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Post by philb on Jul 6, 2023 13:06:54 GMT
Would rather see this than what we've had going into the past 6,7 seasons. It's unnerving right now but these transfer windows are a joke, especially in the first month and a half. Do agree that the market is going to be tough, with everything slanted towards promoting garbage early on that other clubs just want rid of. We'll get beat by other clubs that finished higher - a summer of ups and downs flavored with chaos towards end of the window. As far as Spain, might as well get the U21's and 28's spooled up. Would rather that than getting in an all-fired rush to sign another Imbula or Wimmer. Good point Terror of Turfmoor yes a brief bit of PR would help. They could say something without blurting out any secrets and the Oatcake could then concentrate on mutating it into a "disaster." Yea but if we take the u28s that means Enda can’t go 🤣
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Post by philb on Jul 6, 2023 13:03:22 GMT
I still have faith that AN will get a squad together that will be competitive. No doubt he will at some point, but may be too late for a punt at the top 6.
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Post by philb on Jul 6, 2023 13:02:11 GMT
OK then let's go buy any Tom dick or Harry like we did in January and hope they play well as a team At least we had a team then. Admittedly shit but it was a team 🤣
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Post by philb on Jul 6, 2023 13:00:23 GMT
As much as I agree with you on this Toxic, it's also why I'm bitterly disappointed that the best we could find at left back is an injury plagued 32/33 year old from Dublin's former club. If the plan is for him to be our first choice left back then I’d raise an eyebrow at that too. My feeling is he’s here to provide experienced cover and be a wise old head, and if so I don’t have a problem with that at all. Nailed on first choice then when we miss out on our other target 🤣
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Post by philb on Jul 6, 2023 9:28:04 GMT
Backroom team almost complete now. Why is the official site logo now blue?? I don't know, I didn't design it Promoting the away kit
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Post by philb on Jul 4, 2023 17:27:01 GMT
It would be nice to have a sprinkling of new signings to run the rule over at Notts County?. Bet Alex Neils’s thinking exactly the same 🤣
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Post by philb on Jul 4, 2023 13:27:55 GMT
I'm far from a happy clapper but ffs, people reacting like it's the end of the world because we're signing Stevens. Fair enough if at the end of the window all we have bought is 32 year olds, then I'll be the first to complain. Perspective seems to fly out of the window on here Problem is with the track record of the club regarding transfers he’s nailed on to be our first choice full back.
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Post by philb on Jul 4, 2023 13:25:46 GMT
Alan Nixon on Twitter/Patreon: "Stoke swoop for Stevens (Enda)" I'd settle for that if the intention is to sign a young prospect for him to mentor and share duties with. If he's first choice then it's a bit underwhelming. With the squad being as short as it is we don't have the luxury to sign players in order of preference so lets see what happens. He’ll be first choice when we fail to get the starter we want.
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Post by philb on Jul 4, 2023 11:27:33 GMT
Is it worth going to Spain? We know they will but that's the time for team bonding good training and to gel together. It’ll be good for the U21 lads 👍
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Post by philb on Jul 4, 2023 11:24:47 GMT
Because the players we signed on loan in January were all from that market and I’m guessing that is the market where we are focussed. It’s frustrating for us all but it would explain why we aren’t signing players yet. The Head of Recruitment last week in his interview specifically said the club was very active in every market. Hanley? Crewe? Sandbach?
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Post by philb on Jul 4, 2023 11:16:58 GMT
I am sure Alex Neil defines pre season as Monday 26th June...the day we returned for 'pre season' Really? Some of our players had extended breaks due to internationals. I think it truly starts when we go to our warm weather training camp. Which is now just six days away and still no signings 🤷♂️
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Post by philb on Jul 3, 2023 20:16:11 GMT
I wouldn’t say the histrionics on here over the lack of signings is ridiculous at all. We’re less than a week away from the training camp in Spain with no new faces and a month away from the start of the season. Where are the couple of signings that Neil said we were hoping to have in by last Monday??? We’re now another week on and still nothing. It is worrying. It is ridiculous and funny to see grown men on here stressing over it😉 Not stressing over it (stopped doing that years ago) just giving an opinion just like you are. Fans care about the club more than a manager or owner ever will, that’s why people are worried (not stressed) Then again the club clearly knows what they’re doing as the last 5 years have shown so let them crack on with things 👍
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Post by philb on Jul 3, 2023 19:12:52 GMT
Another day down and no signings yet. It’s no wonder the fans are restless especially after the shit show of the last few years. It’s time for the club to give something back. Make us believe again. Let’s hope the next few weeks gives us a real reason to. We could make a raft of signings the fans on here believe to be great signing but history tells us the only good signings are the ones that perform once the season gets underway. Just wait and see. The histrionics on here over a lack of signings so far is ridiculous and a bit embarrassing. Things will happen, we will have a squad. Only then can we judge the manager, the board, the players etc. Enjoy the summer and don’t get hung up about it👍🏻 I wouldn’t say the histrionics on here over the lack of signings is ridiculous at all. We’re less than a week away from the training camp in Spain with no new faces and a month away from the start of the season. Where are the couple of signings that Neil said we were hoping to have in by last Monday??? We’re now another week on and still nothing. It is worrying.
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Post by philb on Jul 3, 2023 13:00:00 GMT
And don’t forget this is the manager who banged on all last season about the importance of having a good pre-season and used that as an excuse for fitness and organisation etc. Does preseason really begin before Spain? That is when all the team bonding will take place Yes and that’s exactly 7 days away today 😳
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Post by philb on Jul 3, 2023 11:18:56 GMT
Why are we surprised at the lack of activity, as regards to new signings? This is Stoke, we’re talking about!! Ever since the transfer window was introduced, our transfer policy has been a lot to be desired. We always seem to leave things until the last minute and if our targets don’t sign,we don’t seem to have a plan B or C for that matter. The usual excuse, “ Well we tried but just couldn’t get it over the line in time “, is rolled out. As we don’t have 11 senior players on the books at the moment, hardly any back room staff, as far as we know, we have to rely on the vast experience of a manager, who, apart from 4 or 5 games, who was no better than what we had before his appointment. As far as I can see, AN, talks a good game but doesn’t seem to be able to deliver and let us not forget the vast knowledge and experience our Chairman has, of running a professional football club. ( I am joking ) This transfer window, in my opinion, is the most important one we had for a long time. We are down to the bare bones, as regarding players and time is fast running out to hit the ground running. Believe me we won’t be hitting the ground running, we’ll be more like Nathan Lyon trying desperately to run to the other end of the wicket a couple of days ago 🤣
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Post by philb on Jul 3, 2023 10:23:28 GMT
And don’t forget this is the manager who banged on all last season about the importance of having a good pre-season and used that as an excuse for fitness and organisation etc. It's as if you think they've been doing fuck all for the last however long, it's not all in the clubs hands, if the players aren't willing to commit then there's not a lot that can be done unless you're not bothered who we sign as long as we have bodies in. I'm sure he would have liked them in and maybe he was confident of a couple judging from his previous interview but things change. I know they’re not doing fuck all but once again we’ve got a manager who seems to talk the talk instead of walking it. He said many times that we’d have a better team when they got a proper pre-season behind them. Does it look like that’ll happen with literally a month before the season starts? Clearing the decks may have been needed but to leave us so short on numbers and not do anything about it is ridiculous in the extreme. We literally need a minimum of 10 signings. Once again we’ll be playing catch up when the season starts due to a lack of foresight.
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Post by philb on Jul 3, 2023 9:41:57 GMT
I was told yesterday that it’s frantic behind the scenes and “we’re in big trouble” which is pretty much my thoughts There’s still time yet, but with each passing day without a signing, it does make you wonder if we are in the realms of messing it up. Something has to happen soon. And don’t forget this is the manager who banged on all last season about the importance of having a good pre-season and used that as an excuse for fitness and organisation etc.
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Post by philb on Jul 3, 2023 8:42:33 GMT
Right what have I missed! Square root of fuck all 🤣
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Post by philb on Jul 3, 2023 8:42:01 GMT
I've liked this but I do think it's important we have some new signings for the Spain trip Day before is fine Before Spain we ideally needed 6. We’ll be lucky if it’s 2? And Football Manager has fuck all to do with it and is a really really thick argument. The squad is a shit show. The club may as well cancel the Spain trip and save some money with the numbers we’ll have going at this rate 🤣
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Post by philb on Jul 2, 2023 13:00:47 GMT
Show a bit of faith in the manager. He knows the players he wants to mount a promotion push. He obviously will approach and sign most of them in the next week or two. A few (the really good ones) will take a bit longer. AN is an experienced manager and knows what he is doing. Preseason? Who needs a preseason to get players fit and organised? Look at Burnley for example. It was this manager though who banged on all last season that the players he inherited and brought in hadn’t had a proper pre-season as a group and that that was essential to hit the ground running and be able to see a whole season out. I’m amazed we’re where we are at the moment considering his thoughts on this. It’s just over a month until the season starts and the group, when they actually get together will I fear be playing catch up with everyone else.
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Post by philb on Jul 1, 2023 16:28:04 GMT
Stoke loud and proud saying we're in for Enda Stevens. 32 year old ex sheff United LB Hmm, as back up to a younger starting lb it wouldn't be the end of the world. You just know he won’t be a back up.
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Post by philb on Jul 1, 2023 8:14:09 GMT
I really like it. Really cool design and the plain back actually breaks it up a bit. What’s not to like 🤷♂️ Don’t get the hate but then again it’s something else for some to moan about 🙄
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Post by philb on Jun 30, 2023 16:48:35 GMT
Just imagine the excitement when we finally unveil Johnson tomorrow in the new away kit 😴 💤 💤 Not bothered now 🤣
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Post by philb on Jun 30, 2023 13:09:46 GMT
Anyway glad to see Neil’s getting the important pre-season he always insisted was so massively important for a good campaign 👍
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New kits
Jun 30, 2023 13:03:10 GMT
via mobile
Post by philb on Jun 30, 2023 13:03:10 GMT
The new kit looks loads better with broxap on Looks crap. You can’t see it properly. Needs blocking out.
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Post by philb on Jun 30, 2023 11:50:19 GMT
Ipswich interested in Fiery Surridge Colby Bishop - that's our ideal target man right there if you ask me. Brilliant in the air, lays off the ball and makes chances for those around him, decent enough at the press, and scores lots of goals. There are some gems in League One who could make the grade in the Championship, and this guy is one of them. More chance of us signing Harold Bishop 🙄😜
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Post by philb on Jun 30, 2023 7:13:12 GMT
I guess FFP doesn't apply to Arsenal? Spent some money over these past two years. Zinchenko Jesus Rice Timber Haivertz Can't be any change there from 250 million..Yet barely a word mentioned. Doesn’t seem to apply to most of the PL. Look at Man City, 25 of their 115 charges are for profit and sustainability yet they still bid £90m for Rice 🤷♂️
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Post by philb on Jun 30, 2023 7:07:11 GMT
Don't want that yellow puke, vomit, diarrhea colour, unless the yellow is just for the stitching or secondary colour. You may be very disappointed then 😜
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Post by philb on Jun 30, 2023 7:06:03 GMT
I’m thinking…..20 odd posts today by the media team…..all about tomorrows away kit launch.
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Post by philb on Jun 29, 2023 11:21:50 GMT
I’ve been reliably informed that pre-season training has reached the 4-a-side stage and things are looking up 😉
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