Ollie Watkins

[tavyred]

you may think your 'business plan ' is the way forward, but imo its completely the opposite, it's short term and particularly unhealthy for football ie relying on smaller clubs to invest where your club cant be bothered and then cashing in on their hard work and paying them a minimal amount, when really all the hard works been done for you. in a odd sort of way bit similar IN PRINCIPLE of businesses going to a third world country and buying goods produced by giving peanut wages. but hey whatever floats your boat.

Alls fair in business.
The onus is on us to make our 'business plan' work better, not rely on Brentford to help us out of some sense of fair play. When you fail to get promoted, it means clubs like Peterborough and Brentford can step in and take your young talent for less money. If we had Nicol and Watkins banging them in at league 1 level, then it wouldn't be those clubs in for our players it would be clubs with substantially bigger budgets.

 

[Banksy]

Alls fair in business.
The onus is on us to make our 'business plan' work better, not rely on Brentford to help us out of some sense of fair play. When you fail to get promoted, it means clubs like Peterborough and Brentford can step in and take your young talent for less money. If we had Nicol and Watkins banging them in at league 1 level, then it wouldn't be those clubs in for our players it would be clubs with substantially bigger budgets.

Too true.Hopefully we'll go for the automatics this season from the off.If the boys down the road can do it surely we can.
Sadly without Ollie though.

 

[Y8EES]

I've joined for the obvious reason, as a lifetime Brentford supporter, but I also have a soft spot for 'the Grecians' due to a schoolfriend's parents owning a farm near Collompton and many other connections to the City, particularly to events at the Phoenix.

Anyway...

You seem to have a minority who don't get what the Brentford 'project' is about but there's many clubs interested, some have copied elements and the Scottish FA (yes, I know!) have had our staff doing seminars. The best way to find out is this but it is lengthy, requires a long attention span and a lot of patience to get through: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2718752-brentfords-moneyball-way-to-beat-football-teams-with-huge-budgets
I would be surprised if ECFC's management had not read it.

It may not have come across well but we have a recent history of recruitment that has benefitted selling clubs - as well as BFC - by optimising players as assets. For example, our pre-season training camp has 24 players and 14 support staff, with each player having an individual plan and the goal to make them self-managing to achieve their personal targets; it's not a tour around with some kick-about matches and the Club invests heavily in this support (we even do sleep seminars, don't laugh!).

We also target recruits over the long term. For example, we recently signed one of the highest-rated defensive holding midfielders in the Eredivisie for a rumoured 1M€, after over 2 years of tracking. We may or may not end up recruiting your Ollie but we will have a really clear value for him and will put a lot into his development to reach his potential. That may mean he attracts bigger clubs and gets sold on, it may mean he becomes a valuable long-term member of our squad.

Apologies for the over-long first post but there are perceptions that need to be corrected. I'll still look for your results, whatever.

 

[iscalad]

I've joined for the obvious reason, as a lifetime Brentford supporter, but I also have a soft spot for 'the Grecians' due to a schoolfriend's parents owning a farm near Collompton and many other connections to the City, particularly to events at the Phoenix.

Anyway...

You seem to have a minority who don't get what the Brentford 'project' is about but there's many clubs interested, some have copied elements and the Scottish FA (yes, I know!) have had our staff doing seminars. The best way to find out is this but it is lengthy, requires a long attention span and a lot of patience to get through: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2718752-brentfords-moneyball-way-to-beat-football-teams-with-huge-budgets
I would be surprised if ECFC's management had not read it.

It may not have come across well but we have a recent history of recruitment that has benefitted selling clubs - as well as BFC - by optimising players as assets. For example, our pre-season training camp has 24 players and 14 support staff, with each player having an individual plan and the goal to make them self-managing to achieve their personal targets; it's not a tour around with some kick-about matches and the Club invests heavily in this support (we even do sleep seminars, don't laugh!).

We also target recruits over the long term. For example, we recently signed one of the highest-rated defensive holding midfielders in the Eredivisie for a rumoured 1M€, after over 2 years of tracking. We may or may not end up recruiting your Ollie but we will have a really clear value for him and will put a lot into his development to reach his potential. That may mean he attracts bigger clubs and gets sold on, it may mean he becomes a valuable long-term member of our squad.

Apologies for the over-long first post but there are perceptions that need to be corrected. I'll still look for your results, whatever.

Interesting read. Thanks for posting. Seems though it's easier to hoover up PL Academy rejects if you are London, or near London based.

 

[Y8EES]

Interesting read. Thanks for posting. Seems though it's easier to hoover up PL Academy rejects if you are London, or near London based.

Thanks. It is easier to attract players from other leagues to the big city. It's not just young players but there's so much more value in other European countries.

 

[IndoMike]

I've joined for the obvious reason, as a lifetime Brentford supporter, but I also have a soft spot for 'the Grecians' due to a schoolfriend's parents owning a farm near Collompton and many other connections to the City, particularly to events at the Phoenix.

Anyway...

You seem to have a minority who don't get what the Brentford 'project' is about but there's many clubs interested, some have copied elements and the Scottish FA (yes, I know!) have had our staff doing seminars. The best way to find out is this but it is lengthy, requires a long attention span and a lot of patience to get through: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2718752-brentfords-moneyball-way-to-beat-football-teams-with-huge-budgets
I would be surprised if ECFC's management had not read it.

It may not have come across well but we have a recent history of recruitment that has benefitted selling clubs - as well as BFC - by optimising players as assets. For example, our pre-season training camp has 24 players and 14 support staff, with each player having an individual plan and the goal to make them self-managing to achieve their personal targets; it's not a tour around with some kick-about matches and the Club invests heavily in this support (we even do sleep seminars, don't laugh!).

We also target recruits over the long term. For example, we recently signed one of the highest-rated defensive holding midfielders in the Eredivisie for a rumoured 1M€, after over 2 years of tracking. We may or may not end up recruiting your Ollie but we will have a really clear value for him and will put a lot into his development to reach his potential. That may mean he attracts bigger clubs and gets sold on, it may mean he becomes a valuable long-term member of our squad.

Apologies for the over-long first post but there are perceptions that need to be corrected. I'll still look for your results, whatever.

To be honest, I don't think Brentford is doing anything particularly original with this Brentford "project", but you have done well/ been lucky with some of your signings.
About the value of Watkins and the fact that he only has one year left on his contract, don't forget there are many bigger fish in the sea than Brentford. If he scores 20 next season, he'll have better options, surely? So you want him, you have to pay our price. If not, no problem.

 

[Avening Posse]

Not been following this closely, are the favourites Brentford, Derby and Bristol City or has anybody heard any rumours on other clubs ?

 

[Hants_red]

Not been following this closely, are the favourites Brentford, Derby and Bristol City or has anybody heard any rumours on other clubs ?

Leeds United also mentioned in despatches.

 

[Bittners a Legend]

Ollie Watkins, at age 21, has had one good full season in League Two and one decent half season. While there is evidence that he might have the ability to play at a much higher level and be successful there is absolutely no proof or certainty to that. He certainly has a lot more work needed to improve his game - some of it technical and some of it in relation to decision making.

If Brentford want to invest time and money in his development and succeed in taking his game to the next level then clearly they deserve to benefit from that. We will have a value based on his ability now, what he has proven at League Two and what he might have the potential to become. Clearly the value of a player who has proven himself two leagues higher and potentially become a better player will be greater and the buying club has every right to benefit from that. There is no guarantee Watkins will be a success - see Matt Grimes.

007's post is full of angry, ignorant nonsense. S/he references David Wheeler - would it be morally wrong for us to sell him for a profit? Sure we've developed him for a couple of years (as Brentford have with their players) but what about Staines, Lewes and Brighton? Just silly to suggest a club willing to pay a significant transfer fee and possible sell on are in anyway damaging us.

 

[Hants_red]

Apparently there's a late bid from Forest trying to gazump Brentford.