Realistic Targets for Championship | Page 12 | Vital Football

Realistic Targets for Championship

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Kenny Morris said:
But Cook wasn't his manager last season, maybe he can get better out of him than Jacket did.
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I don't doubt that at all Kenny. My point is he didn't excel in his one season at L1 level and whilst he may improve it is a massive leap from being decent at that level to being a Championship standard player and an improvement on what we have. His level of improvement required to do that is vast and given his career stats and age he's unlikely to do that. He's a squad player/bench warmer at best - ideally we need to be looking at better players than what we have as we know how difficult next season is going to be.
 
I believe that Paul Cook and his backroom team know more about this player and the challenges of playing in the Championship than any of us on here do. Yes we are entitled to our opinions, but give the manager some respect and accept his judgement on this one. He is probably never going to be a lynch-pin of the team but may have a lot to contribute. Give him a chance to contribute before writing him off as not good enough ( at least lets see him play under Cook first of all)
 
Ultimately i trust Cook's judgement.

I suppose, if he's the only wide player/no.10 that we're bringing in and likely to start, it is a bit of gamble. But if we are still pursuing a player in these positions with a supposed higher pedigree then that's something else.

My hunch is that Cook sees him as cover/alternative for Powell.

One of the strengths of Cook's system is that that Powell role gives us an extra player in the box when the ball is out wide, which it often is. When Powell wasn't in the team one weakness i'd say was that the alternatives to Powell didn't offer that goal threat, especially in the box.

Looking at the Pompey comments and digging closely into Naismith's run at the end of 16/17, his best performances have come behind the striker. He clearly can shoot and has a physical presence - making him a threat from crosses in a way that a Roberts or Walker isn't going to be.

We all know Powell loves coming off with 20 mins or so to go, so being able to replace him and keep playing the same way is a big deal. There's also the possibility that we might see Powell in wide areas this season. I thought Cook showed more brilliance as a manager by moving Powell to the right at Donny. He was poor first half but that enabled him to impact the game and imho we won the game as a result. So it could be an option to push Powell wide in some games and bring on a goal threat from Powell's crosses, without going to 2 up front.

I guess the point ia, although we seem to have loads of options in those positions, this does genuinely offer us different possibilities.
 
Alan Nixon say Chelsea are sniffing round our youth team striker Joe Gelhardt who just turned 16 last month. He's done well for ENgland under 16's and apparently a top prospect that we rate very highly and may consider having him in the first team squad next season.

I've never heard the name until today - if Chelsea come calling it will be hard for any young kid not to be interested but the chances of going into Chelseas youth system and getting lost in the shuffle is so high it's a tough decision for any talented youngster to make.
 
king_dezeeuw06 said:
Alan Nixon say Chelsea are sniffing round our youth team striker Joe Gelhardt who just turned 16 last month. He's done well for ENgland under 16's and apparently a top prospect that we rate very highly and may consider having him in the first team squad next season.

I've never heard the name until today - if Chelsea come calling it will be hard for any young kid not to be interested but the chances of going into Chelseas youth system and getting lost in the shuffle is so high it's a tough decision for any talented youngster to make.
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I remember years ago Chelsea were after David Lowe I'm not sure if he went now but there was something about being lost in their youth system
 
king_dezeeuw06 said:
Alan Nixon say Chelsea are sniffing round our youth team striker Joe Gelhardt who just turned 16 last month. He's done well for ENgland under 16's and apparently a top prospect that we rate very highly and may consider having him in the first team squad next season.

I've never heard the name until today - if Chelsea come calling it will be hard for any young kid not to be interested but the chances of going into Chelseas youth system and getting lost in the shuffle is so high it's a tough decision for any talented youngster to make.
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Interesting. To be honest I hadn't heard of him either. If I'm not mistaken wasn't there some rumour about a high profile club after one of our youngsters last summer? Sure it was nonsense as I've never heard of it since.

It's a difficult one for young players (and their parents). Move to Chelsea and they'll be well compensated. However the reality is most will never make it and ultimately it'll have a detrimental effect on their career. Better facilities and arguably better coaches, though there's no substitute for learning the job whilst actually doing it.
 
hindleymonwafc said:
I know you have to balance the books but even the term " realistic target " fills me with no confidence whatsoever. We should know more when this takeover saga is finally over and we witness what kind of target is in range.

One thing we must not do is go with this team as it will not survive. Some have failed before and I can't find a reason why history won't repeat itself.
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In hindsight the last team would have stayed up if we’d kept Caldwell and certainly with Cook at the helm.

If you look at Championship sides, apart from the occasional outstanding team like Wolves or Fulham, it’s much of a muchness. A team can be top six until Christmas and slide into a relegation fight. Likewise, we often see teams at the foot of the table climb to the brink of the play-offs, with a new manager.
 
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Studds40 said:
In hindsight the last team would have stayed up if we’d kept Caldwell and certainly with Cook at the helm.

If you look at Championship sides, apart from the occasional outstanding team like Wolves or Fulham, it’s much of a muchness. A team can be top six until Christmas and slide into a relegation fight. Likewise we often see teams at the foot of the table climb to the brink of the play-offs with a new manager.
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With respect hindsight does not tell us we would have stayed up with Caldwell. It does tell us the choice of his replacement was a fucking disaster however.
 
Made in Wigan said:
Interesting. To be honest I hadn't heard of him either. If I'm not mistaken wasn't there some rumour about a high profile club after one of our youngsters last summer? Sure it was nonsense as I've never heard of it since.

It's a difficult one for young players (and their parents). Move to Chelsea and they'll be well compensated. However the reality is most will never make it and ultimately it'll have a detrimental effect on their career. Better facilities and arguably better coaches, though there's no substitute for learning the job whilst actually doing it.
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https://twitter.com/x/status/893524205559574528
Burgess was linked to Monaco
 
Studds40 said:
All those listed made tremendous progress last season.

Grigg started the season looking lightweight, off the pace, failing to get into goal scoring positions, and lacking his finishing touch. He ended the season looking like a pocket powerhouse, shrugging off players twice his size, always in the right positions, and couldn’t miss.

Likewise, when Power came into the side, he looked distinctly second best to Evans. By the end of the season he looked a more complete player. Morsy and Power together,” at their best look more effective than Morsy and Evans.
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I'd agree all improved under Cook (although Morsy was already at that level) Grigg's movement and touch around the box certainly improved quite noticeably. To be fair to Power he was outstanding on his comeback at Scunny given the stick he'd got off some and I'd advocate that was down to his own attitude as a player rather than any performance improvement instilled in him at that time. From enemy number one on here and elsewhere to to a defining image of him brandishing a pyrotechnic on the pitch after a title winning strike by Grigg. Funny how things change.

You could also throw Byrne into the mix of those Cook improved and in fairness Dunkley and Elder got better as the season went on too.
 
ZAKKY said:
I remember years ago Chelsea were after David Lowe I'm not sure if he went now but there was something about being lost in their youth system
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Ken Bates who had previously been on our board was advised to come and watch David Lowe, Kevin Langley and (I think) Steve Walsh about 35 short years ago , I think we played Bournemouth, Ken was not impressed by our lads but he did spot and sign Nigel Spackman from Bournemouth !
 
The Chet said:
I would rather have the other Smith that played for Rotherham. I think it's Michael but totally sure.
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Cook had Michael Smith at Pompey but he was released by Jackett. There were rumours he was coming here around the same time Roberts signed but he went to Bury. He struggled at Bury and went to Rotherham in January for virtually nothing to replace Kieffer Moore and found his form again. He certainly looked a beast when we played him but Pompey fans said he was hopless in L2. It shows how much certain players and clubs just click while others don't.
 
russialatic said:
Players we were linked to previously are out of contract in L1:


Kai Naismith at Portsmouth. Tall winger who is left footed but can play behind the striker or up front too. Had a poor first season under Cook. Asked to be transfer listed. But then they made up and he was on fire at the end of last season. Linked with him in Jan. Good age & we lack left footed wide players.

Best of the l1 frees would have to be Oztumer at Walsall. Interesting alternative to Powell behind the striker if we play the same system. short but scores a lot of goals from distance. Plus we saw at Donny that an option is for Powell to play wide and roam, so that might work.
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Well we got Kal but Oztumer is currently in talks with Bolton.
 
Striker is the one position we don't need cover at. We have Grigg who is poacher, Vaughan whose a work horse and pretty good in the air, Cole looks to be a strong fast powerful forward and Lang and this youth guy who could make our first team.

We need 1 GK ,2 LBs, 1 RB, 1 CB and 1-2 CMS
 
Peterborough Twitter account is saying we have signed their Portuguese midfielder Leo Da Silva Lopes. Is there a way to tell if it's their official account?
 
Made in Wigan said:
I'd agree all improved under Cook (although Morsy was already at that level) Grigg's movement and touch around the box certainly improved quite noticeably. To be fair to Power he was outstanding on his comeback at Scunny given the stick he'd got off some and I'd advocate that was down to his own attitude as a player rather than any performance improvement instilled in him at that time. From enemy number one on here and elsewhere to to a defining image of him brandishing a pyrotechnic on the pitch after a title winning strike by Grigg. Funny how things change.

You could also throw Byrne into the mix of those Cook improved and in fairness Dunkley and Elder got better as the season went on too.
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Yet you don't think Cook will do the same with Naismith. Weird!
 
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