he will only sign players who improve us. He has said on a couple of occasions January is difficult. I doubt he personally will be happy to overpay for anybody, especially as 'the project' is on track. Why not try and stay in the moment and enjoy it? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
STM Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 Why would he stay till the summer then leave as opposed to go now? Because, he is a football person and he cares about how he spends his life, what he does with his life, and he intends to get us promoted. Then, if the rumours of the recent Ashley involvement in transfers policy are true (as seems worryingly likely) then he will be off . . . straight away. So he's quite happy to be a patsy in the short term ? He's not the man I thought he was then, He is the man I thought he was. Read what I wrote again. Rafa has standards of life, unlike some other football managers, one in particular who just "upped and left us" . . twice. Seriously, stop it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robster Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 unlike some other football managers, one in particular who just "upped and left us" . . twice. Oh dear Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkie Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 I wonder just what the hell the problem is with the Townsend deal? Loan fee? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
UncleBingo Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 I'm predicting rivers of tears tomorrow night. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hanshithispantz Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 I'd be surprised if it came down to anything more than Mike trying to knock an extra few quid off whatever they want. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hanshithispantz Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 I'm predicting rivers of tears tomorrow night. Lot of tears that mind mate, quite a prediction. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nufc4eva Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 I just think it's a shit window tbh, we should have bought extra centre mid in Summer and probably a winger. They are right to go for a level of quality rather than stop gap players now and that may mean we miss out Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest reefatoon Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 I think you always need to bring a signing in during these windows. It always gives everyone a bit of a boost, and always leaves things a little flat if nothing happens. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebellious Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 Anyone think that players that would improve us may want higher wages than what we are paying most of our first team players at present and we don`t want to risk the dressing room harmony we have at the moment ? I think its all to down to the fact there are probably only one or two players out there that would improve us without taking the piss on wages. Also I think some players we are interested in may not want to take the risk, because we are not in a position of dead certs to go up. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianovthetoon Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 We need to take a step back here like. So we're not in the Premier League, so it's going to be difficult to attract players of the calibre we will covet once promoted. It's hard to see who we could bring in who wouldn't want big money over and above what we can currently afford. Clubs don't want to loan out players who they might need when they are trying to get the odd extra million or so in TV money by finishing 14th. It's very much a sellers market. I'm also in no doubt that when we go up Rafa will be given what the club can realistically afford to give him. Rafa may be ambitious but he will also be pragmatic. He won't be expecting Chelsea levels of investment - for now. There will be a plan to be a near top half team next year with year on year improvement. He will also have cast iron assurances in writing I'm in no doubt. If Ashley reneges on these it will cost him just as much to let him leave. I have a feeling he's learned a lesson and he's been given a chance to keep the fans off his back for good. Let's just enjoy the rest of the season, hopefully go up and reevaluate where we are when pre season comes around again. I think people have to realise we aren't a premier league club. At the moment at least Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEMTEX Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 We'll need some luck to be a Premier League club in 6 months time if we don't strengthen our squad. Anything happens to Shelvey and we're fucked. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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