We're in a pool of us, Derby and Peterborough. Derby are basically starting from scratch and Posh have signed a couple of keepers on loan and players from Sutton United and Leyton Orient. Minimal departures, but they sold their star player in January when they were trying to beat the drop. Outside of the young defender, they don't really have any assets that would fetch seven figures. They also hadn't invested in the same wage bill as us. Last point - the owner underpins all their losses so they're not really dealing with an accurate balance sheet. Lost track of how many different share issues they've gone through.
Maybe in your mind, and I get that, but for a lot of supporters we expected 4/5 departures due to relegation and the finances. We won't know until Christmas what our recruitment has been like, but I'm impressed by what I've seen and the calibre of player we've managed to attract. We haven't done yet either.
It seems to have gone quiet on the incoming front with nothing imminent. Suspect our remaining business will be in the loan market which is likely to be at the back end of the window. We need three more for me, a RWB, another in MF and most importantly another striker. With injuries and lack of fitness for a couple of key signings we look like starting with a pretty under strength squad.
I was expecting departures but maybe I was naïve in thinking we would be able to hold onto a few more of the good ones. I like who we have recruited so far, all look good, just want to see more to give Duff the best chance of success as I am sure he is the right man for the job, he just needs the right tools to work with. Maybe I am expecting a bit too much, just feels we are miles off where I hoped we would be with the start of the season looming. The window is still open for ages so plenty of time to get it right just always nice to have it done early rather than having to play catch up.
Genuinely thought we'd keep Morris, maybe naively, but it's becoming more apparent by the day that he was one who asked to leave and didn't want to be here. I still think £1m plus is a decent deal personally, but get that others think it should have been more. Brittain is the curve ball, but full expected Helik, Woodrow and Styles to not be around. Financial, and personal ambition, reality of being a League One club. Barnsley means more to us than any of our players don't forget.
Been quiet most of pre-season really. The rumour mill has predicted very little this Summer which is a refreshing change. I like it when we only find out the day a player signs.
I genuinely expected Morris and Brittain to stay along with Mads and Collins. Knew we would lose Helik, Styles and Woodrow. I can deal with players going, especially these that have left this summer. All been good servants and good luck to them but none were that significant to me if that makes sense. When we lost Hourihane that hurt more as he was my favourite at the time for example. The fact the club means so much is why it is so frustrating at the moment. I feel like I and others can see the glaring issues but from the outside it feels nothing is being done to solve it. I have no doubt Khaled and co are working like mad behind the scenes to get a new striker and so on but as we can't see that work first hand it is hard to grasp what is happening. Maybe not explained it well but it makes sense in my head anyway.
Morris was our most potent attacker and still managed 9 goals in the least creative Barnsley team I can easily recall. He was always going to attract interest and given his age and how unlucky he's been with different lengthy injuries, it's no surprise he wants to play at the highest level he can and earn as much as he can. So yes, I do find it a bit naive that our best attacker was expected to stay by some. We can't control the order bids come in and we have to plug the shortfall. I'll be pleasantly surprised if we retain any of Collins, Styles, Helik and Andersen. Collins is the one we likely have most leverage with, but if a decent offer comes in for him ahead of the others, we'll need to take it. Given Helik seems to be in Poznan, I suspect he may well be confirmed as leaving very soon. But at least we have an abundance of centre halves, and having signed two already this window, we can bank any monies and improve the finances.
I'm not sure how you expect us to plug a funding gap if the owners aren't willing to bankroll us? No club should be bankrolled by its owners either. It has already been laid out for you the differences between us and Derby and Peterborough. What would be your solution? It's ok keeping all our best players but if that later results in administration then what's the point?!
I never thought we'd keep Morris, done great while he was here had lots of admirers.. What Iam surprised at is Styles and Helik are still here.. No one must be near valuation.. Can see, if not sold Helik going on a loan somewhere to get to the world cup..
My thoughts on Morris wasn't that he wouldn't be fancied by teams in the Championship, just that he would cost seven figures and with Covid and EFL loans lurking around, that might put off the Luton's and the Preston's, which were logically the kind of teams that would go in for him. Mainly because of his injury record and stories of managing his fitness, injections, etc. Was wrong on that one. I think I, and others, also underestimated how frustrated he was at last season and probably became disillusioned with the football club. Again, remembering that Barnsley Football Club is way more important to us than the players we're cheering on. My worry for Styles, rather than for us as I'd love to keep him, is that he went early about leaving. Probably thinking there was interest and bids imminent. Those bids haven't come, and in Nottingham Forest's case, might never come. I think that's where Olympiakos come in.
this is at the heart of my frustration with all this. people agree that they want us to be self-sufficient. they also agree that there's a huge financial gap that needs fixing. really not sure how people expect those two things to resolve, without player sales and slashing the wage bill. I don't want to see us in League 1. I don't want to see all our 'best' players leave. but more than both of those things, I don't want to us be bankrolled by owner loans. because that's what they would be. loans. just more debt on top of debt. problem is how it looks if we don't replace them. with styles and Helik also planned to leave, and Kane now crocked, I do think we still need to see more come in before the start of the season. full back, cm and another striker for me. not holding my breath though. especially on the striker.
It was the owners fault we're in this mess. They should have plugged the £7 million gap as a loan. Staggered over a period of years if need be. What we have now is the shell of a squad. Some decent signings on the face of it but a shell nonetheless.
fair enough if that's your view. personally I don't want the Club to have a £7m loan hanging over it. and certainly not from the likes of Chien Lee et al. I'd rather be in non-league and self-sufficient. that's just me though.
so you are suggesting we cannot hope to compete on a level playing field with Peterborough. Fair enough. Who would we use as a benchmark Oldham? It’ll be like our cup final when we play the giants of Forest Green and Cheltenham if only we could compete at their level. Still we can dream.
