Are we potentially in danger of looking at too many "old Men"??

[Deadlydave]

I know we have only signed 2 players so far and generally the Walters deal looks OK too me. However in light of the rumour that we could well be looking at signed Glen Whelan; whose's also 33 these are hardly players to build a future upon. I get it that players are insanely expensive and wages crazy, but do you think we should be looking at players with more potential /future resale value should we uncover someone with real quality such a Keane.

[sinkov]

I'm not too worried about resale value, staying in this division for another season will make us more than selling four Michael Keanes would, so signing players who can keep us up should be the priority, regardless of age. Buying to sell on at a profit is for cash-strapped clubs, and we aren't one of them any more.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

I'm with you on this one sinkov. At the top table of English football experience is everything.

If we get two good seasons out of Walters and Whelan that will ensure we stay in the EPL. £5 million plus wages for those two will be chicken feed.

Sean Dyche and Martin O'Neill will never be off the 'phone!

[In Dyche We Trust]

Don't panic Mr Mainwaring.......the old guys did a good job keeping the enemy at bay.......but PL football is slightly different. Walters and Whelan goes against SD's view of signing players in that he looks at age, skill, potential and sell-on values. Taylor falls into that category but these 2 and Barton break that mould. Barton did a job for us when most of us were very sceptical when he first arrived. I can see where TBT is coming from and whilst I am dead against the 2 grandpa's from Stoke coming in, I guess we are not competing with other top clubs like Bournemouth and Huddersfield who are flashing the cash.

It's just a pity that Steve Claridge is not Irish as he would be next one in....

[Supersub6]

Don't panic Mr Mainwaring.......the old guys did a good job keeping the enemy at bay.......but PL football is slightly different. Walters and Whelan goes against SD's view of signing players in that he looks at age, skill, potential and sell-on values. Taylor falls into that category but these 2 and Barton break that mould. Barton did a job for us when most of us were very sceptical when he first arrived. I can see where TBT is coming from and whilst I am dead against the 2 grandpa's from Stoke coming in, I guess we are not competing with other top clubs like Bournemouth and Huddersfield who are flashing the cash.

It's just a pity that Steve Claridge is not Irish as he would be next one in....

I think that it is very much another season for consolidation and we need a good mixture of experience and youth and that seems to be the way that we are going. If we can stay up again this will be progress made.

Just a thought about the last sentence you wrote -- Walters and Whelan can deliver the goods, Claridge is just a good talker!

[In Dyche We Trust]

We should not be looking to stay up season by season but for the long term, like Stoke, West Brom have done. In a couple of years time, we are looking again for players when these 2 have picked up their pension. How many other PL teams pay 2 or 3 million for 33 year olds, best years behind them and discard a 31 year old....?

[sinkov]

We need players who can do a job for us, who can keep us up, there's no point signing young players with potential for say £10m, with a view to maybe selling them on for £20m. Why gamble on making £10m when we can make ten times as much by staying at this level for another season ? Sell on value was important when we were a cash-strapped Championship club, in the position we are now it's almost an irrelevance. The short term, the season ahead is now everything.

[thedonz]

I prefer the term experienced pro to old men

And the answer to the question is No. We are replacing Boyd Barton and Robinson with other senior players.

We have already sign a young player to step into Ward's boots when the time comes and other young players are being lined up.

Astute management and progress definitely being made with the standard of player being signed.

I would be happy if we also didn't make any loan signings

[Norder]

I know we have only signed 2 players so far and generally the Walters deal looks OK too me. However in light of the rumour that we could well be looking at signed Glen Whelan; whose's also 33 these are hardly players to build a future upon.

all our signings are amazing Ddave....dont you know that ?

....but seriously - from what I read - Walters has been used by Stoke as a fill in around the field....and was seemingly up for bench warming duty next season - his form is on the wane...and Whelan is considered a spent force...was mostly useless last season...his passing and shooting are suspect.

...we'd get the two for around 5mil (though reported Whelan to Villa for 1mil )....so seems like we're signing bench warmers as replacements for players we have that should be leaving or doing the bench warming themselves - then what of all the wages spent on these hangers on....instead of frittering, put it together and that could pay its part for a few players with true talent.

So far is all a Pox imo....but theres still plenty of time for redemption - thoughI wont hold my breath.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

We need four strikers to give us options both on and off the bench. Walters gives us just that and looking at the Stoke fans' reaction to his departure it seems to me like we have got ourselves a really good deal!

Word in my earpiece is that the Whelan rumour is way off target and Corky is coming home. The James McArthur transfer looks like it could happen too!