Coventry is Huge

[WBA123]

I know how transfers and payments are structured but thanks for the recap. The way Levy structured the Berahino deal was such that we'd have been lucky to see anywhere near the figure you've quoted.

The final offer only came in several hours before the end of the window. The initial payment would have been in the region of £4M upfront rising to £12.5M.

The rest of the fee was made up of clauses relating to club and international goals and appearances, Champions League qualifications and success in domestic trophies etc. ad nauseam.

I think you're correct regarding the relegation part of the release clause and we were in fact relegated following a largely indifferent level of performances from Evans than we were accustomed to.

A very rotten egg (in my opinion) in a post Darren Fletcher dressing room that turned in on itself thanks to boredom with Pulis and ridicule for Pardew and 'Best Coach in the World' Carver.

Well I didn't know that re Berahino. I didn't realise it was the fee itself that was the issue. I thought it was the structure of payments at the time.

[soulman101]

Snodgrass and Philips both injured and out of the Cov match.
Don't to the bare bones, but we should still have enough to bring back the points COYB

[Omegstrat6]

Don't think anyone here disputes that a lot of the clubs core problems can be laid at Lai's door and poor recruitment but the fact remains that this particular squad and manager (poor as they might be in comparison to previous ones) have performed far better than they have done over past number of games. The buck must stop with them whether that be attitude, performance or tactics. Would love them to get it together and put in a decent performance at last from the get go against Coventry but very sadly do not expect this to be the case.

[wbaliquidator]

It will be fascinating to see tomorrow as in some ways it’s all about Val and which players are backing him.

Knowing he is under pressure who other than Mowatt, Clarke and Townsend will actually attempt to perform at their best and support the manager in his hour of need.
Edit I forgot Johnson, who is in the shop window, he will do his best

[BaggieBlood]

I completely agree with this. Look at a team like Brentford and what they have achieved with good recruitment. They've followed a very statistical route to sign their players and they have bought low, and sold high.

Scott Hogan - Cost £750k, sold for £15m
Benrahma - Cost £2.7m, sold for £28m
Maupay - Cost £1.6m, sold for £20m
Watkins - Cost £1.8m, sold for £30m
Ivan Toney - Cost £9m, worth how much??

Meanwhile, we bought Burke for £15m. We were linked with Toney, but many thought it was a gamble paying £9m for a player who had never played above League One before. How we could do with a player like him now.

Recruitment needs to be improved massively if we are to go forward as a club. And as fans we have to understand that when a high offer comes in for a player, it is sometimes in our interest to sell. We have consistently got that wrong. Evans we could have sold for £25m+, we got £3m. Berahino we could have sold for £23m, we got £10m.

We are never going to be able to hold onto our best players, so why not try and polish some younger gems from the lower and foreign leagues and sell them on for a profit, reinvesting it into other players to do the same. Whilst meanwhile getting results on the pitch. The only way their price increases is by performing well on the pitch. It's in both the clubs interest and the players.

I think Newcastle did bid £23m for Bambino and there were rumours of Man City and Arsenal wanting Evans for £25m but from what I recall the Newcastle offer came in too late and so we said no as we couldn’t get a replacement and TP just said no to the Evans sale.

I recall the Toney fee being only £6m upfront, :but having given HRK another year we couldn’t get both in him and Grant.

It is very surprising how we haven't sold a player for over £20m imo given the amounts the Bees have got for their players, but that ie down to their ownership caring and putting a coherent moneyball type of system in place and scrapping their youth team.