Oh My, how the times have changed.
We’ve just signed a young lad from Rochdale called Dan Adshead, for, it’s suggested, around £300,000. He’s 17-years-old and Rochdale Chief Executive David Bottomley had this to say about it:
‘On behalf of the Chairman and Board of Directors at Rochdale AFC, I would like to thank Dan for his contribution to the Club, including helping us retain our League One status in the last two seasons.
‘Whilst we are very sad that Dan is leaving us, we are immensely proud of all of our coaching staff at the Academy and the Club that have helped Dan become the wonderful player he is. We are excited to see Dan join a Premier Club with a great history, and wish him the very best for the future.’
Which kind of leads me to think this is exactly where our future quite literally lies. Find ’em. develop ’em, play ’em and if push comes to shove ditch ’em or at some point sell the best of ’em on for a huge profit.
Is that just a touch callous? Maybe.
But I would so much rather we spent our money on players such as Adshead – look at what Max Aarons and Jamal Lewis have achieved. Both recruited into the Academy from Luton and they must be worth well north of £20 million between them.
I cannot remember who signed James Maddison (somebody I admire at every level, not just on the pitch). Alex Neil refused to play him, which certainly says something. But, let’s be honest, who of us could have predicted just how good he would become?
And the admirable Mr Godfrey, signed from York City for a kiss on the bum and a packet of wine gums – MFW TV Week may be over but the odd Python reference never comes amiss.
Four of the top six are apparently swarming around him for something like £15 million. What might his value be after an impressive season in the Premier League – double that?
Sign the new contract Ben – you know you want to! Every City fan in the world surely wants you to.
Sure some didn’t work out, such as Tristan Abrahams, Pierre Fonkeu and Conor McGrandles but it’s a bit akin to spread betting wherein small stakes can lead to a high return. You win a few, you lose a few.
In terms of restating the bleedin’ obvious, look how much was wasted on Steven Naismith, RvW and Yanic Wildschut. Twenty million quid, that’s how much. Which roughly equates to our entire transfer budget for the coming season.
Absolutely everybody I speak to and everything I read on NCFC-related media would say this is a strategy that will work. And all of us seem perfectly happy with it. I know I am.
Marquee signings are a thing of the past and most of us are delighted.
Whatever happens in the forthcoming season, the commitment of the players and the spirit within the squad will remain. I doubt any of us wants to see a Fancy Dan come along and ruin the camaraderie. I know Stuart Webber and Daniel Farke don’t.
Whether David Turnbull will be a new name for us to contend with remains to be seen. Rumours that the Motherwell attacking midfielder was City bound appear to be premature, but it seems clear that Stuart Webber has thrown our hat into the ring. One to watch.
Switching to potential exits, there are only two that cross my mind. Ben Marshall and Nelson.
Both appear to have issues and would be better off at other clubs. Fact.
Millwall don’t want Marshall, so therefore neither do we. Reading do want Nelson, and we don’t want to pay the final year of his excessive wages. Get rid of both even if it means taking a big hit – Marshall still has three years on his contract I believe but there must be somebody out there who would take him.
I’ll finish as I started… with this.
I vividly remember the announcement of Godfrey’s signing which as I recollect was for money. McNally said “One for the future” and brought a storm on his head with tweeters saying we wanted first team players as if they either or. Also the cliche of the time, which I can only ever read in the voice of a whiny three year old, “We want a striker”.
It was a leap of faith to see a huge benefit in this policy when our Premier League status was under threat but it was part of that big strategic shift that began under Hughton and McNally towards sustainability with the upgrading of Colney and more time with the Academy. It was a defining time and now we see that policy in full flourish.
Another good example is Loius Thompson. Despite his horrific injury problems, we have seen enough to know that he is some player.
Hi Andrew.
David McNally did indeed begin the concept of “sustainability” and although I don’t do Twitter myself I too vividly recollect the attitude of some towards the Godfrey acquisition.
McNally divided opinion but I personally found his tenure a positive one.
Louis Thompson has indeed been cursed with a variety of injuries but to me, if he can stay fit, he could well become the natural successor to Alex Tettey.
Add in the likes of Simon Power and Adam Idah and this seems a very satisfying direction to be moving in.
A great comment and thanks.
Great article as usual Mr P.
NO way could Alex Neil have played JM – it would have meant he had to drop Naismith for that to happen!!!!
You mention the triumvirate of Aarons, Lewis and Godfrey, who as you say were signed for around a total of £500,000 and must now be worth a combined £50M – that is some ROI!!!
Like you (and I’m sure EVERY NCFC fan), I sincerely hope that the aforementioned youngsters will have at least next season playing in yellow and green. Yes, they could all move this Transfer Window and get a decent transfer fee/pay rise, but wait at least a year and the rewards will be much much higher. Also, by staying at NR1,,they are pretty much guaranteed to be either playing or in the match day squad for every game.
JM made the right choice by moving to Leicester in the first instance.
It’s great to see that the club is still sticking to its recruitment policy and I’d be amazed if we see us paying more than £5M for ANY player.
Only 7 weeks tomorrow until the team walks out at Anfield in front of millions watching around the world.
Bring it on!!
Hi Ed
You nail it when you say: “Yes, they could all move this Transfer Window and get a decent transfer fee/pay rise, but wait at least a year and the rewards will be much, much higher”.
The rewards will then benefit both the players and indeed the Club.
I reckon 90 per cent of us plus were glad to see Madders get the move he merited and – at that time – for NCFC to get the cash we so badly needed.
Totally agree we are unlikely to go over £5million for any individual.
Thanks for a good comment.
Hi Martin
A good read as usual.
Went to Old Trafford and had a great day’s cricket on Tuesday – just a little sunburn on the bald patch.
Read on a site today that the Turnbull deal is done but not sure on this myself, it also said he would be loaned out to a Championship club to adapt to football down south.
The club mentioned was Sheff Wed, so that it would aid in the recruitment of Rhodes seems a complicated way of doing things.
The young lad from Rochdale got glowing reports from ex-City player Ian Henderson, who says he has been his mentor since he started training with the first-team so all bides well hopefully for his future.
Another player that could be off to pastures new is James Husband.
Rumours are City trying to get a player from Southampton on the cheap and every German player that has some connection to Farke. I would possibly like the upgrade on Tettey by the name of Marvin Bakalorz, others are Will Vaulks, Sonny Kittel and Elvis Rexhbecaj.
Still lots of work to do prior to the kick-off.
Onwards and Upwards
OTBC
? Elvis, Marvin and Sonny? Farke should be able to get a tune out of them.
Hope it’s a great one
Hi Chris
When we walk the dogs at Sloughbottom with Geezer (Butler) we have often been in the company of Buddy (Rich?), Jimmy (Page?) and the late-lamented Elvis – a Rottweiler who was well-known as the host in a charity shop in The Lanes for several years until his recent demise.
What a band that could have been.
They only rehearsed Hound Dog and it didn’t really work.
Hi Alex
You were lucky to get tickets to enjoy the cricket – a couple I know and another mate got absolutely zilch.
Sunburn doesn’t bother me after much time on Mallorca and the occasional outbreak of rays on Trimingham beach but I know what you mean:-)
I reckon the David Turnbull situation is just that, as in just a situation.
We’ll have to wait and see but if he does come I’m sure he’ll have had a more thorough personality evaluation than when you joined the RAF and I joined Old Bill!
I’m ashamed to say I’d totally forgotten about James Husband.
Thanks as always.
My son got the tickets via ICC web but were surprised when we got there were official kiosks selling tickets and it was only 3/4 full.
Fleetwood have said via Barton that they are interested in Husband permanently would he drop 2 leagues and possibly a pay cut to get a move.
Turnbull has been called a money grabber by the Celtic Asst Manager(Kennedy) but is it his agent trying to boost his client a big pay day.
Monks gone at Brum the CEO has really hammered him
1) Getting sacked has made him a very rich man.
2) He wantedhis best friend to arrange all the transfers in and out
3) Wanted best friend agency to have first option on signing youth players up
CEO said that would be a bad business having only one agent dealing with transfers, strange it has one toobad at wolves.
Onwards and upwards
OTBC
Thoughtful stuff, Martin.
One of the most fascinating aspects of our promotion was how Farke and Webber would approach the transfer market.
Thus far, we must have been linked, however tenuously with more than 100 players. Seasoned City watchers like ourselves would know instantly that the vast majority of these links are the half baked invention of journalists/agents/ players intent on drumming up some interest. £15M for Mignolet? Joe Hart on £40k per week? Jog on.
The latest rumour surrounding David Turnbull seems a little premature. The plethora of stories appearing in the national media will not have originated from our end, leading me to believe that Turnbull is fishing for bites having been too rich for Celtics blood. John Kennedy of Celtic has today intimated that Turnbull is a money grabber.
Webbers recent comments regarding our budget being “the lowest in premier league history” are of concern. Premier league history stretches back decades when budgets were far more circumspect so quite what point he was trying to make I’m not sure. The figure of £20m including wages would disappoint many a championship manager this summer. I’m firmly in your camp when it comes to signings such as the Rochdale lad, along with Hondermarck, Ahadme, Power, Mourgas etc. It looks highly likely that we have another crop growing in the vein of Godfrey, Aarons, Madisson and Lewis. Fantastic news for the club and its potential for growth.
However, should the opportunity arise to sign the right player for 7 or 8 million to enhance the team as well as provide a sound investment it should be taken. Let’s not go down the road of pleading too much poverty – we are after all a premier league club.
Hi Chris
We’re both on the same hymnsheet I would say.
The old red flag went up for me regarding Turnbull over the Celtic issue. I often state on MFW that I am a Bhoys follower and a message I got from a Scots friend is that Parkhead offered to increase his wages x20 but his agent was still holding out for more.
Whether it was Neil Lennon or the finance guys I do not know but Celtic weren’t prepared to be held to ransom and blew the “deal” out of the water.
There’s rumours that Grant Hanley and Jamal share the same agent. True? Probably.
I might have been misinformed or read this one wrong but the one thing Stuart Webber will not countenance is an unsuitable deal as been proven so many times.
Knowing me I’ve got it wrong and Turnbull will be here by tonight:-)
Thank you.
Truthful stuff as usual on MFW, although it seems there are still some City supporters who don’t get it. A cursory look across social media yesterday came up with several “Never heard of him, so he must be rubbish”, “He’s not on my radar, so he must be rubbish” and “He’s from Scotland, so he must be rubbish” regarding Turnbull. Webber and co have had 4 1/2 windows to try to get the point across – WE WILL NOT BE SIGNING PLAYERS FOR MULTI-MILLIONS on stupidly long and expensive contracts.
Incidentally, along with the Mignolet “rumour” my personal favourite this summer has been Daniel Sturridge being released by Liverpool so we should sign him up now!!
Hi BB.
My favourite close-season rumour is actually Joe Hart, although I agree that Mignolet and particularly Sturridge run it close:-)
If I didn’t have a couple of Celtic mates I probably wouldn’t have heard of David Turnbull either; but in this case I’ve been aware of him for a while. Celtic really wanted him but wouldn’t let (presumably) his agent take the juice.
If it doesn’t happen so be it. No skin off the Canary beak.
Thanks very much.
Great article Martin.
I’ve never felt so sure that we will NOT sign over-paid/over-priced player than under the current regime, and I’m very impressed with the in-comings so far.
The Turnbull one is interesting, but I’m confident it will only happen if the figures are right for us.
Yes, last year at this time Maddison HAD to be sold, and how satisfying is it that he opted for the right club for that stage in his career…..look at those who now covet him, and the potential price he may fetch, which I’m sure we will get a cut of.
Worth remembering too that Josh Murphy was sold last close season to help plug the finances…..I personally doubt if either of the Murphy boys would get into our starting eleven nowadays.
O T B C
Hi John
I totally agree with you about the brothers Murphy.
Emi and Onel have so much more to offer and while the former tracks back more effectively than the latter both make a conspicuous effort which neither Jacob or Josh ever did. With the arrival of Pat Roberts they might struggle to make the bench.
Considering what we achieved for them it was great business to let them go when we did.
As we’ve both said the deal with Madders was spot on for everybody – James himself, Norwich and Leicester. Look at the minutes he got last season – that gave me a big smile.
We’ve done really well out of him already (and he equally trusted us during the transition period) so any further cut is an absolute bonus to my mind. Surely England recognition beckons.
Who will be next? Idah, Adshead, Simon Power? I don’t know – maybe none of them – but it’s so much better than signing the Naismiths of this world.
Thanks as always.
Good stuff, Martin.
Like everything else involving Stuart Webber, there’s clarity of thought at work here. Our recruitment is steadfastly a mix of filling current needs and investment for the future. With Farke’s record of developing and blooding young players, it’s a doubly smart strategy (actually that should be the other way round – we recruited Farke in part because the strategy is key for Norwich City and we needed someone to make the most of it).
Bringing in young talents will remain a big part of our approach. But not the only one: I expect us to sign a couple of experienced players in the coming weeks. Just not on £120,000 a week….
Hi Stew,
You’re absolutely right in that the mix of currency and future investment we have displayed in the recent past will include a couple or three experienced folks coming in soon.
Maybe if we knock the first digit from your £1,20,000 figure we should be almost bang on the mark I reckon:-)
Thank you.
Wise words @John re the Murphy twins.
I’m sure most of us remember the howls of ‘where are the goals going to come from next season’ a year ago when both JMs were sold and we ended up practically doubling the GF column compared to the 17-18 season. I predicted >80 goals in September and should have put a bet on it!!!
Turnbull’s an interesting one. I hope the ‘difficult attitude’ is down to the agent and not the player. The lad seems to have all the skills and potential, but has he the personal skill set to get the best out of himself , and not the best deal for himself.
Hi Bernie
Doesn’t seem to be a concern any more.
It would seem the Bhoys have changed their mind:-)
Thanks pal.