Are the current players stale?

[JonahWolf]

that included some of the coaching staff

He refreshed the squad by a couple of players every year, but tended to change his #2 every few years as well, different voice on the training pitch and most direct link between players and boss.

 

[CodsallWolf]

I'm not sure I'd quite say on the beach, or that they don't care. But it's been a long couple of seasons, no fans, poor results etc. I think they are mentally fatigued /burnt out and in need of a break, and it is translating into mistakes, not 100% effort etc. The fact that we don't really have much left to play for this season won't be helping either. Think most will look a lot better after a break and proper pre season

I don’t really understand this mental fatigue thing, and the notion that they haven’t stopped for 2 years. The season shut down for a couple of months around April last year - sure the players needed to keep fit but they had literally nothing else to do. It’s a weak excuse that is used to paper over the cracks of a fundamentally flawed long term strategy. Given the amount of resource and support at their disposal, and relative to the vast majority of people in society who have suffered metal strain during this pandemic to levels a footballer will never understand, I just can’t tolerate it.

 

[Chris H]

If that’s the case, why spend €35M on an 18 year old with zero experience?

Because they believe that when he hits his stride he’ll be a player we’d very much be interested in but couldn’t then afford as he’d cost far more than that.

I’d suggest FFP (along with the brexit rule changes around youth players) is exactly the reason we signed Silva and the other youngsters.

They were basically playing a game of chess and trying to predict 3 moves ahead with the transfers last summer. Problem is some ****er has smacked the chessboard over and broke half our pieces this season!

 

[Stoichkov]

If that’s the case, why spend €35M on an 18 year old with zero experience?

I’m completely supportive of Nuno but this is my biggest gripe - silva and Semedo were not what we needed to kick in footballing wise and therefore you have to question if other motives clouded the club’s judgment

I’d say a certain agent owes us big time this summer. He also owes Nuno some of the players he REALLY wants

(Hope this post does not come across as top arrogant for anyone)

 

[Golden Arrow]

I’m completely supportive of Nuno but this is my biggest gripe - silva and Semedo were not what we needed to kick in footballing wise and therefore you have to question if other motives clouded the club’s judgment

I’d say a certain agent owes us big time this summer. He also owes Nuno some of the players he REALLY wants

(Hope this post does not come across as top arrogant for anyone)

Has Nuno ever come out and said he hasn't been given the players he wants?

Personally, I've no idea what goes on behind the scenes and just wondered if this was fact and had been documented somewhere.

 

[Stoichkov]

Has Nuno ever come out and said he hasn't been given the players he wants?

Personally, I've no idea what goes on behind the scenes and just wondered if this was fact and had been documented somewhere.

no i haven't see it but i believe they were not exactly first choices when they first went shopping. doherty deal came up, he wanted to go, we quickly found RB (and did Barca a favour); striking options (eg vinicius) weren't happening so silva as understudy to raul kind of made sense

nonetheless it was all bad planning and considering nuno talks about attention to detail, i reckon he will want a much tighter grasp of it this summer

 

[Corporate Wolf]

Has Nuno ever come out and said he hasn't been given the players he wants?

Personally, I've no idea what goes on behind the scenes and just wondered if this was fact and had been documented somewhere.

It’s unlikely he would when it’s Mendes (his own agent) pretty much driving our transfer strategy