Gary's January Transfer Window

[Banksy]

Muskwe coming back? i’ve heard it all.

that blokes performance at Fleetwood was appalling IMO why would we ever want him to return is beyond me.

no disrespect to the lad i’m sure he’s a nice bloke etc and will probably prove me to be completely wrong but that performance was as unforgivable as you’ll see at professional level in terms of effort.

All the pre transfer window talk from Hawker & Caldwell is simply not being backed up by the club in terms of excitement , news or more importantly actual players arriving…

we may well stay up in league 1 come May regardless of incomings or outgoings but either way the way this season has turned panned out has been so unenjoyable in pretty much every aspect.

I remember watching Jay Stansfield bang in a hat trick back end of last season, it was a warm afternoon we played good football and the atmosphere and vibe around the club and the ground was really good and an environment i decided to introduce my 7 year old lad too and he loved he wanted to support his local team.

The last 2 games i’ve taken him too he’s said “he’s bored” and wants to go home…

it’s such a shame we didn’t kick on.

Yes , agree Credy, we worked so hard to get where we are too , and there’s every chance it will be all chucked away at the end of this season with a very real prospect of demotion.I remember my grandson saying exactly same about our football towards the end of the Tisdale reign. A great shame.

 

[edwin_price]

We think very similarly in terms of the limitations of having a wholly Trust owned club. However, whilst I think anything above 200k is probably the ceiling for us in terms of a transfer fee under the current model I don't see that changing much even if we sold the club tomorrow. Clubs of 'our size' dont tend to spend much on transfer fees at all and a private owner wouldnt splurge 500k on a player either imo

£500k players don't want to come here. If we're paying £500k, it's probably because we're getting ripped off for a £250k player.

 

[SaintJames]

£500k players don't want to come here. If we're paying £500k, it's probably because we're getting ripped off for a £250k player.

I would imagine any player being paid twice his value would go anywhere

 

[Grecian Max]

Whilst the model is and can be an issue to a certain degree with regard to transfer/squad funding it certainly isn't the main issue so not really a fair comparison to make, otherwise you might aswell lament us for not being able to compete with Manchester United and then be all doom and gloom when reality sets in and you realise we can't. This 'woe is us' attitude is generally so pointless in my opinion.

With the financial regulations in place across English Football (although these differ from Championship to Leagues 1&2), the main issue and difference between Club's like us and those down the road is that they get roughly double our attendance for every home game and roughly triple our annual turnover or revenue (their term vs our term in accounts) each year. That's why they are in positions to take much bigger gambles in terms of transfers than us and then gain larger potential rewards.

Worthwhile comments regarding our ownership model, have to be done in comparisons with Club's of a similar size (in all aspects).

All any club our size can do is focus on the things that they can control. Tapping into slight increases in the local population, getting them to come to games regularly, making attractive business propositions and partnerships, investing more and improving things that does earn you money (i.e the Academy) etc in order to increase revenue and turnover. All of which are often a gradual, slow, marginal gain type process.

Exeter population growth: 11%
Plymouth population growth 3.2%

Things do not stand still

You also miss my original point - very often on these boards “investment” is a considered a dirty word, as if nothing can come of it and you’re just chucking it into a void. This isn’t the case when sensibly used. We’ve done it before with Nombe.

You say “This 'woe is us' attitude is generally so pointless in my opinion.”

Yet your entire post is drenched in woe

 

[Phillip]

Player transfers or loans are about not about commodities but people. Players have lives like all of us, partners who work, kids in school, perhaps elderly parents with health issues. All of this affects a players decision on a move. You can't just say here's the money and contact. Sign here. Add to that there are three parties in any transaction, us, selling club and the player all of which have to agree to any transaction. That's why it's hard and especially hard in January.

 

[Grecian Max]

We think very similarly in terms of the limitations of having a wholly Trust owned club. However, whilst I think anything above 200k is probably the ceiling for us in terms of a transfer fee under the current model I don't see that changing much even if we sold the club tomorrow. Clubs of 'our size' dont tend to spend much on transfer fees at all and a private owner wouldnt splurge 500k on a player either imo

You’re misunderstanding what I’m saying if you think I’m pushing for us to spend 500k on a player

Our much lauded academy system is a money maker for us but is likely to be dwarfed in one deal for Argyle from a transfer they made six months ago. Football is moving fast and I don’t believe our very narrow and limited way of making ££ is a good view for the future - especially when those in green are also developing an academy to far eclipse our own.

This isn’t really about Argyle but the increasing reality around us that other clubs will overtake us due to the injections of cash they’re receiving, particularly from the states. I really worry about our ability to compete and we can see it playing out again in hey another transfer window. Not helped by a manager way out of his depth of course.

Some big flashing warning signs. Eventually change will come about, I suspect when it’s too late.

 

[edwin_price]

I would imagine any player being paid twice his value would go anywhere

True. Point is, if we somehow decided we'd go mad and compete with Argyle for Whittaker's signature and laid down whatever Argyle offered ,+10%, he's still not coming here.

 

[CREDYGRECIAN]

We’ve got unprecedented money we’ve got Nombe money & yet people seem to still think we’re Steve Flack with a cap in hand….

 

[Grecian Max]

£500k players don't want to come here. If we're paying £500k, it's probably because we're getting ripped off for a £250k player.

James Scott is a million pound player mate

 

[edwin_price]

Exeter population growth: 11%
Plymouth population growth 3.2%

Things do not stand still

You also miss my original point - very often on these boards “investment” is a considered a dirty word, as if nothing can come of it and you’re just chucking it into a void. This isn’t the case when sensibly used. We’ve done it before with Nombe.

You say “This 'woe is us' attitude is generally so pointless in my opinion.”

Yet your entire post is drenched in woe

I agree with you, but we've done it in the past, not just with Nombe, and we've done it really well... Stockley for example. Want us to do more of this, but feel like we can within "the model" and private investment might give us more to spend, but probably not getting good value if we're throwing bigger fees around. Players who can command the fees we can't really afford right now have no interest in coming here.