So where's the signings then?

400K a week is enough for two players on at least 3.5K a week. it is huge. That is middle to top league one level wages. Harmony of the team? What harmony? The harmony that nearly got relegated last season? The harmony that is held together by temporary loan deals?

It’s also closer to the 450 mark at last count by the way. Might be enough for 3 players.

We wouldn’t be spending above our means. We make that money and turn a profit. One of the few clubs in the football league to do so actually. Tells me we could be spending a bit more without bankrupting the club.

4 Likes

400k in wages would make a massive difference. You can get two top league 1 players on the books with that. Your harmony comment makes no sense to me to be honest.

2 Likes

Just think what £450k a season would get us: an experienced, quality centre-half, quality midfielder and a proven goal scorer at League 1 level. That’s the difference between a play-off place and lower end of the table. But, as long as the pension fund gets its money then cushty.

2 Likes

Guess if you look at the team the front two to start the season is going to be Baka and Cook. Obviously a loan striker will also be signed and would help if he’s of the quality of Tyler Roberts as I still don’t fancy on relying on Baka as first choice tbh.

Then in midfield you have Ismal-Dobson-Chambers-Morris/Ginnelly. Way short on backup but that’s at least a midfield you can put out although probably bottom 6 standard with Chambers getting on now and Ginnelly unproven at this level.

At the back seriously worries me. Devlin-Roberts-Guthrie-Leahy.

FBs we know massively struggle when they have to do any sort of defending and both CBs need an experienced head alongside them or at least someone who can defend.

Way to look at it I’d be o.k going into first 2-3 games with that midfield and strikeforce but defensive signings are desperately needed.

If the majority of your team are on 1-2k a week, you’re going to create massive divisions in the team if someone is brought in on £4k.

to be honest, i don’t think i will ever see the day where players will come to walsall purely for the money.

There a massive differences in wages at Premier League clubs but they’re not constantly at war with each other. If Oztumer has accepted a 4K a week contract here do you honestly think the rest of the squad would complain?

At this level you’re paid your worth and that’s widely accepted.

If I were a player at Walsall and we’d just signed, let’s say Danny Graham from Blackburn and he’s on double my wages, would I complain? No!! I’d be excited to play with a player of his ability and I’d be glad our chances of success have increased. It’s not football manger.

2 Likes

As much as I would like us to go the extra mile and compete financially with other clubs in our league to sign players the thought of us doing what Peterborough are doing at present and just snapping up every other player going dosent feel right either. Hopefully Keates will build a team that want to play for each other and not just a bunch of overpaid ego’s!

I understand your point. But if Oztumer was on 4K and Joe Edwards would have every right to say well I want 3k - POTS.

It’d be Edwards right to ask for 100k a week but it’s not realistic is it. Context is important here. Better players are paid more, both fans and footballers understand and accept that.

Loved the fact that Edwards recognizes the fans in the paper tonight, it builds a good rapport with us :wink:

A centre back signing gives us a Team to start the season with. We all obviously hope for more.

For me John Guthrie isnt good enough and Kory I see as a right back or right side of a 3. Chambers has done his bit for the Club and it would be sad if he became a boo boy victim with his age catching up with him. Baka…mmmmm…not sure either.

The spine of the team is weak as it currently stands.

Optimism abounded in spades when we got Cook in early, yet the condition of the squad is now fast becoming of grave concern.

There is not a single defender signed to Walsall Football Club who wasn’t already here when James O’Connor and Matt Preston were unceremoniously jettisoned. Not one. Of those who are (still) here, one is potentially facing a lengthy injury lay-off before a ball has been kicked, two are below the required standard, and one now isn’t a right back anymore… and this is a squad that stayed up with five days to spare.

I’m struggling to understand what the problem is. Surely the outlay on Cook plus Ismail doesn’t exceed what we were paying Jackson plus Oztumer (I’d be very surprised if it was even as much).

Granted, Flanagan, Butterfield, & Shorrock won’t have been on a fortune, but I can’t believe that Ginnelly is commanding more than half of that combined saving. If Dunn is on anything approaching what Gillespie was, those two deals combine to equal an awful bit of business. None of this is even considering Cuvelier’s wage, the fact that we are either currently saving whatever we were paying the myriad loanees last season, or we were quids in at the time if they were subsidised, as without them we had nothing remotely approaching a full squad at any point. Plus, Jake Jervis and Luton saved us from otherwise shelling out £100k in January, so that must still be knocking about somewhere.

CB position going to be needed to be filled as matter of urgency, would be very surprised if one wasn’t in by end of next week.

Seems Kory Roberts was going to get a run at RB so would assume that would be position to be looked at as DK has pretty much ruled out Kinsella filling in with his comments the other week.

We haven’t got a competitive budget. End of, no debate needed.

And we won’t have until we stop paying rent or Bonse sells up. Obvs.

I’ll judge the squad at end of September, in the meantime acknowledge attracting players to a L1 club that just escaped relegation with feck all cash, ain’t gonna be easy.

Dean has work to do.

After playing FM a couple of times, it really is the same in real life :smile: , injuries to key players, switching the budget to accommodate that fact, not having enough money to do what you want :smile:, but unlike deano, i can walk away and start another game :wink:

2 Likes

Still time yet but would like to see a couple come in this week ffs Bonser and co stop operating like its the early 90s and back your manager

1 Like

Disappointed with bringing Ginnelly in as not really sure where he fits or whether he really has anything to offer at league 1level. The other 3 signings have obvious requirements.

Really hopeful those that follow are going to contribute significantly to the first team

The same 2 full backs as last year? Not promising.

I’m completely disillusioned with the lack of signings so far. We’ve lost 11 players from last season’s squad, a squad that only just avoided relegation. What was the point of releasing the likes of Flanagan and Shorrock if we aren’t going to bring anyone else in? Other clubs in League 1 are bringing in new players - at the moment we aren’t. We’ve got no chance of having any sort of settled squad: competitive budget my @rse. Let’s hope Rowett makes good on his promise to help us out with a player or two: we are definitely now a charity case.

its not looking good he said he had a list of players he,s got be near the end of that list getting a bit worried has posters have said any new players need time to bed in and try not to bed in the frist 10 games of the season