The Daily ITK Discussion Thread

[Sum Monsterism]

lamela wont be back until second half by the earliest - by the time he has recovered we will be in swing of the season and he won't have played a single minute on or off the field, from there it could be 6 months easily before he is ready to play again

45mins into the first game? AMAZING NEWS!

 

[stevenurse]

Lamela, Son, Rose all out until Sept/Oct, Alli suspended for the first 3 CL games. We're already starting to dip into our squad from the off. City, United, Arsenal and Liverpool have strengthened and we have seemingly been rejected at least twice already.

The fact that our attacking options from the bench are N'Koudou, Sissoko and Janssen is seriously underwhelming. It's extremely difficult to recruit sufficient quality and wouldn't say otherwise, but saying things are in the pipeline means literally nothing and it would seriously be concerning if they weren't "in the pipeline".

We may well be, but if we aren't going to go for "big names" then I'd want us to go all out for the top youth, not some bang average squad fillers from France. Hopefully now the U21's is over, this might mean these kind of deals are being worked on

 

[KirstyG]

Also will Lamela's heart and head be in it? It's a long time out and the doubts creep in.

100% we need to add to the squad and it's seems from the itk that is what is going on but improving the starting 11 would be pretty difficult.

Lots of people getting freaked out because of these big money signings by others, but all the itk suggests we will be tightening those belts again over next few years so as frustrating and boring as it is we are going to have to suck it up and pray we don't muck it up!

lamela wont be back until second half by the earliest - by the time he has recovered we will be in swing of the season and he won't have played a single minute on or off the field, from there it could be 6 months easily before he is ready to play again

 

[Roynie]

Poch was quoted, I believe it was about this time last year, that if he couldn't have the players he wanted he didn't want anyone. I don't think that will have changed so the likelihood of squad fillers is very remote. We also have some very good youth coming through, so we don't need very many to come in, but that does depend on who actually leaves!

 

[SpurinChicago]

Here is how I picture Ali Z's ITK going down:
Ali Z: Enough of this bullshit! Our rivals are strengthening and we are standing pat! I demand answers!
(Ali Z walks determinedly towards Levy's office)
Ali Z: Oi! Levy! You in there?!?
Levy's Secretary: Mr. Z, you can't go in there! Mr. Levy is in a very important meet....
Ali Z: Out of my way!
(pushes Levy's secretary out of the way, barges the door down with a loud crash)
(Daniel Levy looks up from behind large stacks of notes)
Levy: What is the meaning of this?!
Ali Z: What are you playing at, Levy? First week of July and still no signings!
Levy: I can assure you, dear Ali, things are in the pipeline. In fact, I was just on the phone with the agent for....
Ali Z: Right! Good enough for me! Carry on! (Ali Z hurries off to post on COYS).

 

[coys200]

Son will be back for season start imo.Will have a vardy type cast on no problem.Hes a naturally fit lad anyway ,be very surprised if it's September.

 

[Bobbins]

Lamela, Son, Rose all out until Sept/Oct, Alli suspended for the first 3 CL games. We're already starting to dip into our squad from the off. City, United, Arsenal and Liverpool have strengthened and we have seemingly been rejected at least twice already.

The fact that our attacking options from the bench are N'Koudou, Sissoko and Janssen is seriously underwhelming. It's extremely difficult to recruit sufficient quality and wouldn't say otherwise, but saying things are in the pipeline means literally nothing and it would seriously be concerning if they weren't "in the pipeline".

We may well be, but if we aren't going to go for "big names" then I'd want us to go all out for the top youth, not some bang average squad fillers from France. Hopefully now the U21's is over, this might mean these kind of deals are being worked on

Amazing isn't it? You'd think finishing 3rd and 2nd and having regular CL football would be a draw. Turns out players just want money after all!

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

I have a bit of ITK for the first and probably last time in my life:

So, I know someone who used to be in Bristol City's youth team and he ended up getting pretty friendly with Danny Rose during Rose's time on loan there. He still speaks to Rose from time to time and basically saw him today and Danny told him there is unrest in the squad over wages. They have seen players going to Everton for supposed 100K per week(he mentioned Michael Keane specifically) and they think they should be getting the same - being some of the best players in the league in their respective positions.

I didn't find out who in the squad he was unsettled but I got the impression it was more Rose and Walker he was referring too.

 

[tiger666]

I have a bit of ITK for the first and probably last time in my life:

So, I know someone who used to be in Bristol City's youth team and he ended up getting pretty friendly with Danny Rose during Rose's time on loan there. He still speaks to Rose from time to time and basically saw him today and Danny told him there is unrest in the squad over wages. They have seen players going to Everton for supposed 100K per week(he mentioned Michael Keane specifically) and they think they should be getting the same - being some of the best players in the league in their respective positions.

I didn't find out who in the squad he was unsettled but I got the impression it was more Rose and Walker he was referring too.

Yeah , I'll pass thanks.

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

I have a bit of ITK for the first and probably last time in my life:

So, I know someone who used to be in Bristol City's youth team and he ended up getting pretty friendly with Danny Rose during Rose's time on loan there. He still speaks to Rose from time to time and basically saw him today and Danny told him there is unrest in the squad over wages. They have seen players going to Everton for supposed 100K per week(he mentioned Michael Keane specifically) and they think they should be getting the same - being some of the best players in the league in their respective positions.

I didn't find out who in the squad he was unsettled but I got the impression it was more Rose and Walker he was referring too.

Also, just to add to this. The guy I got the info from is a spurs supporter, so I don't reckon he would be on the wind up

 

[stevenurse]

Amazing isn't it? You'd think finishing 3rd and 2nd and having regular CL football would be a draw. Turns out players just want money after all!

It's like we are about 5/10 years behind unfortunately. This time 5 or more years ago, players would only consider those in the CL. Nowadays, Swansea could sign anyone if they were prepared to pay the wages. Real shame.

CL football, one of the best young managers in the world, some of the best training facilities in Europe, amazing new stadium on the way. All essentially mean sod all unfortunately. Until that new stadium bears financial fruit. Makes me respect our players much more as every single one could earn more elsewhere

 

[Archibald&Crooks]

I have a bit of ITK for the first and probably last time in my life:

So, I know someone who used to be in Bristol City's youth team and he ended up getting pretty friendly with Danny Rose during Rose's time on loan there. He still speaks to Rose from time to time and basically saw him today and Danny told him there is unrest in the squad over wages. They have seen players going to Everton for supposed 100K per week(he mentioned Michael Keane specifically) and they think they should be getting the same - being some of the best players in the league in their respective positions.

I didn't find out who in the squad he was unsettled but I got the impression it was more Rose and Walker he was referring too.

Who: The Goat
When: 16th June
Where: SC

The Goat hears (not for the first time) that there is unrest at Levy's tactics when it comes to contracts and signings, frustration from players, agents and others involved in transfers/contracts in and out.

The Goat also hears that our wages policy is starting to bite and one or two aren’t convinced at our ambition…… it would be no great surprise to see a number of players leave over the next year or two

It's got to be a valid concern when you hear this from more than one, even more than two sources.......

Anyone who wants to carry on living in Levy la-la land, fill your boots.

 

[Bobbins]

It's like we are about 5/10 years behind unfortunately. This time 5 or more years ago, players would only consider those in the CL. Nowadays, Swansea could sign anyone if they were prepared to pay the wages. Real shame.

CL football, one of the best young managers in the world, some of the best training facilities in Europe, amazing new stadium on the way. All essentially mean sod all unfortunately. Until that new stadium bears financial fruit. Makes me respect our players much more as every single one could earn more elsewhere

Or not as per the ITK above!

 

[Bobbins]

It's got to be a valid concern when you hear this from more than one, even more than two sources.......

Anyone who wants to carry on living in Levy la-la land, fill your boots.

This summer is the opposite to last summer, when apparently everything was hunky-dory and every player and his mum couldn't wait to sign new deals for 20 years at a time.

There's clearly a problem with our wage structure, but it does make you wonder exactly why all those players were so happy to sign such long term deals last summer if they've now suddenly decided they're all not getting paid enough?

 

[not_tenth-again]

I have a bit of ITK for the first and probably last time in my life:

So, I know someone who used to be in Bristol City's youth team and he ended up getting pretty friendly with Danny Rose during Rose's time on loan there. He still speaks to Rose from time to time and basically saw him today and Danny told him there is unrest in the squad over wages. They have seen players going to Everton for supposed 100K per week(he mentioned Michael Keane specifically) and they think they should be getting the same - being some of the best players in the league in their respective positions.

I didn't find out who in the squad he was unsettled but I got the impression it was more Rose and Walker he was referring too.

Even if it's a fictitious (I'm sure it's not JS) story the facts behind it simply can't be denied. We were low payers before this mass injection of cash, we must be the stingiest of the lot nowadays. When Everton, Crystal Palace and West Ham start offering multiple players 100k a week you know the goal posts have changed considerably. We're on a really solid financial footing with our current wage bill but it's inevitably going to get squeezed (and hopefully increased) very soon.... or the team will get broken up over the next couple of years

 

[stevenurse]

As long as Levy lives by the rule of "you wouldn't get a pay reduction for poor performance" then it's always going to be an issue. Unless every one of our players contracts is incredibly heavily incentivised then I can see why they would have their heads turned. Levy needs to realise this is a bit of a freak that he's got such a good team on such low wages (for now) and poch can't work his magic forever. There comes a point when being the nearly men in every competition we play in isn't quite good enough. It may be a bit arsenal fan TV but unless we start winning things, our wage budget will mean the likes of Kane/Dele/Toby etc will leave

 

[Deleted member 27995]

I have a bit of ITK for the first and probably last time in my life:

So, I know someone who used to be in Bristol City's youth team and he ended up getting pretty friendly with Danny Rose during Rose's time on loan there. He still speaks to Rose from time to time and basically saw him today and Danny told him there is unrest in the squad over wages. They have seen players going to Everton for supposed 100K per week(he mentioned Michael Keane specifically) and they think they should be getting the same - being some of the best players in the league in their respective positions.

I didn't find out who in the squad he was unsettled but I got the impression it was more Rose and Walker he was referring too.

Very damning and reinforcing points from itk earlier in this window.

 

[not_tenth-again]

This summer is the opposite to last summer, when apparently everything was hunky-dory and every player and his mum couldn't wait to sign new deals for 20 years at a time.

There's clearly a problem with our wage structure, but it does make you wonder exactly why all those players were so happy to sign such long term deals last summer if they've now suddenly decided they're all not getting paid enough?

It was just Levy getting in before the new deal.... he's played it well.

He'll drag this out now and get them all resigned but it'll be during the season. ie. he'll save 10k per player per week up until the next window

 

[Kiedis]

If only we weren't so good

 

[fatpiranha]

It's got to be a valid concern when you hear this from more than one, even more than two sources.......

Anyone who wants to carry on living in Levy la-la land, fill your boots.

La-la-la-la, not listening, not listening .