Transfer Deadline Day 2023 | Page 16 | Vital Football

Transfer Deadline Day 2023

Think we've had a good window when you think of the players we've brought in and how difficult it is to get players in in January.

Clubs normally don't want to let players go without being able to get someone in to replace anyone leaving so the closer it gets to the end of the window the less likely permanent moves are to happen.

We did our best business early and as others have alluded to O'brien and Abrahams were probably back up deals if the 'big' ones we were chasing didn't come off.

The summer will be interesting, far more players, we be able to compete on wages so I'd guess we'll be in for some bigger names then.

With Max, Morris, Tutunda out of contract we'll be in the market for some new defenders and if we're running an U23 team next season (as NH has suggested he wants) we'll need a decent size squad.
 
shotshy said:
The major benefit for next season is that Harris (assuming he's still here) will not need a total squad rebuild.
The nucleus will be in situ.
Most if not all of Evan's team will be out of contract and probably moved out.
It will be 100% Neil Harris signings.
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With that, expectations will be much higher too.

Last season, I expected us to go down but NH gave us a fighting chance

This season I expected mid table.

Next season the expectation has to be top 3.
 
Trashbat said:
With that, expectations will be much higher too.
Last season, I expected us to go down but NH gave us a fighting chance
This season I expected mid table.
Next season the expectation has to be top 3.
Click to expand...

That has to be the ambition but only an expectation if Brad does flash the cash to the extent that our budget is in the top three.

He has clearly offered a higher level of salary to attract the recently acquired quality, but IMO the recruitment of Coleman, Clarke and now the Eastleigh lad suggests we are still going to be looking to polish a few rough diamonds over the long term and that takes time.

I can not see us suddenly changing our structure to revert to a Mad Dog quick fix type team.
 
shotshy said:
We differ Phil.
I think O’Brien is a really good signing at our level.
We don’t know whether Marriot or May were on Harris’s radar.
After shopping in Lidl for many seasons we are at last shopping in Tesco.
Waitrose was never achievable 😉
Remember, this is mid point and Brad’s first window.
Summer recruiting will probably be even better.
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Agree.
Actually pleased we aren't splashing money around like fancy Dans. I think it indicates that Brad and the management team are thinking medium and long term, not just survival this season. It seems he genuinely treats it as a project, not a little toy to play with until he (quickly) gets bored with it.

We have plenty to stay up with. If Nil can't manage that with the new squad he needs shooting (metaphorically speaking - before GBN has another go at defending him).
 
So I was wrong. BG didn't have something hidden. I find that recruitment was of high quality but again with a slightly odd balance given our previous problems.
Perhaps it shows BG refusing to be held to ransom and the limited number of strikers and indeed quality defenders available.
I welcome the idea of a development team which appears to be happening in the coming months and wish them all well in their endeavours.
Once again sorry if my post mistakenly mislead anyone.
 
chris who said:
So I was wrong. BG didn't have something hidden. I find that recruitment was of high quality but again with a slightly odd balance given our previous problems.
Perhaps it shows BG refusing to be held to ransom and the limited number of strikers and indeed quality defenders available.
I welcome the idea of a development team which appears to be happening in the coming months and wish them all well in their endeavours.
Once again sorry if my post mistakenly mislead anyone.
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Don’t worry about it Chris.
We are all only best guessing.
And …. It’s all about opinions.
 
Avoiding relegation is the main aim of this season, anything else will be regarded as a bonus. The club has signed players to form a basis for a realistic attempt for promotion, signings in the summer should re-enforce our position.
i have every confidence that this managment team will get us onwards and upwards, this window was only the first part of our rejuvenation.
 
GillsBluenose said:
That has to be the ambition but only an expectation if Brad does flash the cash to the extent that our budget is in the top three.

He has clearly offered a higher level of salary to attract the recently acquired quality, but IMO the recruitment of Coleman, Clarke and now the Eastleigh lad suggests we are still going to be looking to polish a few rough diamonds over the long term and that takes time.

I can not see us suddenly changing our structure to revert to a Mad Dog quick fix type team.
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Completely disagree with how you see those signings. This window we brought in 10-11 new players, most of them can immediately perform towards the top of this league.

But for those 10-11 players we’ve lost few players. We’ve increased our playing budget by a fair bit to get these £4-5k a week players.

The fact that we’ve also got some kids is irrelevant to this. They’re a project coinciding with the development of an under-23s team. The top teams have such teams, and you wouldn’t say they’re skimping out?

Theyll also give us options for cover or to change the game, but with Nichols, AOB and Hawkins already up there they won’t be starting. This season we’ve HAD to see these players as starters. There’s a difference.

I’m sorry so many people wanted 10-11 marquee signings on £4-7k a week. We were blinded by talk of other big names/Alfie May and then didn’t get them so we look with scorn at any player that isn’t one of them.
 
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Trashbat said:
With that, expectations will be much higher too.

Last season, I expected us to go down but NH gave us a fighting chance

This season I expected mid table.

Next season the expectation has to be top 3.
Click to expand...



All semantics, but I’m not sure “expectation” is the right word. “Hope” and “possibility” of top 3 maybe. But a lot of sides spend big and go bad. Then we’ll also likely have teams like Wrexham, Notts County or Chesterfield to contend with. Plus any of the current top 7 that don’t make it this year. Other teams down here are also spending big money now. It won’t just be throw a few bucks around, stroll to some wins and look forward to L1. Far from it.

Assuming we stay up (fingers crossed we should do), then I’d say “expectation” for next season will be a very competitive side that wins more than it loses and is challenging around the top 7. If we can be in or challenging the top 3, the place will really take off again.

After the summer window I might reassess my hopes and expectations 👍
 
The Roone said:
Avoiding relegation is the main aim of this season, anything else will be regarded as a bonus. The club has signed players to form a basis for a realistic attempt for promotion, signings in the summer should re-enforce our position.
i have every confidence that this managment team will get us onwards and upwards, this window was only the first part of our rejuvenation.
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I wonder if any of our bids are feelers to see if a player will join us next season perhaps even for free.It will seem very odd for the boot to be on the other foot for a change.
 
chris who said:
I wonder if any of our bids are feelers to see if a player will join us next season perhaps even for free.It will seem very odd for the boot to be on the other foot for a change.
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Seems likely especially for those out of contract. Play well, buy into the project and earn a deal.

Could certainly see Masterson taking that path.
 
Do we know which loanees are and aren’t out of contract at the end of the season? We know AOB isn’t but a loan certainly makes sense given he’s inexplicably been so absent for Shrews.
 
chris who said:
I wonder if any of our bids are feelers to see if a player will join us next season perhaps even for free.It will seem very odd for the boot to be on the other foot for a change.
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Could be Chris. Maybe Josh Umerah (SE born) and Alfie May are possibles in the summer. As mark just said, Connor and maybe Aiden O’Brien might become permanent.

And I bet there were more that we enquired about that we fans didn’t hear of. I’d imagine Kenny & Hess are already formulating plans for our summer recruitment.
 
Trev_GFC said:
Do we know which loanees are and aren’t out of contract at the end of the season? We know AOB isn’t but a loan certainly makes sense given he’s inexplicably been so absent for Shrews.
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Masterson is on a free this summer
 
Trashbat said:
With that, expectations will be much higher too.

Last season, I expected us to go down but NH gave us a fighting chance

This season I expected mid table.

Next season the expectation has to be top 3.
Click to expand...

If NH is still the manager next season and we remain in league 2, I feel if he fails to take us up beit top 3 or via play-offs BG will tell him time to go. Dont think he will want us lurking around league 2 too long.
 
OneSirKeefy said:
Could be Chris. Maybe Josh Umerah (SE born) and Alfie May are possibles in the summer. As mark just said, Connor and maybe Aiden O’Brien might become permanent.

And I bet there were more that we enquired about that we fans didn’t hear of. I’d imagine Kenny & Hess are already formulating plans for our summer recruitment.
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That was the sort of thing I was thinking. Markinkent was talking about players already with us which wasn't what I was talking about. i think the system has always heavily favoured those with funds more so since Bosman rules came into force.That has generally worked heavily against us.Now can can see BG trying to turn it largely to our advantage. At worst we might slow down the talent drain that we have since this last decade or so.At best we might just pick up some real talent in the summer for free, if we are paying excellent rates of pay for our level.
 
Exactly in a bosman world its all about how much you pay for wages. We have always in my opinion paid above average for league 2 but not necessarily top end. I think we will make sure we have a squad of 18 who are top end league 2 plus some squad fillers and then the under 21 to develop.
 
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