Transfer Rumours

How do you know?. He seems a credible target to me. Whether we would pay the transfer fee required is another matter of course. But just curious as to why you think definitely not happening?

 

I don’t think it will be happening because Stuart is quoted as saying that he is awaiting on players from higher up and there is probably only 2 or 3 spaces left

 

Well, fwiw the story has legs - I remember reading about it - must have been in Simon Parker's T&A news probably about 12 months ago. Bowyer expressed surprise that Roberts had been released by Bruce and stated that he had invited Roberts to City for pre-season training. I am pretty sure that tssb stated then, when it was discussed in the forum transfer column, that he worked with Roberts' Dad but it seemed unlikely that he would come to us as Roberts was pretty upset at being released by Newcastle after being there from being a schoolboy and was considering an offer from Greece. I remember Bowyer being asked about Roberts again idc and said he had heard nothing further. The Greece option obviously fell through and perhaps Roberts wanted to stay more closer to home at that time.

More on here btw: https://www.shieldsgazette.com/sport/football/newcastle-united/callum-roberts-aka-geordie-messi-leaving-newcastle-united-might-be-best-thing-me-ahead-wembley-final-2929989

 

Bolton are signing players as part of a project and using stats and data to back up players who they sign. Names and reputations do not matter if you have a system, a manager well on board with it and a good scouting team who know what you’re looking for. And let’s be fair some of our best players have come from non-league in recent years. Meredith/Hanson etc

 

Stats are one thing, but these players who are making the step up, can they mentally cope with league football? Or will Doyle sulk if things don't go his way this season? Stats are one thing, but man management is another.

 

Also I see Eardley has gone to Burton and not Grimsby, that probably puts the Luke Hendrie coming back rumour to bed.

 

Would have liked Eardley here but clearly better than L2 level.

 

That Dennis will show are ambition for the coming season mate

 

Does anyone know whether transfer fees are incorporated into the cap? It would be strange if they were but I wouldn't surprised. If not though, a reduced wage budget may give us more flexibility and make us more willing to pay a fee for a player like Roberts.

 

Also worth remembering with this cap, they want to limit squads to 20 players over the age of 21. We currently have 18 on the books over the age of 21. Imagine the calls to higher divisions the T&A mentioned yesterday could be younger lads on loan enquiries, to plug some areas once hopefully they know a bit more on Thursday

 

That leaves two senior players probably the ones from the leagues above Stuart talks about. The trouble is players sitting on decent contracts aren’t going to move on when we could with it

 

But presumably it wouldn't be an issue if a club goes over the limit by signing older players before the cap comes in? I don't want to be negative but the cynic in me feels the reason the club have made such a big thing about how they disagree with the cap, is so they can use it as an excuse when the players we sign don't match fans expectations. I've just got this awful feeling we are going to be hearing a lot of 'well of course we would have loved to bring players x, y and z in, but....'

 

Look at what all but two or three league two clubs are doing in the transfer market and there is only one or two that stands out Salford are throwing money at it Bolton have brought a couple in to join an inexperienced squad and mansfield have signed a few partly financed by selling their best player. We have brought in a mixture of experience And youth with at least a couple more to come. So there should be no need for “ excuses“

 

Dunno, they make out that the age thing is solid and no ways around it.

Like salary, yeah because these clubs dont have much in the way of incoming, and also have a lot of their bigger earners still on the books from 19/20 season and even earlier with some. So that one makes sense to leave at the average wage to fit into the cap, so people dont fail for over spending in the first season only. However, the cap on squad ages isn't something i can see them finding a way around.

 

And that's exactly why it won't happen.

 

Kemar Roofe gone to Rangers.

"we should have been in for him" says @Fordy117 "Where's the ambition!!"

 

Good signing by Rangers.

 

How do we know Staunton is adequate backup? He could be a weak link in the first team picture. He’s got to prove himself over a number of games before we can say he’s adequate.