Could it be Rogers (or another loanee like Bowler or Patino)? Their CB Jordan Thorniley is semi-decent but don’t think I’d take him or anyone else really?
Probably a long shot but Timothy Fosu-Mensah at Bayer Leverkusen maybe worth going for. Barely playing for them this season. One year left on his deal. I highly doubt a Prem team will go for him. Leverkusen only paid about £1.8mil for him. Can’t see him costing much more than that now. If we’re going for a back 3 I think he could work. Especially with his pace and Ismael’s desire to play with a high line, we will need at least one CB that can catch most players.
I saw that our Spanish scout Jose Vinas was at Albacete v Alaves in the Segunda today. Not sure how work permits work for such players but Albacete have a homegrown CB, Flavian Boyomo, who spent four years at Blackburn, who is 21 and has had three excellent seasons at Albacete. Known to be one of the best CBs in the Segunda and would count toward the homegrown quote, with only 1 year left on his deal.
Would he be eligible for a work permit though? He may be homegrown, but he's not British, and although he's been called up to the Cameroon national team, he's yet to make an international appearance
Does he count as home grown after his time in UK. Is his absence from the first injury or inability to displace others in the starting line up? If he is fit and counts as home grown it’s certainly a good shout.
Agreed. I think I noted as such in my post. But it also seems the FA are currently in the process of totally rewriting the WP rules
He has all the raw attributes but he’s had two serious knee injuries, including an ACL, and not sure he’s looked the same since. Doubt our medical staff would make things much better
You've said this, but although I know the idea has been floated I've not seen anything to indicate the rules are about to change anytime soon? Seems unlikely to be in time for this transfer window surely. Please point me in the direction of any articles which indicate otherwise if you've seen them.
Would be an utterly pointless signing. He hasn't made more than 10 league appearances in a season since 18/19 and managed 5 in total over the last 2 seasons. In fact at the age of 25, he has only ever managed it once. Kortney Hause Mk 2.
I can’t find the article right now, but it was in the Daily Mail and the changes have been fairly widely reported. There was no timeline about when the changes would come into effect reported but the FA don’t hang around; the previous changes were announced in December 2020 and came into effect for that January window. Besides, this lad spent four years in the U.K. as a teenager, I have no idea if he would have acquired some other immigration status during that period.
https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...s-for-greater-playing-time-for-english-talent There's a good article here detailing the likely changes, I'd heard from a Championship Head of Recruitment (back in March) that the FA were apparently aiming for them to be in place for the summer window but considering we're now in May and there's not been a sniff of a confirmed change I reckon it's unlikely (and a bit unfair) for them to implement them ready for the summer. Although saying that we'd be ****ed anyway
I don’t disagree but the previous changes were announced about two weeks before a January window. So who knows. What I’d be interested in if they stick by this structure of a certain number of wildcards allocated based on percentage played by English players is how many each team would get prior to the first season in which this rule was in place. That strikes me as unfair with a lack of notice. So maybe everyone gets a certain number prior to the first season and then only based on allocation following the first season.
Some more suggestions / ideas. GK | Alexander Schlager - LASK - Free - 27 years old Played around 50 games for Valerien Ismael at LASK. Current captain there and is confirmed to be leaving as a free agent this Summer as he wants a new challenge - should fit into Ismael's style of keeper required. GK | Finn Dahmen - Mainz - Free - 25 years old Half-English / Half-German. Another keeper set to leave on a free, wants first team football. Stats seem to show up well in terms of claiming crosses and actions outside the box, but very small sample size, so it's hard to tell his level. CDM | Michel Adopo - Torino - Free - 22 years old Looks pretty much confirmed he's leaving on a free as he wants first team football. Would fit the bill in terms of a physical presence in midfield. Seems to have done pretty well when given a chance from what I can tell and fans opinions, but hardly had any opportunities. ST | Mikkel Kaufmann - FC Copenhagen (on loan at Karlsruhrer) - £1m (transfermarkt value) - 22 years old Karlsruhrer have a £1m option to buy, but has good scoring numbers and seems to have really broken through in this second half of the season. 6'3" and from what I can tell seems fairly quick and strong - but again, hard to tell gauge his level. ST | Thierno Barry - SK Beveren - £900k (transfermarkt value) - 20 years old Putting up some really good goal + assist numbers, albeit in the Belgian second division. Only 20 years old though and around 6'4" (will need physical players for Ismael's ideal systems) could be good value. Seems to be getting some interest from Ligue 1, Bundesliga and Eredivisie. No pressure at all, and sorry if it's annoying asking, but any further insights are super nice and interesting @reids - though may not be loads of data on some of these.
Thierno Barry is surely one of those automated names produced for a player when you've played Football Manager for too many seasons?
Then it’s an absolute shoe-in that we would sign the wrong one who’s 45 years old but we think he’s 20 ….. how many Samuel Kalu’s are there ?
We will be linked with almost every player, but we will sign hardly any of them. Why come to Watford with our reputation? Money? We are skint and facing massive debt repayments. Free transfers, free agents and cheap buys on hire purchase arrangements only. Get rid of the majority of the current squad. Most are not good enough for the Championship and just don't want to make any effort on the pitch. Bachmann, Hamer and Okoye need to be released. They don't come off their line and are useless with the ball at their feet. Ismaels vertical football tactics requires a Keeper/Sweeper. Our current crop of keepers sh*t themselves when the ball is crossed and when they have to come off the line. Interesting summer ahead.
So how do we pay off all these players contracted to us and unlikely to attract much interest if we are so skint and have no money? We’d only make the situation worse even if we would like to make big changes . I certainly don’t think dumping 3 keepers at once is the solution . I’d rather use any money we have to improve the squad tbh even if it is limited .
I’d like us to move for David Turnbull at Celtic. Fallen down the pecking order/crowded out but an excellent player who has done his fair share of pressing for Postecoglu’s Celtic. Still 23 but already played 160 senior matches. Think he’ll be moved on with one year left and probably won’t get a PL move. Reckon he’d cost £1-3m and would be well worth it in my view (though admittedly not sure his profile is the biggest priority at this time, especially if we sign Prass).
Gk wise the LASK keeper Alexander Schleger who is also an Austrian international (shudder) is out of contract in the summer and seeking a new challenge. This could possibly be of interest as he worked under Ismail before.
Which players are these, do you think? I don't think we actually have that much deadweight which couldn't be shifted fairly easily.
Maybe as a few are out of contract now or next season but are we likely to get rid of 3 keepers for example?
Cleverley contract up I imagine it’s pretty high, Cathcart contract up. Latter might get a new contract but his absence from the final matchday squads spoke volumes and I’m not sure the former will. Assombalonga unlikely to get a new deal you’d think. Okoye is easily shifted I reckon, Gaspar can easily return to Spain too. Bacuna gone. Kamara gone. Kabasele the only true unsellable asset we have I’d say but someone took on WTE so you never know!
Given Kabs played a few of the final games, and with Cathcart likely gone, they might just keep him around for the final year of his deal as a back-up and experienced head in the dressing room.
Good call on Turnbull. Always liked the look of him. I suppose he just doesn't fit the Style Celtic play maybe.
I think he does. They’re just a little stacked in front on him as O’Riley and Hetate hit the ground running and have been super.
