| Our recruitment this summer 16:19 - Aug 26 with 2399 views | RetroBlue |
Has been nothing short of sensational. A massive "thank you" to the owners for making this possible. Im still waking up each morning hardly believing the talent being assembled at this club now.
Im asking the questions, " whats changed"? Who is actually responsible for player identification. Is it a recruitment team, a manager, Ashton? I realise theres been a massive learning curve from our previous PL appearance 2 yrs ago, but blimey we have totally gone away from " home grown" and hit just about every footballing continent in our search. Our business has been absolutely mind blowing frankly!
...but we still need that alluding, experienced striker...fingers crossed thats remedied soon.
One notable absence in all this is any budgie comments. Their collective silence is deafening, and im loving that! |  |
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| Our recruitment this summer on 16:21 - Aug 26 with 2352 views | Reuser_is_God |
We signed their best player a year ago.
He’s now in our Carabao cup team. |  |
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| Our recruitment this summer on 16:23 - Aug 26 with 2324 views | RetroBlue |
Cheeky 2nd goal though wasnt it. Hope they were all watching !! | |
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| Our recruitment this summer on 16:24 - Aug 26 with 2301 views | jas0999 |
Agreed. Just needs the final touches. A striker a must of course. But overall it’s been excellent. |  | | |
| Our recruitment this summer on 16:25 - Aug 26 with 2290 views | jasondozzell |
Mick Court |  | | |
| Our recruitment this summer on 16:42 - Aug 26 with 2132 views | FrimleyBlue |
To early to call it sensational
1 - we don't have another striker
2 - We haven't survived the prem yet, it might still end up being a poor transfer window if we dont |  |
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| It's been decent.... on 16:47 - Aug 26 with 2069 views | Bloots |
....so far.
But to be honest if we don't get another CF in then it could all be a bit of a waste. We really can't go into the season with just the 2 we've got.
Our record for buying CFs hasn't been great lately to say the least. |  |
| Keaton, Kint, McManus, Fenster and Hockney. |
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| Our recruitment this summer on 16:48 - Aug 26 with 2043 views | LeoMuff |
| Our recruitment this summer on 16:25 - Aug 26 by jasondozzell |
Mick Court |
Exactly, we now have a recruitment team |  |
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| Our recruitment this summer on 16:48 - Aug 26 with 2038 views | _CliveBaker_ |
Combination of factors I think. Recruitment team and expertise have certainly improved massively since 2024. Learnings, regrets, budget for sure. We were operating on a L1 - non parachute Champ - PL rolling 3 year last time. Now we're under a SCR relative to the highest revenues the club will have ever posted this season.
We're also in a different place in terms of appeal. We're not plucky back-to-back from L1 Ipswich. We're a rebounding parachute club, coming up with a better and more expensive squad, and adding better quality to it. New training ground wont be doing us any harm either.
I take Transfermarkt with a pinch of salt, but it has our squad value at 300m EUR. Before Palacios and anyone else we land. For context the likes of Leeds, Sunderland & Fulham are 350 - 400. We were nowhere near the non newly promoted clubs last time (or the 2 we came up with for that matter), and while its only directional, there's generally a pretty strong correlation between £ and league finish.
Its night and day, and so is the squad vs. last time. Still a tough ask of course, but we've certainly closed the gap. [Post edited 26 Aug 16:50]
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| Our recruitment this summer on 16:49 - Aug 26 with 2019 views | Joey_Joe_Joe_Junior |
It's a team of over 20 people now, I assume some are also more experienced in doing the more high-end international deals.
Even things like appointing a General Council to the board in 2025. That kind of stuff shows the evolution of what will be involved in these kinds of contracts and were likely missing in the summer of 2024. |  |
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| It's been decent.... on 16:53 - Aug 26 with 1969 views | LeoMuff |
| It's been decent.... on 16:47 - Aug 26 by Bloots |
....so far.
But to be honest if we don't get another CF in then it could all be a bit of a waste. We really can't go into the season with just the 2 we've got.
Our record for buying CFs hasn't been great lately to say the least. |
Also spot on, without a striker we are still going to struggle if we pick up a knock to Emersonn.
Hopefully one of Ueda, or Fleming can be done. | |
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| It's been decent.... on 17:20 - Aug 26 with 1738 views | chicoazul |
| It's been decent.... on 16:47 - Aug 26 by Bloots |
....so far.
But to be honest if we don't get another CF in then it could all be a bit of a waste. We really can't go into the season with just the 2 we've got.
Our record for buying CFs hasn't been great lately to say the least. |
Correct. On that topic I think Fleming was ideal for a McK team but I’m not so sure for this one. |  |
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| It's been decent.... on 17:26 - Aug 26 with 1684 views | Dubtractor |
| It's been decent.... on 16:47 - Aug 26 by Bloots |
....so far.
But to be honest if we don't get another CF in then it could all be a bit of a waste. We really can't go into the season with just the 2 we've got.
Our record for buying CFs hasn't been great lately to say the least. |
Exactly this.
The business we have done has been very good, but there is still more to do.
Someone above asked what has changed since last time, amd I think there are 2 main factors.
1) we are now a known quantity, now effectively being a yoyo team with a better chance of survival, rather than the double promotion league one all-stars team. I think that makes us a much more attractive option to international players than a team that was in league one for 4 seasons until the double promotion. We look like becoming an established team at this level.
2) McKenna, for good or bad, seemed reluctant to play the international market for players. Remember that memo doing the rounds summer 2024, looking for English speaking players with experience in this country. He didn't want to cast the net too far - that approach worked brilliantly in the getting us here part of tge journey, but was evidently not the right approach to stay here. It would have been interesting to see what players McKenna would have brought in if he stayed. |  |
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| He was my pick.... on 17:30 - Aug 26 with 1637 views | Bloots |
| It's been decent.... on 17:20 - Aug 26 by chicoazul |
Correct. On that topic I think Fleming was ideal for a McK team but I’m not so sure for this one. |
....at the end of last season, I think he'll do OK in this team. He's got the physicality we need and he's a decent finisher, albeit probably less "athletic" than Emersonn.
My concern is that, as usual, we are entering the end of the window needing a CF when everyone is desperate for one too, so we may miss out.
Hopefully we've got something up our sleeve though.
To be honest I'd take anyone that's an upgrade on Akpom at this stage of the window. | |
| Keaton, Kint, McManus, Fenster and Hockney. |
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| He was my pick.... on 17:48 - Aug 26 with 1430 views | Steve_M |
| He was my pick.... on 17:30 - Aug 26 by Bloots |
....at the end of last season, I think he'll do OK in this team. He's got the physicality we need and he's a decent finisher, albeit probably less "athletic" than Emersonn.
My concern is that, as usual, we are entering the end of the window needing a CF when everyone is desperate for one too, so we may miss out.
Hopefully we've got something up our sleeve though.
To be honest I'd take anyone that's an upgrade on Akpom at this stage of the window. |
At least AAH has found a loan club…. I just kind of accept we’ll be a striker down at the end of August now b
The other caveat to our business not mentioned above is that we are hardly picking up the unknown players for a few million that Brighton and Brentford have done. Good signings, yes but probably a way to go on the recruitment front still.
Definitely helps this is our second go at the division too, much more name recognition. |  |
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| Our recruitment this summer on 17:53 - Aug 26 with 1401 views | ReusersTown |
Nobody has actually come from outside of Europe though, and mostly still the UK. were down the chain from other clubs with genuine recruitment on the level you're implying. That's not to say I'm not enjoying the players being signed. | | | |
| Our recruitment this summer on 18:12 - Aug 26 with 1274 views | blueoutlook |
Still need a decent striker . If the rest of the team has seen an up grade it will be a travesty if we don’t get a proper striker in. Can’t rely on Emersonn and Akpom all season. And Ensico or Maeda really aren’t the answer up top. |  | | |
| Our recruitment this summer on 18:12 - Aug 26 with 1271 views | Guthrum |
| Our recruitment this summer on 17:53 - Aug 26 by ReusersTown |
Nobody has actually come from outside of Europe though, and mostly still the UK. were down the chain from other clubs with genuine recruitment on the level you're implying. That's not to say I'm not enjoying the players being signed. |
Tho the English and European top tiers are the cream of World football, along with some of South and Central America. You only have to look at where the best young Africans, Asians and Americans want to go and play.
Illustrated by a number of our current squad who originate from outside Europe/England, but joined clubs there - Diop, Fatawu, Maeda, Enciso, Emersonn, Nunez.
Players coming directly from "Rest of the World" are more likely to be entering the club at Youth level. Which required a very different type of scouting network than finding Prem-ready seniors. |  |
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| I like to think that.... on 18:24 - Aug 26 with 1218 views | Bloots |
| He was my pick.... on 17:48 - Aug 26 by Steve_M |
At least AAH has found a loan club…. I just kind of accept we’ll be a striker down at the end of August now b
The other caveat to our business not mentioned above is that we are hardly picking up the unknown players for a few million that Brighton and Brentford have done. Good signings, yes but probably a way to go on the recruitment front still.
Definitely helps this is our second go at the division too, much more name recognition. |
....our recruitment strategy has been:
Initial Prem Year: Recruit heavily, but with the understanding that we will probably go down. Ensure we can go back up.
Champ: Add sensibly, add to what we've got. Get promoted.
This Prem year: Recruit massively with the intention to stay up. Stay up.
Next Prem Year: Add sensibly to what we've got. Stay up.
Hopefully those "gems" that we can make profit on will come next year, once we inevitably stay up. | |
| Keaton, Kint, McManus, Fenster and Hockney. |
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| Our recruitment this summer on 18:37 - Aug 26 with 1130 views | Churchman |
| Our recruitment this summer on 16:42 - Aug 26 by FrimleyBlue |
To early to call it sensational
1 - we don't have another striker
2 - We haven't survived the prem yet, it might still end up being a poor transfer window if we dont |
I think point 2 is a bit harsh but I know where you are coming from on another No 9. Finding one that is good enough at an affordable price that others don’t want too is the problem.
I thought we might get Delap back on loan but that ship has sailed - and I’m not sure he was the answer anyway. I’ll throw a suggestion in: how about Millwall’s Coburn? He’s looked a handful when I’ve seen him on the tv and live at our game in the spring. Young too.
There’s time enough and of course the loan option.
Overall I agree with the OP about how sensational the spending has been. Interesting mix of age and experience too. |  | | |
| Our recruitment this summer on 18:47 - Aug 26 with 1089 views | bsw72 |
| Our recruitment this summer on 17:53 - Aug 26 by ReusersTown |
Nobody has actually come from outside of Europe though, and mostly still the UK. were down the chain from other clubs with genuine recruitment on the level you're implying. That's not to say I'm not enjoying the players being signed. |
It’s not often that players recruited direct from Africa or LatAm or Asia by top English clubs. Majority of top pl clubs recruit from top half sides in main euro leagues. Mid table PL sides tend to raid top clubs from euro leagues outside of Germany, France, Spain and Italy - France, Belgium and the Netherlands are great for recruiting African players through historic colonial connections and passport requirements etc. |  | | |
| Our recruitment this summer on 18:53 - Aug 26 with 1045 views | ringwoodblue |
The recruitment this season is another level. I can hardly believe it’s happening.
Just to think last season, Matusiwa was our best midfielder. This season I’m struggling to see him starting many games unless there are a few injuries.
As others have said, that elusive second striker is possibly the final way in which this window will be assessed, get someone good and it’s near as damn it, a perfect transfer window, fail to get one and it will leave that nagging doubt of where we fell short. |  |
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| Our recruitment this summer on 19:15 - Aug 26 with 962 views | blueoutlook |
| Our recruitment this summer on 18:53 - Aug 26 by ringwoodblue |
The recruitment this season is another level. I can hardly believe it’s happening.
Just to think last season, Matusiwa was our best midfielder. This season I’m struggling to see him starting many games unless there are a few injuries.
As others have said, that elusive second striker is possibly the final way in which this window will be assessed, get someone good and it’s near as damn it, a perfect transfer window, fail to get one and it will leave that nagging doubt of where we fell short. |
You can’t say it’s perfect until the season is over,it could turn out that we still get relegated, then maybe it won’t be so good. | | | |
| Our recruitment this summer on 19:36 - Aug 26 with 861 views | WicklowBlue |
| Our recruitment this summer on 19:15 - Aug 26 by blueoutlook |
You can’t say it’s perfect until the season is over,it could turn out that we still get relegated, then maybe it won’t be so good. |
Cheer up!  |  | | |
| Our recruitment this summer on 19:38 - Aug 26 with 858 views | ReusersTown |
| Our recruitment this summer on 18:12 - Aug 26 by Guthrum |
Tho the English and European top tiers are the cream of World football, along with some of South and Central America. You only have to look at where the best young Africans, Asians and Americans want to go and play.
Illustrated by a number of our current squad who originate from outside Europe/England, but joined clubs there - Diop, Fatawu, Maeda, Enciso, Emersonn, Nunez.
Players coming directly from "Rest of the World" are more likely to be entering the club at Youth level. Which required a very different type of scouting network than finding Prem-ready seniors. |
I've no problem with what you're saying there, but that's not really the implication of the OP on the surface. | | | |
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