Summer transfer rumours deux, the 'Appy edition.

I expect plenty of business in the month of July both permanent signings and loans plus several BFC squad players leaving including some on loan. I will be very surprised if the total movements in and out don’t reach double figures by the end of this transfer window. I hope Appleton uses whatever money he has been given to strengthen his first choice X1 rather than adding more players to the Squad.
 
20togo said:
Agree, it is slightly worrying and disappointing that we've yet to sign anyone. Not signing anyone, is not really standing still, it's going backwards. i know there's four weeks to go before the season starts but it's better if we have our new players heere ready to go and integrated into the system of how the manager wants us to play.
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I still think we'll make the right signings though, just things have been put back because if the manager situation. But yeah ideally we'd have had some in now.
 
20togo said:
Agree, it is slightly worrying and disappointing that we've yet to sign anyone. Not signing anyone, is not really standing still, it's going backwards. i know there's four weeks to go before the season starts but it's better if we have our new players here ready to go and integrated into the system of how the manager wants us to play.
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It seems as if everything stopped when Critch walked. Which implies that the 'model' doesn't really exist - the identification and signing of players is still quite reliant on the head coach's input. And it was obvious Critch was identifying players, and it will soon be obvious that Appleton is too, I think.
 
voyeur said:
It seems as if everything stopped when Critch walked. Which implies that the 'model' doesn't really exist - the identification and signing of players is still quite reliant on the head coach's input. And it was obvious Critch was identifying players, and it will soon be obvious that Appleton is too, I think.
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Alternatively, the club does not think that a great deal of change is needed, and the targets the club are pursuing are taking time.

It's also possible that Appleton's arrival has opened up opportunities that the club might not have thought possible under Critchley, Rodgers and Fiorini at City would go a long way to solving the club's midfield needs, Norton-Cuffy could be an option at RB, all of these having worked under Appleton in the past.
 
voyeur said:
It seems as if everything stopped when Critch walked. Which implies that the 'model' doesn't really exist - the identification and signing of players is still quite reliant on the head coach's input. And it was obvious Critch was identifying players, and it will soon be obvious that Appleton is too, I think.
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So what is this Stephenson bloke doing to earn his keep, and I think there are others in the recruitment department?
 
Lost Seasider said:
Alternatively, the club does not think that a great deal of change is needed, and the targets the club are pursuing are taking time.

It's also possible that Appleton's arrival has opened up opportunities that the club might not have thought possible under Critchley, Rodgers and Fiorini at City would go a long way to solving the club's midfield needs, Norton-Cuffy could be an option at RB, all of these having worked under Appleton in the past.
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Your second paragraph is what I'm saying.

midfield general said:
So what is this Stephenson bloke doing to earn his keep, and I think there are others in the recruitment department?
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I dunno. Making suggestions to whoever is the head coach, maybe. It seemed like Critch had the final word, and that he also was the origin of a lot of the player pursuits based on his knowledge of U23 football. Maybe Stephenson oversaw the scouting of senior players from lower leagues?
 
‘Interested’ in AFC Wimbledon’s goal scoring midfielder Jack Rudoni, along with Sunderland, Bristol City and Huddersfield.

Tweet from Richard Cawley, South London Press sports editor, retweeted by Scrafton.

May just be throwing names of clubs at a wall to drum up interest, I guess …
 
midfield general said:
So what is this Stephenson bloke doing to earn his keep, and I think there are others in the recruitment department?
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You can ask him: @Spender1904 on Twitter!

Would be good to hear more from him and on his role (which I think goes well below recruitment … boosting the youth side of things, for one).

In general I’ve been a bit concerned about recruitment since Tommy Johnson was let go last year. Since then the pursuit seems to have been about ex-Crewe players or Critch’s former youth team captain at Liverpool. Don’t seem to have been so many leftfield moves along the lines of a Lavery, Carey or Gretarson.
 
TKL_Seasider said:
‘Interested’ in AFC Wimbledon’s goal scoring midfielder Jack Rudoni, along with Sunderland, Bristol City and Huddersfield.

Tweet from Richard Cawley, South London Press sports editor, retweeted by Scrafton.

May just be throwing names of clubs at a wall to drum up interest, I guess …
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You only have to look at who else is in for these players to know we don’t stand a chance.
 
voyeur said:
It seems as if everything stopped when Critch walked. Which implies that the 'model' doesn't really exist - the identification and signing of players is still quite reliant on the head coach's input. And it was obvious Critch was identifying players, and it will soon be obvious that Appleton is too, I think.
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I would suggest that this is about teamwork, and yes the Head Coach will have a significant input, but his won't be the only input by any means. Now that we have Appleton here, he will have introduced some new ideas and been asked for his views on existing ideas that were in place whilst NC was here. My assumption is that the additional dialogues will take time, and will ultimately depend on how quickly or otherwise, consensus can be achieved. Also we already have a more than capable squad in place, so I personally wouldn't expect many changes, unless there were more outgoings than expected.
 
voyeur said:
Your second paragraph is what I'm saying.
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Not really, it's quite possible to have a model but change targets as and when circumstances change.

The club would likely have already identified Rogers as someone who could be a temporary replacement for Bowler, but thought that he was an unrealistic target, the appointment of Appleton changes the odds of him being available and it's sensible for the club to adjust the strategy accordingly.

And to be clear, we haven't actually signed any of these players yet.
 
Existing squad survived comfortably in the Championship without any significant impact from loanees. And that’s with a number of significant injuries. Those injured players are back, no first team players have left really and all the youth prospects are back at the club following loans giving them their first experience of mens football.
There’s absolutely no need to rush into any signings and the head coach and coaching team taking time to asses the current squad and see where they can fit into the new tactics and plans for the next season or two seems like a sensible move. Change for changes sake is not astute or sensible. Quality players will be available at any time. In fact not signing players readily available probably says more about the clubs recruitment strategy and targets in general as if we were signing players unwanted or out of contract en masse it would suggest we’re desperate and shopping for bargains and only bargain.
We’ll sign the players we want and need and I’m confident of that.
The panic from our supporters I think is because this is quite literally the first time in many supporters lifetimes we’ve had a full, decent squad in place, in contract and ready for the season ahead in plenty of time. It speaks volumes for the professionalism of the club and the immense change which has occurred in just 3 short years.
 
Lost Seasider said:
Not really, it's quite possible to have a model but change targets as and when circumstances change.

The club would likely have already identified Rogers as someone who could be a temporary replacement for Bowler, but thought that he was an unrealistic target, the appointment of Appleton changes the odds of him being available and it's sensible for the club to adjust the strategy accordingly.

And to be clear, we haven't actually signed any of these players yet.
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We haven't signed any of the players that the ongoing process was presumably identifying. At the end of June. The process seems to have stopped for a rethink!
 
LA1 Seasider said:
Existing squad survived comfortably in the Championship without any significant impact from loanees. And that’s with a number of significant injuries. Those injured players are back, no first team players have left really and all the youth prospects are back at the club following loans giving them their first experience of mens football.
There’s absolutely no need to rush into any signings and the head coach and coaching team taking time to asses the current squad and see where they can fit into the new tactics and plans for the next season or two seems like a sensible move. Change for changes sake is not astute or sensible. Quality players will be available at any time. In fact not signing players readily available probably says more about the clubs recruitment strategy and targets in general as if we were signing players unwanted or out of contract en masse it would suggest we’re desperate and shopping for bargains and only bargain.
We’ll sign the players we want and need and I’m confident of that.
The panic from our supporters I think is because this is quite literally the first time in many supporters lifetimes we’ve had a full, decent squad in place, in contract and ready for the season ahead in plenty of time. It speaks volumes for the professionalism of the club and the immense change which has occurred in just 3 short years.
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I agree. I'm just not convinced that we have a system where we recruit continuously and the head coach just coaches. I don't see that continuity and separation at all.
 
voyeur said:
I agree. I'm just not convinced that we have a system where we recruit continuously and the head coach just coaches. I don't see that continuity and separation at all.
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Don’t think it’s ever been suggested that the recruitment team does it’s recruitment independent of the head coach? Always stated that it’s a collaborative approach.
 
TKL_Seasider said:
‘Interested’ in AFC Wimbledon’s goal scoring midfielder Jack Rudoni, along with Sunderland, Bristol City and Huddersfield.

Tweet from Richard Cawley, South London Press sports editor, retweeted by Scrafton.

May just be throwing names of clubs at a wall to drum up interest, I guess …
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To be honest I would prefer him to Brannagan and probably cheaper too
 
LA1 Seasider said:
Existing squad survived comfortably in the Championship without any significant impact from loanees. And that’s with a number of significant injuries. Those injured players are back, no first team players have left really and all the youth prospects are back at the club following loans giving them their first experience of mens football.
There’s absolutely no need to rush into any signings and the head coach and coaching team taking time to asses the current squad and see where they can fit into the new tactics and plans for the next season or two seems like a sensible move. Change for changes sake is not astute or sensible. Quality players will be available at any time. In fact not signing players readily available probably says more about the clubs recruitment strategy and targets in general as if we were signing players unwanted or out of contract en masse it would suggest we’re desperate and shopping for bargains and only bargain.
We’ll sign the players we want and need and I’m confident of that.
The panic from our supporters I think is because this is quite literally the first time in many supporters lifetimes we’ve had a full, decent squad in place, in contract and ready for the season ahead in plenty of time. It speaks volumes for the professionalism of the club and the immense change which has occurred in just 3 short years.
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That 👍
 
voyeur said:
I agree. I'm just not convinced that we have a system where we recruit continuously and the head coach just coaches. I don't see that continuity and separation at all.
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Just to be clear, the club currently has 25/6 senior professional on the books, almost any moves the club makes needs existing players to move on first.
 
It's obvious that Critchley and the recruitment team had a plan for this season and players identified until the little, chest thumping weasel depended to fuck off without any warning. We then had a 2 week wait for a new manager and he has now had 2 weeks to look at the squad and assess them. I have no doubt he will have been shown the work done on targets that Critchley wanted and you'd like to think Apper's would take a look and say "Fair enough, but I want to have a good look at the squad first, look at the players on the list and add several of my own"

This all takes time and there is no need to make panic signings. We have a full squad and he may re-vitalise some of the players we have and he may want to off load some we weren't expecting. There's plenty of time. The loan route will be really important and I hope he is looking at more exciting players than that defensive, boring prick quitchley seemed to favour.

I am content to wait, knowing that things will move when ready.

There's no doubt that Critchley leaving like he did upset the momentum but I am glad he's gone because we would have gone down this season with him in charge. I'll make another prediction, Blackpool will be the only club he ever manages (I'm not including his one game at Liverpool), he got us promoted and survival in the Championship but he had done what he could and he knows his place.
 
hertfordseasider said:
It's obvious that Critchley and the recruitment team had a plan for this season and players identified until the little, chest thumping weasel depended to fuck off without any warning. We then had a 2 week wait for a new manager and he has now had 2 weeks to look at the squad and assess them. I have no doubt he will have been shown the work done on targets that Critchley wanted and you'd like to think Apper's would take a look and say "Fair enough, but I want to have a good look at the squad first, look at the players on the list and add several of my own"
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Total nonsense, the club aren't going to bin a full season of training and match reports and base their transfer strategy around a handful of pre-season training sessions, in reality Appleton is going to have little input into this transfer window, with the possible exception of one or two loan-players he's worked with already.

The club has 25 contracted players (26 if you include Lubala), apart from at RB, before any players can come in others have to leave, which means the club's timetable is being driven by the transfer business of other clubs, and the window isn't even open yet.
 
TangerineMatt said:
Nah let's not pretend that we don't need to sign anyone just because we don't seem to be very active at the moment. Crying out for a CM, will definitely need a Bowler replacement and also definitely need a new RB. That's 3 already and ideally I'd like more
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2/3midfielders back in contention
Stewart, Virtue, Carey
Bowler has not gone and I would not be surprised by him staying if the offer of 1million gbp was accurate.
Agree on the RB, would love Sterling backs he offers more than just one position
 
TKL_Seasider said:
You can ask him: @Spender1904 on Twitter!

Would be good to hear more from him and on his role (which I think goes well below recruitment … boosting the youth side of things, for one).

In general I’ve been a bit concerned about recruitment since Tommy Johnson was let go last year. Since then the pursuit seems to have been about ex-Crewe players or Critch’s former youth team captain at Liverpool. Don’t seem to have been so many leftfield moves along the lines of a Lavery, Carey or Gretarson.
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Beesley?
 
Just read in the Mail, Brentford have offered £20m for Hull city’s Keane Lewis Potter. 😮
Is he seriously 5/6 times the value of Josh Bowler?
The worlds gone mad. 🙄
 
Jaffa_The_Hut said:
Just read in the Mail, Brentford have offered £20m for Hull city’s Keane Lewis Potter. 😮
Is he seriously 5/6 times the value of Josh Bowler?
The worlds gone mad. 🙄
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Brentford have played the game better than any other club over recent years and adopt a scientific approach to player acquisition.
There must be something in the stats. that makes them think he has this value, they do not throw money around.
 
Contracts running down unfortunately

Can sign a pre contract in Jan for nothing

Once that contract is down to 12 months the club has very little power

That’s the harsh reality

5 mill is a pipe dream
 
Honestly appreciate the discussion re: how strong our squad is.

After taking a look at it, with all players being healthy, we really don't need a massive overhaul to kick on.

The past three Summer transfer windows have seen us take MASSIVE strides in the overall growth of the squad, going from mid table League 1 in 2019/2020 to Promotion favorites in League 1 in 2020/2021 to mid table Championship in 2021/2022 meant that each Summer window we really had to bring in loads of players to up the level of the squad.

But now going from Mid Table Championship to the next level up is going to prove very tricky and not something easily achieved. We can't just spend millions on proven Championship quality to boost us into the top 12 (it would be expensive and probably not worth it in the long run).

Really think the focus now will be bringing in quality over quantity. What we have now really isn't as bad as some people might think, but we still desperately need to improve in certain areas.

Bringing in 3/4 young players from Prem academies/ lower leagues plus 2/3 quality loans should be the aim of the club this Summer. And if that is the case then it isn't so surprising that we haven't pulled the trigger yet on any signings.
 
Hertford, agree with all that, especially your concluding remarks about Critchly.
funnily enough, I think Critchley would also agree with you.
I don't think there is anything wrong in discovering that you are out of your depth and then taking a job to which you are more suited. Thanks crich and bye bye.
Utmp
hertfordseasider said:
It's obvious that Critchley and the recruitment team had a plan for this season and players identified until the little, chest thumping weasel depended to fuck off without any warning. We then had a 2 week wait for a new manager and he has now had 2 weeks to look at the squad and assess them. I have no doubt he will have been shown the work done on targets that Critchley wanted and you'd like to think Apper's would take a look and say "Fair enough, but I want to have a good look at the squad first, look at the players on the list and add several of my own"

This all takes time and there is no need to make panic signings. We have a full squad and he may re-vitalise some of the players we have and he may want to off load some we weren't expecting. There's plenty of time. The loan route will be really important and I hope he is looking at more exciting players than that defensive, boring prick quitchley seemed to favour.

I am content to wait, knowing that things will move when ready.

There's no doubt that Critchley leaving like he did upset the momentum but I am glad he's gone because we would have gone down this season with him in charge. I'll make another prediction, Blackpool will be the only club he ever manages (I'm not including his one game at Liverpool), he got us promoted and survival in the Championship but he had done what he could and he knows his place.
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voyeur said:
Two seasons a manager. One promotion, then 61 points in the Championship. Out of his depth?!!!

AVFTT is utterly bewildering at times.

Appleton lost to us in the final, then finished 17th in League One. So how far out of his depth must he now be?
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He was a snakey ratfink who did exactly what SS wanted but let's be honest, the football last season was pretty dull and I think he was found out and he knew it. He won't manage again, he is better off hiding behind a name at a big club. I think the way he left stinks and I am glad he has gone. 2 defensive midfielders in every game...... WTF was that about??
 
hertfordseasider said:
He was a snakey ratfink who did exactly what SS wanted but let's be honest, the football last season was pretty dull and I think he was found out and he knew it. He won't manage again, he is better off hiding behind a name at a big club. I think the way he left stinks and I am glad he has gone. 2 defensive midfielders in every game...... WTF was that about??
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Our problem with recruitment is that as soon as there is interest from other clubs in players we fancy, it always seems to rules us out!
 
voyeur said:
Possibly linked with the 61 points?
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It was a good haul, but that is the furthest he would have ever taken us with the tactics he used and I think we would of gone backwards. Obviously I can't prove that would happen as he is gone, but I think a new manager will refresh what we have and I am really happy with Appleton. I mean he may even make the Socceroo decent!!! 🤪
 
AmericanTangerine said:
Jack Rudoni would be absolute class and is exactly what we need.

A 22 year old attacking Midfielder who has an eye for goal. Can also play on the wing too if needed.

1 Million for him would be cheap.

Would much prefer him to he who shall not be named...
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I don’t think 16 goals in 91 games for Wimbledon can be classed as an eye for goal.
Not even in the same class as him who shall not be named who clearly does have an eye for goal.
And let’s not forget what happened to Wimbledon last season.
Just my opinion of course.
 
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Jaffa_The_Hut said:
I don’t think 16 goals in 91 games for Wimbledon can be classed as an eye for goal.
Not even in the same class as him who shall not be named who clearly does have an eye for goal.
And let’s not forget what happened to Wimbledon last season.
Just my opinion of course.
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Understandable, but have to look at these stats holistically.

12 of those 16 goals came last season, he is a young player who is just starting to progress in his development.

Wimbledon were poor last year, but the fact that he shown despite playing with such bad players just shows how good he is.

This feels similar to Scott Twine last season where he shined for Swindon despite being relegated, MK Dons signed him and now everyone else in the Championship look like fools for not signing him while Burnley had to fork out 5 Million plus to sign him.
 
AmericanTangerine said:
Understandable, but have to look at these stats holistically.

12 of those 16 goals came last season, he is a young player who is just starting to progress in his development.

Wimbledon were poor last year, but the fact that he shown despite playing with such bad players just shows how good he is.

This feels similar to Scott Twine last season where he shined for Swindon despite being relegated, MK Dons signed him and now everyone else in the Championship look like fools for not signing him while Burnley had to fork out 5 Million plus to sign him.
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I don’t disagree for one moment in what your saying but if your valuation of him £1m your putting him in the same category as Bournemouth want Bowler for?
A million quid is a hell of a lot of money for someone just 20 and his team have just been relegated to league 2.
 
Jaffa_The_Hut said:
Yes he’s only a young lad granted but would rather throw £1m+ at a player we know is tried and tested as opposed to a player who isn’t.
Should of course we still be interested in you know who which I now doubt and we’ve moved on.
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Who would be able to sign for 1 Million who is tried and tested in the Championship? Very few if any at all, and if we did they would likely be much older which would allow us very little in terms of a sell on fee.

The player probably wouldn't be incredibly motivated to play for us either as opposed to a younger player like Rudoni who will have years ahead of them to prove.
 
hertfordseasider said:
It was a good haul, but that is the furthest he would have ever taken us with the tactics he used and I think we would of gone backwards. Obviously I can't prove that would happen as he is gone, but I think a new manager will refresh what we have and I am really happy with Appleton. I mean he may even make the Socceroo decent!!! 🤪
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After 2 years and considerable success, Critch left behind a squad that we are struggling to decide who to get rid of, and that is clearly very tight knit and was shocked at his departure, which implies a sense of loss. We had one of the 2 lowest budgets in the divisions. I wouldn't be so gung go about saying we'll be better off without him myself. He maintained strong relationships and tight tactics. He left a solid squad behind assembled on a tight budget.

I think he's more of a long game manager than Appleton, probably. I think we could have some short term success with Appleton, and better attacking football. I'm just a bit doubtful that it will be sustained, that the squad will be kept as happy as a whole, that his head won't drop if we struggle, and 4 years still seems wildly optimistic to me. But time will tell. It's all unknown.
 
voyeur said:
After 2 years and considerable success, Critch left behind a squad that we are struggling to decide who to get rid of, and that is clearly very tight knit and was shocked at his departure, which implies a sense of loss. We had one of the 2 lowest budgets in the divisions. I wouldn't be so gung go about saying we'll be better off without him myself. He maintained strong relationships and tight tactics. He left a solid squad behind assembled on a tight budget.

I think he's more of a long game manager than Appleton, probably. I think we could have some short term success with Appleton, and better attacking football. I'm just a bit doubtful that it will be sustained, that the squad will be kept as happy as a whole, that his head won't drop if we struggle, and 4 years still seems wildly optimistic to me. But time will tell. It's all unknown.
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Don't listen to me..... I'd still have Ollie back!!! 😱 🙈🥸
 
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