Does it worry anybody...

[mallyb]

...that if we don't make a signing by weekend then things are not going to plan?

[Ox Terrier]

Let's worry about that Friday evening.

[stevvy]

no-i'd rather clark waited and got the right players rather than getting them in for the sake of being able to say 'well it was late in the month but you can see i did bring someone in even if they werent really what i was looking for'

['Uddersfield]

It does worry me, a la Jackson when he promised signings and all we got was Andy Taylor on the last day of the transfer window, but I have full faith in Clark.

[Captainslapper]

This is the problem with bringing players in during the January window. Nobody's out of contract and clubs won't let players go until they themselves have brought in a replacement.
Thats what I think is most likely delaying things here.

[Deleted]

No, not in the slightest, more than happy to be patient at the moment. Getting the right man/men is the most important thing

[Deleted]

My only worry is that a lot of fans will be disappointed if we don't make at least the Play Offs this season and they are probably the types that will lose a little bit of love of the management because of that. Too many people are saying "when we get promoted".

Whereas I agree with Stevvy, I would rather we take our time and get someone decent in rather than just anybody.

We don't HAVE to get promoted this year and I'll stick my neck out - I don't think we will get promoted and I'm quite confident that we won't make the play offs.

I'll settle for a decent position (7th, 8th, 9th) and let Clark have a Summer and full season to try to steer us in the right direction and can have a good crack at the full season rather than from December where we have had an awful start to the season.

[Yorkie]

I get the feeling we have been after the right man tho and it's not working. In a selfish way I'd have loved a new striker by Saturday because I think Swindon are there for the taking and I dont want another Yeovil.

[dugnet]

Jan 15, 2009 13:16:25 GMT 1 @rjs said:

My only worry is that a lot of fans will be disappointed if we don't make at least the Play Offs this season and they are probably the types that will lose a little bit of love of the management because of that. Too many people are saying "when we get promoted".

Whereas I agree with Stevvy, I would rather we take our time and get someone decent in rather than just anybody.

We don't HAVE to get promoted this year and I'll stick my neck out - I don't think we will get promoted and I'm quite confident that we won't make the play offs.

I'll settle for a decent position (7th, 8th, 9th) and let Clark have a Summer and full season to try to steer us in the right direction and can have a good crack at the full season rather than from December where we have had an awful start to the season.

I am not worried by the lack of activity at the moment as I think getting the right people is more important.

After the start we had to the season we may not make the play-offs and that wouldn't worry me either but with 21 games to go it certainly isn't impossible. New faces would increase the possibility but even without I think we will have a decent go at getting there.

Whatever happens in the next 3 weeks and to the rest of the season the overall outlook is very bright.

[scottieterrier]

I know it's going well at the moment but if we don't make the playoffs, hopefully people can see that Dean is ambitious and Clark & Co are doing their job properly even if we don't sign anybody in January I won't be disheartened, we have some good players and it's difficult enough buying top players during January and even more so when we are League One and lets be honest there are some clubs in League One with more money than us. But we will be there eventually.

[marshian]

A little bit, because it would be nice if decent players did think that we are a club going places and would like to join us.

On the other hand, we don't want to pay silly money either in transfer fees or wages & end up with a duff buy, so I do have confidence that Lee & his team know what they are doing

[panasonicgeese]

Jan 15, 2009 12:55:40 GMT 1 mallyb said:

...that if we don't make a signing by weekend then things are not going to plan?

Not worried in the slightest. If we are unsuccessfull this time around than more money in the pot for the summer.

I have 100% faith in our management team and would prefer we get no one that meets the expected standard then a signing for signings sake.

[pozza]

I personally dont think we'll get promotted this season, or even make the play offs for that matter, so i'm not worried. Plus as the Captain says, its harder to sign players at this time of year as clubs are reluctant to let the better players leave without having someone to bring in as cover. Plus the prices of players are higher this time of year as clubs know other clubs are after players to come in & help them get up/stay up.

So taking all that into consideration i'm not concerned right now, i'd like to see someone come in, but if we dont get anyone then I wont be too dissapointed.

If were still in this position in August 2009, then i'll be worried, but until then i'm reasonably happy with the squad we have, and i'm confident that the management team know what we need, and will have everything sorted come kick off in the 2009/2010 season.

[panasonicgeese]

Jan 15, 2009 13:41:00 GMT 1 pozza said:

I personally dont think we'll get promotted this season, or even make the play offs for that matter, so i'm not worried. Plus as the Captain says, its harder to sign players at this time of year as clubs are reluctant to let the better players leave without having someone to bring in as cover. Plus the prices of players are higher this time of year as clubs know other clubs are after players to come in & help them get up/stay up.

So taking all that into consideration i'm not concerned right now, i'd like to see someone come in, but if we dont get anyone then I wont be too dissapointed.

If were still in this position in August 2009, then i'll be worried, but until then i'm reasonably happy with the squad we have, and i'm confident that the management team know what we need, and will have everything sorted come kick off in the 2009/2010 season.

Spot on

[Tez]

I reckon we'll have a decent push towards the play off placings this season but like Poz says we'll probably fall short. Shocking Goal Difference counting agaist us!
Even IF Clark hasn't brought a new striker in this week so what. To compare where we were before Clark and co came to the club (after Gerry & Mitch had worked wonders no thanks to Stan the man) is amazing. UTT!

[richhtfc]

I think we will make the play-offs this year, there are loads of games left and the managment/team/fans are all pulling in the same direction for once. If teams win their games in hand we are at worst 9 points off 6th place, that gap is bridgeable no problem.

[pozza]

Jan 15, 2009 14:24:01 GMT 1 richhtfc said:

I think we will make the play-offs this year, there are loads of games left and the managment/team/fans are all pulling in the same direction for once. If teams win their games in hand we are at worst 9 points off 6th place, that gap is bridgeable no problem.

I see what your saying, and I hope your right.

However, our form at the moment is so good, that I cant see us carrying on from now to the end of the season, at some point were going to go a few games without winning, and this is where we will slip further behind. I know 9 points isn't much, and other teams will lose, but so will we. Few teams in the Play Off spots have seemily already had the "bad run" that were bound to have at some point, so within a couple of weeks 9 points could easily be 15.

In saying that though 9 points could just as easily be 3 ;D Whatever happens, it will be an interesting end to the season!

[Deleted]

I think there is too many Yeovil/Orient at home and Northampton aways in us for us to make up so much ground this year.

Think we can be close though and I would love to be wrong.

Next season is more important to me than this one as we will be more settled.

[CaptainHart]

The maximum we can be off sixth is the eight points we’re behind Oldham because they’ve played the same number of games. However, bridging that gap is not going to be easy. We need to average two points per game for the rest of season, and that’s championship form.

[richhtfc]

I think we've had our bad spell and more consistency is around the corner, god knows why i'm so optimistic, this is all providing we get someone decent in to stick the chances away.

[Floyds]

If we can bring 3 or 4 quality players in this month i think we have a chance

If not, i would rather we brought no one in just for the sake of it, let Lee Clark evaluate the squad, and then get rid of the 10-12 who (IMO) are not good enough to be part of a promotion winning side/squad

Then in the summer he can replace and improve on those that have left and hopefully see us up next season. Although it does always seem to be "we will go up next season...." with town doesnt it?

[bluearmy86]

Jan 15, 2009 12:55:40 GMT 1 mallyb said:

...that if we don't make a signing by weekend then things are not going to plan?

No.

[CaptainHart]

Jan 15, 2009 14:53:02 GMT 1 Floyds said:

and then get rid of the 10-12 who (IMO) are not good enough to be part of a promotion winning side/squad

…but are good enough to be part of a squad that’s taken 23 points out of its last eleven games.

[Tez]

IMO we don't need to ship out that many players. That is mental.

More like the excess (flab?!) Unsworth, maybe Lucketti. Bring in striker or two and we are more or less there. Give or take a left back.

[henseventee]

I'm sure Clark said he'd be happy to wait until summer for the 'right' players if necessary.

On the other point, you could say its EASIER to sign players now, because clubs are desperate to get players off their books before the contracts expire in summer. In the January window its the players that hold the power, witness the likes of Leroy Lita, Jamie Ward and someone else who have had fees agreed for them but haven't been able to agree terms.

The player has the comfort of an existing contract till June, and knows that the chances are if he see's his contract out, he'll be able to command a higher salary in lieu of the club having to settle his existing contract or pay a fee or whatever.

[Tez]

With Graham though he'll be free in the Summer as he's out of contract is he not.

[mallyb]

This was not intended as a dig, more an observation that had things gone to plan we would have had a new player in by now.

As we haven't does that mean we are looking at alternate targets because something has gone wrong or is it just taking a long time to sign the first deal because we are being so ambitious?

[Tez]

I think it's good to have that buzz back in the club. Aint felt like this during a Jan transfer window for a bit... folk constantly refreshing the OS from abroad. Gotta love it. UTT!

[marshterrier]

Most transfers during the window don't happen until the final week, even days, of the window shutting.

Patience may be required

[bluearmy86]

Jan 15, 2009 15:48:46 GMT 1 marshterrier said:

Most transfers during the window don't happen until the final week, even days, of the window shutting.

Patience may be required

Disappointed that the transfer window closes in the afternoon this year, usually it's midnight on the 31st. This sad bastard always stayed up to til 12 and beyond!