Just a couple of weeks ago – even before the transfer window opened – the more impatient fans were complaining bitterly about the lack of transfer market activity.
This was coupled with a big complaint that the proposed £25 million transfer kitty would get us next to nothing. And there were the usual observations about the board’s dithering
It’s par for the course. It happens every season.
But here we are 10 days on from the official opening of the summer window with Pedro Obiang, Dimitri Payet and now Angelo Ogbonna in place. More are on the way.
The conversation has changed dramatically and suddenly fans are selecting opening day teams which in many cases fail to include some very familiar faces.
Dimitri Payet behind a front two looks certain and the new defender is being tipped by insiders to be Winston Reid’s regular partner.
Even were Stewart Downing not at the centre of what appears to be a prolonged transfer saga, it’s unlikely he would get start .
Such as Mark Noble and Andy Carroll are also important squad members but a starting berth, when fit, is not going to be automatic.
It takes a while to build a football club – it doesn’t happen in one summer but the process which started last year is being consolidated and taken further quite dramatically this time around.
We have a top manager who was responsible for Ogbonna choosing us over Everton and Saints and the board – notably David Sullivan – has worked relentlessly to bring in top players.
So, if £25 million “isn’t enough” we should all give it up for him and those advising him along with the manager. We look in top shape!
A small miracle is happening at Upton Park and the future has rarely looked brighter. I for one could not be more grateful.
COYI
Spot on, and I never believed that 25 mil limit. Why would we tell anyone what we really want to spend, just so they could raise their asking prices.
None of the big cheeses at the club at any point mentioned a transfer budget limit,it was in the media or dreamed up by fans.It was all just guess work.Always has been.
Add up at the end. It won’t be far off 25m
Maybe it will be but my comment was that no one at the club has said what it is 😉
Totally agree, I sat down last night and put in my team. I believe we still need a top right back (Jenks not this), a wide player (that John fellow from Benfica looks great), a player who can make things happen (Salah pure class) and a centre forward on loan. If we get this we have a serious team. Here’s to the two David’s for taking our club forward. You are the perfect owners. Make my summer – just don’t take Jenks.
Lol,cant wait for Jenks to arrive at the start of the week,hahaha 😀
£25m is still not alot of money if you want to break into the top 6… which is what the aim of the owners is said to be. Hopefully they can do it because I would be over joyed with a top 6 position.. however I’m almost convinced they will need to spend more than that to break into the top 6 .. espesh when the top 6 spend that amount on 1 player
Our owners are great at wheeling dealing so lets hope they can do it, but having a pop at fans who point out the challenge ahead is a bit rough, espesh when you have told us that Slaven couldnt get his first choice CB and had to settle for his 2nd or 3rd choice,, surely a few extra million would have helped 🙂
Anyway Im a huge fan of the davids and You to Hugh .. everything they have done for the club has been great and I love this site.. Im not looking for a fight 🙂 just think this piece is a bit rough on some of us 🙂
agreed with that ; whatever they spend, we couldn’t spend it without them.
We could bring in more but need to bring in funds to pay for them and clear some wage places,Downing,Jarvis,should bring in £10 million
Noble,Nolan and JOB could bring in another £6 million
Magia needs paying off,that’s £2 million
Song is free,we can find others that will cost nada but we need to free wages up
We have Cullen,Henry,Lee,Burke and Oxford to add to the squad for nothing,
At the moment we have a good team with 4 or 5 players capable to step in but not enough depth to puss the top 6
It’s looking good, the new guys have good reputations, are young and athletic – even if they are a bit of a mystery to me I’m feeling optimistic about the coming season.
The difficult thing is moving on players who do not figure in the Manager’s plan – the likes of Jarvis, Nolan and Maiga and maybe a few others – they’re sitting on good contracts and have to look after their own interests so it’s going to be tricky getting them out.
It could also be a tricky Season for players like Carroll and Noble who are no longer automatic first picks.
The overall strength of the Squad has been improved so it’s looking very positive.
Trippier for 3.5M would have fit the 25M kitty, but lets move on from that. Im happy if Jenks joins for another season on loan, but we need to find a permanent right back. Except for RB we can probably only expect Song and a striker on loan for the remainder of the window. Unless we move some of our current players, which I guess will then be replaced on a like for like basis.
They could have been upon the top six, but alldyce, with a body like a hippo,face like a camel, and a brain like frank Bruno, said goodbye to that.