Disclaimer - I think Aidy is fantastic, and for me the way he works is inspirational for fans and players alike. But when I play the hit and miss game, I do feel there is a question mark.. Devaney Aidy talks about how he needs to know the players and their families before they sign. Didn't see that he was trouble MISS MACKAY Great job. Needed him to get us up HIT SHITTU Getting better and better HIT STEWART Split camp but poor (though I think he's just awful) 50/50 MARLON Although fantastic he was third choice behing Forster and Parkin and was the big surprise FLUKE FRANCIS Terrible. Now (finally) dropped MISS SMITH Jury still out. Some great games, some nothingy. 50/50 FOSTER Big hit. Shaky first month but now England number 3 HIT GRIFFITHS Didn't make it MISS SIETES See above MISS HENDERSON Great job last year when signed. Big part in us getting to the prem HIT SPRING See Doris HIT POWELL Too soon 50/50 CLARKE Was a hit, but in the last few games he played was dodgy 50/50 PRISKIN One for the future so only fari to hold jusgement now, as with JARRETT and the new guy who can part seas.
Remember that Devaney, Griffiths and Sietes (and Junior!) were signed before we sold H.H. Just shows what Aidy could do with £1.1 Mil really...
you have good points, but at least there was only one expensive miss - francis, who can still prove himself hopefully. but you cant call king a fluke just because he was a big hit,
The King comment is a fair one. Although Aidy was luck with what he got from King. It would have been Parkin remember... But yes. Hit indeed.
and the good thing is, most of the deals that have been miss have not exactly cost us a lot. Devaney, Sietes were frees so minimal compensation would have been paid. Francis i believe will still be a good option and i feel we would still get a £1million from a club like norwich. Smith for 500k? I will let Adie have that one even though i don't like like him and did not want him back here
Must admit I was worried with the early signings Aidy last summer but then he brought in somes. Francis seems like somebody who does not really want to be at the club sadly.
Maybe he has a strained neck from watching the ball sail over his head. Seriously I don't believe Francis is the sort of player that really suits Aidy's system and therefore looks really lost.
I think Aidy's done fairly well, but he has used the knowledge he had of certain players (from his days at Norwich and Leeds). Now he cannot use that knowledge to bring in players as those clubs don't have the quality we need (except for Earnshaw) which is why now is the real test for him. Bringing in Moses is a no-brainer. Has potential but should he flop it doesn't matter. Getting Hoskins ahead of other clubs by making a double deal and thus getting Williamson - that's a stroke of genius in my book. I have faith that the two will be succesful for Watford in the years to come and at 1mio it's a good price for two players with potential. As I've said in another thread - aidy's main weakness in terms of the market is his very limited knowledge of the foreign markets. That's where he needs to improve.
Hi Dunstable, I'm going to take you up on this; looking at that record Aidy would appear to be excellent at these transactions. Let's get the the easy one out of the way: You can't count Marlon as a fluke if you don't count Francis as an unlucky fluke, it's just isn't logical. Aidy had worked with Marlon at Dirty Leeds, he knew him and his abilities and made a great purchase. Clark has also got to be seen as a HIT - the fact that he has suffered through injury for a year shouldn't be factored in. We should also add in: Junior MISS Davenport UNKNOWN Hoskins UNKNOWN That makes 7 HITS and 4 MISSES (plus 3 50/50s and 4 unknowns) Now look at the wages of the successes and failures: Of the HITS: 3 are on high wages and 4 are on medium wages (note 'high' means high for us, who have the lowest wage bill in The Prem by over 3 times, and had the 3rd lowest in the Chumpionship). Of the MISSES: 1 is on high wages, 2 were on medium and one was on low. Of the unknowns, Jarrett is on low wages and the others are on medium. Compare this with ANY year from Graham Taylor and you'll see that the percentage of hits is actually very high. Then look at the appauling record of ALL of the other Watford managers since (strangely, with the possible exception of Ray Lewington).
Hi Scalexman, Thanks for your thoughts. I am totally unaware of who earns what, so when you quantify the hits and misses in comparison with wages, it does not look as bad as my initial, and admittedly, black and white synopsis. I don't agree with one of your comments though, as I feel that the more Carlisle doesn't play, the more he will be regarded as a flop and a possible long-term miss. Should he stay another 2 years without playing much, he will have played, say, 50 games out of a possible 175 or so, ans unfortunately that makes him a flop. And if he guy has always been prone to being out, whether it's been drink problems or injuries, it will be at Aidy's door, as he will have bought someone and not turned them round fully. Though I will admit, I am starting to agree with the general concensus on here that AB has been better than I personally thought.
Hi UEA, sorry, I got a bit excited, we haven't signed Devenport yet, I mean't Williamson. Hi again Dunsty, I kind of agree with you on Clark, but the same could possibly be said for Doris and Springy, as they are now becoming squad players at best. The thing is that if you look at GTs record, he always bought players for the job in hand - if you look at his buying and selling as we went up the divisions you'll see that some did great for a year or two and were then sold. This is exactly what has happened with Doris and Springy so they sould (as you have) be seen as successes. I think Clark should come in that catagory. Hi Jobster, The Finnish people spotted Juniiors passport issues, so no matter what the mitigating circumstances are, he's a MISS, but I take your point, it wasn't Aidys fault.
I am sure when Aidy sits down with a player or indeed when mark puts a contract in front of them to sign he doesn't say, well that's have a look at the old passport for a laugh at the photo.
Good point Scalexman. Some players will only be a 'hit' at a certain level and if they happened to get us promoted and then not be up to the next level they do not suddenly become a 'miss'.
