What Is The Clubs Transfer Strategy

[wassy04]

It's an interesting debate and it'd be good to know which way the club are looking to go. Should we:

- Commit to a long-term strategy where the club defines the style of play and the recruitment team buys players to fit that. It might mean that managers don't have the autonomy to bring in their own players and are hired more as coaches, but it should also mean more continuity - *if* the club stick to it.

- Or should we do what we've done so far and adopt the ethos of whichever manager we bring in? The managers may have more control over signing players, which some fans are calling out for, but that then risks situations like we might have with Arter, where a new manager doesn't fancy certain players for whatever reason.

The first option seems better for the long-term future of the club but we as fans would have to accept that it might mean less control for managers in terms of signings. And personally I don't think the January transfer window when we're battling against relegation is the time to start. Ideally Hughton can bring in a loan/short-term signing or two to keep us up then we can look at things again in the summer.

It does not have to give them less control they could still pick players they like that fits in with the vision of the club. But some player profiling is required for that, the types you want the age etc, wages too. Statistical data is massive too. The manager before he comes in either goes with the vision or does not take the job. 

It would definitely see a decrease in wasted money.

Yeah good points, and less wastage has to be a good thing.

Or an increase in wastage when we sign a bunch of young players for big fees that barely make an appearance like Clough etc.

Both options have risks, I feel like sometimes people just assume young players always increase in value. Look at the Carvalho situation.

The other issue with this is that to increase value and to help a player fulfill potential they would require game time and are likely to be up and down at best. Which means likely worse results in the short to medium term. It's still risky and by putting a big fee on a player they are expected to be an instant success eg Carvalho.

Not saying it isn't a good strategy but personally I'd want a blend of younger players and experienced players to support them.