January 2021 Transfer Window

Not a dig at you as such but talk of preserving our league status really does show how far we've fallen as a club. It is a fair comment though, any talk of us being too good to go down is foolhardy when in truth we're really not much better than the teams below us. Next three games could see us in the top half with a good run, alternatively a poor set of results could easily see us stuck around the bottom six.

 

We have fallen sadly, and I don’t think we’re any better now than in Parkinson’s first season when we skirted with relegation until a 3-1 win at Northampton towards the end of that season. The team Parkinson inherited from Jacko would have been certs to go down but fortunately Parkinson strengthened with the likes of Reid, Davies , Duke. Hopefully our recent better form will continue, but until we get about clear of the dreaded drop I’m still looking over my shoulder.

 

Yeah, that's fair enough. We certainly can't afford to go down. It'd be the final nail.

 

I'm not sure I said anything about your synopsis with regards getting a kitchen before the planning permission is given, not spending whats left of the salary cap for season 2020/21 on the right player is a good idea, as my example a younger Gary Jones who Stuart knows could perform at league one level that would be the starting line for creating a team around him first brick of a strong foundation. that could be the start of McCalls football plan, similar to Parky, he did it over several transfer windows, if we have £300,000 left and we don't spend it on the correct player/players we lose it next season I cant see any logic in that.

 

@Captain Grumpy
" fortunately Parkinson strengthened with the likes of Reid, Davies , Duke." For what seems like a throwaway line, that's some decent players for a bottom of the 4th division club to bring in. Can it be done again?

 

Yes I accept January is usually a sellers market, if Stuart could identify a player who he could start the rebuilding of the team around surely that would be a chance missed, especially if the money is not spent as it's not carried over to season 2021/2022, it would be wasted money IMO, if it meant spending the remainder of whats left of the transfer cap to get that first piece of foundation in I don't see a problem ?.

 

I don't see why not, finding another Andrew Davies at the right price in these salary capped days might be a problem, but Parky already had some good pro's at the club adding Andrew was a massive signing for the club and must have made the other members of the squad reailise what Parky was aiming for but Parky's squad building was done over several transfer windows, it cant be done in 1/2 transfer windows especially now we are salary capped.

 

Plus we are stuck with players that Stuart would never have signed anyway. Stuart himself showed that not every player in the team has to be 6ft plus.

 

It should have been spent in the summer, expecting a player to come in the January window andake an immediate impact is asking a lot. Especially when it was clear to anyone with a brain cell where the weaknesses were.

 

GREGG HALFORD will play for FREE to revive his flagging career.
The ex Wolves and Cardiff defender 35, has had no club since leaving Aberdeen in 2019
He said "I'll play for FREE up to January"..

(The Sun 20/11/20)

 

Parkinson more or less sorted the squad out the following summer adding, Darby, Meredith, McCardle, Jones, Nathan Doyle, Connell to join the likes of Davies, Reid and Duke. So it can be done very quickly if the manager has the right contacts, and that’s where I question McCall a lot as he really does need help when it comes to the transfer market. A lot of players are out of contract in our squad this coming summer and a great chance to build a good squad must not be missed.

 

If Stuart did find that player at the right price of course it would be great if he came in and make an immediate impact, but I'm suggesting someone who he could start the rebuilding of a team around as the Andrew Davies and Gary Jones examples, he would be Stuarts voice on the pitch, then we add to the players Stuart thinks are capable of pushing the club forward the next transfer window.

 

Your correct the big difference now is we are working under a salary cap that the EFL have introduced, where as under Julian & Mark it was how much they could push the boat out bearing in mine if Phil did not deliver an asset would be sold, not sure Phil only had budgets of £2.5m to work with, I'd say they were bigger even back in those days.
Agree, it's always difficult for a new manager to come in and get the dross left by the previous manager to perform, if he could turn our fortunes around in 2 transfer window most would be delighted.

 

If we're in a position to bring in a player who's of such quality, and adaptable enough to play in different systems for potentially a different manager next season, there may be some mileage in it. Do you think our current scouting and recruitment capability allows for that? We need a rebuild and to do it right, you start where you need to start. We need to recognize what it is that's needed. Putting what limited resource we have into a marquee signing before a significant change in who runs both the club as a whole and possibly the team, would be madness.

 

The way I see it I don't think there will be much movement in January unless one of two players move on.
A!though there doesn't seem to be a long term plan off the field I think there is a plan of sorts on the playing side.
Yes the club would like to reach the playoffs but I don't think McCall is necessarily under pressure to achieve that. He will try to get some sort of consistency on the pitch, try to get players fit for selection and see where it takes us.
The club under McCall will carry on giving opportunities to the more promising younger players whilst letting the contracts of the older players run their course.
That way at the end of the season McCall or whoever else is manager for next season will have more of a blank sheet of paper to work from. Whether it's with McCall or a new manager I'm a bit more optimistic about the season ticket uptake for next season than some fans. If enough people get vaccinated to allow us to get back to some sort of normality fans of City and other clubs will be so relieved to be able to get out and about again.
Pre match beer or coffee, the footy, then after the match a few beers with something to celebrate or moan about.

 

This is why I've been advocating Stuart going to DoF as soon as he's done managing us.

Let's be honest, our fans don't appreciate good football as much as they pretend to do when we've got a 'dinosaur' in charge, we are just as results based as any other set of fans and attractive football doesn't paper over any cracks whatsoever. None of this 'I can accept this or that as long as the football's good and/or we're producing local lads', it's rubbish.

However, there's no reason not to stick with this style of football under future coaches. We can't keep flip flopping between styles, we need to lock it down now, and having someone with the club at heart who understands football inside out in a position to oversee these transitions is absolutely vital. We can't just say 'but the CEO should do that', as it hasn't worked at all - we just keep re-setting.

Anyway to answer your question, no, we don't have anything in place (scouting system, DoF, CEO, recruitment capability) to ensure the players we sign NOW are suitable for the next manager, whether they come in this season, next season, or in five years time. But we need to put it in place, and Stuart is the answer.

 

Could you honestly see him doing the Dof role though.i know he’s city through and through but if he is relieved of the managers role or runs his contract out would he still want a hands on role somewhere.

 

Phil Parkinson did exactly what your suggesting, if the debate is can Stuart do the same only time will tell, not sure Gary Jones was a marquee signing but he had all the assets Parky wanted of a midfield general along with Doyle what a great pairing, now Davies would fall into the category of marquee he was always going to be an outstanding player in league two and in league one, as was Gary Jones, that's the point I'm trying to make, at the present time who could Stuart or any City manager start to build a squad on without bringing the above sort of player in,

Why would McCall not be our manager next season, even give his contract is up in Feb 2021 unless we are in a dire situation football wise I cant see him getting sacked what would that achieve apart from another round of new man wanting to change the squad to his liking, I think we've had enough of that.

When the new CEO comes in no doubt he/she will have their own thoughts on who they want as manager that could be a different thing, but if they are football people which were all hoping they are I would assume they know exactly what it takes to get us promoted, the big difference is the last time Stuart was manager he had some quality league one players left by Parky and added a few he knew to enhance the squad, unfortunately the same cant be said of the players Gary Bowyer left behind that's why he has to be given more than two transfer windows.

 

With us having a descent amount of salary cap still to spend it would be madness to miss the opportunity not to use is, if Stuart could identify the right man to start building a team around I see no reason why it should not be spent, that's all I'm suggesting, it's not a bit of good if it's not spent as we can't carry it over to next season, I do accept it's got to be on a player or players who could help take us to league one and still perform at a decent level.

 

Maybe Stuart’s part off the Rupp and Rhodes plan contract up end of season takes his money and leaves.