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Post by cousindupree on Jul 24, 2019 12:42:46 GMT
Jones describes him as 'Fine player' not 'Wonderful'. I think Jones has got this right and is a decent squad player and that's about his level. 6m for a squad player can be added to the list of poor business we have conducted in the last 2 years.
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Post by cousindupree on Jul 20, 2019 12:32:03 GMT
1. Leeds 2. Fulham 3. Bristol C 4. Brentford 5. Cardiff 6. WBA 13. Stoke 22. Luton 23. Millwall 24. Wigan That is pretty much my view too. I think Leeds will stroll it this season. Bielsa will have learnt from last season. Not sure about wba maybe forest might surprise. Bottom 3 look likely. |
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Post by cousindupree on Jul 18, 2019 15:44:57 GMT
Let's hope this happens because it would be a concern if Cousins was the main option for DM
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Post by cousindupree on Jul 17, 2019 21:04:27 GMT
the players he's bought are winners and fighters. Cousins will be a real steal I think, Smith is what we need albeit harsh on Edwards, Powell adds flair and Gregory adds grit. I don't know much about Lindsay to be honest nor Davies but we need cover in these areas as I think Butland and Indi will leave the club. Time will tell Bayern Are they? Two are at a level. They failed at this level. Powell, Gregory and Cousins have generally lost at this level. Smith is. Ward was. But he’s not what we need in a key position for most of the season. I agree with you Bayern, most of the signings have only played in the bottom half championship or third tier with Wigan QPR Barnsley and Millwall. There is a reason why they have been at that level. The hope of course is that they improve by having a better quality of team mate around them. Smith is of higher quality whereas Ward really is just an ageing prem player thankful for a final payday. The players coming in so far have added to the breadth of the squad but probably only Powell will have an impact. Still time of course to bring in 2 quality players that will make a difference |
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Post by cousindupree on Jul 17, 2019 12:09:28 GMT
Collins won't be playing as I think Ireland U19 play tomorrow in UEFA championship. He didn’t go did he? I’m sure he said he was going to stay here to try and break into the first team Yes I think you are right, lets hope he gets another run out |
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Post by cousindupree on Jul 17, 2019 11:58:30 GMT
Does anyone know what strength team we are playing tonight?I may nip down It’s the first team, probably minus Powell, Ince and maybe Verlinden. Collins won't be playing as I think Ireland U19 play tomorrow in UEFA championship. |
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Post by cousindupree on Jul 12, 2019 19:47:24 GMT
According to Alan Nixon. Didn't show up for his trial at birm city. Sure he has a good excuse.
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Post by cousindupree on Jul 12, 2019 10:59:58 GMT
Ha ha good old aunty beeb headlines on their BBC Sports website
'Peter Crouch ex England Liverpool Tottenham and Burnley striker ends career'
Crouchie has been a joy to watch and provided many of the best moments for this Stokie in the last 10 yrs. Good luck to a guy who was universally loved by fans of every team he played for.
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Post by cousindupree on Jul 11, 2019 8:58:14 GMT
Fuck me, you realise who Tommy Smith is right? He was captain for his leadership traits not his unbelievable ability. This isn't Dani Alves you know, Tom Edwards may yet get a look in next season. Who do you suggest we sign? Cuco Martina, we wouldn't have to worry about Edwards not starting when fit then would we. We don't want the backup to be barely capable, we want them to be similarly good. We want them to be athletic, energetic and attacking as well though. That may well be Smith, but it's not the impression I've got from anything I've read so far? Yes I am starting to get confused with what Jones preaches and what he actually does. I seem to remember one of his mantras was that he preferred young athletic players who he can mould and develop as they are open to learning....that was the gist of it anyway. Anyone care to guess what the average age of signings since he arrived? ...................27! |
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Post by cousindupree on Jul 10, 2019 15:10:31 GMT
Afobe is a different type of striker to Vokes and Gregory and will be a useful alternative. We overpaid for him, but that is nothing new (until this summer) and he could find himself surplus to requirements in the near future if Campbell really does develop into the player we all hope he does. Right now, recruitment priorities lie elsewhere and I am happy enough with the four strikers we will have at our disposal going into the new season. There's not enough goals in them to be promoted. I am surprised that some are happy with our 4 strikers, all of which seem to be a 1 in 4 scorer at best. recent history has shown that at least for auto promotion you have to hit 90 goals. With pretty much less than 15 likely to from the likes of Allen, Etebo Clucas McClean and Ince and Powell at best another 1 in 4 that total is way out of our reach. Maybe Gregory will score twice as many as he did last season to become our Billy Sharp but it's a tall order. |
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Post by cousindupree on Jul 8, 2019 13:52:46 GMT
I'd still guess at closer to £1m. We had no leverage at all, did we? We'd shown our hand and were basically begging someone to take his wages off us - and if he was still here in a fortnight, he would have had to spend his last year under contract out on loan One thing is for certain now though if we don’t buy in a better left back before the window closes the cynics will be all over Nath! Why would it be cynical to criticise Jones or Nath as you call him if he starts the season with a 34 year old playing LWB or god forbid McClean or Clucas as first choice in a crucial position. You you be happy if no other LB was signed? |
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Post by cousindupree on Jul 8, 2019 10:48:59 GMT
Does Jones really think Stephen Ward is a better bet than Erik Pieters? Yes he sees Ward as the youthful athletic dynamic left wing back his system craves. I see him as an ageing premier league player looking for his final wage. I really thought we had ditched the strategy of buying old not good enough for the premier league players. |
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Post by cousindupree on Jul 8, 2019 6:47:45 GMT
Hard to choose between any of them, after all Jones only signs wonderful players wonderful people.
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Post by cousindupree on Jul 7, 2019 18:16:59 GMT
Delighted for Erik. When I had a chat with him a few weeks ago both him and his wife were desperate to stay in the Cheshire area which they consider their long term home.
He still has something to offer at Premier League level which clearly Stephen Ward doesn't.
Smart bit of business by Dyche.
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Post by cousindupree on Jul 5, 2019 7:25:06 GMT
He seemingly has a closed mind on 2 out of 3 routes to improving a squad, loans and overseas recruitment. I would be very interested to understand why he has no interest in either of these two strategies. Hopefully someone will ask him. I hope he isn't being influenced by our poor record of success in the loan market and often poor overseas recruitment.
He has little or no knowledge or contacts in overseas markets and will not get meaningful help from our not fit for purpose recruitment team. So I guess I understand why this route is closed.
However loans at Championship level are a proven and almost necessary way of getting premiership quality players into your squad. Derby without their loans would have been a shadow of the team they were last season without them.
To close 2 important routes for recruitment seems bonkers to me.
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Post by cousindupree on Jul 2, 2019 15:25:25 GMT
Great appointment for Derby. A manager with 10 sound years experience at a decent level. His record at PSV...he has a 65% win ratio there and that's over 5 years quite sensational !! I am not surprised Derby fans are creaming themselves. It's the sort of bold adventurous management appointment I wished we would have made. Sadly he's foreign so he would never have been on our radar  |
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Post by cousindupree on Jul 1, 2019 18:09:39 GMT
Cheap Cheap Cheap Cheap Cheap All in All a result for the chumps up top. Yes because spending millions on players always guarantees quality doesn't it? Quite often if done correctly and with due diligence. |
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Post by cousindupree on Jun 30, 2019 10:16:39 GMT
I am not convinced our esteemed recruitment team had much to do with these signings. The process for all the signings to date seem to be either a) Jones knows them as with the Barnsley chaps, Cousins and Gregory ( recommended by his buddy at Millwall) and/or scanning the out of contracts lists i.e Powell Gregory and Ward , which to be honest I could do from my home in Atlanta and Powell simply by reputation. I give you Ward was a bit left field. Jones has no interest in overseas players (can't say foreign it seems on here) so forget our overseas scouts. It will be interesting to see if we sign anyone else where they come from. However at the moment I think we can limit Carto's activities to schmoozing up to agents, which in fairness he should be ok at. Oh and of course spending time at Beswicks office and getting the drinks in at The White Lion Barthomley. You can say foreign, just not in a pejorative way. Thanks for clearing that up. As someone who has spent more than half his life living as a foreigner I ain't going to be pejorative. |
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Post by cousindupree on Jun 30, 2019 9:20:45 GMT
Anything is possible but for those who still believe that these are 100% Jones signings that’s not possible. Jones has showed that his only knowledge stems back a few years ago from some lad from Charlton who once showed a little potential who Jones now sees as his pivotal positional player (QPR don’t want him) in his fabled all conquering conquest of the Championship. How people still fall for the crap that Scholes spews amazes me. Of course they're not "100% Jones signings" in the sense that Jones is sent into a dark room to try and divine a name from somewhere. We've got a very expensive scouting department and if they had no input, what's the point of them? But there's ZERO evidence that these aren't the players Jones wants. He just could not be any more explicit that that's the case. www.stokesentinel.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/stoke-city-transfers-nathan-jones-3019274“I’m really pleased that we have managed to make these five signings. It has been an ongoing process for three to four months and I’d like to thank the club because they have backed my judgement. “These players are signings that I think are going to be key for us in terms of enhancing the environment and improving results" How anyone could listen to that 10-minute interview him and still think this lot weren't his picks I've got no idea? www.stokesentinel.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/stoke-city-transfers-nathan-jones-3036092“We don’t just go out and think, ‘He’s a good footballer so let’s get him in’. We’ve done due diligence on every single person, massive due diligence, four months of due diligence on everyone we’ve brought in because we’ve needed to change the environment. “It’s already a different place. We are really looking forward to what we can do.” “In my recruitment I don’t think I ever make too many mistakes. We get it right when we make signings because we know exactly why we bring people in.” I am not convinced our esteemed recruitment team had much to do with these signings. The process for all the signings to date seem to be either a) Jones knows them as with the Barnsley chaps, Cousins and Gregory ( recommended by his buddy at Millwall) and/or scanning the out of contracts lists i.e Powell Gregory and Ward , which to be honest I could do from my home in Atlanta and Powell simply by reputation. I give you Ward was a bit left field. Jones has no interest in overseas players (can't say foreign it seems on here) so forget our overseas scouts. It will be interesting to see if we sign anyone else where they come from. However at the moment I think we can limit Carto's activities to schmoozing up to agents, which in fairness he should be ok at. Oh and of course spending time at Beswicks office and getting the drinks in at The White Lion Barthomley. |
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Post by cousindupree on Jun 28, 2019 15:27:30 GMT
Wow interesting appointment, expect Ya Ya Toure to turn up along with Wilf Bony. After all he has coached both a few years back and that seems to be good enough for us.
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Post by cousindupree on Jun 28, 2019 10:22:27 GMT
People don’t have selective amnesia regarding Hughes. Give him a rock solid base crafted from years of due diligence, and then allow him to sprinkle some flair onto that base, and he’s a very good manager. Task him with rebuilding that base and he builds something about as useful as a house of cards in a hurricane. If Hughes had left at the end of his third season then this vitriol wouldn’t exist. In fact, if we’d got rid just 2 or 3 weeks sooner I’d say there’s a very decent chance we’d still be a premiership club. It was misplaced faith and loyalty that decimated Hughes’ legacy as much as anything else. With a huge dollop of hindsight, I think you could argue that Hughes may have had enough to have just about got us over the line in 2017/18. What would have happened after that though is anyone's guess. I think you are right Dave. I sort of understand the reaction after the Coventry game. But the board really should have been smarter both in terms of seeing Hughes's decline (in part due to shocking recruitment after Arnie had gone) and ensuring there was a cast iron replacement lined up. I am convinced and not with hindsight Hughes would have produced more points than the absolutely woeful Lambert. I still struggle to understand that appointment |
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Post by cousindupree on Jun 26, 2019 18:54:58 GMT
I have to smile about the comments on here. If any other manager had signed a 34 yr old prem player looking for a final payday they would have been lambasted but because it's Jones it's part of the grand master plan.
We don't need more experience or 'characters in the dressing room we have plenty.
What happened to NJ's mantra about wanting to bring players in and improve them. 34yr olds dont really improve do they?
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Post by cousindupree on Jun 26, 2019 18:06:50 GMT
How is he better than Pieters? He isn't. And in no way is he a high energy wing back! Thank christ it's only a one year contract. But it still takes up one of Jones famous 20 with spaces running out. |
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Post by cousindupree on Jun 26, 2019 7:51:07 GMT
Cousins out of the 5 signed is the one I don't get.Poor stats and an 'invisible' player at QPR But Jones knows him and he was free. Not sure if thats the best criteria for a pretty crucial role.
Anyone got Whelo's phone number?
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Post by cousindupree on Jun 25, 2019 18:56:30 GMT
I know very little about this player, but the same could be said when we signed Steino a long time ago.  There was little media hype no social media and hardly any fecker using computers. Today there are lots of ways to get into. His QPR and career stats are pretty limp and supporters comments are not positive. People are holding out that Jones can work a miracle on him to become the next Kante. We will see. At the moment he occupies a crucial DM role. |
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Post by cousindupree on Jun 25, 2019 17:22:22 GMT
So it begs the question whether we need Carto and his rolodex any longer or even a network of scouts? None of these signings have been scouted by anyone but Jones. Get rid and reduce costs. |
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Post by cousindupree on Jun 25, 2019 17:10:27 GMT
No idea about them really but in fairness to Jones he said he wanted 6 new signings and has got 5 with one to go. Lets hope the final one is a bleedin left back.
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Post by cousindupree on Jun 25, 2019 13:28:53 GMT
I think just a group pic and a one liner for each new player would be sufficient. Low key announcement for some pretty low key signings
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Post by cousindupree on Jun 24, 2019 17:24:27 GMT
NJ is quite open that he recruits players who he thinks can play at least a division higher than at when they were purchased. The players he wants seem on the whole, to be of character which has been sadly lacking. So you think Gregory can play in the prem? He will be 31 in Aug and spent just about all his career at Halifax and Millwall. Surely if Jones thinks he can play in the prem at 31 he would have done it already. The goalkeeper looks champ level Cousins if he signs looks bang average lower championship. Powell perhaps. If Jones believe they can all hack it in the Prem then he is wrong simple . |
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Post by cousindupree on Jun 24, 2019 16:25:42 GMT
Indeed he would have been perfect for building on what Hughes achieved. If the money was right he might have been persuaded...only a short journey from the Wirral. Sadly the owners don't do foreign managers
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