Ric Flair

The natural promotion to the role of DOF is from head of recruitment. We've lost a few excellent ones who moved elsewhere to step in to such a role. I'd be looking at such candidates from data driven clubs like RB Salzburg, Reims, Brest, Sturm Graz, Eintract Frankfurt, Copenhagen, Midtjylland etc and give them the opportunity to run a club not just in regard to transfers.

All the club can be blamed for is not bringing through academy players and giving them a chance in the first team earlier. We might well be scrabbling to try and get better at that to prevent this but we need to actually do it and maybe some of them will stick around.

This is how the likes of Man City and Man Utd are taking 15-16 year olds from academies the same size as them. Offering them the wages of £20-40k a week apparently. The issue for us is we haven't even shown what the pathway is for these talents previously. We've never given an academy player under the age of 18 regular first team football, even to the modest degree that Nyoni has had at Liverpool that you quote. So until we do that, then i can't agree there's nothing more we can do to hold on to these talents. The club will point to how Monga and Evans are being immersed in the squad in training and travelling etc but we almost have to go over the top right now to erase the past which may be preceding us and losing these players.

The thing is money is being thrown at him. Probably going to be a millionaire at 16. We need to prove to him he'll get very well remunerated here to a similar level in time and that he'll also get first team football and progression more rapidly here than at any of the bigger clubs that are preying. The issue is in the past that has not been the case, Nyoni's probably had morw 1st team football at Liverpool than wed have given him and we need to be honest as well as sorting out what should be our priority.

OK, look at it another way. How much would you value Monga's potential, i.e how much would we say would be a fair amount to sell him for?

Given we've supposedly paid Coady £70k a week in the Championship for him to make 7 starts, just offer Monga £25k a week basic and £50k an appearance. Blows anything other teams would be willing to match. This is not a gamble, the kid is going right to the top. Generational player.

The Barca rumours were when he'd not yet broken through in to the 1st team. His big contract was dished out after breaking through under Shakespeare and then Puel.

Genuinely don't care. Won't watch another game this season unless we show any evidence of attempting something different, such as blooding some academy players.

What's the route like? Read its quite undulating but that can mean anything. See you there pal!

Hopefully Evans doesn't get pinched too, absolute mustard.

Not particularly. Our model has been to play the long game and take advantage of us being the most successful midlands club over the last decade that's helped us recruit the best kids in the midlands from 8-9 upwards and we're finally starting to see the breadth of talent coming through. We don't actively recruit 15-17 year olds that often, and those we do get seem to come from London clubs like Arsenal, Chelsea and Palace and quite possibly because those clubs are willing to release them vs us signing them and going to tribunal. The last players that fit this ilk I can remember is Ben Grist, Brad Young and Callum Hulme.

Hopefully we get a transfer embargo and our priority is getting rid of any player on more than £50k a week and bringing through academy players.

Be interesting to see what happens to him. He's having a very good season in Bundesliga 2 which has been the breeding ground for some very good players. Ao Tanaka was the one that got away.

I've entered Kettering half marathon for this Sunday, hopefully no new ailment between now and then 😂

Yes, we agreed a fee with Man City. Was seven figures.

Give it Briggs til the end of the season

Good to see Evans back fit. Shame Tommy Neale hasn't made the last two squads after his recent dominance.

What he's doing for England U16s will add significant value on to any compensation fee not to mention domestically.

Was completely unfazed in the Papa John's or whatever its called. Was skinning players left, right and centre. Was closer to 14 then as well, quite staggering. He looks like he's going to play 1st team football very early. He'll be in next season if he stays here and elsewhere probably on the fringes in the PL.

Absolute beast of a player. Going right to the top.

Today's conditions are quite possibly the most perfect I've ever ran in. Might be recency bias after a very grey and bleak winter but today makes all those runs from November - February so worth it. Been extremely ill the last two weeks and had to pull out a half marathon last weekend so today's 15km was very welcome. Think I'm going to do Kettering half marathon on Sunday now, there were still spaces last week.

Wasn't that an offer of a move abroad? Germany or somewhere.

Me joking about us getting a better tune out of an Alpaca has been miscommunicated to the lads 😂😂😂

Miles Leaburn Kwame Poku (contract up in the summer) Jamie Donley Lennon Miller Miro Muheim Fisnik Asllani Isak Johannesson (Joey Gudjonsson's son - should already have signed him) Finn van Breemen Anselmo Garcia MacNulty Adil Boulbina

Will be just our luck