The "January" Transfer Window 20/21 season

[WhiteRose]

Anyone else get the feeling that the club are still looking to spend like we are still in the championship? If you look through the media nonsense, those you can kind of trust are linking us with youth players and second division German players all sounds very 2019 to me - I get these are unprecedented times but we need to spend at least 40 million on decent first team players or it's going to be a struggle

[Scoobychief]

Anyone else get the feeling that the club are still looking to spend like we are still in the championship? If you look through the media nonsense, those you can kind of trust are linking us with youth players and second division German players all sounds very 2019 to me - I get these are unprecedented times but we need to spend at least 40 million on decent first team players or it's going to be a struggle

Im with you on this whiterose, i think they are going to do a sheffield utd and hope the present squad is good enough, i can see 3 loan deals coming in and probably 2 signings, but unless quality comes in better than we allready have we will struggle in the premier league. i do realise times are hard and because we are now in the premier league clubs will up their prices if we are interested in anyone, real trouble is leeds will very unlikely break their wages structure 40 to 45k would be tops i think either phillips or cassila are on that or close to it, but some quality needed to survive in this division and we need at least 5. but news coming out of elland road is non existent at the moment, you wonder why it is taking this long to get bielsa to stay another year.

[SG90]

Grade 1 Academy now SG, so the bar is raised at U23 level, and we do play some of them if they are good enough. We have always been recognised for the quality of our academy. Or do you want to go back to Bates/Cellino times when they draining the lifeblood out of it.

But those players were homegrown in the academy not bought in from elsewhere. Is our academy really that bad now that we can't develop our own? What about Kenneh, Jenkins, Hudson, McCalmont etc who've been highly rated for years?

It looks like we're just trying to copy Chelsea and Man City and hoard u23s to sell at a profit. But the whole point of our academy is to develop players for the first team.

[CHAPELALLMAN]

But those players were homegrown in the academy not bought in from elsewhere. Is our academy really that bad now that we can't develop our own? What about Kenneh, Jenkins, Hudson, McCalmont etc who've been highly rated for years?

It looks like we're just trying to copy Chelsea and Man City and hoard u23s to sell at a profit. But the whole point of our academy is to develop players for the first team.

IMO Bielsa doesn't really give youth that much of a chance - which is probably contrary to popular opinion. The last time we really soared at the highest level was because O'Leary had the guts to give young academy players such as Kewell, Smith, Woodgate, Harte, Kelly etc a chance. Bowyer had already been bought from Charlton by Wilko right at the end of his time in charge, and he fitted in nicely with the up and coming academy players. George Graham failed to do this towards the end of his time in charge, and generally under him we were fairly average.

Some astute purchases were made such as Viduka and Dacourt, and before we knew it we were leading the PL for much of the season in 2000/1. Amazingly, at that time we also took part in two successive European semis, including a Champions League semi. In the end we finished 3rd in the PL - what would we give for that situation now ? We have been nowhere near those giddy heights since that time.

[Overman]

Im with you on this whiterose, i think they are going to do a sheffield utd and hope the present squad is good enough, i can see 3 loan deals coming in and probably 2 signings, but unless quality comes in better than we allready have we will struggle in the premier league. i do realise times are hard and because we are now in the premier league clubs will up their prices if we are interested in anyone, real trouble is leeds will very unlikely break their wages structure 40 to 45k would be tops i think either phillips or cassila are on that or close to it, but some quality needed to survive in this division and we need at least 5. but news coming out of elland road is non existent at the moment, you wonder why it is taking this long to get bielsa to stay another year.

The cynic in me says it's a narrative that's going to be used to justify a lack of quality player investment. I really don't think the current squad is good enough, Cooper will not be able to cope with the pace, sides won't even need to mark Bamford, Pablo, Costa, White will have very little impact and the keeper situation hasn't really been sorted out. I am hoping the club will pull in those quality additions rather than obscure youth players.

[SG90]

The one difference this season I guess will be the lack of pressure and expectation, so that could play a big factor as well.

[SG90]

IMO Bielsa doesn't really give youth that much of a chance - which is probably contrary to popular opinion. The last time we really soared at the highest level was because O'Leary had the guts to give young academy players such as Kewell, Smith, Woodgate, Harte, Kelly etc a chance. Bowyer was bought from Charlton by Wilko right at the end of his time in charge, and he fitted in nicely with the up and coming academy players. George Graham failed to do this towards the end of his time in charge, and generally under him we were fairly average.

Some astute purchases were made such as Viduka and Dacourt, and before we knew it we were leading the PL for much of the season in 2000/1, whilst also taking part in two successive European semis. In the end we finished 3rd in the PL - what would we give for that situation now -? We have been nowhere near those giddy heights since that time.

Agreed. The only youth players who've had a proper look in the last two seasons, have been Shack and Clarke, neither of whom were bought.

I'd hate to see us neglecting our academy, as that's always been a huge part of our history.

[gessa]

but news coming out of elland road is non existent at the moment, you wonder why it is taking this long to get bielsa to stay another year.

Since Radz as been here, news on transfers as been non existent ftom the club, any signings we make usually come out of the blue, only names mentioned are what the press and fans throw around.
Agree re Bielsa but I'm thinking, he's still living in Wetherby above the shop, so that has to be a good sign, rather than him returning to Argentina.

[SG90]

Is Bielsa even still contracted to us? When did it expire? Also who will take training if it's not sorted by Tuesday?

[gessa]

No his contract ran out 30th June.

On the transfer front, this from a reliable source, so far we have been linked to 100 players, 40 of them Argentinian, I suppose one of the news agencies will be able to say they got it right.

[CHAPELALLMAN]

Agreed. The only youth players who've had a proper look in the last two seasons, have been Shack and Clarke, neither of whom were bought.

I'd hate to see us neglecting our academy, as that's always been a huge part of our history.

Our sudden rise to prominence under both Revie and O'Leary was mainly down to the sudden emergence of a number of promising youth players. It was slightly less the case with Wilko - though Batty and Speed were essential components of the amazing midfield which Wilko put together. Wiko relied a bit more on bringing players in - but they were very astute purchases ( Chapman, Strachan, Wallace, McAllister, Lukic, Whyte, Fairclough etc)

So youth talent was the fuel which ignited a meteroric rise in at least two of the three times in our history that we became a real force in domestic and European football. I don't think that's by chance - let's face it, the club has never been fantastically rich throughout its history. We have had to rely more on developing an effective youth policy. Part of me thinks that this is the only way that we will have a realistic chance of ever breaking into the top 3 again in domestic football. Other clubs have built up terrific wealth through many years of being in the PL. Either that or we get bought out by someone with real financial muscle.

[Leeds1000]

I thought Sheff U did spend about £40m? Its Norwich who didn't spend anything. And we certainly can't afford to do a Villa. If we can sign Costa in the Championship for £15m then i'm sure AR will be looking to spend similar in the prem. The players we have bought in before no one really wanted, but the players we are linked with now, are in demand. And we are still to find our rightful place in the PL food chain.

[SG90]

Sheffield United spent £63m, so the idea they spent nothing is another media myth. I think we're relying on MB to perform miracles again.

But we really need to sort out the financial situation more imo. Clearing the debt and paying off previous owners will pay dividends in the long run.

[Peter in Blackpool]

IMO Bielsa doesn't really give youth that much of a chance - which is probably contrary to popular opinion. The last time we really soared at the highest level was because O'Leary had the guts to give young academy players such as Kewell, Smith, Woodgate, Harte, Kelly etc a chance. Bowyer had already been bought from Charlton by Wilko right at the end of his time in charge, and he fitted in nicely with the up and coming academy players. George Graham failed to do this towards the end of his time in charge, and generally under him we were fairly average.

sorry, i think you are being terribly unfair to george graham, it was he who built the academy up. O'Leary just inherited the good fruit borne by Graham's efforts.

So, O'Leary had a ready made team of youngsters. It was only when he started buying new players that we started to slip. His first real test as a manager came when woodgate and boywer were in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.

Rather than protect and support his players like any good manager would, he went and made a fortune out of it by writing a ****ing book!

[dezzy]

But those players were homegrown in the academy not bought in from elsewhere. Is our academy really that bad now that we can't develop our own? What about Kenneh, Jenkins, Hudson, McCalmont etc who've been highly rated for years?

It looks like we're just trying to copy Chelsea and Man City and hoard u23s to sell at a profit. But the whole point of our academy is to develop players for the first team.

I’d say give the board a bit of credit and stop criticising everything

[weasel]

sorry, i think you are being terribly unfair to george graham, it was he who built the academy up. O'Leary just inherited the good fruit borne by Graham's efforts.

Graham did f*ck all with the academy. It was all down to Wilko's 10 year plan with the youth academy and those youngsters came through towards the end of Wilko's 10 year plan.

As regards buying players for the U23s it is always going to be a bit hit and miss with young players. You don't know how they will develop both physically and mentally. Many talented youngsters who look great don't make it.

[The Subhuman]

Ahh the famous three Yorkshiremen sketch

[CHAPELALLMAN]

Graham did f*ck all with the academy. It was all down to Wilko's 10 year plan with the youth academy and those youngsters came through towards the end of Wilko's 10 year plan.

As regards buying players for the U23s it is always going to be a bit hit and miss with young players. You don't know how they will develop both physically and mentally. Many talented youngsters who look great don't make it.

Yes, I think that's right Weasel. Wilko did a hell of a lot of good things for the club really. Shame it was ultimately squandered by Risdale's antics, and that Wilko wasn't around long enough in the end to prosper from the fruits of his 10 year plan. George Graham didn't really make much use of the academy from what I remember, so O'Leary at least deserves credit for giving them a chance. Wilko bought Bowyer and Martyn, which also helped set things up nicely for the future. Graham's only real coup was to sign Hasselbank, but unfortunately we lost him just before O'Leary's team really hit their peak. Viduka and Hasselbank would have been quite a combination - ah, to have strikers like those now....

[CHAPELALLMAN]

sorry, i think you are being terribly unfair to george graham, it was he who built the academy up. O'Leary just inherited the good fruit borne by Graham's efforts.

So, O'Leary had a ready made team of youngsters. It was only when he started buying new players that we started to slip. His first real test as a manager came when woodgate and boywer were in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.

Rather than protect and support his players like any good manager would, he went and made a fortune out of it by writing a ****ing book!

Some of O'Leary's early signings were brilliant - Viduka, Bakke and Dacourt for example. Those 3 helped get us to a Champions League semi. It was later on when success went to Risdale's head that we started going crazy with poor and expensive signings - Fowler, Keane and Seth Johnson were all signings which we didn't really need, and couldn't afford.

[rrfierce]

Sounds like we've signed cody drameh from fulham. Young right back, looks decent tbh.