The January Transfer Scouting Thread

[Flobadob]

If I was referring to you, chances are I’d quote you.

I remember you calling a group of people that disagreed with your post “morons” and didn’t quote or tag any of them, so perhaps not

 

[wrd]

A player 'who' really wants in this position, You(the fans)? FP? Conte? Levy? Problem right now is everyone wants something different.

For Conte it's about the right player, irrelevant of cost. He couldn't care if that player cost 100mil or was a free transfer.
For Levy it's first and foremost about value for money and risk/reward. Not to mention every bean counter in the back of the picture having an opinion.
For many of the fans it's about the best player possible regardless of whether we could actually get them/cost/fit and in some cases they haven't even seen the player in question.


For FP it's a combination of everything but he has his own strong ideas on what the side needs, and what the players should and shouldn't be able to do, and they are not always the same as Conte's views.

At the end of the day it's the managers job to get things right on the pitch so it should be his decision because it's his head on the chopping block. People keep going on about his contract and I do have a bit of knowledge as to what has and hasn't been offered/discussed. I don't think it's really for the forum right now, but have posted it back of house a few weeks back. I'm more than ready to come in two footed on Levy with what I know, if he deliberately slows things down/blocks stuff to force Conte out which I wouldn't rule out right now. The official line is Conte will be backed but he's still far too friendly with a more submissive ex for my liking.

I appreciate the info, if it does transpire that we did everything we could but he simply wanted to return to Italy then my hope is that he lays the defensive foundations in the team and we hire a forward thinking manager in the same vein of George Graham laying the defensive foundations for Wenger to succeed. I hope that is far down the line though.

 

[Wig]

Or you know.. get somebody to scout them extensively?

Of course. But then you're scouting the player in their current team, my point being you won't know if the player is worth it until they start playing for us and showing what they can do in our team and in our league.

Two contrasting examples, both of which you would think will have been scouted extensively like you say... the majority of us were underwhelmed by Bentancur and he's blown our expectations (alongside Deki) so far. Whereas most of us were salivating at the arrival of Ndombele, and it's turned out the opposite.

 

[citizenG100]

he's still far too friendly with a more submissive ex for my liking

While that could be taken as referring to Conte and Juve, I'm assuming it refers to DL and Poch, in which case it is quite concerning.

 

[HildoSpur]

Of course. But then you're scouting the player in their current team, my point being you won't know if the player is worth it until they start playing for us and showing what they can do in our team and in our league.

Two contrasting examples, both of which you would think will have been scouted extensively like you say... the majority of us were underwhelmed by Bentancur and he's blown our expectations (alongside Deki) so far. Whereas most of us were salivating at the arrival of Ndombele, and it's turned out the opposite.

Signed by two different people though which makes a big difference, we have Paratici now who has a huge say in who comes in. No way would he have sanctioned N'Domebele you would think.

 

[elfy]

We can do that and get one of the best RB prospects in Europe who is already proven at the highest level. Or we can keep slapping 15-25 million on Aurier, Doherty, Emerson type players and go nowhere. We need to as Paratici says “pay the money for a player you really want” in this position. It’s time to stop buying mediocre players

Aurier was a good signing for us at the time. The club outgrew him, not the other way round. It wasnt/isn't that he was mediocre, its that we got better as a team meaning he wasn't at the level to match changing expectations. Not his fault, and he was a very good signing where we were when he came in.
Doc was statistically the best in the league in his position, in a poor Wolves team. He hasn't met those levels with us, but he wasn't a mediocre signing when he came in - everything pointing to it being a canny deal. Didn't work out, thats just football.
Emerson was signed for a different manager, in a different position. Despite his obvious shortcomings, he's cemented the first choice spot (whether people like it or not.) and works/worked bloody hard by all accounts.

None of them, in the context of when we signed them were 'mediocre' signings.

We are also not a club that will 'just pay the money' - nor, in fact are 99% of clubs in the land.

 

[King of the Lane]

Well, Trix's post is a bit depressing if things transpire like that. Let's hope Levy doesn't mess things up, Conte continues to be backed and we get some good players in Jan.

 

[Trix]

While that could be taken as referring to Conte and Juve, I'm assuming it refers to DL and Poch, in which case it is quite concerning.

This.

 

[djhotspur]

A player 'who' really wants in this position, You(the fans)? FP? Conte? Levy? Problem right now is everyone wants something different.

For Conte it's about the right player, irrelevant of cost. He couldn't care if that player cost 100mil or was a free transfer.
For Levy it's first and foremost about value for money and risk/reward. Not to mention every bean counter in the back of the picture having an opinion.
For many of the fans it's about the best player possible regardless of whether we could actually get them/cost/fit and in some cases they haven't even seen the player in question.


For FP it's a combination of everything but he has his own strong ideas on what the side needs, and what the players should and shouldn't be able to do, and they are not always the same as Conte's views.

At the end of the day it's the managers job to get things right on the pitch so it should be his decision because it's his head on the chopping block. People keep going on about his contract and I do have a bit of knowledge as to what has and hasn't been offered/discussed. I don't think it's really for the forum right now, but have posted it back of house a few weeks back. I'm more than ready to come in two footed on Levy with what I know, if he deliberately slows things down/blocks stuff to force Conte out which I wouldn't rule out right now. The official line is Conte will be backed but he's still far too friendly with a more submissive ex for my liking.

Thanks for the info as always trix. Very concerning indeed.

 

[Timberwolf]

At the end of the day it's the managers job to get things right on the pitch so it should be his decision because it's his head on the chopping block. People keep going on about his contract and I do have a bit of knowledge as to what has and hasn't been offered/discussed. I don't think it's really for the forum right now, but have posted it back of house a few weeks back. I'm more than ready to come in two footed on Levy with what I know, if he deliberately slows things down/blocks stuff to force Conte out which I wouldn't rule out right now. The official line is Conte will be backed but he's still far too friendly with a more submissive ex for my liking.

This is a little concerning.

Like, obviously it makes sense to consider Poch as a potential option if things break down with Conte or whatever, but I think it would be very unwise to go any further than that.

If and when Conte leaves we should appoint the best available manager on the market, not have Poch lined up as a replacement. I love Pochettino, but I think going back would probably be a mistake and if we do re-appoint him it should be because he's genuinely the best option there is rather than sentimental reasons and club connection.

Whatever happens going forward, Levy needs to avoid the temptation to be too clever. Most of his best decisions are when he makes a simple, logical moves that are somewhat forced upon him. The Jol, Poch and Harry appointments all fit into this bracket. It's when he tries to be a bit too clever that things go tits up, like bringing in AVB, Ramos and, to a lesser degree, appointing a washed up Mourinho who was always his white whale.

If he thinks he can somehow magic back the good vibes of 2016 Spurs by getting Poch back in to play attacking, vibrant football, I think he could be in for a big reality check.

 

[Darth Vega]

This is a little concerning.

Like, obviously it makes sense to consider Poch as a potential option if things break down with Conte or whatever, but I think it would be very unwise to go any further than that.

If and when Conte leaves we should appoint the best available manager on the market, not have Poch lined up as a replacement. I love Pochettino, but I think going back would probably be a mistake and if we do re-appoint him it should be because he's genuinely the best option there is rather than sentimental reasons and club connection.

Whatever happens going forward, Levy needs to avoid the temptation to be too clever. Most of his best decisions are when he makes a simple, logical moves that's somewhat forced upon him. The Jol, Poch and Harry appointments all fit into this bracket. It's when he tries to be a bit too clever that things go tits up, like bringing in AVB, Ramos and, to a lesser degree, appointing a washed up Mourinho who was always his white whale.

What's even more worrying is that I doubt any return of Poch will be borne out of sentimentality, not from Levy's side at least. Levy saw Pochettino perform miracles on a shoestring budget and the cynic in me thinks that Levy is rubbing his hands at the prospect of spending next to nothing again with the idea that Poch will manage to do the same.

What's so frustrating is that we're seeing what a bit of money during that era would have done for us in the form of Arsenal. The similarities are so clear but they've backed Arteta with way more money (hundreds of millions) and in half the time compared to Poch's reign here.

 

[Led Revolver]

All this points to ENIC’s sole focus being on revenue from CL qualification and not on winning things. This will ultimately be what finishes Conte off.

Conte can get CL qualification of course, but Poch did it cheaper..

Depressing.

 

[Led Revolver]

What's even more worrying is that I doubt any return of Poch will be borne out of sentimentality, not from Levy's side at least. Levy saw Pochettino perform miracles on a shoestring budget and the cynic in me thinks that Levy is rubbing his hands at the prospect of spending next to nothing again with the idea that Poch will manage to do the same.

What's so frustrating is that we're seeing what a bit of money during that era would have done for us in the form of Arsenal. The similarities are so clear but they've backed Arteta with way more money (hundreds of millions) and in half the time compared to Poch's reign here.

Sorry - just saw this after I’d posted.

 

[Gspurs11]

I'm hoping the axe dangling over Levy's head if Conte fails to work out is enough to keep him on track. Think a few of our ITK's intimated that, with Lewis' daughter coming in to replace? Who knows, but if Conte walks, I don't think the supporters won't take it

 

[HildoSpur]

All this points to ENIC’s sole focus being on revenue from CL qualification and not on winning things. This will ultimately be what finishes Conte off.

Conte can get CL qualification of course, but Poch did it cheaper..

Depressing.

He didn't do it cheaper at all. Where are you inventing this?

 

[Timberwolf]

I'm hoping the axe dangling over Levy's head if Conte fails to work out is enough to keep him on track. Think a few of our ITK's intimated that, with Lewis' daughter coming in to replace? Who knows, but if Conte walks, I don't think the supporters won't take it

This is exactly why I'm worried about Levy trying to be too clever.

If, for whatever reason, he thinks Conte isn't right for us long term, you can see him lining up a Poch return as his 'get out of jail free card' against the inevitable backlash.

"Look, I know it didn't work out with Antonio, but look who I got back! The guy you all love!!"

It's the kind of thing that makes sense if you view football in very simplistic terms - "Poch was very good for us once therefore he will be just as good for us again!" - but in reality could very easily backfire.

 

[Led Revolver]

Being the only team not to sign a players in 2/3 transfer windows is probably a start..

You can’t compare them both pound for pound. Poch was here for 5 years and gained CL consistently, spending very little to reach that. Last summer, we spend a substantial amount - not wisely in some cases.

 

[felmani26]

Naturally I get that there is sensitive information shared behind the scenes that's not suitable for public consumption (yet) but there does seem more than a whiff of the air of inevitability here surrounding an eventual breakdown between Conte and Levy (and by extension, the board) with the clamour to bring back Poch as some way to appease the fan base whilst simultaneously allowing some breathing room in the finance department which Conte will rightly be demanding.

None of this is appealing to me whatsoever and if it comes to pass that Levy has sought the 'easy' option in not backing Conte sufficiently then he and the board of directors can royally go fuck themselves.

 

[Timberwolf]

He didn't do it cheaper at all. Where are you inventing this?

I mean he did.

Apart from the belated blowout on Lo Celso, Ndombele and Sess - who combined got about 8 appearances under Poch - we were pretty stingy in the Poch years. Our net spend was next to nothing until Poch's final season yet we got top 4 consistently and a CL final to boot.

We've already got a net spend of like £150m under Conte in just over a year.

 

[HildoSpur]

I mean he did.

Apart from the belated blowout on Lo Celso, Ndombele and Sess - who combined got about 8 appearances under Poch - we were pretty stingy in the Poch years. Our net spend was next to nothing until Poch's final season yet we got top 4 consistently and a CL final to boot.

We've already got a net spend of like £150m under Conte in just over a year.

So if we ignore the really expensive signings we made under Poch, he didn't spend as much as Conte? That's your argument?