MarkSFC

Ralph is clearly a coach who manages as opposed to a manager who coaches. Seems obvious to say but there are significant differences in the mentality between those two types. Ralph for me has the hollistic viewpoint, where developing individuals seems to be the number one priority and the way he will achieve collective performance and success. A manager is more results driven and will not neccessarily spend as much time or effort on improving the individuals, rather work on collective organisation and buying in players which is short term. Ralph fits our club philosophy perfectly and vice versa. The fact that he has produced a coaching blueprint for the club tells you all you need to know about his interests, talents and approach. As a professional coach myself, this sits very very nicely with my own philosophy so I am extremely excited to see how far he can take this team and the longer term effect his methods and mindset will have on the club overall. Given a little bit more to spend each window, where he can get a better players and then improve them and we should enjoy some very exciting times. The issue with being able to buy better players is that you are moving up towards players who's "development potential" is reduced and so the impact of the coach appears to be less comparatively. But Ralph is operating in the results business so regrdless of his coaching methods and approach, it still comes down to who has the best rained and organised and most capable players. We are moving upwards at a nice pace....I hope he makes this club his life's work!!

no doubt that this is at least part of the reason for bringing in Walcott. Redmond has not had any cometition but we now have Walcott, REdmond, Armstrong and Djenepo vying for two spots; thats decent. Add in the four strikers, Ings, Adams, Long, and Obefemi and we now look stronger up front than we have for quite a while.

A ruben loftus-cheek y little sniff?!!!

Do we need another attacking option - yes Do we need more experience in that area - no Does this fit with our usual recruitment philosophy (young and developing) - no Would he offer something different - maybe Overall, do O think he will be a good addition - no There are imo better options, I'd rather take a younger player with less experience and far more to prove, even if it turns out to be only for a season.

A club can loan two players at any time. Only one from the same club at any time. Over the course of one season you can have 4 loans.

Redmomd or Armstrong I am presuming. Trying not to get too excited about this but think he would be an excellent addition. And if we got him on an option to buy next summer, awesome.

Hasn't Bertrand signed a new 3 year deal?

He played 30 odd minuted for Sporting yesterday, scored and then went off injured (dont know how bad).

Any idea who that will be?!

Taking your post at face value, it sounds exciting, so can you expand on what "transformative" may look like?😁

An intersting one Tom Davies. When he arrived on the scene - I think under the lying dutchman - I thought he looked a decent prospect, full of energy, fairly combative and a reasonable element of skill. In the last season or so he seems to have stalled, and heres the thing, is that him, hit his level, or ist it down to the few changes of managers Everton have had? I think it may well be a decent signing as he will have a chance to get his career really going in a team where he can become first choice in the midfiled, whereas at Everton he will not. We can certainly do better but if we end up with him Romeu, JWP and the kids thats better than it is now!!!

Its almost like Ralph is saying "LOOK...I NEED SOME NEW PLAYERS"!!!!!

1 goal in 23 last season in Ligue 1...7 in 33 the previous one. Not that exciting.

What you're describing is the difference between normal businesses and football/sport. As a business we are operating normally. We generate income and spend it wisely, hopefully with a profit, or if we lose annually it does not bankrupt us as previous profits are merely reduced and cash flow protected. As a football business we do not have an owner who wants to spunk a load of money which he will never get back. This does not on its own make him bad owner and definitely not an horrific one. We all would love a benefactor - one who does not loan against the club or wants his/her money back at any time but those people are few and far between. Until this happens I'm content with the current operational management and how they act and how they communicate. As a business I am confident of sustainability. As a football team (specifically team and not business) I am equally confident with those in placd to sustain our premier league status. This does not mean I would not welcome more investment in the team but I do believe that Semmens and Co. are doing everything they can to get the best players for Ralph. Until we get that benefactor I am happy with the status quo.

Send (loan) not sell?🙄

Oh yeah!!!! Forgot about him temporarily...perfect.

I do not agree that McCarthy is poor. Granted he is no Bufon or Nuer but the standard of English keepers is arguably lower than its been for a very long time. I would suggest this has been the downside of attracting the best players in the world to the PL as (obviously) you only play one GK each game so fewer chances and therefore in time our GKs are pushed down the league and down the leagues to get games or sit on the bench! Overall I think we have 3 fairly decent GKs and the fact they are English is a bonus. We could do better but very unlikely we will. We definitely need a defensive minded CM, in my opinion one of 20-30m type standard who goes straight into the team. Romeu is good but not getting younger and JWP is more forward thinking and not the holding type we need there. I cant say I know who! CB looks better with Salisu and if RH can get Vestergaard to play well we will have some decent strength there. I'd like a new winger/attacker type to replace Boufal. As much as I like him I dont think he's best suited to our style. Someone young but ready for 15 to 20 games and someone who can put Redmond under pressure. Overall I feel quite optimistic for the first time in 3 seasons!!

Personally hoping its neither and its Kampl from Liepzig. 29 but RH knows him very well. Reminds me a little bit of Alan Ball in his style...high energy, breaks the play up and then keeps it very simple. Exactly what we need in front of the the CBs.

Just because certain players are listed now does not mean they or we are not looking to get rid. By not listing them you are telling them you don't want them when it might actually be that we end up needing them in the squad and it will tell other clubs we do not wsnt them which gives them room to negotiate a lower fee.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/.io

Theres a flaw in your spiel because if you were under an NDA even mentioning there is an NDA you are admitting that something is going on and that will break the NDA. Keep the entertainment up though, been fun!

You may be correct but I suspect not with at least one or even two of them. Danso by the way isnt ours and is now on loan at Fortuna Düsseldorf. I just hope our CEO has more positivity around selling them than you and I'm sure he will.

You may be correct but I suspect not with at least one or even two of them. Danso by the way isnt ours and is now on loan at Fortuna Düsseldorf. I just hope our CEO has more positivity around selling them than you and I'm sure he will.

Love it!!! Question people need to ask regarding the price is would you want us to sign him for £15-20m? Would that be cheap, overpriced or about right? I dont think I'd want him at all. Decent enough deal for me given length of outstanding contract period. Very hopeful by what is happening with the squad...

you had me convinced until Haaland😂