That’s what happens....

[Carpe_diem]

I'm not saying he doesn't have trusted scouts, but how wide can we sensibly cast the net? Do we send our scouts on the off chance that we find what we're looking for in Portugal or in the Italian second division, or wherever. Its easy to say 'you know, just get some foreign player in, they must be better than what we've got, and we can get em for a song', but I suspect reality is a long way away from this.

Does anyone know how many scouts we have?

I'm afraid that you're not arguing logically there, Pops.

Firstly, no one is saying 'get some foreign player in as they're guaranteed to be cheaper and better'. People are - quite rightly - asking why we're not scouting abroad, and why we insist on fishing in the same diminishing pools.

My guess - and I have to stress that this is a guess - is that there are systems in place to find foreign players, that don't rely on watching YouTube. I mean, other teams do it, and we've even been known to do it in the past (or maybe Trianos Dellas was actually Trevor Dallas and he was from Rotherham).

I've said this before, but if what we were doing was still working, I don't think I'd be asking the questions. But it's not. We're lacking in pace and in quality, and if we're saying that the British and Irish players are too expensive or asking too much, we simply have to look at alternatives from overseas. Otherwise, we might as well just pack up and go home, because we're never going to be able to succeed on what we already have and the odd diamond in the rough that we can pick up (and then sell, because they want more wages than we're comfortable paying).

[bulmer1889]

I've got to agree it seems stupid not to look at the entire market instead of just a couple of stalls but then we will come down to that little chestnut again of money, it must cost a fair bit to have a network in Europe and it wouldn't surprise me if the club decided it just wasn't viable

[shorehamoldboy]

in that case then bulmer its very naive of our management and boardroom its a global game these days and it looks like were still stuck in the dark ages not saying we should just only look overseas cos it dont always work just look at s6 for proof of that but it doesnt mean we shouldnt take a look at whats on offer

[FatherKnowsBest]

I'm afraid that you're not arguing logically there, Pops.

Firstly, no one is saying 'get some foreign player in as they're guaranteed to be cheaper and better'. People are - quite rightly - asking why we're not scouting abroad, and why we insist on fishing in the same diminishing pools.

My guess - and I have to stress that this is a guess - is that there are systems in place to find foreign players, that don't rely on watching YouTube. I mean, other teams do it, and we've even been known to do it in the past (or maybe Trianos Dellas was actually Trevor Dallas and he was from Rotherham).

I've said this before, but if what we were doing was still working, I don't think I'd be asking the questions. But it's not. We're lacking in pace and in quality, and if we're saying that the British and Irish players are too expensive or asking too much, we simply have to look at alternatives from overseas. Otherwise, we might as well just pack up and go home, because we're never going to be able to succeed on what we already have and the odd diamond in the rough that we can pick up (and then sell, because they want more wages than we're comfortable paying).

Its not my argument, but Wilders. The point he was making was that where wages are concerned, there is now no difference between UK born or overseas players, as they all have the same group of agents etc, and they know the going rate for the EFL. Players get hawked around by agents, (speedy winger £18 to £25k a week, for example) and if they get any interest they just play one off against the other and make it an auction, as we've seen with Waghorn. I don't know the numbers but if we'd pay him £20k, and Boro £28k and Derby £35k, then what is 'competing' or being ambitious? You can argue that we are unrealistic in what we offer, but you can also argue that Boro are unrealistic in what they offered. You can also argue that Derby are mad for paying so much for a 'middle quality' player. There isn't a right answer, btw.

Its always been that the richest clubs can pay the most wages, and get the best players, but with so much cash floating about with super wealthy chairmen prepared to lose tens of millions a year, well... That doesn't mean that we shouldn't try to compete, but in the end this is a straight line that starts at a rigid pay structure that no-one wants to play for, and ends up at paying £45k a week for Jordon Rhodes. Its all down to where on that line you feel comfortable using the clubs financial resources. Wilder knows its not down to not caring about blowing the Chairmans cash because he'll be gone in 12 months. He obviously wants to build something here over a long period.

I know quite a lot of clubs (in a wierd turn of events) use Football Manager or one of the other player databases to look for potential players (Chansiri said he'd looked at 200 centre backs for the oinkers, if you remember, then bought Van Aiken for £4m. Take that as a warning!). But whether Wilder is right or wrong, its his show and we have to trust him to pull a rabbit out the hat. Its only a week since we were all happy with the additions and looking forward to the season. in fact up to Montero (...63 appearances for Ecuador) coming on, we were having a decent first game. It wasn't wonderful, but we'd scored a cracking goal from open play and looked to have enough to see the game out. It wasn't to be of course, but this is football, and that's how it works sometimes.

[Blade for Life]

Imagine a midfield of Coutts, Fleck and Freeman. Replace Enda with Kean Bryan and whatever strikers we have upfront would get a much improved service. I think sorting that midfield out is a priority.

[shorehamoldboy]

yeah we certainly need some imagination and creativity in there bfl but we also need 2 more strikers just as much as ive already said another 3 players at the very least needed

[rodcurrie]

Imagine a midfield of Coutts, Fleck and Freeman. Replace Enda with Kean Bryan and whatever strikers we have upfront would get a much improved service. I think sorting that midfield out is a priority.

Wor abart DUFFY? I spoke to GOD today and he reckons DUFFY shudda started,so i mentioned the magic triangle(Fleck,Coutts&Duffy) and TC said it was the best midfield outside the prem when they were on their game.UTCB

[charliejoejohn2]

Watched Alioski and Saiz torment Stoke earlier today, two players that stood out last season during an underperforming campaign for Leeds. Two match winners with some flair, who combined cost about half of what we got for Brooks. The type of players we should be looking at and scouting ? But 'wage structure' people shout, another excuse for money coming in not being spent.

We were told we didn't need to sell Brooks, so it stands to reason the 12 million quid should be reinvested - especially on a like for like replacement.

Alioski wa ****e last season at the lane Katch. Made his Sen look a right fool. Got taken off!

[shorehamoldboy]

yes there the best midfield weve had for years rod just wonder if alls not well with duffy on the fitness front seems strange chris didnt play him from the off last saturday and our 3 5 2 set up was at its best when these 3 were in there certainly doesnt work with lundstrum and evans in there

[Katchouro]

Alioski wa ****e last season at the lane Katch. Made his Sen look a right fool. Got taken off!

Leeds were Tommy Tank at the Lane in general, till the German striker turned into van Basten and we ran out of puff.

Alioski will have stinkers, that's why he was playing in Switzerland and was picked up for a couple of million. But on his day he can be a difference maker, and if he was English you're looking at him being a ten million quid player.

Europe's where the value is.