Dman

you'd imagine that Napoli is a bit of a iconic place for most Argies given how Diego is an icon there

Would be a big fan of this. Downes is a fantastic player. Good enough for the PL imo.

FWIW - I've not at any point said we should have accepted any offers we've currently received. This has spun off on a massive tangent off the back of a comment from Smirking_saint, saying he's not jealous of Leicester because they're losing their best players, to which I pointed out so are we (eventually). He then started going on about rolling over etc. The point i'm making is (as above) - we're hamstrung at the minute until we can shift a few (unless we're willing to gamble on bringing some in without some going out)

This is essentially the point i'm making. IMO, we either need to gamble on bringing players in now and letting negotiations run on into the window (with the risk being we might not sell), or accept we need to start to bring players in now and off load those who want out. At the minute, Martin is trying to work with and install a new philosophy with a squad that (likely) 60% of wont be around next season. All the while transfer rivals (Leicester) are stealing ground brining in players whom we should absolutely we looking at.

Agreed...

What on earth are you rambling on about. Who has said we need to initiate a 'rushed fire sale'? Like I said, there's a fine line between holding your ground and demanding (lets be honest above market value) top whack for your players and accepting a little less to get them out the door quicker, so you don't miss out on targets. Having an extra £5m in your bank account is no good when you've lost all your other targets to promotion rivals and have a gaping hole in your midfield. As it happens, I've no issue with us selling every single player in our squad if we needed to, but with every day that goes by, we're missing out of potential targets.

watch the video footage - neither umpire we're looking and we're making their way to start the next over.

This is kind of my point though... We'd have 50m in the bank but a gaping hole in our midfield... or we'd end up spunking a load on some dross, like we did with Big Paul.

As I said in a previous post, there is a fine line between playing hard ball and accepting something a little less if it speeds up the process of getting players out, so you can get players in. Like Tino, if players are willing to stay and play in the championship, then play hardball, but for others, Lavia, ABK, KWP, Salisu etc. You're best moving them on as quickly as you can so you don't miss out on targets. Would you rather be in Leicesters position, where they are building the core of a championship squad a week into pre-season or us, where its likely all of our big outgoings will be towards the back end of the window...? Again, something I touched on earlier.. I'd be giving players / agents a deadline for offer(s) to come in, or they stay.

Not at all. Leicester are building a good squad nice and early and giving the manager weeks to prepare for the season. We've spent 2 months squabbling over 500k & pissed a club off to the point where i'll be amazed if they deal with us (and we reportedly want their players), have no idea who's leaving so we can't really bring anyone in as we already have a massively bloated squad. Despite having 3 - 4 weeks longer than Leicester did. Everything we've done over the past year - 18 months has turned to shit and it feels like this window is no different.

I'm not sure what point you're trying to make here. You said you're not jealous of them because they're losing their best players. I'm pointing out that so are we. I think there needs to be a fine balance between 'not rolling over' and accepting a figure to speed up the squad overhaul and get an idea of what your squad will look like, so you can work with them pre-season and hit the ground running come the first game.

yeah, because we're absolutely not losing our best players. Are we...

Again, not remotely the same circumstances.

Leicester are apparently in talks to sign Callum Doyle 7-10m. Left footed CB, spent the last year on loan at Coventry (from City). Very, very good player at this level. One we should be all over. Leicester coming down with us was a disaster really. Pinched the manager we wanted, now going about building a really good championship side with players we should be all over.

Seen this has been said a lot, but I don't see how it makes any difference. Bairstow was not batting outside of his crease. He was not trying to sneak a run. He marked his guard, which is an unofficial sign of 'the balls dead to me, i'm not running'. At no point was Bairstow trying to gain an advantage. Everyone in the stadium, including the umpires, thought the ball was dead. Cummings should have removed the appeal and said next time you won't be so lucky. Some of the shite being spouted to try and defend the Aussies (mostly from themselves) is shameful. They had a chance to say, "yeah maybe we got it wrong" and everyone can move on, but they're doubling down. I've even seen their coach try and claim its the same as a batsman charging down the wicket at Lyon. It'll be interesting to see where we go from here though. Do we mankad or something of the ilk if we get the opportunity? I don't think we can after the song and dance we've (rightly imo) made about the spirit of the game. Although that being said, I do think a mankad is very very different as the batman is trying to gain an advantage.

Not a huge Adams fan, in fact i think he played a big part in us dropping given how poor he is in front of goal. However, I agree I think he'd be fantastic in the championship, but we would need goals around him. If Tella can replicate his scoring record from last season, then we'd be fine with him up top. I think he'd suit Martin's style as well. In theory, a front 3 of; LW: Armstong CF: Adams RW: Tella Is a front 3 who've proven they can score goals at this level.

Yep. Response to Newcastle needs to be, £50m (or whatever we value him at) or shut up. Their current offers have been insulting, to be honest.

Entertainment purposes only. Seeing the old boys getting stuck into them was fantastic!

I'm not too sure what the rules stipulate. But i'm guessing the umpire has the ability to determine when the ball is dead.

Has anyone actually disputed this? Everyone knows he's out and that from the 3rd umpire was the correct decision. I've not seen a single person claim that to not be the case. The reaction of the long room say's it all. That doesn't happen. That's how bad it was. Fantastic that the next test starts so soon! It gives fans / players little to no time to clam down. I genuinely hope one of the Aussies gets lumped by a fan. Preferably that little rat Warner.

The sensible thing for the umpire to have done would have been to claim he'd called over. It would have removed all controversy.

The difference is, he wouldn't have. 4 players aside, this is the same Aus side who used sandpaper to doctor the ball - the same bowling unit and the same 'senior players'. They're a side that will win at all costs, breaking / bending the rules and going against any spirit the game has. In football terms, this is the same as scoring a goal rather than kicking it back to the keeper when the opposition kicks the ball out for one of your injured players.

i have to say and maybe very naive on my behalf, but I was expecting us to be a little more in order than we are at the minute. Both ins and outs. Esepcially since we've had longer than anyone else (who'll realistically be a challenger) to prepare for it. Its hard to plan a squad when you don't know who is going to be around come the start of the season. It feels like we need to start issuing a date to players / Agents. Say, if they're not gone by the end of July / first week of August, they're here for the season. I could see alot of these deals running on into late into the window and leaving us either missing targets or having to panic buy.

I can already see it coming... "We tried really hard, but its a challenging window, especially when clubs know you have xx million to spend, following the sales of key players. We're a strong beliver of breading success, not buying it and Russell and the coaching staff are really happy with the strength and size of the squad" 1 week before the window closes with no signings.

Baz was one of the biggest reasons we went down last season. Way too inexperienced and total shite. Should never have been in a PL side.