Rival Watch

[Sutekh]

Weren’t we paying Chris Gunter something like 20k a week? Not good at all

Yeah and I don't think he was the only fringe/underperforming player to be earning similar amounts, think McCleary was another one who was earning similar wages where he clearly wasn't good enough for the wage he was earning. Just highlights how big our wage bill was and how much of a problem it has been up until very recently.

Gunter and McCeary were both signed in the Premiership, which might explain their higher wages.

We definitely had a few on £20k+ last season (Moore, Swift, Rafael) but most reports suggest Joao, Puscas, Meite and Ejaria are all on circa £15-16k a week.

But then Gunter and McCleary both signed at least 2 contract extensions each when in the championship and I would presume the club didn’t reduce those wages at any point - but all credit to the club (and the players for re-signing) if they did.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

Yeah and I don't think he was the only fringe/underperforming player to be earning similar amounts, think McCleary was another one who was earning similar wages where he clearly wasn't good enough for the wage he was earning. Just highlights how big our wage bill was and how much of a problem it has been up until very recently.

Gunter and McCeary were both signed in the Premiership, which might explain their higher wages.

We definitely had a few on £20k+ last season (Moore, Swift, Rafael) but most reports suggest Joao, Puscas, Meite and Ejaria are all on circa £15-16k a week.

But then Gunter and McCleary both signed at least 2 contract extensions each when in the championship and I would presume the club didn’t reduce those wages at any point - but all credit to the club (and the players for re-signing) if they did.

Even if they did reduce those wages to what they ended up being, we probably should have decided against renewing them at some point as I don't think from (sort of) 2016/17 onwards they were worth £20k+ a week to us and we'd have probably still needed to have reduced our wage bill. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

[Hound]

McCleary signed his just as he had been a massive part of Stam season 1. Of course soon as he did he got injured and his firm dropped iirc

Gunter was just an example of him getting a big deal because everyone else was. Could have picked up a better player at half the price

[YorkshireRoyal99]

Yeah obviously you're never going to get it 100% right all the time, as you say, a player might pick up an injury and never recover their form and they've got a further 2 years to run on their contract.

But with all the data available these days in sports science departments, medical departments, performance and even recruitment departments, you'd think well-run clubs these days would tailor some of these aspects to what they offer contracts. I went to an open day at Nottingham Trent University a few years back now for sports science and, at the time, they said they could accurately predict injuries in different stages of a sports persons careers based on previous injuries. Obviously, they can't predict for someone breaking their leg in a freak accident, but if someone has had a bad muscle injury, something that required surgery, recurring injuries etc, they could accurately predict if/when this would cause a problem for sports people diagnostically, depending on what sport they play.

It's only the same with other aspects. For instance, if the club know they have a top academy prospect in CM, but they predict that they won't be ready for first team football for another year, then the club might not bother purchasing a young CM and spending millions and giving them a long, high-wage contract, but perhaps loan someone temporarily and save cash there before bringing through the youngster the following season. That's what I'd hope we'd start doing with our academy now as we seem to have a few promising talents coming through.

[muirinho]

McCleary signed his just as he had been a massive part of Stam season 1. Of course soon as he did he got injured and his firm dropped iirc

Gunter was just an example of him getting a big deal because everyone else was. Could have picked up a better player at half the price

Not exactly - Boro came in for him after that same Stam Season 1, and to keep him, he was offered a better deal than the one he was on.

https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport/foo ... r-13283953

I know people complain about players who "got away", but I think club's biggest mistakes in the last while have been not taking the money. See also Moore, Loader.....

[Snowflake Royal]

McCleary signed his just as he had been a massive part of Stam season 1. Of course soon as he did he got injured and his firm dropped iirc

Gunter was just an example of him getting a big deal because everyone else was. Could have picked up a better player at half the price

Not exactly - Boro came in for him after that same Stam Season 1, and to keep him, he was offered a better deal than the one he was on.

https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport/foo ... r-13283953

I know people complain about players who "got away", but I think club's biggest mistakes in the last while have been not taking the money. See also Moore, Loader.....

Swift.

Gunter was the definition of bang average.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

Just seen that Blackpool have re-signed Josh Bowler after his loan spell at Olympiakos was cut short. Was probably their most dangerous player when they played us on the opening day and a toss up between him and Fiorini as to who their best player was on the day.

Might be crucial for them in their relegation fight this season, a good bit of quality to add at this stage.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

There seem to be quite a few players being returned to parent clubs or players having contracts terminated from clubs as well, Benik Afobe being a notable player after seeing his contract at Millwall mutually terminated.

[Hound]

Just seen that Blackpool have re-signed Josh Bowler after his loan spell at Olympiakos was cut short. Was probably their most dangerous player when they played us on the opening day and a toss up between him and Fiorini as to who their best player was on the day.

Might be crucial for them in their relegation fight this season, a good bit of quality to add at this stage.

Yea done well to pick him back up. Another victim of Forest trying to spend every penny they’ve been five for going up

[Hound]

Wrexham smashing Cov. Karbota’s going to be tugging one out over that no doubts

[Zip]

Wrexham smashing Cov. Karbota’s going to be tugging one out over that no doubts

3-4 helluva game.

[Sutekh]

Wrexham smashing Cov. Karbota’s going to be tugging one out over that no doubts

3-4 helluva game.

Coventry we’re taking the game fairly seriously, yes they made 6 changes from their last league game but after 20 minutes Gyokeres came on. Wonder if Ince will mastermind a win there in a few months time…

[Royal_jimmy]

QPR fans already want Critchley out apparently. If we score first Saturday I can see their fans start to turn

[Hound]

QPR fans already want Critchley out apparently. If we score first Saturday I can see their fans start to turn

They certainly look a different prospect to when we played them earlier in the season. Quick scan of their results suggests only 5 goals in 9 league games I think (obvs they weren’t all under Critchley). Would have to fancy us for the win

[Stranded]

QPR fans already want Critchley out apparently. If we score first Saturday I can see their fans start to turn

They certainly look a different prospect to when we played them earlier in the season. Quick scan of their results suggests only 5 goals in 9 league games I think (obvs they weren’t all under Critchley). Would have to fancy us for the win

Strange if true as in the league they've had a relatively solid start under him - with 1 win and 2 draws from the opening 4 games. Home defeat to Luton was obviously poor - no idea what kind of side they had out at Fleetwood.

[Orion1871]

Miguel Azeez (Femi's brother) joins Wigan on loan from Arsenal.

[Orion1871]

FA investigating claims that Oxford defender Ciaron Brown was deliberately booked during FA Cup third round defeat by Arsenal

[Nameless]

FA investigating claims that Oxford defender Ciaron Brown was deliberately booked during FA Cup third round defeat by Arsenal

Surely it would be more worthy of investigating if he was accidently booked ?

[Sutekh]

FA investigating claims that Oxford defender Ciaron Brown was deliberately booked during FA Cup third round defeat by Arsenal

Sorry, is this a case of an official deliberately setting out to book a specific player or is it the player himself setting out to deliberately get booked for some reason? What did he do to get booked?

[paultheroyal]

FA investigating claims that Oxford defender Ciaron Brown was deliberately booked during FA Cup third round defeat by Arsenal

Sorry, is this a case of an official deliberately setting out to book a specific player or is it the player himself setting out to deliberately get booked for some reason? What did he do to get booked?

I am hearing allegedly its totally player related. Unusual betting patterns / timing etc.

However, if bookies offer stupid odds for stupid things surely they take the hit.