Transfer in's and out's rumours etc.

[asturianblanco]

whats all this premier league bollox, if you can play, you can play, football is football end of. Kiko never played for Barca because he was never on their books you tool! Madrid ffs!
You dont want proven international players, but think we should be scraping around signing championship quality. Mmm....

[WTF11]

whats all this premier league bollox, if you can play, you can play, football is football end of. Kiko never played for Barca because he was never on their books you tool! Madrid ffs!
You dont want proven international players, but think we should be scraping around signing championship quality. Mmm....

"Football is football" so Sunday league from the pub is the same as the PL, and you call me a tool. Pathetic

Barca, Madrid, blah blah blah. Doesnt take away from the FACT that he was lauded as the best thing since sliced bread, and almost single-handedly cost us promotion last season, weight that one up as to how much it has cost s and how much spectators might have enjoyed our first season back in the PL because they would have been allowed to go the f00king ground!

If you're going to critique my posts, actually read and understand instead of nit-picking, otherwise just dont f00king repl

[hopelesslyoptimistic]

Surely your last para applies to how you just responded to AB?

[WTF11]

Surely your last para applies to how you just responded to AB?

I have had a reasonable conversations, despite agreeing to disagree, over the last couple of days, with a number of those who post here. I have made my points reasonably, calmly and objectively, despite those disagreements. I made one mistake regarding Casilla, which takes nothing away from the substance of my argument, yet BB decided to go off on one. My reference to understanding was the thrust of post #64.

And perhaps, as you seem IMHO to wish to defend the indefensible, you would care to agree or not with the sentiment that "if you can play, you can play, football is football" irrespective of what level it is played at?

Strange though, that despite us being on the cusp of probably the most significant game in our history, this board was a quiet as a mouse (apart from the odd tennis coaching session) until I posted in response to Mrs O, and then out of the woodwork come those who wouldn't see merit in anything I posted even if it was penned by Bielsa himself, strange that.

[hopelesslyoptimistic]

I have had a reasonable conversations, despite agreeing to disagree, over the last couple of days, with a number of those who post here. I have made my points reasonably, calmly and objectively, despite those disagreements. I made one mistake regarding Casilla, which takes nothing away from the substance of my argument, yet BB decided to go off on one. My reference to understanding was the thrust of post #64.

And perhaps, as you seem IMHO to wish to defend the indefensible, you would care to agree or not with the sentiment that "if you can play, you can play, football is football" irrespective of what level it is played at?

Strange though, that despite us being on the cusp of probably the most significant game in our history, this board was a quiet as a mouse (apart from the odd tennis coaching session) until I posted in response to Mrs O, and then out of the woodwork come those who wouldn't see merit in anything I posted even if it was penned by Bielsa himself, strange that.

Not defending the indefensible. Simple point if you read the whole of ABs post then I take it that he is saying top players in the top leagues can play anywhere as supported by him saying we need better than Championship quality - this your reference to Sunday league players seemed strange not least given that para.

I do t mind that you dish things out but then when you lecture people how to think/state their views then beyond the obvious one might expect you to abide by that yourself.

When asked what players you would sign you said beyond Watkins and Benrahma you hadn’t really considered it much which makes the criticism of others who have thought about it a little more even more contrarian.

[ozleeds]

The point is keep getting internationals to create sides where no player understands each other (while the locals are loaned out to lower leagues) The future is bright the future is great. The whole of world football is shambles why on earth do they have international games as 90 percent don't even play in the countries they represent.
Youngsters, as we have brought in, should be fast-tracked not left to rot in the under 23's and loaned out to crap teams.
Ohh but they are to young and are not ready yet which is a lot of BS Mr. Kiko gets 50k a week while a 19-year-old gets how much? Who do you want to be between the sticks? I bet you don't say Mr Kiko because he is experienced even though he is crap. Wtf we have a loaned Winger from another club coming on to his 3rd year with us so where is the development?

[cherrypie7]

The point is keep getting internationals to create sides where no player understands each other (while the locals are loaned out to lower leagues) The future is bright the future is great. The whole of world football is shambles why on earth do they have international games as 90 percent don't even play in the countries they represent.
Youngsters, as we have brought in, should be fast-tracked not left to rot in the under 23's and loaned out to crap teams.
Ohh but they are to young and are not ready yet which is a lot of BS Mr. Kiko gets 50k a week while a 19-year-old gets how much? Who do you want to be between the sticks? I bet you don't say Mr Kiko because he is experienced even though he is crap. Wtf we have a loaned Winger from another club coming on to his 3rd year with us so where is the development?

Actually oz, Leeds have developed quite a few who were first placed in the U23s/ academy. Meslier, Roberts. To a lesser extent Shackleton, who has played a fair amount for the 1st team albeit mostly as a sub. Of course Jack Clarke was sold. Struijk, Casey, Poveda were regularly on the 1st team bench. All these guys were "developed" by playing in the U23s first.

[ozleeds]

Actually oz, Leeds have developed quite a few who were first placed in the U23s/ academy. Meslier, Roberts. To a lesser extent Shackleton, who has played a fair amount for the 1st team albeit mostly as a sub. Of course Jack Clarke was sold. Struijk, Casey, Poveda were regularly on the 1st team bench. All these guys were "developed" by playing in the U23s first.

I understand that they were brought through the u23s but they are not all English.

[whitestomper45]

This isn't the 1970s Oz. We have an Italian owner, Argentinian manager, so likely the internationals will understand more what the manager is asking of them.
With regards Harrison (and White and more), we couldn't afford them so we used the loan system and they were integral to getting us promoted . This is a route many clubs have used to get to the Premiership. Since the Bosman rule came in it has turned the transfer market on its head (add in agents).
We have been developing our underage academy it is now Category 1, the highest... This means another club cannot just come along and take a promising player based on them going to a better rated academy.

Trying to get the right balance between buying in experience and developing your own is not easy, you also want the right temperament.

Putting in too many young kids too early would mean we stayed floundering in the lower part of Championship/Lge 1. As can be seen by last nights hammering of the U21's by Accrington 7-0 in EFL cup. As a category 1 club we were allowed enter the competition, but the requirements about how long players had been at club meant we used many U18's.

But in a way this shows the strategy of importing young "internationals" to improve both 1st team and the clubs youth grading is working. Now they can look to develop local players too in better facilities without the fear of them being hoovered up for pittance.

[hopelesslyoptimistic]

Watkins signed for Villa for big transfer fee and big wages. Looks like de Paul deal getting like the Ben White saga but Gvardiol deal may get done today.

Agree with comments about our youth set up and path to first team getting so much better. The next few years could see us reaping the rewards of that.