Had a buddy of mine (Spuds fan) tell me that most of out "new guys" this year were AVB targets when he was here. I believe Lukaku and KDB were signed when he was here. Willian and Schurrle we linked to Chelsea while he was here. Just wondering if this is somewhat true?

Think its more a case of a Spuds fan wanting to talk about who they almost signed, again.

 

But, I will say there could be some truth in it considering how close WIllian appeared to be joining Spuds this summer.  However, I also thought that it was the Emenalo's job to help identify and bring in players, no?

Think its more a case of a Spuds fan wanting to talk about who they almost signed, again.

But, I will say there could be some truth in it considering how close WIllian appeared to be joining Spuds this summer. However, I also thought that it was the Emenalo's job to help identify and bring in players, no?

I dont know if anybody really know what Emenalo does?

I know,  but I have read throughout the years since he joined that he is part of a team that identifies, sometimes via collaboration with the board, talent that he feels should be brought in to CHelsea.  The level of engagement with the manager is still up for debate, and rightly so considering how short the average manager's terms appears to be at Chelsea.  I've read that he'll work to identify positions that need strengthening, and then work with the manager to select a list of players that have been "pre approved" by the board to then go and sign.

 

Who knows what goes on in the back rooms of CFC, but this does make some sense. 

Wouldn't be surprised if that was the case considering the type of players he wanted during his time here

I just feel like we have assembled AVB's team with the style of players that he likes. Now Jose is back and that style/players don't really meet his eye. (Van ginkel aside, he seemed to be a Jose signing)

I remember this when we signed KdB from Genk:

 

 

AVB has stressed today that KDB will be a one for the club and not necessarily one of his own personal targets. He said:
 

'He is a player that the club has scouted for quite some time, and was interested in for quite some time. I am a manager who respects club policies as well and when the club has to plan for the future, being with this manager and any other manager, I think Kevin is an extremely interesting player and is a good bet if the club finishes the situation.

http://www.chelseadaft.org/2012/01/kevin-de-bruyne-club-signing-and-not.html

It's not just us, every club has targets that are identified whilst one manager is in charge and then finally signed long after that manager has left.  I bet some of the players we've signed recently were targets before AVB was manager.

Big clubs like ourselves will have detailed reports on pretty much every capable young player playing professionally on the planet. If you can find them on Youtube, Football Manager or wherever, you can guarantee the scouts that get paid well to analyse these players (like our own) will have reports on them.

 

AVB came from a scouting background, so I can understand the link, but it's silly to suggest our newest signings were "his" targets. The club will have been looking at all of them closely for a long time.

I remember this when we signed KdB from Genk:

 

http://www.chelseadaft.org/2012/01/kevin-de-bruyne-club-signing-and-not.html

 

Exactly, I like that we've given Spurs a complex but KDB and Lukaku were not AVB's signings - and even if he did sign Lukaku, Romelu really disliked him.  Still seems like Emenalo, for better and for worse, is the main person driving signings.

They may well have been club targets while AVB was here but that doesn't necessarily mean they were his targets. It's been some time since the manager at this club had full control over transfers. Look at the Schurrle deal, we were in for him long before Mourinho was confirmed as manager.

He was a scout by trade, wasn't he?

With the Bale money, he has made some very solid signings (definitely put King Kenny to shame), whether he is able to integrate them into his system it's still to be seen.

I am one that thought AVB was done wrong here. He needed time. Don't get me wrong I love that Jose is back. I am pumped but I think AVB could have done well here. He seems to be building the Spuds squad the way he wants and he has time/less pressure there. I really think they will finish top 4 ahead of arsenal this year. My concern about Chelsea is that we spent a couple years buying players based on an attractive, attacking style and now Jose is here and we all know his style. I wonder how many players will slowly get the boot? It may take some time, especially with young players, to be a real force.

I am one that thought AVB was done wrong here. He needed time. Don't get me wrong I love that Jose is back. I am pumped but I think AVB could have done well here. He seems to be building the Spuds squad the way he wants and he has time/less pressure there. I really think they will finish top 4 ahead of arsenal this year. My concern about Chelsea is that we spent a couple years buying players based on an attractive, attacking style and now Jose is here and we all know his style. I wonder how many players will slowly get the boot? It may take some time, especially with young players, to be a real force.

i agreed with you on AVB being treated harshly, and then you had to talk about Mourinho's 'style'... Top managers play whichever style is necessary to win a game, i dont buy into this 'Mourinho is a defensive manager' nonsense. With attacking players in our squad, he will play attacking football the majority of the time. Only weak managers have a style that they stick to religiously, as they arent intelligent enough to think of other ways to win a football match. Think Pulis, Allardyce, Guardiola, Wenger etc

Another case of people flip flopping between "Manager signings" and "Club signings" when it suits them. Player doing well? Disgraced manager signed him. Not doing well? Club signed behind the managers back again do they never learn.

 

Round and round we go. Do the managers have a say in signings or not? Emenalo, Manager or Abramovic signing when it suits the narrative.

 

We'll never know the truth.

Edited August 29, 201312 yr by Stim

 My concern about Chelsea is that we spent a couple years buying players based on an attractive, attacking style and now Jose is here and we all know his style. I wonder how many players will slowly get the boot? It may take some time, especially with young players, to be a real force.

You saw the way he played at Madrid, right? Was that what you would call Jose`s style?

i agreed with you on AVB being treated harshly, and then you had to talk about Mourinho's 'style'... Top managers play whichever style is necessary to win a game, i dont buy into this 'Mourinho is a defensive manager' nonsense. With attacking players in our squad, he will play attacking football the majority of the time. Only weak managers have a style that they stick to religiously, as they arent intelligent enough to think of other ways to win a football match. Think Pulis, Allardyce, Guardiola, Wenger etc

I love Jose as much as the next guy, but you surely can't tell me that the way we set up at OT wasn't defensive/negative? Bringing on Mikel for Schurrle and Azpilicueta for Hazard at the end of the game when we're level is pretty negative. The way we killed off the game against Hull in the second half was also quite typical of Jose - effective, but really crap to watch. Ancelotti and Hiddink (best two we've had in between Jose's spells) didn't do that, and both delivered results.

 

Also you called Guardiola and Wenger weak managers... heh.

Another case of people flip flopping between "Manager signings" and "Club signings" when it suits them. Player doing well? Disgraced manager signed him. Not doing well? Club signed behind the managers back again do they never learn.

Round and round we go. Do the managers have a say in signings or not? Emenalo, Manager or Abramovic signing when it suits the narrative.

We'll never know the truth.

This is absolutely how it is. Someway we just decide without any knowledge what so ever who is signed by who and sometimes we collectively agree it is so.

I think Emenalo is responsible of the signings but he consults a number of people and it doesn't mean it was initially his idea. Then they collectively decide who we should try to sign. I think this group is him, manager, Gourlay, Roman and scouts.

I think the immediate need of a certain player comes from the manager and the signings for the future come from Emenalo.

Again I have no idea how it really goes. This just sounds sensible to me.

It's more than likely discussed at length in board meetings among responsible staff, like any work place.

All I know is that Mata and Romeu were his recommendations, along with a few other such as Moutinho. Whether the club were already looking at them beforehand is anyone's guess.  So no, it's probably not "most" as most of AVB's suggestions were generally rejected or they just didn't work out for various reasons.

I love Jose as much as the next guy, but you surely can't tell me that the way we set up at OT wasn't defensive/negative? Bringing on Mikel for Schurrle and Azpilicueta for Hazard at the end of the game when we're level is pretty negative. The way we killed off the game against Hull in the second half was also quite typical of Jose - effective, but really crap to watch. Ancelotti and Hiddink (best two we've had in between Jose's spells) didn't do that, and both delivered results.

 

Also you called Guardiola and Wenger weak managers... heh.

Horses for courses though, one game where he felt the need to inhibit our play does not mean he will do it every game. In Spain he had madrid playing attacking football and scoring record amounts of goals because he knew they could do that against the majority of teams. 

You saw the way he played at Madrid, right? Was that what you would call Jose`s style?

 

This argument absolutely never ends does it? I must have imagined that first half against Villa

 

I realize the majority of playing time so far this season has been pretty dour and cagey, but this team clearly hasnt gotten going yet. 

This argument absolutely never ends does it? I must have imagined that first half against Villa

 

I realize the majority of playing time so far this season has been pretty dour and cagey, but this team clearly hasnt gotten going yet. 

And the first half against Hull, well most of it. Its a bloody stupid argument coming from opposition fans, and even more bloody stupid coming from our own. Jose doesnt have a style, unless its a winning stlye. He plays whats in front of him, if he thinks they can take a team apart early then he sets them out to do that. If he believes a team has an edge he will attempt to take that edge away, if he thinks we need to be pragmatic then he sets them up for that. He does what needs to be done to win, and if he believes that means attacking all guns blazing then we do. 

Horses for courses though, one game where he felt the need to inhibit our play does not mean he will do it every game. In Spain he had madrid playing attacking football and scoring record amounts of goals because he knew they could do that against the majority of teams. 

Of course it doesn't. What it does show, though, is that he is a more defensive/cautious/reactive manager than the likes of Carlo and Hiddink who looked to take the game to the opposition in the vast majority of games. Yes, Hiddink was the first to completely nullify Barca with disciplined defending, but he did that against possibly the greatest team ever, not this Manure squad...