[Albion] Daily Mail reporting Albion have rejected £4m from Burnley for Dale Stephens

[fosters headband]

As was said elsewhere we spent a lot of money following Ulloa's departure. It just wasn't spent very well.

Last season we spent over £10 million on players without selling any players. I'm basing my view on that and the quality of players we've managed to bring in since Winstanley headed up recruitment.

We spent no where near the £15 million gained for these three and we narrowly missed relegation the next season. So don't bank on selling for huge sums then expect to spend it on a stronger team as the example 2014/15 season proved.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

We spent no where near the £15 million gained for these three and we narrowly missed relegation the next season. So don't bank on selling for huge sums then expect to spend it on a stronger team as the example 2014/15 season proved.

Yes, and I gave you the example of 2015/16 where we spent lots of money and didn't sell anyone. I would say my example is more relevant.

As for the £15 million, we bought Stephens, Baldock, O'Grady, Stockdale, Colunga (who seems to have cost £1 million), which adds up to over a third of that. We were also in for players like Grabben, Clayton and Ward (permanently) in that time and had a lot of loan signings/free transfers. I imagine they all added up. But, as I said, last season is a far more relevant example as it involves same manager and recruitment staff.

 

[fosters headband]

Yes, and I gave you the example of 2015/16 where we spent lots of money and didn't sell anyone. I would say my example is more relevant.

As for the £15 million, we bought Stephens, Baldock, O'Grady, Stockdale, Colunga (who seems to have cost £1 million), which adds up to over a third of that. We were also in for players like Grabben, Clayton and Ward (permanently) in that time and had a lot of loan signings/free transfers. I imagine they all added up. But, as I said, last season is a far more relevant example as it involves same manager and recruitment staff.

But the gamble of holding on to the money for 2104/15 was nearly a disaster and they then knew they had to spend to avoid that again, hence the 2015/2016 spending.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

But the gamble of holding on to the money for 2104/15 was nearly a disaster and they then knew they had to spend to avoid that again, hence the 2015/2016 spending.

So your logic is they learnt from that but have now forgotten it. We clearly had money to spend that summer, based on the players we were after and didn't get. We now have a better recruitment team. Either way, given Bloom's comments at the end of last season, I doubt he intends to leave sell players and not spend.

 

[fosters headband]

So your logic is they learnt from that but have now forgotten it. We clearly had money to spend that summer, based on the players we were after and didn't get. We now have a better recruitment team. Either way, given Bloom's comments at the end of last season, I doubt he intends to leave sell players and not spend.

If we weren't losing £10 mill a season I would feel more confident of holding on to players when large bids come in, can they really plan for very high offers that become hard to refuse.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

If we weren't losing £10 mill a season I would feel more confident of holding on to players when large bids come in, can they really plan for very high offers that become hard to refuse.

That's changed the discussion. I don't think any club can be confident of keeping hold of their players. Every player has their price. For what it's worth, I think £10 million is about right for Dunk with a sell on in case he does push on. He's still not the finished article and needs some work.

All players have a price so I'd never be confident of keeping hold of all players. The same applies to every member of the squad and there are plenty of Centre Backs out there. The only truly irreplaceable players for us are Kayal, Knockaert (although we do have other options on the wing, he is the best and most talented) and Hemed (17 goals at this level is great). I just have faith that, if players leave, we will replace them and maybe even get a stronger squad. I might be proved wrong come 6th August or 31st August but, at the moment, given what happened last season I think the club deserve greater faith from fans than they are getting.

 

[chaileyjem]

If we weren't losing £10 mill a season I would feel more confident of holding on to players when large bids come in, can they really plan for very high offers that become hard to refuse.

Barber in his note about the Seven Stars membership plan implied we were currently losing £1.5m a month ie £18m a season.
We've so far turned down offers (apparently) of £5m for Dunk and £4m+ for Stephens
PS: We haven't sold a first choice/ first team squad player for nearly 2 years. (Buckley in August 2014 to Sunderland).

 

[fosters headband]

That's changed the discussion. I don't think any club can be confident of keeping hold of their players. Every player has their price. For what it's worth, I think £10 million is about right for Dunk with a sell on in case he does push on. He's still not the finished article and needs some work.

All players have a price so I'd never be confident of keeping hold of all players. The same applies to every member of the squad and there are plenty of Centre Backs out there. The only truly irreplaceable players for us are Kayal, Knockaert (although we do have other options on the wing, he is the best and most talented) and Hemed (17 goals at this level is great). I just have faith that, if players leave, we will replace them and maybe even get a stronger squad. I might be proved wrong come 6th August or 31st August but, at the moment, given what happened last season I think the club deserve greater faith from fans than they are getting.

My problem with the late sale of star players, is that you are then forced into panic buys (O'Grady) to replace them before the window shuts. Players arrive late, and the manager faces a start to the season with his plans possibly blown out of the water and early season points can be lost.

 

[fosters headband]

Barber in his note about the Seven Stars membership plan implied we were currently losing £1.5m a month ie £18m a season.
We've so far turned down offers (apparently) of £5m for Dunk and £4m+ for Stephens
PS: We haven't sold a first choice/ first team squad player for nearly 2 years. (Buckley in August 2014 to Sunderland).

And your point is ? The losses are greater than I thought and the offers currently received are lower than our valuation, is that the point you are making.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

My problem with the late sale of star players, is that you are then forced into panic buys (O'Grady) to replace them before the window shuts. Players arrive late, and the manager faces a start to the season with his plans possibly blown out of the water and early season points can be lost.

Not if you are planning for it and have set targets. The impression I got from two years ago is it was a bit reactive. We've sold a player and now need to replace them. I think we're more proactive now and working on plans for if we sell A or B.

Alongside that, the alternative option is to accept the first offer a team makes for our players so they are sold early, which would be bad business. Or maybe we actually will turn down all offers for all our players this summer even if they are huge.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

This in a nutshell.......he's not featured in the friendlies, big fee rumours are circulating, his contract is not that long, we would not stop a player from progressing in his career, we make millions out of it for his replacement. Really what's not to like? He has gone IMHO. Hope he hasn't but it's not the be all and end all. He's gone, move on.

He played in the Crawley friendly and took a clatter to his knee. It was witnessed by fans who've posted on here. Chris Hughton, himself has said he was injured. He also said, last night, that Stevens wanted to play yesterday, but the medical staff advised him to wait a few more days.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

This in a nutshell.......he's not featured in the friendlies, big fee rumours are circulating, his contract is not that long, we would not stop a player from progressing in his career, we make millions out of it for his replacement. Really what's not to like? He has gone IMHO. Hope he hasn't but it's not the be all and end all. He's gone, move on.

I don't agree that he's gone but agree with the logic if he is. It's not the end of the world. I'm not convinced Stephens will do that well in the Premier League but obviously teams are interested. I would be tempted to try for Cairney at Fulham if he does go. He's looked decent when I've seen him before and we could try to use Ince as bait, although I have no idea how much he would cost.

 

[chaileyjem]

And your point is ? The losses are greater than I thought and the offers currently received are lower than our valuation, is that the point you are making.

Hold your nerve. FH.

 

[chaileyjem]

This in a nutshell.......he's not featured in the friendlies, big fee rumours are circulating, his contract is not that long, we would not stop a player from progressing in his career, we make millions out of it for his replacement. Really what's not to like? He has gone IMHO. Hope he hasn't but it's not the be all and end all. He's gone, move on.

- He has featured in the friendlies and was injured. I saw it. But obviously didn't realise it was , presumably on purpose, as a cloudscreen for transfer negotiations to take place.
- Big fee rumours aren't circulating. They're fact. And we've turned down 2 offers. There haven't as yet been anymore.
- We would stop a player being sold. In fact we've sold no first team player in the last 2 years.
- He hasn't "gone".

Hope he isn't going and yes not the end of the world although he was part of a 2 part midfield last season that was envy of the championship. Perhaps the club have decided to keep the two together unless silly money is involved. It hasn't yet.
Luckily they're holding their nerve...

 

[Icy Gull]

Maybe if you weren't in every Albion thread moaning, I wouldn't 'stalk you' as you put it.

You say moaning I say suggesting that all is not as rosy as people like you choose to believe. You don't know you're right in your "everything is wonderful at my club" any more than I do in my suspicion that it may not be. Just ignore me please, your replies are so predictable.

 

[TSB]

Pre-season
With Dale: 1 game, 1 win
Without Dale: 3 games, 3 defeats.

Obviously not as black & white as that but he's extremely important to how we play and would be much harder to adequately replace than many people seem to think.

 

[Stat Brother]

Pre-season
With Dale: 1 game, 1 win
Without Dale: 3 games, 3 defeats.

Obviously not as black & white as that but he's extremely important to how we play and would be much harder to adequately replace than many people seem to think.

Don't worry Liam Bridcutt could easily step into Stephens' boots.

 

[BensGrandad]

Don't worry Liam Bridcutt could easily step into Stephens' boots.

That is not what was said. LB could with some adjustment or Pritchard or even Ravel Morrison but again some adjustment needed. Strangely the only persons who I think could step in are already with us Sidwell and Holla.

 

[Dorset Seagull]

That is not what was said. LB could with some adjustment or Pritchard or even Ravel Morrison but again some adjustment needed. Strangely the only persons who I think could step in are already with us Sidwell and Holla.

Sidwell looked good towards the end of last season but what do you base the Holla comment on BG?

 

[Nixonator]

Sidwell looked good towards the end of last season but what do you base the Holla comment on BG?

The recent friendlies I presume. He's been pretty decent, but then he always was a good footballer. It's only when we start it for real that we'll see why he won't ever feature in our plans.