So what’s stopping the flood of new arrivals ordered by Neil

[weasel]

From what I saw of Thompson he isn't really ready yet - deffo need a stronger option or I can't see us challenging for promotion. Ideally for me we'd have Lees as 3rd choice centreback too although hopefully, if he does start, he will continue to develop and forge a good partnership with Pearce.

I think Warnock likes the sound of his own voice and knows what to say to get the fans excited. He would probably make a good politician with all the promises and little actually delivered (so far).

[white.riot]

From what I saw of Thompson he isn't really ready yet - deffo need a stronger option or I can't see us challenging for promotion. Ideally for me we'd have Lees as 3rd choice centreback too although hopefully, if he does start, he will continue to develop and forge a good partnership with Pearce.

I think Warnock likes the sound of his own voice and knows what to say to get the fans excited. He would probably make a good politician with all the promises and little actually delivered (so far).

I had a worrying text from the LUST front line last night - much talk of insolvency and so on as you might imagine but the bit which really pricked my ears up was a bit which ended 'Colin is not the future, he is a thuggish chiropodist'. Now, if my friends in the Bates out vanguard have turned, things don't look too great for Blackwell's mentor. Always said he needs a cracking start. If he doesn't get it the LUFC crowd will turn. Biggest job he's ever had and now he knows that 'hello I'm Mr wonderful, did you see what I did at Notts County' doesn't turn things round at a big club with big expectations. This one has epic written all over it.

[Emsley]

[
My only criticism with Warnock is why build up all this hype about signing players and talk so publicly about the build up to your holiday when your holiday is in an important period?

He obviously thought he could get the players in - warnock is there for one thing to gain promotion, he said the squad was crap and needed major surgery.
He must of been confident of getting them in only to hit a stumbling block at the last second and from what we have gathered --- yup you know its him.

[Bakerjamessteven]

Well thought through post weasel, the only problem being that you assume that money received from player sales will be made available to buy replacements. The history of the last several years argues against that.

That is very true GW.. Makes me sad that our club as show very little commitment in buying players

[Bakerjamessteven]

Ever since Ward has been named as a target, he has been a must get for the club. We lose out on him and we've missed a big opportunity. Haven't heard many discussions on whether he is the right man. It seems more of a "we need to get him to prove we are better than all the other Championship teams in for him" scenario. He could well turn out to be a Paynter or a Vayrynen and never really have much impact?

My only criticism with Warnock is why build up all this hype about signing players and talk so publicly about the build up to your holiday when your holiday is in an important period? Why not go on your holiday a week or two ago? I'm sure it would have been easier to relax. Unless there is business to this holiday.

Hi mango

I agree with everything u a said about ward. But I was just wondering if there could be a bit of a scotting mission on NW holiday???? You never know, well I hope so.

[weasel]

My only criticism with Warnock is why build up all this hype about signing players and talk so publicly about the build up to your holiday when your holiday is in an important period? Why not go on your holiday a week or two ago? I'm sure it would have been easier to relax. Unless there is business to this holiday.

Perhaps he booked his holiday for after the play-offs - after all he probably booked it a few months back after the full time whistle had gone when he made all the difference against Doncaster cos it was crucial as he alone could get us in the play-offs

[Bakerjamessteven]

From what I saw of Thompson he isn't really ready yet - deffo need a stronger option or I can't see us challenging for promotion. Ideally for me we'd have Lees as 3rd choice centreback too although hopefully, if he does start, he will continue to develop and forge a good partnership with Pearce.

I think Warnock likes the sound of his own voice and knows what to say to get the fans excited. He would probably make a good politician with all the promises and little actually delivered (so far).

Lees 3rd choice ??? To who and what ???

[Gino 1959]

Lees 3rd choice ??? To who and what ???

I share your indignation. Never heard of these two.

[The Subhuman]

I share your indignation. Never heard of these two.

Who's on first

[Gino 1959]

Who's on first

Once where, why and when become our first choice midfield will I really start to despair.

[markolufc]

We all love signings mate but as a Leeds supporter I felt humiliated by our fall from the top of the Prem into admin. I don't feel humiliated by a lack of signings. Similarly I don't buy the need for wholesale change. A small number of quality signings would be my preference. So there's plenty of time. And if the signings don't come I'll not lose sleep. We were 3 points off a play off place when Colin arrived. We don't need a lot but we do need good coaching and we do need to toughen up mentally and physically. The latter two were often the difference between winning and losing over the last 2 years, those and fitness. Its easy to play when you're 2 goals down. Larry had built a team that feared playing [the support didn't help]. Colin has to crack that. That would be our best signing for me. For now Pearce looks to be a good start. Can't wait for the season to start.

It's like you missed the entire last season

[markolufc]

Well said Riot. We don't need a whole new team. Last season, for me, our biggest weakness was the central defence with the useless O'Dea and the raw Lees. Now Lees has a more commanding centreback alongside him I feel he will be much better and with Lonerghan behind them we have a fairly solid platform. Left back we have Pugh or White and if White goes then hopefully we get a fee which will enable us to buy a left back (to allow the flexibility of Pugh in midfield contention). Right back obviously needs filling (so there is 1 definite signing needing to be done).

Onto midfield and our right wing is okay with Snoddy. Obviously again, similar to with White, if Snodgrass is sold there will be the fee so we can replace. Left wing and we have Pugh and White to compete (again the White situation will be resolved one way or another). We also have Robbie Rogers as cover/starting. Central midfield and we have Brown, Pugh and Clayton. If Clayton gets sold then once again we will have the money from his sale to buy the replacement.

On to the forwards and again we have Becchio and McCormack. Decent enough and both are capable of 20+ goals each. Again if McCormack is sold we can use his fee to buy the replacement.

So there you go. At this point in time only 1 actual position needs filling - right back. Other positions may need filling (if players are sold) but until they go we don't need to replace (remember when we bought Seth Johnson to replace DaCourt before Dacourt's proposed move to Lazio fell through and we then had them both).

We also do need to buy a couple of players to strengthen the squad and be of first team contention but certainly not the masses of signings that some people are suggesting - at least until players of ours actually depart.

The core of the team are all essentially up for sale. Clayton, McCormack, Snodgrass. White is more than half decent and is on the way out. You're considering Pugh and Brown as decent players to have, Pugh has been useless since his first couple of games, absolute carthorse and I've no idea why he's a professional footballer. Brown has been decent since Warnock came in but I sincerely doubt he can keep it up for a full season at his age.

And if we sell our best players, you genuinely believe we'll get replacements? On what basis? On the stellar replacements we've brought in every other time we sold a top player? Gradel still hasn't been replaced, but now you're talking of having to replace Snodgrass, McCormack, Clayton and you still think we "only need a few decent additions rather than wholesale changes"?


Robbie Rogers, unproven. Going to be a gamble. I expect he's half decent but not something you'd consider as a basis for your squad when we know nothing about his ability to play in English football.

Only one position needs filling at the moment you claim. You say right back is the only missing piece. I agree right back needs filling. Filling right back would just about barely give us a threadbare starting 11 with absolutely no half decent back up in the squad and no subs bench. It is by NO MEANS the only position that needs filling. We've got nothing and the "club" wants to hold out on making signings.

Delusional. Purely delusional. Seriously, this post has so much delusion in it I can't even take it.

[weasel]

Lees 3rd choice ??? To who and what ???

3rd choice as in would be back up to Pearce and another centreback.

[weasel]

The core of the team are all essentially up for sale. Clayton, McCormack, Snodgrass. White is more than half decent and is on the way out. You're considering Pugh and Brown as decent players to have, Pugh has been useless since his first couple of games, absolute carthorse and I've no idea why he's a professional footballer. Brown has been decent since Warnock came in but I sincerely doubt he can keep it up for a full season at his age.

And if we sell our best players, you genuinely believe we'll get replacements? On what basis? On the stellar replacements we've brought in every other time we sold a top player? Gradel still hasn't been replaced, but now you're talking of having to replace Snodgrass, McCormack, Clayton and you still think we "only need a few decent additions rather than wholesale changes"?


Robbie Rogers, unproven. Going to be a gamble. I expect he's half decent but not something you'd consider as a basis for your squad when we know nothing about his ability to play in English football.

Only one position needs filling at the moment you claim. You say right back is the only missing piece. I agree right back needs filling. Filling right back would just about barely give us a threadbare starting 11 with absolutely no half decent back up in the squad and no subs bench. It is by NO MEANS the only position that needs filling. We've got nothing and the "club" wants to hold out on making signings.

Delusional. Purely delusional. Seriously, this post has so much delusion in it I can't even take it.

Once again Marko you fail to grasp what is being said and instead argue against points that were not raised.
The right back is the ONLY position where as it stands we have no one as we have released Connolly. Yes other positions need strengthening (especially if players are sold) but it isn't like, and this is the crux of what I said, we need a new team especially if the players don't leave (no point replacing Snoddy, White, Clayton, McCormack until they are sold).

[markolufc]

Once again Marko you fail to grasp what is being said and instead argue against points that were not raised.
The right back is the ONLY position where as it stands we have no one as we have released Connolly. Yes other positions need strengthening (especially if players are sold) but it isn't like, and this is the crux of what I said, we need a new team especially if the players don't leave (no point replacing Snoddy, White, Clayton, McCormack until they are sold).

We're likely to lose those players the longer we wait to make signings, we still haven't replaced Howson and Gradel properly, those positions where yes, we technically do have players, a good amount of them are not good enough so we need better players.

We need about 6-7 players, all of them better than what we have, just to make a strong starting 11 with a decent bench. Then we need to hope beyond hope that the unproven players we've got are decent. And we've got to hope Snodgrass, McCormack and Clayton haven't left before we've got them. Since Clayton is transfer listed and the other two are refusing to sign contracts, they are on their way out.

We need an overhaul. To believe anything but that is delusional. With the men in charge an overhaul that would make us better is unlikely.

[weasel]

We're likely to lose those players the longer we wait to make signings, we still haven't replaced Howson and Gradel properly, those positions where yes, we technically do have players, a good amount of them are not good enough so we need better players.

We need about 6-7 players, all of them better than what we have, just to make a strong starting 11 with a decent bench. Then we need to hope beyond hope that the unproven players we've got are decent. And we've got to hope Snodgrass, McCormack and Clayton haven't left before we've got them. Since Clayton is transfer listed and the other two are refusing to sign contracts, they are on their way out.

We need an overhaul. To believe anything but that is delusional. With the men in charge an overhaul that would make us better is unlikely.

So we buy 3 players now to replace Snoddy, Clayton and McCormack. However these 3 players then decide (like Bowyer and Kewell) that they won't leave and get the club a transfer fee as they can earn more money staying here another season and leaving for free. So the club has spent say £2m and got nothing back and now have 6 players wages to find for the season instead of 3 costing the club another £1.5m (based on £10k per week for each of the 3 new players).

So that's £3.5m+ the expert businessman Marko has just wasted.

[markolufc]

So we buy 3 players now to replace Snoddy, Clayton and McCormack. However these 3 players then decide (like Bowyer and Kewell) that they won't leave and get the club a transfer fee as they can earn more money staying here another season and leaving for free. So the club has spent say £2m and got nothing back and now have 6 players wages to find for the season instead of 3 costing the club another £1.5m (based on £10k per week for each of the 3 new players).

So that's £3.5m+ the expert businessman Marko has just wasted.

You've put words in my mouth. We should buy players now in positions that already need strengthening on the assumption that Snodgrass will stay - in which case he wouldn't need replacing. The incoming signings will show Snodgrass what he wants to see in the first place and make him more likely to sign. Then we offer McCormack a contract that isn't piss poor, which he signs, we offer Clayton the reasonable contract he asked for instead of taking the bat home, which he signs. This then seals the deal for Snodgrass, and he signs.

But why pay these players the going rate when you can sell them and bring in a set of worse players for less?

We've not that many players to get rid of after all the released list. If the club was run half way decently we'd have plenty enough money to take the hit of paying the players we can't get rid of until someone comes in for them or we'd have the money to pay them off and cancel their contracts. But unfortunately all the money has gone missing.

Your ideas on transfers go on the current situation, essentially defending the current situation, which we wouldn't be in if the club was run properly.

We need a major overhaul. On the assumption that this self imposed transfer embargo will continue until July then we are going to need to replace McCormack, Clayton and Snodgrass (and White, for that matter), plus 6-7 other players.

If the club got its finger out and signed some of the players we need in other positions then those 4 players would be more likely to stay. Even more likely if we offered 3 of them contracts that aren't derisory and then took Clayton off the transfer list.

When you twist my words into bollocks like that then do not expect me to do anything other than piss all over your opinion. It's extremely disrespectful.

[weasel]

When you twist my words into bollocks like that then do not expect me to do anything other than piss all over your opinion. It's extremely disrespectful.

You stated we needed an overhaul and wanted to see 6 or 7 players signed immediately - I stated we had just 1 area in the squad that we didn't have a championship calibre player there (right back) and that other signings were likely to be based on needs as players left.

Sorry if you are finding yourself drowning in your own arguments.

[markolufc]

You stated we needed an overhaul and wanted to see 6 or 7 players signed immediately - I stated we had just 1 area in the squad that we didn't have a championship calibre player there (right back) and that other signings were likely to be based on needs as players left.

Sorry if you are finding yourself drowning in your own arguments.

We have... 7 players I'd consider good enough for a Championship promotion charge. Which means we need 6-7 or more to fill out the squad with players of this calibre. To get Snodgrass on board we need 2-3 asap. Warnock said he wanted 2-3 before he went away and that he was in advanced talks with this number of players, which then fell through.

So 2-3 signings fell through. All had various arbitrary reasons, or the board failed in the negotiations again?