The Daily ITK Discussion Thread 26th July

[Archibald&Crooks]

Another new thread

Today I'm playing a game. It's called: Shit or Bust

Your post MUST mention one of the following

Net Spend
Levy
Home Grown
Brave
Squad Places
Formations

Any posts complying will be deleted and the authors banned.

Catch 22 you say? Catch all of you is what I say.

 

[freeeki]

Today's ITK from Trix is concerning to say the least, sounds like we're still playing games with less than two weeks to go.

Spoiler

For compliance sake:
Net Spend
Levy
Home Grown
Brave
Squad Places
Formations

 

[Lily White Lady]

Today's ITK from Trix is concerning to say the least, sounds like we're still playing games with less than two weeks to go.

Spoiler

For compliance sake:
Net Spend
Levy
Home Grown
Brave
Squad Places
Formations

Yet the ITK from Herc seems to indicate the market might be opening up with a multiple move deal on the cards. Fireworks in a positive way sounds good. Oooohhhhs and aaahhhhhhssss I like.

 

[Metalhead]

Today's ITK from Trix is concerning to say the least, sounds like we're still playing games with less than two weeks to go.

Spoiler

For compliance sake:
Net Spend
Levy
Home Grown
Brave
Squad Places
Formations

Maybe Trix's ITK feeds into Hercules '.

Hercules believes that there might be fireworks and Trix believes that we might be looking elsewhere than Grealish. Could mean something bigger than Grealish.

 

[Clamour_Kid]

Guaranteed we are not playing games.

We want to make sure deals for all the players we have a strong interest in are at some sort of a progressed stage. We will have a list of positions we want to fill and names under those positions in order of preference.

Ideally we would like the top name from every position, but it doesn't work like that. So we prepare every deal as much as we can; speak to agents, speak to clubs, get a feel for price and deal types. Then all of a sudden something can change. A player becomes available, or unavailable. Another club comes in for your 2nd name on the list, but first is not entirely gettable yet. Which do you go for? Etc etc.

It's not about being City, chucking £10-£20m over asking price and extra wages at all players so that we can have an AMAZING squad. It's about ensuring Poch gets the right calibre of players so that there is no squad harmony disrupted and also we add that extra bit of depth and quality.

 

[worcestersauce]

If nothing else it should allay fears people have about keeping all our eggs in one basket.

 

[MyNameIsNicolaBerti]

Today's ITK from Trix is concerning to say the least, sounds like we're still playing games with less than two weeks to go.

Spoiler

For compliance sake:
Net Spend
Levy
Home Grown
Brave
Squad Places
Formations

But this is the way Levy always operates. He's a poker player. Always has been. If Grealish is backup I don't see why this is bad. Especially if we get out of the window with a positive net spe.............err. With a nice vanilla ice cream.

 

[MyNameIsNicolaBerti]

If nothing else it should allay fears people have about keeping all our eggs in one basket.

You can't make an omelette unless you have cracked eggs in more than one basket.

That's the saying, no?

 

[rawhide]

You can't make an omelette unless you have cracked eggs in more than one basket.

That's the saying, no?

Remind me to never eat your cooking...

 

[MyNameIsNicolaBerti]

Guaranteed we are not playing games.

We want to make sure deals for all the players we have a strong interest in are at some sort of a progressed stage. We will have a list of positions we want to fill and names under those positions in order of preference.

Ideally we would like the top name from every position, but it doesn't work like that. So we prepare every deal as much as we can; speak to agents, speak to clubs, get a feel for price and deal types. Then all of a sudden something can change. A player becomes available, or unavailable. Another club comes in for your 2nd name on the list, but first is not entirely gettable yet. Which do you go for? Etc etc.

It's not about being City, chucking £10-£20m over asking price and extra wages at all players so that we can have an AMAZING squad. It's about ensuring Poch gets the right calibre of players so that there is no squad harmony disrupted and also we add that extra bit of depth and quality.

Lots of truths. in this post, albeit the City factor does come into play because they are the clubs who can steal away the first, second and third choices and leave them sitting on the bench just so competitors don't have them.

I see this often in these threads, but people are too reliant on their own expectations. People have various opinions on ITKs. Fake, real, whatever. But even if an ITK is 100% the business he (or she!) can only tell you what is happening in the moment. But no, people hang onto it like glue. So if an ITK says we might have one better than Grealish and it doesn't come to pass they feel dejected when they really have no reason to.

I've said it a hundred times. People need to understand that the transfer window is fluid. Things constantly change, sometimes by hours and minutes.

 

[MyNameIsNicolaBerti]

Remind me to never eat your cooking...

Lots of people like my cheddar cornflake surprise. Just saying...

 

[mil1lion]

Lets just hope Hercs mention of fireworks doesn't mean we're signing Balotelli

 

[zicomerc]

Lets just hope Hercs mention of fireworks doesn't mean we're signing Balotelli

Poch was a big fan of Dani Osvaldo, who might have been even a bigger nutcase than Balotelli. Hopefully he's a better judge of character now.

 

[piedpiper]

All that has happened is that Levy low balled or misread Villa's financial position... Now the club is feeding info that we had other options and Jack Grealish was not our primary target. Thats how interpret the latest info from Trix.

 

[fatpiranha]

I'm delighted to hear that Grealish may not be our first choice. Whatever the current enthusiasm for him he was literally no one's first choice at the beginning of this window. I'm much happier learning that he is a Plan B as it shows that we aren't just shopping in the whoops aisle at Asda.

 

[Riandor]

All that has happened is that Levy low balled or misread Villa's financial position... Now the club is feeding info that we had other options and Jack Grealish was not our primary target. Thats how interpret the latest info from Trix.

Oh come on... IF JG was our primary target in this transfer window, then we would have signed him by now/still will, low balling be damned. Not even Levy would refuse to pay the few extra Million if that was all that stood between us and Villa. We have signed other players for more that it would cost to get Jack, so again, no he is not or ever was our primary target this window.

Doesn't mean we might not pull out if we feel Villa are asking too much, but that will only be because we have better already, or better incoming.

I'm mostly happy that Herc is sounding more positive again, was starting to worry for the poor man.

 

[sausage]

Lets just hope Hercs mention of fireworks doesn't mean we're signing Balotelli

Nah, we're signing Catherine Wheel for the ladies' team

 

[ToDarrenIsToDo]

Nah, we're signing Catherine Wheel for the ladies' team

I've heard she's a bit of a rocket as well

 

[scottlag10]

I'm delighted to hear that Grealish may not be our first choice. Whatever the current enthusiasm for him he was literally no one's first choice at the beginning of this window. I'm much happier learning that he is a Plan B as it shows that we aren't just shopping in the whoops aisle at Asda.

Realistically

Oh come on... IF JG was our primary target in this transfer window, then we would have signed him by now/still will, low balling be damned. Not even Levy would refuse to pay the few extra Million if that was all that stood between us and Villa. We have signed other players for more that it would cost to get Jack, so again, no he is not or ever was our primary target this window.

Doesn't mean we might not pull out if we feel Villa are asking too much, but that will only be because we have better already, or better incoming.

I'm mostly happy that Herc is sounding more positive again, was starting to worry for the poor man.

I think we all under estimate how complicated and draining the transfer process can be. Lots of ITK on 'deals lined up/ducks in a row' etc but when do you decide on which player to go with when it relies on so many other parties. When do you decide to cut plan A and move onto B etc. When do you set a deadline for other clubs to make a decision, when there is a deadline looming for you to meet itself. No wonder Danny boy is bald.

 

[worcestersauce]

I'm delighted to hear that Grealish may not be our first choice. Whatever the current enthusiasm for him he was literally no one's first choice at the beginning of this window. I'm much happier learning that he is a Plan B as it shows that we aren't just shopping in the whoops aisle at Asda.

He was mine, I have rated him for the last two years and he will prove me right, either here or elsewhere. I didn't expect us to buy him mind you because I thought he'd be staying at Villa so imagine my delight when I found he was a target for us.
Happy to see a more positive atmosphere in here today though.