Confirmed Signing James Rodriguez

[PhilEFC]

We don't have to be Bayern Munich to sign young players of high quality that suit the team's style. There are many teams with less financial resource than EFC doing a far better job at recruitment for the long-term.

Richarlison won't be with us much longer if we keep finishing 12th, regardless of signing James or other past-their-peak talent. He'll stay if we have a good team that can get into Europe. And even if we do that, he's not staying when one of the mega-clubs comes in. We're deluded if we think Richarlison is staying with us until he's 32. We should accept he's going to leave and keep the conveyor belt moving by investing in the next Richarlison before he goes.

Soumds very simple, and I’m sure others might be, but you need to be attractive to bring in good quality talent In the first place.

Most of those young lads coming through at Bayern will be attracted to playing for a big European team with a history of winning big trophies with big players like Lewandowski and the others.

I don’t think Richarlison will stay till he’s 32, of course he won’t, but we’ve got a much better chance of him staying for a few more seasons if he’s playing with the likes of James.

 

[Toffeelover]

Yet Marca says "The agreement could be closed for a figure close to 25 or 30 million euros".

Seems rather hiogh and add to that what wages will he want. Will he be another we could end up stuck with l;ike Bolasie, Iwobi, Tosun etc?

 

[jamieni]

Seems rather hiogh and add to that what wages will he want. Will he be another we could end up stuck with l;ike Bolasie, Iwobi, Tosun etc?

Can’t see the fee being that high for a place in his last year of contract. Madrid want to sell him before he walks on a free so I imagine we can negotiate a reasonable fee.

 

[Toffeelover]

Can’t see the fee being that high for a place in his last year of contract. Madrid want to sell him before he walks on a free so I imagine we can negotiate a reasonable fee.

Some are saying the fee is £7 mill or triple that at £20 mill and quoting wages of 200K per week.

 

[WA Toffee]

It's pretty well understood now -- across a multitude of sports -- that players peak both in terms of performance and value. I'm not against the odd signing like Allan, but we really need to be focusing more on younger players who will improve over the next 5 years, not decline. Relative to their current level, who do you expect to be performing better and providing more value in three years' time: Richarlison or James?

Richarlison obviously. But if we have a choice between Siggy or James this season, which would you choose?

 

[FTY]

Don’t tbink we can actually pull this off me. MAD if we do

 

[DanB90]

Follow follow follow James is is the best Colombian we know follow follow follow

because Mina is poooooooo

 

[Parker]

Its gonna be interesting to see what formation we play if we get who we want.

Possible return to the narrow diamond he had at Milan? Gomes holding and dictating, Doucoure and Allan as runners with Rodriguez as the 10?

 

[Berenger]

Are they though? Who have they signed, that is unproven and available at a lower fee, while not in Europe?

I mean it can be done, but we have tried this, with Vlasic, Lookman, Onyekuru to a degree Kean and it's just not worked.

I mean I do share some of your concerns, but I don't think it's a simple solution at all. I also think James is much much better than all of our midfielders, even based on his Bayern form, never mind what he did at Madrid. I don't think we can attract someone with James's Bayern form who is under 25.

The question you are asking me in general terms is this: how has any team (excluding Man City, PSG and Chelsea), that isn't consistently in Europe, managed to dramatically improve their on-pitch fortunes in the last decade? Or conversely, how have teams managed to completely blow the standing they once had?

Spurs, Leicester and Wolves have managed to do this in our league; direct competitors. RBL, Lille and Lyon have done it slightly differently in different leagues, but still around recruitment and talent pipelines.

The best examples of the opposite are United or Arsenal -- terrible recruitment of ageing and/or substandard players, not replacing the quality that left.

On Vlasic, Lookman etc: doing the right thing badly doesn't mean it's the wrong thing to do.

 

[Exeter_Gently]

View attachment 98623

Brilliant work

 

[Berenger]

Richarlison obviously. But if we have a choice between Siggy or James this season, which would you choose?

That's a false choice because I'm not advocating that we buy another Sigurdsson. Whereas I am advocating that we buy another Richarlison instead of spending that money on James. I'm not absolutely against the James deal at the right price and with the right mix of other transfers; but it's pretty clear that signing him will block the purchase of someone who could perform for us for 3-5 years and have a resale value at the end.

 

[Quim]

That's a false choice because I'm not advocating that we buy another Sigurdsson. Whereas I am advocating that we buy another Richarlison instead of spending that money on James. I'm not absolutely against the James deal at the right price and with the right mix of other transfers; but it's pretty clear that signing him will block the purchase of someone who could perform for us for 3-5 years and have a resale value at the end.

This is a statement signing to help bring them younger players to us going forward.

 

[Barnfred 55]

I like Gomes, was just stating he looked woeful at the end of the season but with the season starting again in A such space of time from the last 1 ending will he be any better or fitter? And as for doucoure like I said I’m not that convinced.

It will take time for Gomes to get back up to speed no doubt. But your post just said he was woeful. Well that's because in the ideal world we shouldn't have been playing him 2 games a week for 4 weeks post shutdown.

These players are top athletes and little things make all the difference. Gomes came back remarkably quick from what should have been a season long injury. Due to other injuries he was probably overplayed during that period as he struggled against Chelsea after remarkably decent showings against United and Arsenal. We then went into total lockdown for 3 months, a period which was roughly double the length of a normal close season when players "holiday". Instead of getting the specialist training and treatment to get him back up to peak condition, he was very likely left to his own devices.

I really can't believe the stick he's had since we came back.

Fair enough re Doucoure. It's all about opinions and he is inconsistent as I said, I have seen him boss games though, against decent sides too, and that's something we've been lacking in our midfield when Gomes hasn't been at his best.

 

[catcherintherye]

The question you are asking me in general terms is this: how has any team (excluding Man City, PSG and Chelsea), that isn't consistently in Europe, managed to dramatically improve their on-pitch fortunes in the last decade? Or conversely, how have teams managed to completely blow the standing they once had?

Spurs, Leicester and Wolves have managed to do this in our league; direct competitors. RBL, Lille and Lyon have done it slightly differently in different leagues, but still around recruitment and talent pipelines.

The best examples of the opposite are United or Arsenal -- terrible recruitment of ageing and/or substandard players, not replacing the quality that left.

On Vlasic, Lookman etc: doing the right thing badly doesn't mean it's the wrong thing to do.

I suppose what I'm saying is that are the exceptions to the method outlined above? And if so does James fit into that?

 

[matty1878]

View attachment 98623

thanx