John

Indeed, but I guess Southgate would still have the same opinion about Jack playing outside of the top flight now which is annoying because there can be players outside of it that are worth a look at such as Jack and Sessegnon both were last season. It is not as if he is spoilt for choice and playing game after game in the EFL may help develop a young player more than a Carabao Cup game or two and the odd substitute appearance in the PL.

Jack looked like he thought he would have a decision to make before the transfer window slams shut last night. I'm not so sure because the manager, owners and fans want him to stay and I don't think Levy wants him enough to bid the sort of money that he would need to in order for Jack to have to ask himself "should I stay or should I go now?" The grass is not always greener and he would not have the fans so firmly behind him elsewhere. I think back to Bruce Rioch's transfer all those years ago when he left us on good terms because we didn't then look like a club that could match his ambitions in the short term at least. Jack has time on his side he can fulfil his playing ambitions with us, it might take a year or two for us to but the heights but I suspect he might regret not being along for the ride if he does choose to leave us given he gets that choice to make.

Southgate needs to keep his nose out of this. You would think he had never played for us before he chose to leave us for the big time and the bright lights of Middlesbrough...

Bruce also giving the fans a last chance to try to help persuade him to stay?

Thanks for that. It seems he is their Jack and Celtic are trying to do to them what Spurs have been trying to do to us over the fee. There was a time when successful teams needed a Scot in their midfield to make it tick. We signed Des Bremner from them if he does half as well with us and brings us anywhere near the sort of success this could be some deal if we can get it over the line.

Time for us to make a cheeky bid for him as well as Abraham then.

Two points more than we picked up at Hull last season and the chance to make a very good start to this season and to get into a winning habit. We got an important first win with the players we had tonight and reinforcements that are on their way can improve us. Came back from a goal down showing more than a bit of character in doing so. We have a 100% record at this early point of the season let's try to keep it for a few weeks or even for a couple of months.

I had been hoping that we would sign Barry Douglas who went to Leeds. I had guessed we could not afford to do that deal a few days ago, if we had wanted to. It seems we may have had Joe as a target back then and can now find more money for what is a younger alternative. Good news but I hope the money is being found from a source other than Spurs.

Or Douglas Costa?

Amongst other things....

I'm all for bringing our young players into the squad this season but I think having an experienced older head alongside them (although not too many of them) can help them settle into first team football. I would personally like to have JT back for another season. We need a centre half after all and his reading of the game along with his presence and the partnership he built alongside Chester compensates for his lack of pace for me.

£15m then and not a penny less.

I really would prefer us to do no business with that vulture Levy. He doesn't want to pay us anywhere near the asking price so why would we even waste our time by talking to him?

Interesting that three clubs in our division want him. They must see something there that our management team apparently do not.

In The Times today there is a report that their directors could be banned from football (I didn't know as directors of Small Heath that they had any involvement in it anyway) if the club continues to breach EFL profit and sustainability rules (exceeding permitted £39m losses over a 3 year period). It mentions potential sanctions include point deductions and the most severe sanction, a ban from all football-related activity for the club. Nice way to start the new season for them eh?

Yes, I could well be wrong myself. I think we have the rest of this month to make loans but no longer?

I had thought it applied to loans as well but as you say not to out of contract players.

Agreed. Typical isn't it? A club like Burnley want a player and offer the selling club the fee they want to get the deal done. Levy could learn something from that. No doubt if he had wanted Gibson he would have made a take it or leave it £7m offer and then tried to unsettle the player. It's fortunate for us that Levy rather than Burnley were after Jack.

Don't believe everything Sky Sports (or should it be Sky Bet) say or that The Mail see and report as news. Perhaps Snodders is staying at West Ham for now....

Levy needs to realise that to do a deal you have to make a bid that is acceptable to the club who he wants to sell the player to mighty Spurs. He does not and that suits me fine.

Nobody needs to be sold and I do not have any reason to doubt them on this or anything else. We might want to sell some players though and that might include a player that might not be willing to sign a new contract for example whose value may therefore drop when their contract enters the last 12 months.

Superb stuff from JT.

Surely letting the young player sign for Small Heath in itself is cruel and unusual punishment? If he hasn't done any wrong yet he will soon be expected to do just that when plying his trade on the dark side of the city so they could have continued to do the right thing by preventing him sullying himself by turning out for that rabble......

I would hope the club added "if a club matches our valuation". I think we would look mugs if Levy got Jack for around half of what we wanted after all. Having said that I still hope Jack would be prepared to stick around.

I think you have given the answer above.