Seeing as we are going after top level targets who would presumably be getting pursued by a lot of top teams, and are getting rejected, surely there's a problem somewhere? Either scout lower level gems like Alli and accept you can't bring in top players or do something otherwise to push the deals over the line.Sadly we have to accept the fact, that though we are competing in CL regularly, and been in top four a few years. We just are not the preferred of our preferred targets, for various reasons.
As Poch says, ‘we are competing in a different way’. A big test for both him and the club. Our scouting is fine. To put a balance in this, VJ was strictly Poch’s choice. He needs to also be a bit more decisive of some of the recommendations given to him (within our budget).
Let us grit our teeth, as I personally believe that there are variables in the challenges ahead of us.
Seeing as we are going after top level targets who would presumably be getting pursued by a lot of top teams, and are getting rejected, surely there's a problem somewhere? Either scout lower level gems like Alli and accept you can't bring in top players or do something otherwise to push the deals over the line.
So it leads us to two different target areas.Agreed. If one of our young stars (e.g. Alli) made a big-money move to Real, Madrid or Bayern, we could probably understand it, but would be baffled if he went to, say, Napoli or Sevilla. It's the same the other way round - from a completely neutral point of view I can accept the perception that Chelsea are a more enticing option, even if results on the pitch and opportunities afforded to young players don't necessarily reflect that.
So it leads us to two different target areas.
We'll struggle to get the best players from tier 2 teams but we can 'potentially' get emerging top players from tier 3 teams and possibly big names that haven't succeeded at big teams like VDV, James Rodriguez, etc... (but the Rabiot comments suggest some of these level players may falsely see themselves as deserving bigger than us).
Shopping in the prem is too expensive when you consider even youth prospects are being quoted in excess of £20m
Sadly we have to accept the fact, that though we are competing in CL regularly, and been in top four a few years. We just are not the preferred of our preferred targets, for various reasons.
As Poch says, ‘we are competing in a different way’. A big test for both him and the club. Our scouting is fine. To put a balance in this, VJ was strictly Poch’s choice. He needs to also be a bit more decisive of some of the recommendations given to him (within our budget).
Let us grit our teeth, as I personally believe that there are variables in the challenges ahead of us.
Rabiot has been tapped up by Barca, I wouldn't put him in that bracket. Moura and Aurier were more in that bracket, I don't think we could have convinced Lucas to join us 3-4 years ago.
Sounds like we have to wait until players give up on getting to the very top and accept they have to make do at our level. Fabulous.
Seeing as we are going after top level targets who would presumably be getting pursued by a lot of top teams, and are getting rejected, surely there's a problem somewhere? Either scout lower level gems like Alli and accept you can't bring in top players or do something otherwise to push the deals over the line.
Sounds like we have to wait until players give up on getting to the very top and accept they have to make do at our level. Fabulous.
Agreed. If one of our young stars (e.g. Alli) made a big-money move to Real, Madrid or Bayern, we could probably understand it, but would be baffled if he went to, say, Napoli or Sevilla. It's the same the other way round - from a completely neutral point of view I can accept the perception that Chelsea are a more enticing option, even if results on the pitch and opportunities afforded to young players don't necessarily reflect that.
Thanks.Sadly we have to accept the fact, that though we are competing in CL regularly, and been in top four a few years. We just are not the preferred of our preferred targets, for various reasons.
As Poch says, ‘we are competing in a different way’. A big test for both him and the club. Our scouting is fine. To put a balance in this, VJ was strictly Poch’s choice. He needs to also be a bit more decisive of some of the recommendations given to him (within our budget).
Let us grit our teeth, as I personally believe that there are variables in the challenges ahead of us.
Don't know how current JJ's info is(as in we have tried recently and been knocked back again) but both De Jong and Pulisic turned us down in the Summer. Neither was a wages issue at that point from what I was told.