Any Topic Going formerly Transfer Rumour s

In those 10 months we have had a pandemic hanging over our heads for certainly 6 months where he has had little or no input with regards getting them on the training ground.
With regards to the players he inherited as most were on contracts he could do little about it we are left with them and it would be pre season at best before McCall could get them to see what he wanted with regards formations etc.
Let's remember what a pathetic bunch of players Hopkin had to get a tune out of, and couldnt, and although Bowyer brought what was thought at the time to be quality In certain positions he struggled with the left overs from Rahic/Collins recruitment, so why should Stuart be different with the sh!te left from previous regimes.

 

Simon Parker has suggested we may be £400k under the cap. It doesn't say if that figure came from his own calculations or someone in the club sharing info.

 

Stuarts way of putting things leaving himself open to criticism again - but yup it does sound too airy fairy to be a positive message. I think Baldrick had more cunning plans than we do!

One clear sign for me about the state we are in is our Commercial PR voice (Ryan) posted as much on the day when Watt and Cooke came in as he has in the next 2 months! I know Stuart got prickly when the word 'shambles' was used the other day but it really doesnt just relate to the pathetic attempt against Lincoln.

Someone high up at the club really does need grow a pair and accept what is happening really isnt good enough - with all that has happened in the world this year (and is still happening) I honestly believe there would be more goodwill than ever if we could just show there is a plan in place to take the club forward. Instead we are bumbling along in a disjointed way - its such a bloody shame

I just hope for Stuarts sake we can get something today, just to enable him a bit of peace and a few days leeway to hopefully sort what exists of our transfer stategy next week

 

You're being reasonable with what you say.

Here are/we're my expectations....

1. We have at least one player who's normal position, that they have played in for their (even short) career or have been trained in for that position. At the moment we don't have a right back which I just can't get my head around.

2. I would have liked Stuart to draw a line under last season both in terms of him coming in part way through and the weird pandemic and saying - look, there were lots of factors at play last season, too big and unbalanced squad and we needed a leader and here is my new signing and captain "player z" (whoever that would be). Really setting out his stall that it's his team and his new captain to push the players on. Instead, what have we got? He's probably improved the midfield marginally but little else and he's picked a goalkeeper as his captain. I just find that a bit disappointing tbh. Set your stall out, make it your team and bring in players you want, that can make an impact and get a bloody captain and more leaders.

Or am I being unreasonable?

 

As much as we need a need a few in, I would be happy if we could ship a few more out.

 

Yes, it’s up for sale on the city eBay page!

 

so a training ground is the only place you can do anything? send them videos of how he wants to play, zoom meetings, Skype calls telling them what he expects from them and how he is going to ask them to play. spend the time you're not at the ground researching, developing ideas, looking for players that fit the style of football you want to put in to a team. he should have had his recruitment ready to go from the moment he was given the all clear by the club to do so. there are no excuses for him this time. stop blaming everyone but McCall for this - he wanted the title of manager and 100% control of everything and it's time for him to step up to the plate and manage the club. you're correct that there's been a pandemic but he wasn't furloughed. my question is what has he been doing with all the time he has been working from home and not being on the training ground. it doesn't appear to be a lot.

 

I'm not sure anyone is suggesting McCall shouldn't be given time to let the squad gel, other than the usual suspects that never wanted him here in the first place.
Being concerned about our recruitment policy (or lack of one), is a totally different issue however, and it isn't something that has just cropped up after Tuesday's defeat; it's been around for most of the summer. Asking why we still haven't got a dedicated right back on the books, or why it is taking so long to bring in another striker have been completely valid questions for weeks, Tuesday night just further highlighted the fact that there are other positions where we also need to strengthen, and hopefully, Stuart realises that now as well.
Rather than thinking that this is about people being negative or not taking into consideration the totally unprecedented circumstances we find ourselves in at the current time, we need to be considering why a club that is one of only two in the whole league that voted against the salary cap is constantly throwing out excuses about why we haven't signed anyone since the 27th July.

 

I've just messaged a friend who works in sports recruitment and player management (agent) and asked "what is Bradford strategy and prowess in the transfer market?"

his answer "do they have a strategy? "

 

Looking at the quotes from Stuart in today's T&A he is waiting for the u23 kids from the prem clubs and getting the poor sods who no other L1/Champ teams want.
Forget about what is available now player wise- Tranmere have signed a couple this week, must be a massive club compared to City.
Spending nowhere near the salary cap limit shows the club's ambition.
McCall has to be fully accountable for this transfer window and relying on kids he cannot name.
Judge him on the results, but dont be surprised.

 

I suggest you read the article Bronco and then you may see why some of us are concerned about his recruitment plans before the window closes

 

So because Stuart made a throw away comment and said he had his Ipad to look at players surely you don't think that's the only source with regards new recruits.

 

of course not, he's got a VHS player too.

 

I wasn't talking about his ipad comment, but instead his comments today about our recruitment being down to agents' recommendations.

But regardless, the evidence is in our businesss. We either only sign players who (a) are in the managers phone book or (b) are recommended by agents. If this wasn't the case, we would employ a chief scout and several scouts working under him. But we don't, so his ipad comment wasn't a throw away one at all. It was reality.

 

And thus, it is a real possibility, that players themselves think similar. I worry about our club, I do.

 

I think we all would Fordy, but doubt if much will happen on that front before Jan window - then some of players who will be out of contract in the summer might be a bit happier to be shipped out if they are out of the picture. Only one I think might go this window is BRE but even this is unlikely

 

We have the kid Sutton who I believe will play right full back.

With regards the Captain debate some quote it shouldn't be the keeper that is their opinion I honestly don't get why its a big issue, why should we question every decision McCall makes, he wouldn't have been my choice for Captain but that does not make me right, when you look at the squad over all who might do a better job as Captain ?.

with regards your second comment I'm sure that's exactly what Stuart would have done/said, he would be foolish to not have done otherwise, whats gone on in the past is forgotten about clean slate.

 

indeed. how do you sell a clubs vision without the club knowing it themselves.

 

No wonder we pay so much more in agent fees than anyone else... they’re our scouting department. Farce.

 

he's not a full-back though. he is a player who can play full-back if needed.. blinded by McCall.