Do we really think Gareth either didn't know he was available or wasn't given the money? Seems much more likely that he's got Bishop sorted out and is happy with that. A proportion of Bishop's Utd wages could even be more than what Blackman has had to settle for.
Bishop has one more year on his contract and is nowhere near the Utd first team whereas the BBC article suggests Exeter don't expect to be able to hang on to Blackman once he's had the run of games he needs to showcase himself so long term it's just as likely that Bishop will be our Goalie next year if we want him than Blackman would be if we signed him.
If Ainsworth is having his hands tied in the market and budgets cut and targets turned down, and undue influence from the chairman he does a very good job of hiding it.
So the Chairman is over ambitious in his projections of success for the team whilst working flat out to ensure Gareth does not have the players to compete?
Through injury, Jamal Blackman has missed sizeable chunks of every season since he played for us. However, never let a blindingly obvious fact get in the way of a tin foil hat story.
I have no issues if the wage bill is lower, as I expected it to be so after a season of parachute payments. For me the key is finding the young gems like Mehmeti and Forino, as we can't compete with some of the big clubs as far as ability to splash the cash anyway.
We can say the squad is a little weaker than last season at this point, but there are some serious causes for optimism. Freeman is the equivalent of signing a new player, and I feel that (injuries permitting) he might just make a leap. He has a silky game that did not always get to benefit from players of a similar ilk, and I feel he would be more of a natural playing with the likes of GMac, Horgs and Mehmeti than someone like McCarthy or Wheeler has been, much as I love those players.
If Mehmeti does not improve at all, he will be formidable. If he does develop further, he will be one of the best players in the division.
Ultimately, as far as a starting XI goes we are swapping Bishop and Forino in for Stockdale and Stewart, and then possibly Freeman in for an injured McCarthy. Depth may be more of an issue (apart from midfield!) but I would happily hang my hat on our starters being a match for anyone.
A long post about a serious problem that only exists in the mind of the poster was the final piece of the Gasroom summer puzzle. The season can start now.
I mean, it could just be that we weren’t in for Blackman because we signed our first team keeper a while back but haven’t announced him yet? Or because we have our sights set on someone better? Or because Ainsworth didn’t want to sign him??
Literally the last assumption I would make is that we couldn’t compete with Exeter financially!
I've also never said Blackman is not good enough for us. If we announced his signing I'd be celebrating it, I've long since learned that Gaz and team know better than I do (thanks Bayo). Which is also why I'm not pissing my knickers about him signing for Exeter City.
Oooh, he made 2 League Cup appearances for Leeds, or Ledss. Or maybe both. Was it one League cup appearance for Ledss and one for Leeds? He must be the best. Never mind that he's never managed to play a full season since he left us because injuries and form, he must be the best because he played for Ledss.
I think we rolled the dice a little on transfers last season and the one before with Stockdale and Vokes. Signing Vokes for one year was big. Signing him for a second season is MASSIVE.
We have cut the wage bill with Stocko and Stewart leaving, which needn't have happened had we gone up.
Why can't we be grateful for what we have? None of ever thought Sam Vokes would sign for Wycombe. He is with us for 2nd season which is incredible really.
Think longer term, we are probably going to lose (being realistic) McCleary, Vokes, Taff, JJ, Mehmeti as a minimum. If we spunk all of out money now...what do we do next season??
Playoffs this season would be a great acheivement.
Comments
Ainsworth has just signed a new contract, and I don't think he would have done so if he believed the chairman was setting him up to fail in this way.
This Blackman obsession is weird and we can do better (plus I've still not forgiven him for White Hart Lane...)
"the most concerning thing I've seen this summer"
Don't you think you're being just a tad dramatic?
Do we really think Gareth either didn't know he was available or wasn't given the money? Seems much more likely that he's got Bishop sorted out and is happy with that. A proportion of Bishop's Utd wages could even be more than what Blackman has had to settle for.
Bishop has one more year on his contract and is nowhere near the Utd first team whereas the BBC article suggests Exeter don't expect to be able to hang on to Blackman once he's had the run of games he needs to showcase himself so long term it's just as likely that Bishop will be our Goalie next year if we want him than Blackman would be if we signed him.
If Ainsworth is having his hands tied in the market and budgets cut and targets turned down, and undue influence from the chairman he does a very good job of hiding it.
So the Chairman is over ambitious in his projections of success for the team whilst working flat out to ensure Gareth does not have the players to compete?
Football is a funny old game.
Who's to say we won't get another Dom Gape/Sam Vokes style announcement! Jaw droppingly good.
GA may have pulled out a permanent signing for Bishop or another GK.
Perhaps that's what's taking so long? Ten Hag might have seen him on tour and said, GA do you want him permanently instead of on loan?
Bishop may not be coming at all but whatever happens I'm confident GA will have it covered.
Not a huge fan of Blackman, happy to see him sign for Exeter as I think we can do better and for less wages.
Through injury, Jamal Blackman has missed sizeable chunks of every season since he played for us. However, never let a blindingly obvious fact get in the way of a tin foil hat story.
Did Blackman ever play against us after his loan?
Yes for Bristol Rovers, and was not that impressive.
I have no issues if the wage bill is lower, as I expected it to be so after a season of parachute payments. For me the key is finding the young gems like Mehmeti and Forino, as we can't compete with some of the big clubs as far as ability to splash the cash anyway.
We can say the squad is a little weaker than last season at this point, but there are some serious causes for optimism. Freeman is the equivalent of signing a new player, and I feel that (injuries permitting) he might just make a leap. He has a silky game that did not always get to benefit from players of a similar ilk, and I feel he would be more of a natural playing with the likes of GMac, Horgs and Mehmeti than someone like McCarthy or Wheeler has been, much as I love those players.
If Mehmeti does not improve at all, he will be formidable. If he does develop further, he will be one of the best players in the division.
Ultimately, as far as a starting XI goes we are swapping Bishop and Forino in for Stockdale and Stewart, and then possibly Freeman in for an injured McCarthy. Depth may be more of an issue (apart from midfield!) but I would happily hang my hat on our starters being a match for anyone.
I thought we had won and he had not looked that good...seems it was 3-1.
Good luck to him at Exeter...not sure it is the transfer that destroys our season as yet.
We saw the best of Jamal Blackman; we can do better.
yeah, we have 2 non league GKs on our books!
A long post about a serious problem that only exists in the mind of the poster was the final piece of the Gasroom summer puzzle. The season can start now.
They're League 1 goalkeepers mate, keep up.
how many league 1 caps do they have between them?
There's no such thing as a League 1 cap, so I'm going to guess at zero.
The drone army kept on about Bloomy not kicking it out in the play off final v Southend, but Blackman's not kicking it out incident was much worse.
Could barely have made a worse kick, and literally all he had to do was find touch with it.
zero appearances in any professional leagues and your saying Blackman is not good enough for us !
To give @Wanderers82 his due...he finds a catchphrase and sticks with it.
Blackman has exactly the same number of League 1 caps as both of our keepers.
I mean, it could just be that we weren’t in for Blackman because we signed our first team keeper a while back but haven’t announced him yet? Or because we have our sights set on someone better? Or because Ainsworth didn’t want to sign him??
Literally the last assumption I would make is that we couldn’t compete with Exeter financially!
look at the clubs he has played for , Ledss , Sheffield Wednesday, Rotherham, Leeds...our GKs have no league experiences at all
I've also never said Blackman is not good enough for us. If we announced his signing I'd be celebrating it, I've long since learned that Gaz and team know better than I do (thanks Bayo). Which is also why I'm not pissing my knickers about him signing for Exeter City.
Not strictly correct
https://images.app.goo.gl/LTXh4piQTgt4qFEcA
Oooh, he made 2 League Cup appearances for Leeds, or Ledss. Or maybe both. Was it one League cup appearance for Ledss and one for Leeds? He must be the best. Never mind that he's never managed to play a full season since he left us because injuries and form, he must be the best because he played for Ledss.
I see we had an interest in Touray. Now signed at Accrington.
League One club tie up striker deal after Bristol City, Wycombe Wanderers, Wrexham interest - The72
Wow Accrington must be loaded if they outbid a Championship side and Deadpool FC...
I think we rolled the dice a little on transfers last season and the one before with Stockdale and Vokes. Signing Vokes for one year was big. Signing him for a second season is MASSIVE.
We have cut the wage bill with Stocko and Stewart leaving, which needn't have happened had we gone up.
Why can't we be grateful for what we have? None of ever thought Sam Vokes would sign for Wycombe. He is with us for 2nd season which is incredible really.
Think longer term, we are probably going to lose (being realistic) McCleary, Vokes, Taff, JJ, Mehmeti as a minimum. If we spunk all of out money now...what do we do next season??
Playoffs this season would be a great acheivement.