privateer

Che Adams off to Southampton the final straw after the Jota/ground share mushrooming?

SO there it is, it seems. They're selling off the better players and/or the seniors and going into next season with the kids and the Gardners.

Went to look and laugh at the club statement. Looks like there's thousands of splitting sides inadvertently DDOSing the Amstrad 64mb server.

That means we have "mulled over", done the "circling", "prepared the bid" and are now going to "launch the bid" and "swoop".

He actually said we wouldn't be loaning players in and then developing them into more valuable assets that would mean the club that hold his registration uplift the fee we would have to pay. The difference between two of our loans we wanted to bring in illustrates that. El Ghazi, who we got for a pre-agreed fee and couldn't be raised following his form here. Mings, who we couldn't get Bournemouth to agree to anything more advantageous to us than what is a truly worthless "matching fee clause", which isn't worth the price of the ink on any agreement that was on. Now, they want much more than he was valued at in January and they want their lottery win payout. I doubt they had any idea he would tear it up like he did and can't believe their **** luck. The question is now, will we pay what they are after. Nas or Wes should induce some other minor club to bid £5 for him so we match it. Haven't we still got ties with clubs we were going to partner with?

TBH, I'll be a bit surprised if we do. Depending upon which source you believe we paid up to £7m for him and, whilst you're right, someone in Europe will want him, his stock is low now.

I'm highly sceptical there's anything in this at all purely because of the initial source. MSM know **** all about what we're doing. The only genuine ITK stuff emerging is some Twitter stuff and one has to be very discerning about filtering the few knowing from the many chattering. Even then it's coming out as advanced stages/announcement imminent revelations. That said, if there is anything in it, it'll be loan to buy or outright purchase. Purslow was very clear about the future strategy on recruitment where a loan is involved and I'm sure the wranglings with Bournemouth over Mings will only further convince everybody of the wisdom of that approach.

I'm of the same mind. I recognise he hasn't many appearances and I've got to factor that in but notwithstanding that, I never got the confidence that a 6'7" international goalie should have given me. He certainly doesn't seem to have given Deano enough confidence to say, "Yeah, Jed's done a good job but this guy's a monster-sized international who's been monster in training and was brought in, at some expense, to be our No1 Number 1 so he's getting the nod". If he's not settled and wants out, so be it. Cut the losses and move on. Nyland also. You'd have sleepless nights contemplating him as our PL goalie. He gave most the shits when he was facing Championship players. So that's two that can and will go, I'd expect. Yes, I'd be delighted to get in a reliable, top notch keeper, be it Butland or whoever else they opt for (although this one seems like it's close to being announced). As has been mentioned, a great keeper is worth a lot of points across as season. At the very least we will be encountering much more potent and clinical strike forces this season and we need the best we can get between the sticks to be facing them.

Which, if both of them were better players, would make one Didier Drogba, who is the player I'd really, really like this guy to be coached into being a facsimile of. He clearly has the physical attributes already and he's apparently already got the hold up play, speed, skills and the ability to bully defenders. Who knows, maybe JT can have word with DD and get him to do a bit of coaching with him, Keenan and any others we may have up top. Not a full time thing, just a couple of weeks or so to give them the benefit of all the tricks and tips he could pass on.

Clearly a scary beast. That other player is already fleeing the blast zone of an exploding football. He's seen the leather shrapnel shred people before.

Portsmouth? He wants to stay down there and sign for Portsmouth? I though he liked it here and had ambition. He can f**k off.

I mentioned this not long after we were confirmed up. Despite Dean saying the season target is to finish 1st - which I applaud - as a first stage target, we only need to be better than three of the other teams there. And I'm pretty certain we will be be, so I'm sharing the calmness. Whilst I like the notion of Dean saying "1st", realistically we aren't going to storm the league first season back and do a Leicester. I'd like to think we will do a solid consolidation job and be quite a bit better than the "Doomed 3" and be mid-table but looking promising for the following season to push for European football. As @Mazrim rightly points out, we need to invest to capitalise on the achievement of getting back. If we do OK, we'll likely keep our best players, if we drop I don't see Jack, for example, hanging around a second time. And as for mentions of Fulham spending big and going down (I think 'Boro did something similar years ago, if memory serves), emulation of action doesn't equal identical outcome. Any penalty shootout shows you that, eh Baggies? Ten men step up, not all score and only one team gets to go home and **** the Prom Queen(s).

We'll have it tucked up before then, fear not. The rest will be playing for the minor placings and we'll be fielding our kids at that point.

Yeah, I heard Marvin's gaye.

Jesus, I expect puns from some but I'm disappointed u2 have dropped to that level.

Thanks but she was alive last time I saw her so I don't think I'll need to finish the job myself.

I heard it from the interior designer painting my Bournemouth penthouse all nice and magnolia. She's apparently connected with someone at the club.

I heard they have a love hate relationship.

With Adkins leaving Hull I might tweet "replacement manager talks are in progress". I'll probably not be an ITK, though, but it might be good for the lulz.

I heard it because I was having my Bournemouth penthouse redecorated and it's all the bloody woman talked about. I told her, crack on with the painting, I'm not interested in your boyfriend troubles I just want that magnolia wall done.

Tyrone, be sensible. Lifetime soulmate partners, who are the yin to your yang, are ten a **** penny. There is only one Aston Villa. There is only one choice. Tell her she can keep the American fridge but you're taking the beer cooler.

That does read a bit like "...and thanks for all the fish". Tammy offering a third party "Welcome" is certainly very suggestive of someone who won't be returning. Of the two, Axel is the one I'd have most liked us to sign but I would imagine that both of them are carrying big price tags, if they are even on the market at all.

Didn't know that, I don't go into Off Topic anymore so hadn't seen it. For some reason I had the idea that French was his mother tongue and he was game enough to be posting anyway in another language on a subject he's obviously well versed in. Never felt the need to take the piss, though, despite me being a word removed. Always good to discover you're not the biggest word removed in the village.