Transfer Window Reflection Thread

One thing I would be pretty certain about is that it will be easier to persuade players to relocate if you sign them in the summer months. When you sign somebody in the January transfer window, there is no way for them to have time to settle as it is straight in with a couple of matches every week until the end of the season. Even if they are commuting to some degree, it is going to be easier to get used to during the summer than the winter - better weather, easier driving conditions, light nights, etc.

Last season was one of the rare occasions where the January signings helped to turn the season around. The exact opposite of the Slade era where we were romping away with it until the arrival of Junior Mendes, Ben Futcher, Marc Goodfellow and Curtis Woodhouse in January!

Woodhouse and Goodfellow both decent enough players but we seemed to be playing for free-kicks too much following the arrival of Futcher as Woodhouse repeatedly launched the ball into the box for our giant defenders. Oh, and Junior Mendes was utterly useless in every regard.

There must be some kind of graph or venn diagram showing the likelihood of us signing a player, in contrast with his demand.

The more a player is wanted by clubs, the less likely we are to land him.

We can, will, and have signed thousands of players, but signing players in high demand is another matter.

We need to unearth gems that others have overlooked. McAtee being a prime example.

Quoted from ginnywings

There must be some kind of graph or venn diagram showing the likelihood of us signing a player, in contrast with his demand.

The more a player is wanted by clubs, the less likely we are to land him.

We can, will, and have signed thousands of players, but signing players in high demand is another matter.

We need to unearth gems that others have overlooked. McAtee being a prime example.

But need a bigger area for our detectorists, we can't rely on just next doors allotment...

Quoted from ginnywings

There must be some kind of graph or venn diagram showing the likelihood of us signing a player, in contrast with his demand.

The more a player is wanted by clubs, the less likely we are to land him.

We can, will, and have signed thousands of players, but signing players in high demand is another matter.

We need to unearth gems that others have overlooked. McAtee being a prime example.

I reckon a dedicated Head of Recruitment will help but probably more so in the long term.

Quoted from Maringer

One thing I would be pretty certain about is that it will be easier to persuade players to relocate if you sign them in the summer months. When you sign somebody in the January transfer window, there is no way for them to have time to settle as it is straight in with a couple of matches every week until the end of the season. Even if they are commuting to some degree, it is going to be easier to get used to during the summer than the winter - better weather, easier driving conditions, light nights, etc.

Last season was one of the rare occasions where the January signings helped to turn the season around. The exact opposite of the Slade era where we were romping away with it until the arrival of Junior Mendes, Ben Futcher, Marc Goodfellow and Curtis Woodhouse in January!

Woodhouse and Goodfellow both decent enough players but we seemed to be playing for free-kicks too much following the arrival of Futcher as Woodhouse repeatedly launched the ball into the box for our giant defenders. Oh, and Junior Mendes was utterly useless in every regard.

Under Hurst (and Scott) there was that recruitment in 2012/13 when we brought Ross Hannah back on a permanent deal along with  LJL plus Jamie Devitt and Marcus Marshall coming back on loan. Of course Richard Brodie arrived too.

I remember thinking at the time that we'd just sealed the title, as it happened we imploded in Spring and looked absolutely abject in the play-offs against Newport.

The Slade ones were odd. On paper it looked good business. Both Goodfellow and Mendes had caused us problems before and Futcher fitted in with the more aerial approach. Woodhouse was just a very good player, especially at that level.

It just upset everything though. Rob Jones and Justin Whittle were rock steady at the back, Futcher was shoehorned into that.  Mendes was useless but Slade persisted with him, I think using him as a back up to Michael Reddy when Gary Cohen had done a more than decent job of that role.

Woodhouse was individually fine, but it broke up a good pairing of Toner and Bolland.

And I can still see Good fellow's miss at Orient!

Quoted from diehardmariner

Under Hurst (and Scott) there was that recruitment in 2012/13 when we brought Ross Hannah back on a permanent deal along with  LJL plus Jamie Devitt and Marcus Marshall coming back on loan. Of course Richard Brodie arrived too.

I remember thinking at the time that we'd just sealed the title, as it happened we imploded in Spring and looked absolutely abject in the play-offs against Newport.

The Slade ones were odd. On paper it looked good business. Both Goodfellow and Mendes had caused us problems before and Futcher fitted in with the more aerial approach. Woodhouse was just a very good player, especially at that level.

It just upset everything though. Rob Jones and Justin Whittle were rock steady at the back, Futcher was shoehorned into that.  Mendes was useless but Slade persisted with him, I think using him as a back up to Michael Reddy when Gary Cohen had done a more than decent job of that role.

Woodhouse was individually fine, but it broke up a good pairing of Toner and Bolland.

And I can still see Good fellow's miss at Orient!

That miss haunts me…

The January transfer window is odd and as you have proven, can actually be more unsettling than good…

The fact is the window is hype, it’s a media thing and that then spreads to fans…

Ask yourself the question, is a team with a front that’s already well in to double figures gonna let him go, mid season? Unlikely unless it’s league 2 going to top championship or premier league.

We know teams in the conference and conference north are paying league 2 wages so it’s not as simple as what Peterborough did a few times years back and poach someone because now they’re already on good money…sadly, not everyone is arsed about playing higher up if they have a steady income and lifestyle.

The test of how well or badly we did in the window will depend on how the new guys play.

Presumably most of the recent newcomers were spotted by the new head of recruitment. It looks like he did ok at Lincoln so there is a good chance that one or two of them might be ok.

We will see in the coming month when we have so many games that they will all probably get some game time.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

I reckon a dedicated Head of Recruitment will help but probably more so in the long term.

The only justification I can see for a Head of Recruitment role is to identify players that are so obscure they will be cheap enough for us to get. Hurst will surely know the seasoned players he would like in a perfect world.

If that is the policy then it is a good appointment; if the HoR presents a list of players that we have no intention of affording then it is a waste of a wage.

I don't know if we can do this but one thing that might help to get players here is to give them a generous signing on fee.

If we already do that then maybe we better increase the amount , just a thought.

At least we can keep to our salary scale so other players already here know they are all all on the same money or thereabouts.

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

The only justification I can see for a Head of Recruitment role is to identify players that are so obscure they will be cheap enough for us to get. Hurst will surely know the seasoned players he would like in a perfect world.

If that is the policy then it is a good appointment; if the HoR presents a list of players that we have no intention of affording then it is a waste of a wage.

I would imagine that part of the reason PH wanted a HoR was to take some of the burden off himself. He spent many a night and weekend travelling around watching games by all accounts.