January 26 transfer rumours

I said Twist as opposed to Stick over the last couple of weeks , nothing has changed, in fact it’s probably strengthened my opinion. We could recruit , spending a bob or two in the summer but there is absolutely nothing to say we will be in second place next December if we do?

Best die trying rather than not trying at all?

Do it now , but unless we get quality loans be prepared for some potential big spending and higher ticket costs next season which will surely follow? No room for sentimentality in 2026 football.

 

IF we do gain promotion to the championship, and we've got as much chance as anyone at this moment, then i agree with the above. Ticket prices will have to rise to offset some of the big rise in player salaries. Could be looking at around £350 which in football terms is still pretty cheap at that level.

 

I would rather us keep our focus on bringing in younger talent who are ready for L1 football but with sell on value and stick with that rather than targeting Championship players. Clubs can stay up in the Championship if they have a 'together' squad and momentum behind them. Then you build from there. Championship level players on stupid wages would be backwards step for us

 

I understand your points entirely and I don't necessarily disagree.

What I would say is that, right now, our squad is mainly a mix of Lg2 and Lg1 players. If we're serious about becoming a Championship side then we need to evolve that to become a mix of Lg1 and Champ level players.

I'm working on the basis that you would then jettison the Lg1 level players upon promotion.

It's ruthless and also, very likely, cost prohibitive, but it's the strategy I'd be working towards if I was one of our decision makers.

 

A £50 premium when we are moving on from Exeter, Northampton and Burton to Leeds, Burnley and Wolves seems a very fair price to me.

 

Absolutely RT , it has to be brought into fans minds this early as a potential outcome if we further invest . If there are rises then they need to maintain the “affordability” options for sure .

 

I understand that point too but there are limits especially as many others follow the same philosophy just to financially survive never mind get promoted at the same time . Posh and Notts County to name two .

 

We can assume Alexander will want another striker in January pushing Cook further down the pecking order. I can only see him starting if we have an injury crisis. I’m sure he’ll want to be playing and not getting 10 or 15 minutes every other game. See what we can In January. Maybe that’s already in the clubs mind with the mystery illness card being played.

 

I'm thinking he's still ahead of Kav and Powell in the pecking order, so they'd likely be outs before him? Obviously changes if Cook wants out. And that's banking on their being a market for Cook too?

I was watching an American sports clip last night that went through the rise in ACL injuries in the NFL (looking forward to those pitches for the WC next summer ) after Patrick Mahomes, NFL posterboy for the last 5/6 years went down at the weekend with an ACL tear. His team have said he wants to be back fully in shape within 9/10 months and the panel were debating how bad of an idea rushing an ACL recovery is. They went through loads of scenarios of famous sporting faces who came back in 9/10 months and people who came back 12+ onward, and every single player who came back too early never moved the same as before. They could still play but mobility was forever an issue onward but availability became an issue for pretty much all careers after too. Rodri was brought up as the footy example lately, how he went from Balon D'or to ACL, to a return in 9 months and has never looked right since and has struggled to string appearances together without picking up issues.

Cook i think we are seeing a similar trend. You still see the glimpses of what he can offer and some moments he still looks like he could be our best goal threat, but he doesn't move well at all since his comeback and it looks like his days of playing twice a week, which we will need, are behind him. He's 35, not been a starter for a year and he's coming back from what can be a career ender.... it's a huge gamble for a L2/NL team to want Cook who will be on good money, and might only play 50% of the remainder of the season, to make a difference in their season and be worth the punt.

 

I wouldn’t be surprised if Hughes comes in for Cookie.

 

Cook played the best season of his entire career under Sparky so yeh I wouldn't be surprised either. Its whether he fancies a drop to NL....but Gilliead, Lewis and Wyke would keep him good company there too.

 

Be gutted when he's gone.

 

So will he but he wants to play.

 

Some good points. I can see Alexander keeping Kav for the pressing style he wants in the team, as you say Cook just can’t do that. As for L2 /NL gamble, I don’t think many teams press like we do,so the long ball punting is something Cook could probably do for 60 minutes.

 

Would still be cheaper than Halifax Town.....£391 for this season in The National League...!!

 

It’ll hurt like a bitch when he’s gone, I’m glad he got his promotion before it ends although it’s gutting he was going through such a horrid time. He’s been a class above when so many around him were awful, so at least he finally got a good Bradford City team to go out on. But, here’s the but. Like with Hanson it feels like it’s coming to a natural end sadly, club legends don’t grow on trees but sentimentality needs to be left at home sadly and if we can find a new striker to help us to the next step (like with Wyke) then we have to part our separate ways.

 

Exactly. I remember the goal he scored at St James park, don't think i've cheered as much in my life. Felt a fitting way to top off your career at City if thats how it ends.

 

Kav desperately needs a move in January, whether on loan or permenant. He's not good enough currently for our level and needs first team football to prevent him from stagnating.

 

Aye - hoping he’ll get to 100 goals - was also hoping the same for Big Jim - be nice to see someone do it in this era.

 

You know what I mean friend, someone who can score the fecker.