Best Of

Palace weren’t shy about politely telling us to piss off and leave Imray alone. So we just need to have the same resolve regarding Kone. We simply don’t need to sell him, and clearly having just given him a contract extension, we don’t appear to have any intention of doing so. Silly money may come into it if Luton are desperate enough (which they quite possibly are) but if we don’t have a Kone-quality replacement lined up and ready to go, then “silly money can do one”.

Just needs ‘Alan’ Rice to tell Blooms: “Read the small print on the Kone-tract”.

Is Carsley actually a genuine option?

Or have we heard a rumour and started putting 1 + 1 together and getting the complete works of Shakespeare?

It seems almost farcical that his name is being mentioned as an option to take over.

But then had you told me a month ago that the club would spend an estimated £2m on players I would have thought you were quite quite mad.

All the Dan Rice haters will be loving him or should be loving him if we keep Kone. We would definitely have taken the second bid by now with the old owners.

I know we all want it resolved but I would prefer to get the right man rather than just acting quickly. However, if we can achieve both, then fine.

I think if we get an offer in excess of £7.5m plus add-ons we might well be tempted, but I do think the calculation is going to be as follows:

a) Keep Kone in the hope that he helps us to one of the automatic promotion spots, thus guaranteeing us an additional income next year of the increased TV money (c£7.5m) plus increased commercial & match day revenues (my guess is a minimum of £2.5m)

vs

b) money now & possibly in the future from selling Kone but reduced chance of making it to the Championship

I know what I would prefer not only as a fan but with my business hat on.

That'll be swiftly rejected then

He'll still be worth as much in the summer, maybe more if we go up

Either of these names would be massive appointments for us. A real statement of intent.

Just can’t see where we would find a 20-25 goal replacement striker at this stage of the window. What would be the point of strengthening the team for promotion and then letting your top striker go. It just wouldn’t make any sense. We don’t need the money, although that’s incredible to say.

Of all the names mentioned on this thread I would love to see Schumacher or Carsley, I think the likelihood of the former is sadly receeding; but am keeping fingers crossed for the latter.

I think Sam Grace is fine to steady the ship short term but it really isn't ideal longer term for the reasons so many other posters have mentioned.