The Daily ITK Discussion Thread - 18th July

[Archibald&Crooks]

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Yet another new thread for you all. The slience as we await ITK is crackling with electricity. Wear rubber boots.

 

[Tucker]

Prof on COYS re Phillips and wider recruitment of young players:

Given that 'enquired about' is often a euphemism for a phone conversation that starts "Are you willing to sell the player and if so at what price?", we have enquired about Phillips (and another young Blackburn player whose name I can't recall

), as well as players like Scott at Bristol City, Cresswell at Millwall, and a couple of players from each of Watford, Sheffield United and Sunderland. These sorts of conversations go on all the time. Unfortunately, over the last few years the best young EFL players have too often been vacuumed up by Chelsea, Man City, etc. I know we'd absolutely love to get in more young HG talent, and are actively trying to do so (it's a 'point of emphasis' for the new regime), but it won't be easy.

I haven't heard that Phillips is a done deal but if it is that's good news.

 

[Col_M]

Shit. I thought that was Phillips of City for a mo.

 

[Jiminio]

Bet the other Blackburn player is Wharton!

 

[felmani26]

Prof on COYS re Phillips and wider recruitment of young players:

Given that 'enquired about' is often a euphemism for a phone conversation that starts "Are you willing to sell the player and if so at what price?", we have enquired about Phillips (and another young Blackburn player whose name I can't recall

), as well as players like Scott at Bristol City, Cresswell at Millwall, and a couple of players from each of Watford, Sheffield United and Sunderland. These sorts of conversations go on all the time. Unfortunately, over the last few years the best young EFL players have too often been vacuumed up by Chelsea, Man City, etc. I know we'd absolutely love to get in more young HG talent, and are actively trying to do so (it's a 'point of emphasis' for the new regime), but it won't be easy.

I haven't heard that Phillips is a done deal but if it is that's good news.

Very encouraging news indeed after years of relative neglect to looking in the lower leagues for quality youth prospects to nurture.

You only have to look over the recent months in not only the new contracts given to the likes of Mikey Moore, Jamie Donley, Will Lankshear, Oliver Irow et al, but the emphasis we've given on our youth and seemingly there will be much clearer pathways from academy to first team under Ange and all this contributes to being much more attractive for prospects outside the club to come to us as opposed, as Prof alludes to, being hoovered up by Chelsea, City etc.

 

[GetSpurredOn]

I can get onboard with that, so long as it’s seen as it is seen as a separate budget and doesn’t impact first team recruitment. First team ready CB’s (two) has to be the pressing target next, and that needs to be Tapsoba level, not Lenglet level.
Trim the squad down, quality not quantity, then add some homegrown talent from Championship to give us depth. Injuries will occur, so minutes will come even with no European football.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

I can get onboard with that, so long as it’s seen as it is seen as a separate budget and doesn’t impact first team recruitment. First team ready CB’s (two) has to be the pressing target next, and that needs to be Tapsoba level, not Lenglet level.
Trim the squad down, quality not quantity, then add some homegrown talent from Championship to give us depth. Injuries will occur, so minutes will come even with no European football.

I don't see how we can realistically assume there isn't an opportunity cost of money spent. But your point is right generally - we should always consider how investing small amounts of low likelihood future players weighs up on players who will immediately impact the first team.

That said, I'm pleased we're going back to what made us successful recently. Buying well sourced, good players, but not super stars (Bissouma, Vicario, Maddison etc.) and complementing them with good, long term prospects (Philipps).

This would be a nice deal to happen

 

[Reece_Spurs]

I don't see how we can realistically assume there isn't an opportunity cost of money spent. But your point is right generally - we should always consider how investing small amounts of low likelihood future players weighs up on players who will immediately impact the first team.

That said, I'm pleased we're going back to what made us successful recently. Buying well sourced, good players, but not super stars (Bissouma, Vicario, Maddison etc.) and complementing them with good, long term prospects (Philipps).

This would be a nice deal to happen

It should just be done automatically, behind the scenes for any top club really.

Transfer budget for the first team and youth team shouldn't really be even in the same discussion, if you're talking about £15m+ for a youth player, and by that I mean 18 and under then they're either exceptionally good or, the youth recruitment and scouts should have picked them up 2 years ago.

Basically our first team manager shouldn't need to know about most youth transfers unless they're going to break into the first team within the next year or 2, Jude Bellingham levels. But certainly the transfer budget for the first team shouldn't be impacted by youth recruitment.

Not saying it is either, glad we are looking at the best top youth players again, because we literally have some of the best facilities in the world for nurturing young talent.

 

[Tyler24durden]

With regard to the Prof’s ITK:

The couple of players at Sunderland will be Chris Rigg and Tom Watson.

Rigg, at 15 (only just turned 16 last month) has already played for the under 21s.

Watson, at 17, has made his first team debut and snubbed a move to Newcastle.

both are highly rated and wanted by bigger clubs but Sunderland have a great pathway to the first team so I doubt either will be moving anywhere, any time soon.

Adrian Blake was one that we were very interested in at Watford but he has since moved to Utrecht.

 

[dovahkiin]

We are still interested in bringing both in. In an ideal world, that's been the plan from the beginning!

Whether we can make it happen is a completely different matter. But we are certainly trying to do both deals. We should know this week whether that's actually possible.

 

[Archibald&Crooks]

From my POV everything was agreed via intermediaries and agents and then Levy wanted to change the deal to spread the payments(same fee) out over a longer period than we had initially agreed to.

I have since heard(via another source) that this has been done intentionally to delay the deal as we explore other avenues, whilst keeping this one alive, and we will do the original deal if we have to. The second source isn't as close as the first one so not sure if it's true or not.

OK, so there you have it. Now then.........

If anyone thinks this is another opportunity to stick the boot into Willow, here, in this thread, (again) sorry, but I will consider it as your letter of resignation from the ITK forums.

If you absolutely must, get to the right thread for that, 'kay? There's no need to repeat your gripes in here although TBH it's been done to death now hasn't it, why not wait until the window is closed.
Thanks

 

[StanSpur]

Good things come to those who wait, i know we want it sorted but without oil money etc we have to stick to budgets and it feels like Spurs are banking on bringing the Topsoba price down to make both fit within our budget, hopefully risking the VDV by delaying doesnt make wolfsburg pull out

 

[yido_number1]

Good things come to those who wait, i know we want it sorted but without oil money etc we have to stick to budgets and it feels like Spurs are banking on bringing the Topsoba price down to make both fit within our budget, hopefully risking the VDV by delaying doesnt make wolfsburg pull out

Leverkusen look to have some wedge coming in from diaby hopefully that won't mess up the hard work.

 

[Insomnia]

Leverkusen look to have some wedge coming in from diaby hopefully that won't mess up the hard work.

Hard work?

 

[Col_M]

This Week?!!! It’s Thursday today right? And Levy is already in Friday. The verge is nearing!!

 

[HNIM]

This Week?!!! It’s Thursday today right? And Levy is already in Friday. The verge is nearing!!

H88's week begins on Thursday and ends on Wednesday. So you need to chill.

 

[FloridaSpur]

Good things come to those who wait, i know we want it sorted but without oil money etc we have to stick to budgets and it feels like Spurs are banking on bringing the Topsoba price down to make both fit within our budget, hopefully risking the VDV by delaying doesnt make wolfsburg pull out

I think both players have agreed to come, so I don't see too much to worry about.

I would guess the club are just lining up a couple or three player exits so that we have all our ducks in a row.

Ange from what I have read from the tour so far, has admitted that he is looking to strengthen the defence.

Chill I think we have these positions covererd.

COYS!

 

[Hotspur88]

This Week?!!! It’s Thursday today right? And Levy is already in Friday. The verge is nearing!!

We should know this week if both deals are possible from a financial POV. It doesn't mean both would be signed, sealed and delivered by the end of this week. It doesn't even mean one of them would be finalised. We should just hopefully know whether a deal for Tapsoba is viable.

 

[Ginola+Tonic]

We should know this week if both deals are possible from a financial POV. It doesn't mean both would be signed, sealed and delivered by the end of this week. It doesn't even mean one of them would be finalised. We should just hopefully know whether a deal for Tapsoba is viable.

Appreciate the info.

No need to rush though is there

 

[Cheds]

Appreciate the info.

No need to rush though is there

No …likely hoping for discount on deadline day