I appreciate what you're saying but you don't bid on a player of Pogba's ability and profile as a plan B.

But that would raise a further question of why did the board leave it so late to move onto alternative targets?

The way our transfers were handled was a compete opposite of the slick, fast and successful transfers of the previous year.

It's frustrating that we don't seem to have any momentum with our recruitment.

I'm pretty certain in modern football teams do not bid for players that without some kind of indication it's a viable transfer, either by the player, the club or the agent. Call it tapping up or "due diligence" but no way clubs bit £60m forva player without knowing he would come.

I appreciate what you're saying but you don't bid on a player of Pogba's ability and profile as a plan B.

But that would raise a further question of why did the board leave it so late to move onto alternative targets?

The way our transfers were handled was a compete opposite of the slick, fast and successful transfers of the previous year.

It's frustrating that we don't seem to have any momentum with our recruitment.

I can't really answer that question because I don't really know.

Look I'm a buyer by profession. Call me a plastic fan because that is literally what I buy every day. There are so many grades but I tend to avoid the high range films as they are very expensive, high risk and worst of all everyone wants it. I stand a better chance of buying mid range but if that fails which it can do, I will try my luck and throw a big sum on the high grade material which is not my first choice. No guarantee that I will secure the deal and even though it's a contingency offer, I know the opportunity is there however slim or big it may be.

I don't know how good my analogy was but my point is, unless you are the big cheese e.g Barca you cannot expect to make high end deals in what right now is a sellers market.

We can't do it every year, yes we signed Costa and Cesc early (I didn't see the board get credit for this,only Jose) but it's not possible every year. City last season were rubbish in the transfer window as were many other clubs. It happens at every club in Europe. Whether it be Emanalo or the football men at City Real or Utd, each have failed in a transfer window from time to time. ThAt's football for you.

Also did Jose blame our boards transfers last summer? He seemed pretty confident and happy about Falcao.

The only people I saw him blame was his own title winning squad and the medical staff.

 

José wanted three quality signings and later on he also blamed himself for the extended leave and short pre-season. What were you saying about research? :P

José wanted three quality signings and later on he also blamed himself for the extended leave and short pre-season. What were you saying about research? :P

Managers always want quality signings, I'm sure Jose also wanted Messi but I didn't see him blame the board.

Yes he did blame himself so there we go. Nice work :)

Edited May 17, 201610 yr by KonaKai Blue

Conte needs to work miracles?   We haven't just come up from the championship, nor are we starting with a points deficit, nor do we have players who have never achieved anything.

Roman needs to stand up? I don't know what you mean by that but you certainly couldn't mean releasing more funds?  For what ever people want to say about the scouting, the board, the control of money.. releasing more funds has not been our issue.

I am aware of where we finished last year I did go to most games and we finished 10th, winning only 6 home games, 3 of them against relegated teams. So yeah, let’s hope Conte can do something special if we want to become a champions league team again.

 

When was the last time Roman released money when he needs to?  Mourinho had 5 transfer windows and during this time he only bought in new players from player sales.  This has made our squad bare. Roman has never made it easy for any manager.

 

We do need better players; how can we go into next season with this lot? and so what if they have won things before, that is over a year ago now. In fact, the team has been underperforming and looked tired for 18 months.

I am aware of where we finished last year I did go to most games and we finished 10th, winning only 6 home games, 3 of them against relegated teams. So yeah, let’s hope Conte can do something special if we want to become a champions league team again.

When was the last time Roman released money when he needs to? Mourinho had 5 transfer windows and during this time he only bought in new players from player sales. This has made our squad bare. Roman has never made it easy for any manager.

We do need better players; how can we go into next season with this lot? and so what if they have won things before, that is over a year ago now. In fact, the team has been underperforming and looked tired for 18 months.

Honestly if you made a public campaign about how Jose was hard done by through transfers you would be laughed at.

Our net spend is one of the highest in the league during Jose's time here, also the excuse of player sales is somewhat flawed. Teams use this excuse when they sell players who are valuable to the manager and the squad. Player sales under Jose were big sums for players he didn't want.

Managers always want quality signings, I'm sure Jose also wanted Messi but I didn't see him blame the board.

Yes he did blame himself so there we go. Nice work :)

 

Of course he didn't publicly bash his employers, d'oh! But he did state that he wanted some fresh blood and we all know what he got was Falcao and Pedro as a last minute buy. Not exactly what the team needed.

There were mistakes by everyone but the most glaring was pre season. Everything about it, failure to bring in targets, the preparation and fitness of players. Whole thing was a disaster.

Edited May 18, 201610 yr by Bobbywoodhogan

Of course he didn't publicly bash his employers, d'oh! But he did state that he wanted some fresh blood and we all know what he got was Falcao and Pedro as a last minute buy. Not exactly what the team needed.

As I said before Jose is the kind of man that won't shy away from who he bashes in public. Also he was the one who signed Falcao who if performed well, all credit would've been attributed to Jose.

There were mistakes by everyone but the most glaring was pre season. Everything about it, failure to bring in targets, the preparation and fitness of players. Whole thing was a disaster.

I don't dispute this at all but it's just so unlike Jose to be slack in preseason.  I've seen him say countless times that preseason is the most important time for him as a coach because he thinks A) fitness is vital and B) it's the only time he actually gets to implement his strategies.  Come mid season he felt he could only keep players focused and their skills up, with no time for any wholesale tactical learnings.

A part of me thinks he tried to lighten up and try a different approach in order to remain fresh.

Edited May 18, 201610 yr by Van Butsen

Yeah same here. I think everyone at the club realised the squad was knackered and needed an extended break. I don't think they realised however that they were tired of Jose.

Agreed but what's frustrating is they then had the team go on two post season matches when they were in need to a break.

I guess in a strange world its those US/Asian trips that make these deals with Nike more possible.  Starting to sound a lot less like football

I know one person who will be delighted at Antonio's appointment... Gary Staker's job security has surely increased by a factor of ten.

Well done Conte for recommending JT to stay. A very wise decision.

Well done Conte for recommending JT to stay. A very wise decision.

Has that been confirmed?

If so it's a good sign

Edited May 18, 201610 yr by Chelsbear

Has that been confirmed?

If so it's a good sign

Yes. JT signing the extension if that is what you mean...

Next season is looking prefect for Conte to come in under the radar with Jose and Pep hopefully takin all the media attention no European football so we have a full week to prepare for matches he can definitely get all his ideas across... Lot let's pressure media attention. For a long time hopefully we won't be the media's attention

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Next season is looking prefect for Conte to come in under the radar with Jose and Pep hopefully takin all the media attention no European football so we have a full week to prepare for matches he can definitely get all his ideas across... Lot let's pressure media attention. For a long time hopefully we won't be the media's attention

Great post, you're right about Conte coming in under the radar, that's exactly what our club needs at the moment.

I have pinned this thread now, time to drop the Jose and Hiddink threads and move on, I encourage you all to try and post in here and forget about Jose for now.

 

Were going to be talking a lot about this chap Conte over the coming months.

I have pinned this thread now, time to drop the Jose and Hiddink threads and move on, I encourage you all to try and post in here and forget about Jose for now.

 

Were going to be talking a lot about this chap Conte over the coming months.

 

Even better if there is a way to pin certain threads right at the bottom of the 262 pages of threads lol.

Even better if there is a way to pin certain threads right at the bottom of the 262 pages of threads lol.

 

Well officially Jose and Hiddink have left and thus should be in the 'other football' forum. We'll see how we get on.

Conte has maybe the toughest job of all the managerial appointments since Roman bought the club.

I don't envy the task he has, he's got a huge rebuilding job ahead of him and probably a demand for instant success too.

I'm interested to see what sort of funds are made available to him after a relatively penny pinching couple of summers.

Huge? Our side is not even old and we just won the league. He doesn't even have to worry about squad rotation as there's no Europe. If we can fix our defence and get some support in the middle to take the load of Matic, and have a solid pre-season, we could have a very good season. Remember the Euro's will mean a lot of tired players coming back at the start of the season, so is having no Europe is an even bigger advantage. I'd be shocked if we were lower than 3rd next season.

Conte has maybe the toughest job of all the managerial appointments since Roman bought the club.

I don't envy the task he has, he's got a huge rebuilding job ahead of him and probably a demand for instant success too.

I'm interested to see what sort of funds are made available to him after a relatively penny pinching couple of summers.

Not sure about that, AVB had a pretty impossible job. 

 

I think he will also benefit from reduced expectations but that remains to be seen. 

Edited May 22, 201610 yr by Remodez