January Transfer Window

[Floval Flyer]

We are a southern team with a fair few northern players. No idea as to whether northern clubs are full of northern players or not. He would be better searching locally to be fair

seems to be a lot more northern players moving about, personally I’d like us to be signing someone like Danny Hylton at Luton, but they probably pay more in wages and could be replacing in L1 next season.

 

[Jay_SUFC]

We are a southern team with a fair few northern players. No idea as to whether northern clubs are full of northern players or not. He would be better searching locally to be fair

I suspect moving South to North isn't as bigger impact as moving from North to South.

However I agree that we should be looking locally, however there is no harm looking further, as long as they're not your only targets!!

 

[eastling]

Right, here's the update. Ben Whiteman(Sheff Utd) and Jordy Hiwula(Fleetwood/Huddersfield) reject Southend to stay up North. Another striker wants to stay at the Championship club he is on loan with. Southend are currently in advanced talks with a Championship midfielder. Also in contact with a London Premiership club regarding a striker. They were the main targets. Others now being added to the list.
So they are trying. Maybe Phil's not good at this sort of thing. Where are the Persuaders?

It seems Ben Whiteman has now signed perms with Donny Rovers having previously been on loan. So not sure he was really keen anyway. I guess we are not seen as attractive enough to lure players south!

 

[Floval Flyer]

So will I, even when it's someone I've never heard of.

BITD I remember moaning about us signing a player I’d never heard of at the time; his name was Stanley Victor Collymore :smile:

 

[tallboyblue]

Not sure if anyone wants to come here.

 

[Jai]

Interesting that we don't appear, on the face of it, to be looking at a loan deal for a centre-half.

I'd argue that with Turner, White, Kyprianou, Kiernan allegedly close to a comeback and Ferdinand (as 5th choice) we don't necessarily need a centre half as a priority. What we need to do is decide what is our first choice back four and stick with it. If you chop and change it every week, you're going to lose goals and games.

Having said all that, we do seem to suffer an abnormal amount of injuries in that position, so if the right player becomes available on loan we'd be silly to pass it up.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Not sure if anyone wants to come here.

I don’t buy that at all. Teams below us in the table, with as poor or poor recent records (yes, they are out there!) and arguably a harder sell are signing players. Targeting the right ones is key to success - i.e. not just ones with the ability to affect the team in the ways we need right now plus, crucially, who might relocate to us. As has been mentioned before targeting young players from the distant north is crazy when there are plenty of players in London and the South East who could make a difference.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

I'd argue that with Turner, White, Kyprianou, Kiernan allegedly close to a comeback and Ferdinand (as 5th choice) we don't necessarily need a centre half as a priority. What we need to do is decide what is our first choice back four and stick with it. If you chop and change it every week, you're going to lose goals and games.

Having said all that, we do seem to suffer an abnormal amount of injuries in that position, so if the right player becomes available on loan we'd be silly to pass it up.

Agree with this. Irrespective of whether the manager changes, which seems unlikely, some new voices on the training pitch would be a priority for me - especially for our attacking play and fitness. Even taking injuries into account, there is no excuse for a senior pro like Kightly sporting a Buddha belly mid season.

 

[RobM]

Despite all the doom and gloom and lack of activity, I will still get really excited when we actually make a signing.

The only thing we're likely to sign is a gas bill. :sad:

 

[onceknownasrab]

I'd argue that with Turner, White, Kyprianou, Kiernan allegedly close to a comeback and Ferdinand (as 5th choice) we don't necessarily need a centre half as a priority. What we need to do is decide what is our first choice back four and stick with it. If you chop and change it every week, you're going to lose goals and games.

Having said all that, we do seem to suffer an abnormal amount of injuries in that position, so if the right player becomes available on loan we'd be silly to pass it up.

Sadly I would counter argue that those you name are not the answer. Turner shows experience but does not have the legs to be good enough at our tough level. Ferdinand is past it, completely, and needs to be put out to pasture. Kiernan, who knows?, but I venture he will be some time in getting anywhere near his best and maybe will never achieve it. White is a stalwart that gives his best but a first choice centre back he ain't. Kyps is still a novice, promising, but not at the level to be a reliable first choice.

To be in this defensive situation is a disgrace, and for those that claim hindsight is a wonderful thing, this was easy to foresee.

 

[Colchester and proud!]

There are loads of decent players available at the London clubs who would probably be happy to play/live in Essex, we have just signed one from QPR for an undisclosed fee. He has been on loan to us since August, he looks steady shows plenty of promise and at 22 is a good age.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

They're very much the 'likes of' team for L2 aren't they? As in "we don't want to be playing the likes of Morecambe".

We are currently one of the 'likes of' teams for this division I think, whenever a 'big' club look like they may be dropping out of the Championship.

Fleetwood and then Rochdale and Bury all more likely to be the 'likes of' team for this division.

 

[Tampa Blue]

There are loads of decent players available at the London clubs who would probably be happy to play/live in Essex, we have just signed one from QPR for an undisclosed fee. He has been on loan to us since August, he looks steady shows plenty of promise and at 22 is a good age.

Guess that your Chief Scout may be based more locally than ours.

 

[LennySUFC]

Guess that your Chief Scout may be based more locally than ours.

And not using Football Manager 2006 to scout players

 

[Angell Delight]

Right, here's the update. Ben Whiteman(Sheff Utd) and Jordy Hiwula(Fleetwood/Huddersfield) reject Southend to stay up North. Another striker wants to stay at the Championship club he is on loan with. Southend are currently in advanced talks with a Championship midfielder. Also in contact with a London Premiership club regarding a striker. They were the main targets. Others now being added to the list.
So they are trying. Maybe Phil's not good at this sort of thing. Where are the Persuaders?

Probably Cauley Woodrow....

 

[AndyT]

I'd argue that with Turner, White, Kyprianou, Kiernan allegedly close to a comeback and Ferdinand (as 5th choice) we don't necessarily need a centre half as a priority. What we need to do is decide what is our first choice back four and stick with it. If you chop and change it every week, you're going to lose goals and games.

Having said all that, we do seem to suffer an abnormal amount of injuries in that position, so if the right player becomes available on loan we'd be silly to pass it up.

I agree, Jai, but I'd definitely want cover, due to the lack of fitness of all of the above and, much as I like JW, I really think we let a lot of goals in when he is playing.

I'm also not convinced about Cokes. Again, since his return, we seem to be shipping goals. Maybe there is just a lack of confidence in each other, amongst them all, so someone fresh to shake it up might just be a good thing.

As much as people struggle with Anton, he does play well with someone alongside him who can do more of the leg work.

 

[onceknownasrab]

I agree, Jai, but I'd definitely want cover, due to the lack of fitness of all of the above and, much as I like JW, I really think we let a lot of goals in when he is playing.

I'm also not convinced about Cokes. Again, since his return, we seem to be shipping goals. Maybe there is just a lack of confidence in each other, amongst them all, so someone fresh to shake it up might just be a good thing.

As much as people struggle with Anton, he does play well with someone alongside him who can do more of the leg work.

Anton is a liability. Much is made of his experience but it's a crock of *****. There are oodles of players, far younger and fitter, that know their way around a league 1 defence. We need two competent and fit centre backs and not one mobile player alongside one that can only talk a good game. This bunkum about quality needs to be dispelled. To say it was signed to get us out of this division is blinkered. We need guys who compete at this level, are familiar with this level or that can at least step up to this level. Ex-prem has beens mean nothing in the rugged and direct battle of league 1.

 

[AndyT]

I'm going to put you down as a not sure, I think, rab.

 

[onceknownasrab]

I'm going to put you down as a not sure, I think, rab.

Good move Andy.
I am not sure how we get out of this mess.
I am not sure we will.
I am not sure any of the added quality has added quality.
I am not sure that I am not sure.
I am not sure, actually I am certain, that when it comes to transfers we seem to have less credibility than Trump being a patron for a Mexican refugee charity.

 

[Colchester and proud!]

Guess that your Chief Scout may be based more locally than ours.

We have the highly experienced Iain Moody working for us, he has lots of contacts in the game and has helped greatly in obtaining new players since 2016. He did get in a bit of trouble at Cardiff with Malky Mackay over allegations of racism though. https://www.cu-fc.com/news/2016/july/us-bring-in-moody/