The criticism from Andrew Howard may be justified, but he's jumping the gun a bit as far as I'm concerned. We've always been a club who tend to bring in players late in the window rather than early. Looking at the players we're being linked with, they look to be (as with Low for us) players that clubs would be keen to keep hold of, rather than looking to get rid of in a hurry. I'd rather we bought in the right players at the end of January, than rush into signing players now. It's not as if there's any glaring gaps in the squad that we desperately need to fill now, it's more a case of hopefully strengthening the existing squad.
If anybody truly believes that Andrew Howard is simply "assuming" anything then I'm afraid their heads are truly buried in the sand. Andrew Howard will know exactly what is going on
Just on a different topic to ice cream, should we assume by the fact Nathan Bishop appears to have not been recalled that he's staying with us till the end of the season? I can't imagine he's too happy not even getting in the squad when fully fit. It does seem a bizarre situation... Which makes me wonder whether Franco might be close to getting dropped and that's the reason he's sticking with us. I still can't get my head round how Bishop isn't even making the bench though given he appears to be better than George, albeit based on their few cursory appearances.
Interesting remarks from Andrew Howard, he’s well connected with the club so must have a good idea what is going on. It’s also been fairly obvious in recent interviews with MB that DR is responsible for recruitment. I don’t think we can judge how good/bad that recruitment is until the end of Jan although given our league position I would hope we get a couple in the door by early next week, I imagine we have a shortlist of players we want already.
Just on the recruitment - if you're all crediting Scott Mitchell with the successes of the season then by that logic he's also responsible for Hartridge, Bakinson, Bishop and George. So a mixed record. I'm happy to be guided by Dan Rice's databases for at least one window.
On the speed of recruitment this window - we've only lost two players. They're both fantastic, but both could've been out with injury at any point just as easily. We've been crowing about our strong squad all season. This is the point where we utilise it... especially if we need to play the longish game bringing back Morley, rather than splashing the cash on a not quite as good replacement only to find he suddenly becomes available again in a week or two.
Calm down folks! It’s January 6 and the transfer window doesn’t close till February 3. After Huddersfield tomorrow it’s eleven days before our next league game against Mansfield. We are 13 points clear of 7th place with a vastly superior GD.
Is he still well connected though? There's been a lot of turnover at board and executive level so does he still know the people making the decisions? I genuinely don't know the answer
Transfer windows and their success cannot be judged on January 5th. The last January window we were struggling and needed the calvary, there was no queue of teams wanting our players. This January we want in, we want outs, teams want our best players. It’s 3D chess for the recruitment team. Someone makes a bid for a player at midday on the 31st we are stuffed. So I do find AH’s comments a bit off as he knows this. Ideally we would be done by now. No chance that will happen.
Interesting comments from AH. I feel he’s got a point. Blooms did say he wasn’t involved in player negotiations of late. The head of player recruitment left in the fall. Remember he got all the players in that we’ve got, then DR gets rid of him.
im saying the Jury is out here, DR may pull a rabbit out the bag or 2, I hope there isn’t cause for concern. Time will tell.
I believe one of the particularly vocal lot wrote something Howard took as a threat, so he stormed over from the boxes with a face like thunder to have it out with him.
I bet the Nathan Bishop situation is a win-win for Sunderland. They have a Goalkeeper who isn't as good as their first choice and replacement, he's out of contract in the summer, not wanted and I doubt they are paying his wages as we prob are. This allows them space on their budget to spend it elsewhere and taking away the risk of bringing back a player who could cause them problems.
Really scraping the barrel to "prove" a bad point isn't it?
I've been supporting Wycombe donkeys' years and these last two windows combined are far and away the best we've ever had. Nothing else even comes close.
I accept that out financial clout in the market place is also stronger than it has ever been
I like Bakinson but he appears to now be 4th choice central midfielder, behind Leahy in the pecking order (5th if including Morley), which I'm not sure was the intention when he was signed in the summer on probably high wages.
My point is simply that any head of recruitment is both fallible and replaceable, and that I'm more than happy to give Dan Rice the benefit of the doubt over Andrew Howard.
Howard might know more than we do, but I’m not judging this window for a long while yet.
Morley and Taylor were out of our control. Everything else is mere rumour or conjecture as things stand.
It’s only January 6th and we’ve already played two games, with a further two to be played this week. Our management/coaching team’s attention has to be on Huddersfield.
We, fans and Gasroomers , care most about the first team and our league position, with the FA Cup as a muse bouche (oh and the chairlift etc). The owners and their appointed generals care about the academy project. Dan et al will be spending their time proportionally to those two agendas I would imagine.
I think I know what you are alluding to there. Another angry outburst but much more spontaneous than the terrace confrontation. It was in answer to a question from a Trust member about ownership of the training ground at a meeting probably the best part of a decade ago. The questioner was told in no uncertain terms to keep his nose out of club business and concentrate on the football. The room went very quiet.
Comments
The criticism from Andrew Howard may be justified, but he's jumping the gun a bit as far as I'm concerned. We've always been a club who tend to bring in players late in the window rather than early. Looking at the players we're being linked with, they look to be (as with Low for us) players that clubs would be keen to keep hold of, rather than looking to get rid of in a hurry. I'd rather we bought in the right players at the end of January, than rush into signing players now. It's not as if there's any glaring gaps in the squad that we desperately need to fill now, it's more a case of hopefully strengthening the existing squad.
He's an ice cream man, maybe leave the football to football people
It makes an "ass" out of "you" and "ming"?
I’m sure the manager and players won’t be waving the white flag with half the season remaining so why the pessimism?
If anybody truly believes that Andrew Howard is simply "assuming" anything then I'm afraid their heads are truly buried in the sand. Andrew Howard will know exactly what is going on
Just on a different topic to ice cream, should we assume by the fact Nathan Bishop appears to have not been recalled that he's staying with us till the end of the season? I can't imagine he's too happy not even getting in the squad when fully fit. It does seem a bizarre situation... Which makes me wonder whether Franco might be close to getting dropped and that's the reason he's sticking with us. I still can't get my head round how Bishop isn't even making the bench though given he appears to be better than George, albeit based on their few cursory appearances.
Interesting remarks from Andrew Howard, he’s well connected with the club so must have a good idea what is going on. It’s also been fairly obvious in recent interviews with MB that DR is responsible for recruitment. I don’t think we can judge how good/bad that recruitment is until the end of Jan although given our league position I would hope we get a couple in the door by early next week, I imagine we have a shortlist of players we want already.
Just on the recruitment - if you're all crediting Scott Mitchell with the successes of the season then by that logic he's also responsible for Hartridge, Bakinson, Bishop and George. So a mixed record. I'm happy to be guided by Dan Rice's databases for at least one window.
On the speed of recruitment this window - we've only lost two players. They're both fantastic, but both could've been out with injury at any point just as easily. We've been crowing about our strong squad all season. This is the point where we utilise it... especially if we need to play the longish game bringing back Morley, rather than splashing the cash on a not quite as good replacement only to find he suddenly becomes available again in a week or two.
Calm down folks! It’s January 6 and the transfer window doesn’t close till February 3. After Huddersfield tomorrow it’s eleven days before our next league game against Mansfield. We are 13 points clear of 7th place with a vastly superior GD.
Is he still well connected though? There's been a lot of turnover at board and executive level so does he still know the people making the decisions? I genuinely don't know the answer
Transfer windows and their success cannot be judged on January 5th. The last January window we were struggling and needed the calvary, there was no queue of teams wanting our players. This January we want in, we want outs, teams want our best players. It’s 3D chess for the recruitment team. Someone makes a bid for a player at midday on the 31st we are stuffed. So I do find AH’s comments a bit off as he knows this. Ideally we would be done by now. No chance that will happen.
Interesting comments from AH. I feel he’s got a point. Blooms did say he wasn’t involved in player negotiations of late. The head of player recruitment left in the fall. Remember he got all the players in that we’ve got, then DR gets rid of him.
im saying the Jury is out here, DR may pull a rabbit out the bag or 2, I hope there isn’t cause for concern. Time will tell.
Don't remember past executives and manager siblings moaning on 'der socials' before. Another price of success?
I did check if he'd ever played for them and no he hasn't. But maybe you could be right.
Brings back memories of him storming into the terrace to confront one of the sing up gasroom lot.
You don't remember various Couhigs moaning on social media? It really wasn't that long ago...
Hahaha I've never heard about this
I thought that was slagging offf fans rather than moaning about the running of the club....but yes I recall it being a thing.
Kevin Couhig's 'Football Manager in their mum's basement' dig is the stuff of legend
I believe one of the particularly vocal lot wrote something Howard took as a threat, so he stormed over from the boxes with a face like thunder to have it out with him.
Yeah he was born in Cardiff and his dad played for Cardiff - no idea if he is a Cardiff fan but it would not be a surprise if he is
I bet the Nathan Bishop situation is a win-win for Sunderland. They have a Goalkeeper who isn't as good as their first choice and replacement, he's out of contract in the summer, not wanted and I doubt they are paying his wages as we prob are. This allows them space on their budget to spend it elsewhere and taking away the risk of bringing back a player who could cause them problems.
Not sure Bakinson deserves to be lumped in with those 3.
Is it fair to put George in there too seeing as tho he's only played in Cup games against lower opposition?
Really scraping the barrel to "prove" a bad point isn't it?
I've been supporting Wycombe donkeys' years and these last two windows combined are far and away the best we've ever had. Nothing else even comes close.
I accept that out financial clout in the market place is also stronger than it has ever been
I like Bakinson but he appears to now be 4th choice central midfielder, behind Leahy in the pecking order (5th if including Morley), which I'm not sure was the intention when he was signed in the summer on probably high wages.
My point is simply that any head of recruitment is both fallible and replaceable, and that I'm more than happy to give Dan Rice the benefit of the doubt over Andrew Howard.
Howard might know more than we do, but I’m not judging this window for a long while yet.
Morley and Taylor were out of our control. Everything else is mere rumour or conjecture as things stand.
It’s only January 6th and we’ve already played two games, with a further two to be played this week. Our management/coaching team’s attention has to be on Huddersfield.
We, fans and Gasroomers , care most about the first team and our league position, with the FA Cup as a muse bouche (oh and the chairlift etc). The owners and their appointed generals care about the academy project. Dan et al will be spending their time proportionally to those two agendas I would imagine.
I think I know what you are alluding to there. Another angry outburst but much more spontaneous than the terrace confrontation. It was in answer to a question from a Trust member about ownership of the training ground at a meeting probably the best part of a decade ago. The questioner was told in no uncertain terms to keep his nose out of club business and concentrate on the football. The room went very quiet.