Youth contracts / comings and goings.

[GJP]

No need to worry. There is absolutely no chance of us selling Oliveira.

Unless someone offers good money for him.

 

[morty]

Thats me 100% reassured 

 

[GJP]

I have also heard that any money we make from player sales will be spent on improving the squad.

By paying Michael McGovern to leave the club.

 

[OldRobert]

Thats me 100% reassured 

And me.

Now I can really reassure you Morty.  At around 6pm, City 2nd posted elsewhere:

From Reading Tilehurst End Supporters site:

However club sources have informed TTE that the transfer is a non-starter, in spite of HITC's and local media reports that the deal was as far along as an agreement between the clubs.

Minds at rest, alls well that ends well (we hope).

 

[OldRobert]

From SSN at 22:15:

Newcastle are looking to complete a deal to sign Norwich City’s Jacob Murphy, reports the Daily Mirror.

The report suggests the deal for the England U21 midfielder is worth £8m.

 

[morty]

Jesus Christ, its open season on our players!

But they can F off at 8 million.

 

[Canaryboy]

What the f*ck is going on.

I'm struggling to buy into this cult of personality which surrounds Webber at the minute. Yeah he did well at Huddersfield, that doesn't make him a "genius", he hasn't cured cancer or built a rocket which can get to Mars.... the stars aligned for Mike Walker for 18 months too, didn't make him the reincarnation of Bill Shankly. 

So we sell all of our best players, and then spend that money on new players. Are we factoring in that these new players may choose sides which squads which are better on paper, the ones who aren't in the business of selling their best players? If you were a decent player you'd look at the a squad with the likes of Howson, Dorrans, Jerome, Pritchard, Oliviera in it and THAT is basically the draw isn't it? 

Are we actually going to be an attractive proposition to the proposed replacements, or will they play it safe and choose Derby or Fulham instead? Are we just banking purely on Webber's charisma and ability to sell his fantasy to attract players here? That's what it feels like at the minute. 

We had better hope he has some massive dossier full of gems from obscure leagues or something. Lets not entirely discount the heavy degree of luck he had at Huddersfield last season, Man City basically gifted them a experienced player for a year who it turned out was clearly Premier League quality and a natural born leader and talisman, not like those just grow on trees.

Yes I may be getting wound up by a load of made up rubbish, but Webber's language has given free license to journalists to propagate rumours about our players at the minute by pretty much saying everybody is for sale. He could come out and say "Pritchard and Oliviera are going nowhere, we are building our team around them", but he hasn't has he. 

This is why I'm really struggling at the minute to buy into the idea that Webber has some sort of genius plan, surely any such plan would have identified a few players that we currently possess who are perfect for X system who aren't feasibly replaceable, and I guess in my mind that would at very least include Pritchard. He is head and shoulders over anybody we'd be able to bring in and clearly a player who would walk into any side in this league and probably half of the sides in the league above. 

It would just be lovely to hear Webber declare that x, y, and z are three players that we intend to retain, just so we can be assured that the club does retain promotion ambitions and appreciate that x, y, and z are players that could make the difference for us. 

ps. I'm actually one of the few who considers Jacob Murphy over rated and I wouldn't be that bothered if we sold him for £8m, some absolutely stunning goals but its like playing with 10 men sometimes with him on the pitch and he definitely qualifies as what many would consider a 'luxury player'. Doesn't get involved in play anywhere near enough and he's pretty useless when we aren't dominating possession. I think we're better off with a Snodgrass type player who can do a bit of the donkey work if we're going to be going with Pritchard & Wes again this season. Too many lightweight players in our side last year. 

pps. Apparently better at home games, largely anonymous at the various away games I went to last year, absolutely shocking at Sheff Wednesday when he was subbed at half time. 

 

[morty]

What the f*ck is going on.

I'm struggling to buy into this cult of personality which surrounds Webber at the minute. Yeah he did well at Huddersfield, that doesn't make him a "genius", he hasn't cured cancer or built a rocket which can get to Mars.... the stars aligned for Mike Walker for 18 months too, didn't make him the reincarnation of Bill Shankly. 

So we sell all of our best players, and then spend that money on new players. Are we factoring in that these new players may choose sides which squads which are better on paper, the ones who aren't in the business of selling their best players? If you were a decent player you'd look at the a squad with the likes of Howson, Dorrans, Jerome, Pritchard, Oliviera in it and THAT is basically the draw isn't it? 

Are we actually going to be an attractive proposition to the proposed replacements, or will they play it safe and choose Derby or Fulham instead? Are we just banking purely on Webber's charisma and ability to sell his fantasy to attract players here? That's what it feels like at the minute. 

We had better hope he has some massive dossier full of gems from obscure leagues or something. Lets not entirely discount the heavy degree of luck he had at Huddersfield last season, Man City basically gifted them a experienced player for a year who it turned out was clearly Premier League quality and a natural born leader and talisman, not like those just grow on trees.

Yes I may be getting wound up by a load of made up rubbish, but Webber's language has given free license to journalists to propagate rumours about our players at the minute by pretty much saying everybody is for sale. He could come out and say "Pritchard and Oliviera are going nowhere, we are building our team around them", but he hasn't has he. 

This is why I'm really struggling at the minute to buy into the idea that Webber has some sort of genius plan, surely any such plan would have identified a few players that we currently possess who are perfect for X system who aren't feasibly replaceable, and I guess in my mind that would at very least include Pritchard. He is head and shoulders over anybody we'd be able to bring in and clearly a player who would walk into any side in this league and probably half of the sides in the league above. 

It would just be lovely to hear Webber declare that x, y, and z are three players that we intend to retain, just so we can be assured that the club does retain promotion ambitions and appreciate that x, y, and z are players that could make the difference for us. 

ps. I'm actually one of the few who considers Jacob Murphy over rated and I wouldn't be that bothered if we sold him for £8m, some absolutely stunning goals but its like playing with 10 men sometimes with him on the pitch and he definitely qualifies as what many would consider a 'luxury player'. Doesn't get involved in play anywhere near enough and he's pretty useless when we aren't dominating possession. I think we're better off with a Snodgrass type player who can do a bit of the donkey work if we're going to be going with Pritchard & Wes again this season. Too many lightweight players in our side last year. 

pps. Apparently better at home games, largely anonymous at the various away games I went to last year, absolutely shocking at Sheff Wednesday when he was subbed at half time. 

Yeah I think that is the issue for me, it feels a bit like they are willing to listen to offers on anyone, and lets just see what we have left at the beginning of the season. Yes, we know players are contracted, and that if an offer comes in we don't have to accept it, but it could just be enough to make a player think (with a bit of help from his agent) "Hang on, thats interesting.....".

 

[OldRobert]

"Everyone has a price", I think was the quote, can't remember whether it was Webber or Farke.  What I didn't think was that they'd listen to every bloody offer they got (if true).  All I might add, seemingly on the low side.

Will anyone have the guts to stand up and have a go at the forum on Thursday?

How come we seem to have no money at all?  That I don't understand.  I understand income has been greatly reduced, but why is the bucket empty?

Why are we seemingly the only relegated club to start selling of the family jewels already?  Who next, I am beginning to ask myself.  Maybe nobody.  But how the hell is Farke supposed to put a squad together (as Morty commented) if he's losing key players on a regular basis?

Remaining key players will not stay if this exodus were to continue.

It cannot be expected for players who have never played for the first team, to take the place of the departed ones, and gain a top 6 place.  It won't happen.  I know it sounds like Hansen, but we don't have Giggs, Beckham, Scholes et al in the wings.

I apologise for my negativity, but I am genuinely getting concerned for the club, let alone the new season.

 

[OldRobert]

Ruddy signs for Wolves

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/new-wolves-signing-john-ruddy-13306923

 

[GJP]

Apparently Jacob to Newcastle holds water.

 

[OldRobert]

Apparently Jacob to Newcastle holds water.

Any bets on who's next?

 

[gerryinromania]

Quite surprised. Is the fat lady even gargling? I always thought that Morty, Canaryboy and OR were level-headed about all things NCFC, now it seems as though twitter rules. *bleep* happens, if it does, so be it

 

[morty]

Quite surprised. Is the fat lady even gargling? I always thought that Morty, Canaryboy and OR were level-headed about all things NCFC, now it seems as though twitter rules. *bleep* happens, if it does, so be it

To be honest Gerry, the Howson thing very much surprised me and made me realise that they weren't kidding when they said everyone has a price. I expected the midfield to be built around Howson, very likely with him as captain. Dorrans too, who I thought was excellent, we have let go for an absolute song.

Sure if it all works out and we replace the players we let go with cheaper and better options, I'll be delighted, but its not always that easy.

And I think we all know we're in last chance saloon this season regarding getting promoted, I fear that if we don't go up season then the fire sale next summer will be horrific.

I would put myself about a five in the 1 to 10 scale of panic right now frankly, we are placing a lot of faith in Webber's plan right now. A real lot.

 

[GJP]

They are prioritising what happens if we don't get promoted over actually getting promoted.

Webber has himself well covered. On the one hand he'll tell you he's not scared of doing loads of deals in one window and on the other he says it needs more than one window. 

And as I tried to say with the Howson thing, he's sold one of our better players and a popular player but covered himself by throwing a bit of mud on Howson.

Not that I think it's a bad thing he's shrewd like that. But we just need to take things with a pinch of salt.

 

[gerryinromania]

This is  not the Morty that I've met a couple of times in the Nelson when I've been back to UK. Where's the positive NCFC fan gone?

 

[morty]

This is  not the Morty that I've met a couple of times in the Nelson when I've been back to UK. Where's the positive NCFC fan gone?

I am positive, but I feel the club is in a very vulnerable place right now. It feels very much that most of what we are doing right now is for financial, and not for football reasons.

We are undertaking massive change throughout every single aspect of the club in a very, very short space of time, with huge pressure on this season already. By the law of football averages not every single transfer will work out, and your chances decrease as you spend less.

I know we have to cut our cloth accordingly, but we also have to remain competitive at the same time. I would like to see no one else leave apart from Jarvis, McGovern and Andreu. Maybe Naismith at a huge push, and only if we got real good money for him. This week feels vital, I would like to see a few players in, and a strong statement from the club that no more players will be leaving.

There are a lot of people placing huge amounts of faith in Webber, because of what happened at Huddersfield last season, lets hope they are right.

 

[Canaryboy]

Could be that we're getting all the pain out of the way this summer, so we can just get on with building a team instead of seeing Round 2 next summer? 

At the end of the day both Worthington and Lambert took us up when we were skint with a squad built with bargains from League One and Two, and the odd one from overseas. 

Can't actually think of a time when we've ever succeeded in buying success. Hughton blew our biggest ever transfer budget, Alex Neil wasted his fair share of cash too. 

I bet Marley Watkins is a better player than Yanic Wildschut for example. 

Perhaps it really is best that we take a big step back in order to eventually take two forward, but that still doesn't explain why we're so short of defenders right now and I don't see how any further outgoings should have to come prior to us signing a defender or two, its important to build a settled defense for a start so we're disadvantaged if we end up signing defenders on deadline day, those should have been the priority this summer, greater sense of urgency needed in that department. 

 

[hogesar]

I reckon we've done our fair bit of accepting players leaving this window. Howson, Dorrans not renewing Ruddy are all big decisions that the fans have pretty much let slide as part of the new regime. Can you imagine if we'd kept AN etc and done the same? There'd be absolute uproar. But the new structure has, probably rightly too, bought a bit of lee-way.

However seeing any of our remaining best players or upcoming leave for anything less than a ridiculous fee sends all the wrong messages out. Letting Jacob go to Newcastle would simply send a message to the fans 'we arent too bothered about promotion'. That might not be true, but it's the message it'll send out and at the end of the day the structure will only work with the fans on-side. 

 

[morty]

Being reported Newcastle have had an 8 million bid for Murphy turned down, and told he isn't for sale.

Thats more like it.