[SIGNED perm] Rey Manaj

What Duxbury tell us and what Duxbury actually does are two different things.
I feel sure that Edwards had very input to these latest signings.
Like many of us, he had probably never heard of tbem.
One flop from the Belgium 2nd Division and the other from Barcelona 'A' team.

 

Maybe not had to do but would be risky if there really is not a lot of interest

 

Fair enough - but personally, I don't think we need to be sh*tting the bed just yet on that front. Loads of potential suitors both at home and on the continent haven't really done much business yet and transfers tend to work like dominoes, whilst also starting at the top and filtering down. I'm not surprised at all that they haven't left yet. It's still early and clubs are focussing on their top targets etc. Sarr and Dennis will feature on plenty of shopping lists and invariably clubs will make their way down those lists to them as they miss out on others.

I don't think Watford will be panicking about not being able to offload them. I see plenty of panic from others about how we will have to lower the price to get clubs interested - but it works the other way too. Clubs will get desperate as they want to make additions as the window progresses and that allows clubs to hold to their valuations to an extent.

Personally I think they sold Cucho because they felt the price was nice enough and the player had indicated he'd like the move (note I didn't say he 'wanted out'!) - I don't think a lack of interest in Dennis/Sarr came into it personally. Nor do I think Edwards suggested he wouldn't really use him or that this 'rule-of-11' thing was a factor.

 

This is hardly a goalscorer. 34 goals in 168 apps over a 9 season period in lower league football.
I would we would rather take his sister Nicki. She has way more upfront than him.

 

Yes, how can you blame a driver for mowing a pedestrian down if he was drunk at the time? He clearly didn’t meant to do it and if he wasn’t drunk he wouldn’t have done it.

 

You've made some really bizarre "if this, then that means..." type posts over the months but I think this is your best yet by a mile ! Well done .
As you say, the two situations are practically identical.

 

Have I? Such as?

 

A very strange reply

 

Almost as strange as acknowledging we’ve got no money, but refusing to hold the person to blame to account for it. After all It’s happened now, and it’s obviously not what he would’ve wanted so that somehow makes it fine.

 

It seems rather fitting that your post should reference a car crash, considering how many of your own posts are one.

 

I don't believe I refused to blame anybody, I said I suspect the owners wish they had done it differently. It has happened and unless you're Marty McFly you can't go back and change history. Doesn't make it fine and again I never said it did but we have to deal with what's happening now.

 

Pot, meet Kettle.

 

That retort doesn't work given that I didn't make a post bizarrely referencing a car crash for no reason.

 

You just run around like Gino’s personal little henchman disagreeing with any bit of criticism.

And no, we don’t need a personal appraisal of your posting style again, thank you.

 

It's like you've not actually bothered reading my posts.

I've already replied to you pointing out that even in this thread alone I myself have been critical.

The issue clearly isn't that some posts and posters are critical per se - some criticisms I've agreed with.

 

What on earth hahahaha

 

It's completely lost on me and he was quoting my post!

 

I'd be more inclined to believe this guy, he's been spot on about Manaj so far.

 

Sorry, are we signing Peter Andre ?

 

Utter garbage.

 

I wish.

 

For all the issues we have with the club at the moment, the signing of this guy on a free won't be one of them for me.

Started 19 games in a division far better than the one we are playing in last season, scoring 5 goals in a team which struggled but stayed up. Quite a few top division sides (including Getafe) were also in for him which is a good sign.

Has some nice attributes and well worth a go in the squad - look at his goal vs Cagliari last year for an example of what he can do. Lots of players with far worse scoring records have done well in the Championship. Him and Bayo as risks with a couple Championship proven HG strikers would be a nice blend.

 

Spot on, can’t see why this is an issue with fans.

 

It’s because Reids posted a less then favourable analysis on him. A few lapped that up and decided he was **** without ever seeing him for themselves. I’ve seen him because I follow Barca and their players and come to a much more favourable opinion of him.

He’s not as good as Cucho, but he still will cause problems in the Championship. But, it’s all opinion. I think fans will soon change their minds once they see him play.

I’m not sure he’ll be our first choice but he’ll be a useful rotational option.

 

We shouldn’t be signing any players with the notion that they won’t be first-choice.

It’s fanciful thinking that the poor signings we are making so far this summer will be squad players, with all of us dreaming of better arrivals to come.

A few injuries or suspensions over a long season and there’s no choice anyway.

Didn’t we start last season trying to convince ourselves that surely the likes of Cathcart, Cleverley etc were just squad players? Yet they ended up being mainstays.

 

I think Reids has more insight on this player than anyone else on here considering he is working for the club he was at. So I don’t think people lapped it up, just found it very insightful as it is first hand knowledge of what type of player he is. It’s also well documented that the negatives Reids posted about him have been seen by many people, i.e decision making when it comes to shooting, passing etc.

Now of course we could sign him and he ends up being an incredible signing for free as he bangs in 15-25 goals for us. At which point I will celebrate you gloating saying “see told you so,” because Watford have found a striker that knows where the back of the net is.

It’s also fair to say that based on his career so far and a forum member working directly with the club, he’s probably not going to set the championship alight.

I desperately want him to do well, succeed and kick start his career with us and like any player (apart from Ekong) I will be supporting him and cheering him on. The signing just doesn’t fill me with confidence based on the facts presented.

 

My analysis was based on watching pretty much every Spezia game last season, so feel my views are well researched - as I've said before, if he's coming as a backup he'll be a decent option (especially on a free) and much better than Cukur or Fletcher. The drop down in level will also likely suit him, however his goal record has been less than great at every single club he's been at (bar a one-off season in the Spanish 3rd Division).

He's got some good qualities but on the whole was frustrating to watch last season - that could change when placed into a more dominant side (as YK said - we were battling relegation in Serie A) but if he's coming to be the main man then I'm not convinced enough and feel it's a risk to pin our hopes on him, when trying to land someone who's somewhat proven in the PL or Champ would be preferable.

 

This wasn’t a criticism of your opinion. It is well researched as is mine. It just differs from mine in the final analysis. Nothing more than that, but it did have a bearing on a collective forum view he was ****, even though that was not what you said. You quoted positives and negatives. The current trend for the more vocal on here is just focusing on the negatives.

 

He may do well, he may flop. Everybody’s views are perfectly relevant and there’s a nice balance of opinion here, which is good.

I’ve made my views clear but have enjoyed reading the counter-argument.

Putting aside for a minute the ability, or lack of, of this player, I just don’t like what it says about our approach in the window so far.

 

Where gave I ever posted an “I told you so” gloating post? Never done it, as I can’t remember from day to day what I posted previously or what others posted for that matter. I just post what I’m thinking in the moment, then flush it from my mind. I leave it for the point scorers to play those games, and I know quite a few keep records of who said what and will happily post it when an opinion turns out to be unfounded.

I know if Manaj turns out to be crap, I’ll be called on it. If he turns out to be great you won’t hear a peep from be, as I’ve not said he will be great in the first place.

 

Personally I enjoyed reading HB’s opinions on this player, and hope this thread won’t turn into a spat.

None of us on here are the bad guys. They’re the ones currently responsible for our poor transfer window so far, club officials and rogue agents alike.

 

Like most of our fans I had very little idea who this fella was. So I took the logical step of flying out to his hometown to ask the locals about him.

It was my first time back in Albania since 'the incident' so I was a little nervous. I'd also never visited Manaj's hometown of Lushnjë, but I received a warm welcome, dare I say a 'hero's welcome' from the townsfolk. As soon as I mentioned why I was there I was given the address of the lad's family. His parents had long since moved to Italy it seems, but I was able to meet his grandmother who still lived locally.

I asked the elderly woman how she felt about her boy's impending move to Watford and suddenly she let out a tremendous sound. Her eyes streamed with tears at the sound of the word 'Watford' and she began to wail. If you've ever heard a goat get strangled you will know exactly what the sound was like.

The sound attracted the attention of a nearby peasant who assumed the old hag was in danger. He came running and tried to manhandle me out of the house. But I was too strong and easily overpowered him. By now the old crone had composed herself so I tried again. I asked what the young Manaj's main strengths are. She replied "integrity, pace and patient link up play". Determined to get more out of this failed trip I asked if she felt he would fit well into Rob Edwards preferred system that employs wingbacks. At this, she erupted into the raucous goat-like wailing once again so I left.

At the airport I was sat next to a young lady in the departures lounge. I caught a glimpse of her passport... name Manaj. I asked if she had a brother who plays football.

"I have no brother," she said.

 

Serie A is crap though - players like Success who were no great shakes in the Champ have done fairly well there. The top 10 or so Championship clubs would probably stay up in Serie A (if any one of them was swapped in to the league).

2 of his 5 goals were also penalties.

From what I've gathered he seems a similar style and standard of player to current era Josh King. That's certainly good enough to do a decent job in a decent Championship team, but not sure they're really going to be prolific.