...quoted in the Echo as saying he wants to get us in a position where we only need to bring in “two or three players each summer.”
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I think we’re very close.
....I think we’ll be in that position when we have a baseline squad that gets us top6. Silva has said he wants competition for every place, and there’s still a Walsh residue to get rid of.
Yeh still deadwood but a lot less. Few contracts running out next summer too. We want say 25 players.
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....agree, a few contracts up next summer and if Tosun goes it probably leaves us with Bolasie and Sandro to shift. Good work from Brands. There has been a lot of criticism on here (not mentioning any names) about him not moving the surplus on permanent deals. They are a bit quieter now.
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Deco
Player Valuation: £40m
Longer interview now available for members. The extra detail..
Overall thoughts: 20+ players have left and similar last summer. Wants to have 2/3 in, 2/3 out each summer to bring stability. Exciting window and he‘s happy overall.
He and Marco met months ago with his scouting team to put together the plans and they were close to hitting all of their targets. Only failure being CB.
Has to be careful with club finances and it’s not so easy. Farhad is very ambitious but it’s not as easy as the owner putting money in, you have to be careful as we’ve spent a lot in the past and will need to think in future seasons to make sure we meet rules and regulations.
On CB: Really wanted a CB and in particular Zouma but it didn’t happen because of Chelsea’s ban. Gives Holgate an opportunity and says he is a very talented player. He also thinks Gibson can step up after a great pre season which he thinks is important as it gives perspective to the academy that players can come through.
Thinks it’s very important to spend money only in the right way. If they need to buy at a level lower than they want it’s better to not spend money and to give young players a chance especially when we have players close to the first team.
On average age: wants to buy at value, whether it’s younger players with future value or older players at the right price.
On selling players/Gana: sometimes it’s not easy and we refused the offer in January and we promised Gana we would consider selling him if a good offer from PSG came in again in the summer. We have to be fair with players when clubs like PSG come in.
He loves Gana as a player but it can be the right time to sell a player at the right age and replace with a younger player.
On Marco and their way of working: always try and bring in players that they both agree on - would never want a player the manager didn’t want. They plan together and as DOF his preseason starts from 1st September preparing for future windows as it takes time to get the right players for the positions they need.
Very happy working with Marco and thinks that he is a manager that improves every player like he did last season.
On the window: business started later than usual in England and then big transfers happen such as AWB that trigger the rest of the window. He doesn’t like waiting until later in the window to buy players but for example some targets were held up by Arsenal’s business (Pepe/Iwobi).
It’s a tough role as DOF and high pressure but he’s used to it with 20+ years in the job.
On Moise Kean: took months, started speaking to Juve/Moise in January about a loan but he then started playing in their first team and it wasn’t an option. Thinks he is a great fit for the PL. Kept an eye on his performances for Juve/Italy and though his great performances would make it very hard to buy him.
Says Moise was nervous about moving but he convinced him by saying he would be given time here and the fans would love him.
On Gbamin: Tried to buy him for PSV before he went to Mainz but Mainz paid more at the time. He’s done well since going to Germany. When there was interest in Gana he pushed for Gbamin but it wasn’t an easy transfer as there was other interest in him.
Thinks he has the right profile/physicality to do well in the PL, they have a detailed process looking through stats to judge whether a player can do well in the league/squad. Also takes character seriously to make sure each player is right for the dressing room - which is what Marcel thinks we did well with last summer.
On picking loans for young players: Steinsson is his main man for picking these clubs and he takes a lot of care in this as picking the wrong club can ruin a career.
On watching players on loan: make a detailed log and he/his team watch them closely. He has a “loan group” who have their own responsibilities including the non-football matters which he thinks is important - they meet at least monthly but discuss each player regularly.
Dwight K Schrute
Player Valuation: £25m
Just watched it. Very interesting. Said that he enquired about taking Kean on loan in January but he started getting in to the Juve team and the national team. He said that he knew this would make a deal harder - well done for getting your man Marcel.
Also said that he tried to sign Gbamin for PSV when he moved to Mainz who could pay more money. Says he has developed well in Germany.
Said that the Iwobi deal was impossible earlier on in the summer and he had had to wait as Arsenal git some of their targets.
Said of a CB that it was disappointing not to get one but that he didn't want to sign someone for the sake of it. He said that we need to bring the quality up with new signings. Says Mason is talented and has a chance to stake a claim after allowing Jagielka to leave. Also talked up Gibson as a very talented boy with a future at Everton and that he may get a chance but has a lot of developing to do.
Overall an interesting interview. Obviously a calm presence and has a plan. I still would have like another cb and forward though!
EDIT: Just seen your second write up come in as I posted mine!
Deco
Player Valuation: £40m
Comes across very well.
I’m glad he explained his stance on the CB situation especially when he said that it gets to the point where the only players he can bring in aren’t the level required, so he doesn’t want to waste money and would rather play young players.
ForeverBlue92
Player Valuation: £80m
What about Zaha Brands kid?
Let us down there Brands mate Zaha could have had us top 6 this year. Instead its fighting it out with Wolves and Leicester again for 7th and 8th.
Let us down there Brands mate Zaha could have had us top 6 this year. Instead its fighting it out with Wolves and Leicester again for 7th and 8th.
I have a feeling we're keeping quiet on that to see what can be done in January.
ForeverBlue92
Player Valuation: £80m
Hope so mate - lads quality and would improve us no end imo.
BornBlue76
Player Valuation: £35m
Yep... If we hadn't lost Gana and Lookman .. we basically needed a RB and a Striker as priority.... then the 2 boys we had on loan or a replacement for them..
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