Transfers - Are we being left behind?

[Brown Nose]

You're kidding! A proven manager for getting promoted from this league, a good side who play for the badge, and they've signed Grant Holt in the last few days, among various other very decent signings.

I'd have to say Wigan would be my first bet this season.

And previously I've only ever said that after "who will get relegated" which feels odd

All three relegated sides have a massive financial advantage over the rest of us and they've all got managers that have achieved promotion from this league before. They're all fairly settled groups with enough quality to win consistently. Of the three, I think Wigan are the strongest but Reading and QPR will be top six.

This unfair advantage for relegated sides with FFP makes this league far less open. Twenty one sides in the league are being forcibly left behind. It's astonishing that Championship clubs voted for it.

 

[Blaarev]

I am not.

Granted Owen Coyle has got one team out of this league but don't forget he also managed to drag another, bigger club down into it.

A collection of mercenaries who played abysmally for most of last season, minus Maynor Figueroa.

Soccerbase tells me he scored eight goals in 34 games last season. I won't worry too much about him.

Let's have a look. Scott Carson rescued from Turkey. Marc-Antoine Fortuné, the striker who netted twice in 21 last season. James Perch, the defender Newcastle fans generally consider a joke. Thomas Rogne, a Norwegian keeper signed from Celtic. Chris McCann, a run-of-the-mill midfielder from Burnley. Blackpool's equally run-of-the-mill full back Stephen Crainey. Hardly a collection of stars.

Save your money. It's not happening.

They're truly fecked if they think they got themselves a Norwegian keeper

 

[Blue Maniac]

They're truly fecked if they think they got themselves a Norwegian keeper

:icon_lol: He's a defender isn't he?

 

[Waxed]

I'd say Wigan's situation is pretty evenly poised at the moment.

It'd be amazing if they managed to keep both Maloney and McCarthy but I must admit their business so far has been fairly decent. I don't think you're giving Holt enough credit Blue Maniac - 21 goals in their promotion year followed by another 15 in their first Premier League season is not bad going. Last season wasn't so hot but he'll certainly do the business here.

The rest are steady signings if nothing else. Still a long way to go. We're certainly not being left behind where they're concerned anyway - this was always going to be a squad having a serious facelift this summer after all.

 

[Blue Maniac]

I'd say Wigan's situation is pretty evenly poised at the moment.

It'd be amazing if they managed to keep both Maloney and McCarthy but I must admit their business so far has been fairly decent. I don't think you're giving Holt enough credit Blue Maniac - 21 goals in their promotion year followed by another 15 in their first Premier League season is not bad going. Last season wasn't so hot but he'll certainly do the business here.

The rest are steady signings if nothing else. Still a long way to go. We're certainly not being left behind where they're concerned anyway - this was always going to be a squad having a serious facelift this summer after all.

Maybe so. Perhaps Carson, Fortuné, Perch et al are actually world beaters who just need to be at the right club. I'm not convinced.

 

[Jeff]

I don't think you're giving Holt enough credit Blue Maniac

He scored more Premier League goals last season than Crouch and Carroll.

He'd probably still be in the Prem if he wasn't so desperate to move back to Carlisle (his wife and kids moved back a while ago).


He was Radio Cumbria's version of Alan Young for Carlisle matches a few times last season. But, as is BBC local radio's way, he was constantly called "Former Workington and Barrow striker Grant Holt".

 

[Waxed]

Maybe so. Perhaps Carson, Fortuné, Perch et al are actually world beaters who just need to be at the right club. I'm not convinced.

I don't think they'll set the division alight, but then they don't need to either. Just look at Palace's team from last season. After the exodus they had I think a few short-term fits were exactly what they needed. Could go either way with Coyle in charge though.

 

[give_us_a_wave]

Left back cover,centre-half,ball winning midfielder all required.

Same old shite really.Plus Wood to get his shit back together.

 

[Volpone]

All three relegated sides have a massive financial advantage over the rest of us.

This unfair advantage for relegated sides with FFP makes this league far less open. Twenty one sides in the league are being forcibly left behind. It's astonishing that Championship clubs voted for it.

The words 'cut' 'off' 'nose' 'spite' and 'face' spring instantly to mind.

 

[Graz]

I think Wigan have signed well, but other than them I've not noticed anything particularly worrying from other clubs.

That Pearson quote that no signings are imminent is a worry though. Obviously hands tied by FFP, but we do need players. Clearly need to clear the dross first (Beckford, Wellens, Gally are the main ones for me) and hopefully that will free up a little bit!

 

[bocadillo]

Only the clubs with parachute cash can spend big...

All three relegated sides have a massive financial advantage over the rest of us...

I don't know where the idea that parachute money can be used to finance a promotion push comes from. The main reason for its existence is to pay the outlandish Prem-style contracts that the relegated clubs have burdened themselves with. If they spend it on anything else and don't get promotion in their first Championship season, they really will be in shit-creek.

If a club has been in the Premier League for more than a few years before relegation and has managed to salt some money away for a rainy day, it might be able to truly afford to throw its cash around - but this does not happen.

 

[Biffa Bacon]

I don't know where the idea that parachute money can be used to finance a promotion push comes from. The main reason for its existence is to pay the outlandish Prem-style contracts that the relegated clubs have burdened themselves with. If they spend it on anything else and don't get promotion in their first Championship season, they really will be in shit-creek.

If a club has been in the Premier League for more than a few years before relegation and has managed to salt some money away for a rainy day, it might be able to truly afford to throw its cash around - but this does not happen.

Decent relegation clauses on all players contracts would make parachute payments unnecessary as on relegation highly paid players would take a salary cut or move on. The parachute payments can help a club if it is able to offload the expensive players that got it relegated.

 

[Kingy_85]

I am not.

Granted Owen Coyle has got one team out of this league but don't forget he also managed to drag another, bigger club down into it.

A collection of mercenaries who played abysmally for most of last season, minus Maynor Figueroa.

Soccerbase tells me he scored eight goals in 34 games last season. I won't worry too much about him.

Let's have a look. Scott Carson rescued from Turkey. Marc-Antoine Fortuné, the striker who netted twice in 21 last season. James Perch, the defender Newcastle fans generally consider a joke. Thomas Rogne, a Norwegian keeper signed from Celtic. Chris McCann, a run-of-the-mill midfielder from Burnley. Blackpool's equally run-of-the-mill full back Stephen Crainey. Hardly a collection of stars.

Save your money. It's not happening.

A BM breakdown! :icon_bigg

Haven't seen one of these in a while!

 

[The Old Fox]

Call me a cynic, but I wonder how many of the people, currently assuring us that our squad is more than strong enough to see off the best of the Championship, will be using the restrictions placed upon Nigel Pearson, by FFP, as an excuse if/when we are in mid-table come Christmas....... (For once, I sympathise with the manager; he must have expected to be able to continue developing a squad.)

 

[bocadillo]

Decent relegation clauses on all players contracts would make parachute payments unnecessary as on relegation highly paid players would take a salary cut or move on.

I agree. But very clubs manage to negotiate them. Players understandably don't want them and will only accept them if nothing better is on offer. It does restrict the type of player available and perhaps makes relegation more likely.

The parachute payments can help a club if it is able to offload the expensive players that got it relegated.

I would type a very big ONLY just before the word if there. And it doesn't actually help that much because compensation payments usually have to be paid to such players and these count against FFP figures.

 

[pork pie fox]

Call me a cynic, but I wonder how many of the people, currently assuring us that our squad is more than strong enough to see off the best of the Championship, will be using the restrictions placed upon Nigel Pearson, by FFP, as an excuse if/when we are in mid-table come Christmas....... (For once, I sympathise with the manager; he must have expected to be able to continue developing a squad.)

I haven't seen many people saying that.

 

[homer]

I haven't seen many people saying that.

Or, indeed, a single person

 

[bocadillo]

Call me a cynic, but I wonder how many of the people, currently assuring us that our squad is more than strong enough to see off the best of the Championship, will be using the restrictions placed upon Nigel Pearson, by FFP, as an excuse if/when we are in mid-table come Christmas....... (For once, I sympathise with the manager; he must have expected to be able to continue developing a squad.)

I wonder how many are actually feeling that "our squad is more than strong enough to see off the best of the Championship". I think the majority are saying that the squad is the best we are likely to get under current conditions... and nothing more.

 

[Lako42]

I wonder how many City fans would like Grant Holt and McCann as signings this summer. Both are quality players at this level.

 

[homer]

I wonder how many City fans would like Grant Holt and McCann as signings this summer. Both are quality players at this level.

I'm sure Nigel Pearson would like them too.

But he's not allowed, because we are fecked financially