With the hunt for a new head coach to replace the belatedly-dismissed Dean Smith having finally reached something of a low-key conclusion, any hopes of much transfer activity this January are now even more misplaced, methinks.
So far young left-back Saxon Earley has been recalled from his loan at Stevenage specifically to be sold to Steve Schumacher’s Plymouth Argyle, where, as it stands, he will fall in behind Bali Mumba, who is currently on loan at Home Park from, er, Norwich City, in the left wing-back pecking order.
Earley, who at just 20 never wore the Yellow shirt in battle, immediately told PAFC Official:
“Every time I put on the shirt – whether that is in training or the match – I’ll give everything I’ve got. I like to think I am a hard-working, 100% sort of player – I hope the fans agree! I’ll tackle, I’ll run, I’ll try my best for them.”
He sounds to me like just the sort of youngster we should be recruiting as we appear to be facing another season in the Championship.
Oops!
Otherwise, Aaron Ramsey returns to Villa permanently for rehab as we receive the gift of Przemyslaw Placheta back from Birmingham for the same reason. Thanks, Aaron, you showed some very promising signs of becoming a top player in the not-too-distant future and I’m sure MFW readers will join me in wishing you well. As for PP, is there a player in there somewhere even now? We’ll have to wait and see.
That’s the news at the time of writing so let’s hear what the regular Posse members have to say about the topic:
Alex A‘s view is short and sweet:
“Well, the transfer window is now open and I expect Stuart Webber would be trying to offload some of our stars – if we had any!
“There have been rumours of a new signing, but they seem to have abated.
“I guess the $64,000 question is will Teemu Pukki want to have another chance in the PL? We’d have to wish him well if he is given the opportunity.
“I’d love to see Mumba return, but he seems to be doing very well at Plymouth.”
Alex B thinks this could turn into a last hurrah for Webber:
“If David Wagner turns out to be another dud the braying hoards around Carrow Road will turn on him at full volume and I’m not sure Zoe will be able to help him.
“The owners have had a cushy life. At no time have they received mass criticism. Yes, the media bashes them for self-funding but in general, they are looked at as the benevolent auntie. As with Webber that could all change with the wrong appointment.
“Like so many others, Saxon Earley could have had a future at City under a previous regime and I wish him all the best.
“We have players like Jordan Hugill, Tim Krul, and Milot Rashica that need to be sold albeit at a loss but creating a saving on wages. Christos Tzolis is still able [as in young enough – Martin] to turn his career around and several players are shortly to be out of contract so decisions need to be made on them.
“My concern is that after two seasons we are still looking for a new Olly Skipp and Emi Buendia while our present recruitment team seems unable to fulfill those requirements.”
Cutty is quite rightly not too optimistic either:
“Our immediate-need recruitment has been less than inspiring for the last three seasons and the EFL January sales are now on. Will we be selling a superstar or two to fill our depleted coffers? No! We don‘t have any, so no outgoings of any significance.
“Can we identify and tempt any players that will strengthen the squad enough to win promotion? Well, our recruitment strategy seems to be based on finding long-term investments, so something is badly wrong there and I don‘t see it changing any time soon.
“Equally important and part of the equation, what is our biggest need regarding players?
“Virtually every outfield position has caused problems, there are plenty of excuses, injuries, poor tactics, and square pegs in round holes blah de blah, all of which make it difficult to see where the odd one or two affordable new players would make a significant improvement.
“This is a sorry prognosis but I see little change on the recruitment front. However I hate to start the New Year on an unhappy note so to be upbeat I‘ll say a decent new coaching setup can and will get the existing squad firing on all cylinders and back to winning ways, but no promotion for us this season.”
Bernie Owen doesn’t beat about the bush:
“Norwich are sitting in 11th place as we enter the window and a team so short on confidence it’s embarrassing. Regarding inward transfers, it appears that the cupboard is bare and anything coming in has to be funded by outgoings.
“Todd Cantwell, Max Aarons, and Krul are the obvious ones, but whereas it might have taken £ 25 million to get them this time last year I fear a return of under £10 million if they all go. Rashica could perhaps make his Turkish sojourn permanent and thus return half of his cost.
“Even if £15 million is raised, how much would you trust Webber to buy wisely in a January window? Most of the good stuff will be beyond our budget but it might just be worth testing Plymouth’s resolve over Niall Ennis [no chance, it’d be Ginsters at dawn with their fans if they sold him – Martin].
“Quite how quickly one of the best squads in the Championship has imploded is of great concern, so David Wagner will be in a similar position to that of one Daniel Farke on his arrival. Can lightning strike twice?”
***
The conclusion from the five of us is that there may be a new jockey in the house but the horse is lame and will continue to be so while the current owners and trainers are in situ.
As always, never feel afraid to let us know what you think.
Absolutely spot on all of them.
Hi Andrew
It’s interesting to note that, although asked, not one of the lads suggested a player they thought we might sign, apart from Bernie’s jocular suggestion of Niall Ennis.
Cheers
Maybe Saxon has been bought to replace Bali when he comes back next season.
Hi Mike
That certainly makes sense – from a Plymouth perspective, anyway!
Cheers
Lost count of the times I have read and said, nothing will change, the sticking plasters, may have gone from Poundstore cheapies to the elastoplast . but will eventually wear and drop off.
I do wonder if Wagner has really been told of the predicament he will find himself in, disconnected apathetic fans, a club in lockdown and no money in the coffers . Well done Mr Wagner, it might be an honour, which I hope doesn’t lose it shine for you. We have had Farkeball, Smudgerball are we now going to have Wagball ? It has got to be better that smudger’s. hasn’t it ?
Hi Lad
Yes, I really believe that whatever David Wagner does, Canary life can only be better than it was under Dean Smith and now it is definitely time to move on.
Wagner will know the score, there’s no doubt about that.
Cheers
Well Wagner and his Valkeries had landed with work permits in hand and the first appointment or move was to install Andy Hughes as first team coach a similar position he had at Huddersfield.
Will Anthony Russel be kept on as set piece coach that’s for next week I presume with the management team taking a watching brief for the FA Cup game.
I did see that the assistant manager had been in and around the club most 9f the week trying to put things in place for training, hopefully the ones that had time under Farke will soon get back their mojo but a couple could be in for the shock of their lives.
Hi Alex
I would imagine Hughes was requested by Wagner rather than being foisted on him as like you say they have worked together before.
Will there be room for Steve Weaver? Yes, I’d reckon so.
Alan Russell I am not certain about as judged just as a set piece coach maybe he hasn’t brought that much to the party. You’d have to be on the inside to know for sure but from what we’ve seen on the pitch I’d say his input has been questionable.
I’m sure Wagner will speak with Jurgen Klopp, but ironically he seems to have problems of his own for the first time in a long time!
Cheers
Marty, Wagner seems to have hit the ground running with further changes to the coaching set up so perhaps we might see more movement on the player front than we anticipated. This could be the last chance saloon for him and Webber so where there‘s a will there‘s a way.
Hi Cutty
I’m not so sure about player movement as we can’t change the fact that we’re skint.
I certainly agree that if this doesn’t work out for Webber and Wagner they will basically both be finished in the game and that will leave Webber with only his ego hanging around like the smile of the Cheshire cat.
Our fortune is intertwined with this pairing of course so we have to wish them well but I struggle to find any rapport with the persona of Stuart Webber and fear that will now always be the case. I don’t like how disparaging he has been to the fans. End of.
Cheers
Hopefully Wagner’s buddy Herr Klopp might just see his way clear to loaning us a couple of his up and comings. We’re starting from a low base right now thanks to the man from the Midlands but personally I welcome this appointment, we’ve had a miserable 13 months and I’m just desperate to see a man in the dugout who I believe will engage with the fans once again and hopefully play some half decent football along the way.
Long term change is needed at some stage without doubt but for the moment we all need to get behind Wagner and hopefully enjoy the ride.
Hi Bob
Yeah I guess I kind of welcome the appointment too, but there will be several of us welcoming it simply because it is no longer Dean Smith in charge.
I’m a little more positive than that I’m pleased to say but while the torpidity that is Smith and Jones remains in ownership I cannot get too excited about anything NCFC.
As you say, let’s hope we’ll get some rapport and some half-decent football – I’m quietly confident that we’ll see both.
Cheers
I don’t expect immediate miracles other than players running their socks off as that is the way Wagner wants his players to play and those cannot hack it or can’t be bothered will fall down the pecking order..
I read somewhere that after their first season, both Wagner and Farke had clear outs …. So no reason to expect any different.
As he is close to Klopp, might we get a Liverpool prospect on loan in lieu of Aaron Ramsey .. Other than wages, there should be no transfer fee.
Other reports indicate Rashica is likely to be sold … I would think any transfer fee would be available for Wagner to spend .. It won’t bring in a load of quality players but he may be able to bring in bargain basement alternatives suited to his way of playing.
I would not rule out a play off place due to the quality of the Championship as a whole this season … But I would expect this year to be one of development and finding out who is to stay and who leaves come seasons end
Hi Dave
There is no bigger footballing folly than to spend relatively large on the likes of Rashica and Tzolis only to be backed into a situation whereby you feel forced to loan them out.
A club like ours could have done a lot with €15 million wisely spent., so therefore I agree with you about Rashica.
The trouble we have though is that bargain basement doesn’t apply to Webber’s mindset as there is no resale value in these players and when self funding dictates you must act like Del Boy all the time they have been few and far between.
Paul Lambert had great success going down this route. He inherited Wes and Holty but got great value from so many such players – Anthony Pilkington, Elliot Bennett, Michael Nelson and Steve Morison to name but a few.
I agree the remainder of this season should be focused on development.
Thanks – good post.
So Martin, he’s here!
Personally I’m only a little less underwhelmed than when Webber made his last appointment.
If “gegenpress” is his preferred way, then either the current players have a big shock awaiting them, or they’ll soon be gone.
As you rightly say, we currently have no one who would command the sort of fee needed to execute a personnel change. The depreciation of our current squad over the last 15 months is nothing short of scandalous……in any other business (in any other footballclub!), the board of directiors would have been long gone!
I love my football team as I always have, but the past year has really put that to the test.
I wish him and his backroom team every success, and hope that they are able to bring some decent performances back to us.
O T B C
Hi John
We have at least two qualified accountants who write for MFW and they have never suggested that this current loss is anything other than incompetence in the jolly old recruiting department
The buck stops with one Stuart Webber on this one, I would conclude 🙂
We really must get behind Wagner from the start, although I’m not personally expecting too much from the remainder of this misfiring season.
Cheers
Hi Martin.
Like you Martin I will give David Wagner every chance, for what it is worth😂
After my disastrous support of Deano I best keep quiet.
I have said on here many times recruitment is everything. Klopp or Pep would have no chance in keeping us up last season. Even a risen Brian Clough would have failed.
Hi Tim
Today’s selection has kind of got me a bit interested again!
Cheers
I love a headline with an album reference! As You Were… Liam Gallaghers debut solo album in 2017. In many ways the club is where Liam was when Oasis split up. A fallout with the Big brother and the main influence of the band. Drifting along with no real direction (Beady Eye era) until he took time to reflect and decided to press reset. Then hey presto, a rejuvenated LG, a reconnection with old fans and new young fans engaged. Four years on, 3 #1 Albums, sell out concerts…. there is hope for our club yet 😉
Hi Simon
Liam has done very well for himself – sometimes people forget that he’s only living up to an image whereas in reality he seems to be as sharp as a tack.
I saw the original Oasis twice [once Knebworth, one Cliffs pavillion] and they were superb both times.
So maybe there’s hope for our club yet, as you say.
Cheers – I always enjoy the music-related comments.