my email to Neil D

Neil,

I'm sure you've had many emails regarding the concerns around our lack of transfer activity, but I felt the need to add my voice.
The board (rightly or wrongly) have decided that stability of manager is the right way forward (whilst I don't agree with that decision, I do appreciate that the board believe that is the correct approach for the good of the club, and ultimately it is a brave decision that they themselves will be judged on)

However in those circumstances surely the board have to back up their convictions with the finances to support the manager in the transfer market. My main concerns are as follows:

1. To date only 2 clubs in our division who have not changed their manager (ourselves and Luton) have failed to make a single signing. Luton look likely to change that in the next couple of days leaving only ourselves without fresh faces in the squad.

2. One of the contributory factors quoted regarding the failure of last seasons signings to perform was the fact players need time to settle, why is this not seen as important this season.

3. At present we still have no recognised right midfielder at the club, no centre forward capable of holding up the ball, or winning the ball in the air, a lack of cover at left back and centre back, and a big big question mark about right back. These are not big holes to fill in the squad how can we possibly hope of success whilst these deficiencies remain. I for one don't expect us to buy a dozen players, or spend millions or players, or buy players of premiership quality, success at this level can be had on a budget (Glen Little, a right midfielder, apparently rarer than Hens teeth cost Reading nothing, Luke Chadwick a mere 100,000), what is wrong with our scouting system that we only seem to ever be linked to players who've had a decent game or two against us, or players who a clearly out of out price range like Hulse for example).

4. Why do we only ever appear to enquire rather than bid for players, why for example are we not prepared to test the resolve of clubs like Stoke (re Chadwick) by putting in tangible bids.

5. Why do we contradict ourselves publicly so readily, 1 week 'we don't do our transfer dealings in public' next week 'x is a player we like and have made an enquiry'. Simple put these statements look more like poorly conceived attempts to appease customers than genuine transfer activity.

I cant help feeling the best way forward from the protests and ill feeling of last season would have simply to give the fans something to get excited about again, a couple of decent signings with hope for the future, the club it would seem have missed a trick.

Personally unless we move on from last year, this will be my last as a season ticket holder, I have a young family, travel 200 miles to home game and use half my holiday to get to home games as I work shifts, I'm not sure the product on offer warrants the sacrifice anymore. I don't expect us to play like Brazil, but I do expect us to play like one of the best supported clubs in the division, some heart, some skill, in contention most years, players worth paying to watch without any of that then just what else is left.

Regards

Posted By: dear prudence, Jul 5, 19:01:56