Transfer Window

[crabbycanary]

If the new Manager is to be Alex Neil, how much knowledge of the English market does he have? How quickly could he assess the current squad, and spot any potential improvements required, as opposed to an 'English League' experienced Manager?

Perhaps if we win away at the League leaders on Sat, he may be able to sit back, and switch his phone off?!

 

[ZLF]

Thats why we have the team of scouts and football board to keep the club going.

It does suggest we wont do much business as he will need to assess the whole squad,  including the excluded.

 

[crabbycanary]

Yes, that's why we just HAVE to trust the board on their choice (s), even if, from the outside, it looks a bit skewiff

They have much more detailed information of all aspects of the Club, then us fans. 

 

[eatonparkboy]

If Bassong is welcomed back into the fold, and I think it is obvious from what we have seen that he is probably still our best CB, as long as we don't lose anyone more than Ruddy, I don't see who we could bring in. We just need some of the current squad to player better.

 

[Yellow Fever]

I don't think we need to add many players, unless current players leave. It could be the Neil might bring Accies player(s) with him. Tony Andreu's 12 goals in 18 SPL games is certainly impressive for a midfielder and he could be a very good addition to our squad. At 26 he's in the prime of his career as well. According to one source, City has also been scouting Hendrie, a LB, and another Accies player.

 

[The Great Mass Debater]

Think its likely that the only players he will bring in will be ones he'll know (ie current Accies players, or targets he had for them that he thinks might still be appropriate for us)

This and maybe one or two suggestions from the scouts after he's run the rule and as Phelan has got to know the club the last few weeks (assuming he stays) anything he has to say about where improvements need to be made.

Really dont think we need a left back unless we're planning on offloading either Garrido or Olsson

 

[Canaryboy]

It is unfortunate that their best two players (apparently, third hand account) are a centre midfielder and a left back. It would be nice if their best two players were a right back and a left winger.

If Neil likes playing wide midfielders / wingers though, then it won't take him much longer than a few hours to work out that he doesn't have many. Perhaps the way forward for a manager who won't have been looking at targets of a sufficient calibre to play for Norwich (an understatement) would be to use the loan market, where it isn't a disaster if they don't work out and have to be sent home, 'try before you buy', rather than dishing out three year deals in his first window. 

We do have a scouting team of course, but perhaps we should be looking at the loan market in this window. Surprised we haven't used loans more than we have to be honest, Derby have four or five on loan. 

 

[Yellow Fever]

Agree that we don't currently need a LB, but Tony Andreu (12 goals in 18 SPL games) is actually an ACM and could prove very useful.

 

[Fenway Frank]

Leeds want bechio back apparently

 

[Din]

I think that the left wing is the only obvious position that needs improving. The only natural left winger we have is Josh Murphy, who is not good enough to be a regular starter yet. I would love Bakary Sako from Wolves, particularly as he only has 6 months left on his contract, and doesn't look like signing a new one apparently. Apart from that then I genuinly can't think of any position that we need to improve. Andreu looks a very good player, and if we can get him cheaply then I'd certainly be for it.

The most important thing is that we keep hold of key players. Ruddy, Redmond, and Hooper being the main ones. I have a horrible feeling that at least one of them will go though.

 

[Monty13]

Not wanting to be controversial, but I genuinely don't care if any player leaves for the right fee.

No one has excelled this year. No one looks undropable.

This squad needs a shake up and if it means some of our "stars" moving on, well as long as the fee is good I'm all for it.

 

[Canaryboy]

Not wanting to be controversial, but I genuinely don't care if any player leaves for the right fee.

Partially agree, every player has their price, but I'd argue that it is essential that we hang on to our best goalscorers if we are to have any chance of getting out of this division. That's Jerome and Hooper basically.

It isn't easy to just go and buy a striker who could score you 20 goals. If we were to sell Cameron Jerome for £5m tomorrow, who would you replace him with for £2.5m who could score goals from day one? (which is what would happen, we'd spend less on the replacements). 

I think its much easier to replace defenders and midfielders, whilst we probably have a decent replacement for Ruddy at the club already, but it is really important that we keep hold of Hooper and Jerome....... we've already seen what you get for £3m of your money when buying a striker at this level, you get Lewis Grabban, who isn't a bad player but is clearly a level below those two and would need to be replaced as soon as we got out of the division. 

Yes we could quite easily have ended up with Callum Wilson in the summer, and Jerome was a bargain, but there aren't a dozen Callum Wilson's just sitting there waiting to be snapped up for a mil and a half and Jerome was one of those bargains which don't happen too often (possibly the best thing that Adams did was sign him). 

It is also the January window and prices are inflated, if we do sell anybody we need to be sure that we can adequately replace them without having to resort to panic buys on 31st January. 

 

[Monty13]

Yes to be fair Jerome is probably the one exception, but still presuming he fits into the managers thinking.

I'm not sure about Hooper, I know he's not played as much as Grabban in the league 10v23 but he's only scored 2 league goals to Grabbans 7, Grabbans technically got the better goal ratio if nothing else.

For me it very much depends on how Neil wants us to play and who fits into his way of thinking. I'm not sure if hooper doesn't whether he's a must keep, especially as you point out if we get an inflated offer for him. Jerome on the other hand would seriously knock fan confidence if he left, you don't sell your main striker and expect to improve.