Has Alan Knill got his transfer strategy wrong?

AustrianAndyGull · Post by **AustrianAndyGull** » 29 Jun 2013, 15:34

We had to pay them off because they were f*cking useless otherwise they would have still been here and we'd be playing Grimsby next month. So they failed but had to be paid off which is what I said so effectively they ARE to blame and not the club. Does this make sense?

Fonda · Post by **Fonda** » 29 Jun 2013, 15:36

ROADRUNNER wrote: this is all getting ridiculous, who says its financial who says we arent offering decent money, we are better off that quite a few clubs, if ak is reading this is must be thinking what the hell is wrong with people down here, he got us out of the deep brown stuff and i fully expect a decent season ahead and also expect several signings this week.

You misunderstand. I don't imagine anybody is blaming AK for us not having any money. If finances are the issue, it's not his fault. None of my post was a criticism of the manager, merely an acknowledgment of the difficulties he and we might be facing.

AustrianAndyGull · Post by **AustrianAndyGull** » 29 Jun 2013, 15:38

NickGull wrote:Crippled the club? Bit OTT really. We were always going to have to pay them off if we wanted to change, the joys of a rolling contract. Not their fault that the club AGREED to it really.

I bloody hope Bodin starts well because otherwise this will just get tedious and crap.

Is there any real need for this either Nick?

Plymouth Gull · Post by **Plymouth Gull** » 29 Jun 2013, 15:38

Excellent response. I'm just saying that although it was right for the club to get rid of Ling and Taylor (IMO), it's a tad unfair to say they've crippled the club. Short of them being poached we were always going to have to pay them off, so while the 12-month rolling contracts is a good idea at times, it is also a gamble, as we've found.

Obviously two hits of around £70k are going to hurt the transfer budget, we aren't made of money. We will never know what would have happened if Ling had not gone ill and had stayed around, we could easily have survived. You don't turn into a bad manager at the flick of a switch, fortunately. That's clearly your opinion and I respect that, but I don't think you can blame them for the circumstances of the last 6 months..

EDIT: That's just my opinion! :na:

AustrianAndyGull · Post by **AustrianAndyGull** » 29 Jun 2013, 15:48

That's fine Nick and I fully understand where you are coming from now. I didn't actually mean they crippled the club literally although that is what it sounds like I was saying, I was saying in terms of our playing budget because they failed (they DID fail otherwise they would still be in a job ) they have taken money from the club that is not deserved so we suffer. We won't know what would have happened if Ling had not been ill but indications months and months before suggested there was something alarmingly wrong on the pitch but you are right, we don't know. I'm just saying that Alan deserves our support for a job that has already been made hard by the incompetence of two people paid to do a job that they haven't done.

wivelgull · Post by **wivelgull** » 29 Jun 2013, 15:57

We should keep our powder dry until the end of next week regarding signings.

Plymouth Gull · Post by **Plymouth Gull** » 29 Jun 2013, 15:59

Agree! I'm sure we'll see some additions next week. Agree with your last sentence too Andy.

Fonda · Post by **Fonda** » 29 Jun 2013, 16:03

wivelgull wrote:We should keep our powder dry until the end of next week regarding signings.

The benefit of that is what?

ROADRUNNER · Post by **ROADRUNNER** » 29 Jun 2013, 16:04

i think a lot of people are making too much of the current situation, the ling and taylor thing im sure has had some sort of impact but as for team strengthening i think we have been offering decent money and as ive said before they were offering rene a very good deal at this level so i dont think our financial situation is as bad as some people on here think, i know downes had other clubs stiffing around him but he chose us and im sure that wasnt just down to the this part of the world being nice to live and the surf being good.
bury werent exactly flush with money when ak was there but he put a good side together and i still think he will here. we know we arent rolling in it but we are still in agood position to compete in this league, it could be worse we could be in the same boat as exeter who have had to cut back severely.

NA Gull · Post by **NA Gull** » 29 Jun 2013, 16:05

I am sure this type of thread get banded around every June so I have had a look at when a selection of players have signed in previous seasons:
Downes - 24/7/2012
Cruise - 1/7/2011
OLejnik - 1/7/2011
Mansell - 5/7/2006
Nicholson - 20/6/2007
Howe - 13/7/2011
Poke - 27/6/2012
Saah - 1/7/2011

Not sure what I am trying to prove, but players from previous seasons have signed around now. I don't have any inside information, but I would not be surprised to see if we see a glut of signings in the next week or so. There is no guarantee of success/failure if your squad is ready with a month to go or if the last player is signed at the end of August deadline.
Anyway another beer in the sun for me.....

AustrianAndyGull · Post by **AustrianAndyGull** » 29 Jun 2013, 16:06

Nick, we've managed to sort out a potential conflict without me seriously having an episode! It got hairy for a few moments and I felt myself losing it but we've worked it out in the end by trying to see each others point of view. I feel I've achieved something here so thanks mate.

Fonda · Post by **Fonda** » 29 Jun 2013, 16:08

That's fine, but something is stopping us from making signings when everybody else is. And our need is greater than anybody else's (in terms of existing squad size). So if it's not enforced finance issues, what are we looking to achieve by acting late? The longer pre-season players have the better, so just for that reason it'd be an advantage to get some in.

AustrianAndyGull · Post by **AustrianAndyGull** » 29 Jun 2013, 16:09

NA Gull wrote:I am sure this type of thread get banded around every June so I have had a look at when a selection of players have signed in previous seasons:
Downes - 24/7/2012
Cruise - 1/7/2011
OLejnik - 1/7/2011
Mansell - 5/7/2006
Nicholson - 20/6/2007
Howe - 13/7/2011
Poke - 27/6/2012
Saah - 1/7/2011

Not sure what I am trying to prove, but players from previous seasons have signed around now. I don't have any inside information, but I would not be surprised to see if we see a glut of signings in the next week or so. There is no guarantee of success/failure if your squad is ready with a month to go or if the last player is signed at the end of August deadline.Anyway another beer in the sun for me.....

Spot on NA and what I was saying. It doesn't matter if Knill brings in Messi or McPhee, we have to trust that whoever he brings in and whenever, then he is the man to get the best out of what he has to get us competitive and more entertaining to watch generally speaking. There are no guarantees.

Fonda, you are also right in what you are saying but there isn't anything we can do but have faith in the man.

wodger of awabia · Post by **wodger of awabia** » 29 Jun 2013, 16:22

What I don't understand is why Benyon has not yet signed. It has been reported that he is very keen to return, & A.K. wants him to sign. Could it be that the wages he has been offered are unacceptable? Money is what persuaded Jarvis to sign for York, according to the media.

Fonda · Post by **Fonda** » 29 Jun 2013, 16:32

My assumption is exactly that. We've made offers to players of such a level that they are holding on, to see what else comes along. Evidently, according to those 'in the know' that is not the case though. There must be other reasons our perfectly acceptable offers aren't being accepted...

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