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Where do you stand on the player recruitment quantity-quality continuum?



Machiavelli

Well-known member
Oct 11, 2013
16,560
Fiveways
We've released a lot of players, and lost Upson, which means that there will be incomings.
Plenty on here would like lots of players AND these players to be of a high standard (there was a poster thinking that Rio Ferdinand would be coming to B&HA, for instance). Given FFP etc, this isn't going to happen. So what would you prefer: a tendency towards more players to bulk up the squad, or a tendency towards getting a few players of better quality?
My preference is for the latter, and to trust in the development squad when needs be and/or to carefully introduce them when appropriate.
This is what Hyypia said yesterday on the matter:

“If we get three new players in and it helps the team go forward then three is enough. If we need seven then that’s okay, but there’s no number we have in mind.

“I don’t want to sign a player just for the sake of it. A signing has to have a purpose to it, and with a good academy here hopefully a few youngsters can make the step up to the first team as well.”
 


B.W.

New member
Jul 5, 2003
13,666
I think we need 6 or 7. All of high quality:

1st choice keeper
1st choice LB
2 x central defenders to compete with / replace Greer and Dunk
1 x wide forward player to supplement Will, Kaz and Solly
At least 1 striker to supplement Leo and CMS

This assumes Bruno AND Calde sign.
 
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LancingGulls

New member
Jun 5, 2014
4
I agree with Hyypia in the sense that we need as many players as to make a great squad, who knows how many that is at the moment but obviously a new top quality centre back and goalkeeper would be a start as well as someone like ward for left back.
 




keaton

Big heart, hot blood and balls. Big balls
Nov 18, 2004
9,630
I think we need 6 or 7. All of high quality:

1st choice keeper
1st choice LB
2 x central defenders to compete with / replace Greer and Dunk
1 x wide forward player to supplement Will, Kaz and Solly
At least 1 striker to supplement Leo and CMS

This assumes Bruno AND Calde sign.

I agree with most of that, though if Ankergen and Chicksen were first pick at the start of the season I wouldn't be as worried as some.
 




sparkie

Well-known member
Jul 17, 2003
12,466
Hove
The minimum I think we need is

Goalkeeper
Left Back
Central Defender
Striker

If we concentrate the cash on these positions I'd be very happy.

Loans and a couple of Development Squad promotions ( Rea, Monakana ? ) can fill in any other gaps.


Agustien either needs to be salvaged, or replaced as well.


(Assuming Ankergren, Calderon, and Bruno re-sign ).
 


B.W.

New member
Jul 5, 2003
13,666
Way too much to hope for I think. A couple of decent/good signings and 3 or 4 more 'bodies' probably nearer the mark.

My definition of high quality is at least able to compete in a top 6 Championship team. Without that, how can Tony expect us to finish top 6?
 


HawkTheSeagull

New member
Jan 31, 2012
9,122
Eastbourne
Quality over quantity certainly.

I agree with whatever Sami wants and what he thinks about buying players, despite all the moaning on here saying that Sami/Tony/Burke dont know what they are doing. If they only want 4 players, so be it - ill support them whatever.
 




B.W.

New member
Jul 5, 2003
13,666
The minimum I think we need is

Goalkeeper
Left Back
Central Defender
Striker

If we concentrate the cash on these positions I'd be very happy.

Loans and a couple of Dev Squad promotions ( Rea, Monakana ? ) can fill in any other gaps.

Yes, I do not know enough about the DS to take account of further promotions to the first team squad from there. Walton will be pushed up the pecking order I guess, but not sure re the outfield players. Is Rea good enough? Monakana flopped at Crawley (Gregory citing work rate issues).
 


Tricky Dicky

New member
Jul 27, 2004
13,558
Sunny Shoreham
My definition of high quality is at least able to compete in a top 6 Championship team. Without that, how can Tony expect us to finish top 6?

I just can't see them spending the sort if money that might take, but I could be wrong, in fact I'd be delighted to be wrong.
 


keaton

Big heart, hot blood and balls. Big balls
Nov 18, 2004
9,630
My definition of high quality is at least able to compete in a top 6 Championship team. Without that, how can Tony expect us to finish top 6?

We finished in the top 6 last year and I don't think more than half our team were of that high quality. Bournemouth and Blackburn almost made it based on two or three good players. Derby probably only had one outstanding and the rest were decent.
 




Icy Gull

Back on the rollercoaster
Jul 5, 2003
72,015
Reading between the lines with my glass half empty glasses I see us reverting to the Dean Wilkins play the youngsters model, with maybe two or three quality experienced players coming in. Possibly, tellingly there is no longer talk of the budget being the same or better than last year,

If there is more quality like Ince and March coming through we may do OK, otherwise I see a couple of seasons of marking time, hoping to stay in the Championship, whilst we wait for another crop to come through the new academy. We are not going to splash the cash on players like we did under Poyet imo.

If we play decent football and I am entertained I won't be too bothered if we are stuck in this division for a while.
 


B.W.

New member
Jul 5, 2003
13,666
We finished in the top 6 last year and I don't think more than half our team were of that high quality. Bournemouth and Blackburn almost made it based on two or three good players. Derby probably only had one outstanding and the rest were decent.

Hmmm. We've lost 7 players and loans, such as Jesse. So, by my reckoning, we need 7 high quality replacements to remain in the top 6.
 


keaton

Big heart, hot blood and balls. Big balls
Nov 18, 2004
9,630
Hmmm. We've lost 7 players and loans, such as Jesse. So, by my reckoning, we need 7 high quality replacements to remain in the top 6.

And I'm saying thet don't all need to be of a high quality.
 




Machiavelli

Well-known member
Oct 11, 2013
16,560
Fiveways
I think we need 6 or 7. All of high quality:

I think you're being unrealistic here. You're effectively saying that we need BOTH quality and quantity, which just isn't an option.
I'd go along with Sparkie's suggestion of four Championship top six quality players, and even think the positions he nominates are about right. The remainder of the gaps can be filled by DS and loans if necessary.
I'd also go along with Hawk's comments, in that I trust Hyypia and Burke to make good decisions, although one comment related to that. Hyypia referred to a spine, and mentioned goalkeeper, centre back and defensive midfield player. I'm not sure whether he was indicating that these were the positions we needed to fill (and fill well), or whether he said that it is such a spine that is integral to building a team and a squad. I hope it's the latter, because I think we look well catered in the defensive midfield area as:
-- we have Toko and Ince
-- Stephens, JFC and Crofts can all also play a more withdrawn role in defensive midfield, especially if Hyypia does play a 4-2-3-1 formation
 


KZNSeagull

Well-known member
Nov 26, 2007
19,692
Wolsingham, County Durham
This is where the club set up should come into it's own.

I would expect to see quite a lot of signings, but no major splashing of cash on transfer fees, rather using our budget wisely on players we can pick up either on free transfers or minimal fees (eg Bruno, Toko etc). I would expect a mixture of experienced players coming to the end of their careers and up and coming younger players. Rather like we did a couple of seasons ago without the panic Dobbie-esc signings. I do not expect any marquee signings - Rio Ferdinand my arse.
 


B.W.

New member
Jul 5, 2003
13,666
This is a really interesting thread IMHO. So I've gone for a :bounce:

I still think we need 6 or 7 'high quality' players added to the first team squad, and I've given my definition of high quality above.

I do hope that some of those 6 or 7 come from the DS, but I can only see Walton coming through (for me, Dunk, Ince, JFC, March are already in the first team squad).
Would be happy to hear from other posters who any other DS players who are ready are? Rea maybe?

I'm not a big fan of loans, maybe 1 or 2 on a season-long like Ward. So who would these be?

Other than that, we still need quite a few Perm signings, very preferably before pre-season training starts in 2 week's time. I don't think that is being "unrealistic"; it's what we need to be competitive as required by TB.
 


Acker79

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Nov 15, 2008
31,765
Brighton
Reading between the lines with my glass half empty glasses I see us reverting to the Dean Wilkins play the youngsters model, with maybe two or three quality experienced players coming in. Possibly, tellingly there is no longer talk of the budget being the same or better than last year,

If there is more quality like Ince and March coming through we may do OK, otherwise I see a couple of seasons of marking time, hoping to stay in the Championship, whilst we wait for another crop to come through the new academy. We are not going to splash the cash on players like we did under Poyet imo.

If we play decent football and I am entertained I won't be too bothered if we are stuck in this division for a while.

While we have very good young players like Ince and march, I'm not sure we have enough of them currently of the quality to build a squad that can challenge for the top 6 spots with just a couple of experienced signings.

I don't remember the talk of the size of the budget occurring this early last season, I seem to remember it coming out later in the window when people were concerned by a lack of notable signings, possibly even after the summer window shut and people were starting to question it, so I'm not sure I'd read much into the lack of mentioning the budget size.
 









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