New Signings

[MC Prussian]

Beckford and Mills didn't impress me when we first signed them - I'm talking a Ferdinand, Barry, Milner - a big name that would show we mean business 

No, it wouldn't.

 

It would simply signal to other clubs, scouts, agents and free agents that we're willing to pay way over the odds for has-beens that can no longer cope with the speed of today's game or their respective injuries.

 

Our club would neither be smart nor sustainable with such an approach.

[Hirsty The Blue 94]

How many 'Marquee signings did Crystal Palace make?


Answer: 1, Tony Pulis. Their success proves that big names aren't needed, but a collective group effort of teamwork and desire coupled with the odd bit of quality is enough, which I believe Pearson is successfully achieving at this moment with his limited, but shrewd business.

[Bettsj2]

Great post - some very valid points. In terms of Albrighton - if he was that good Villa wouldn't have let him leave on a free (just saying) and Upson if he was Premiership quality he would have been playing in the premiership not Championship.

We dont really know the Albrighton situation at Villa so what do we know? His contract ran down and he left. He'd been there for 10 years or so through the youth team. Villa have been on the decline for many years. Villa are an unstable football club.

What I take from the above and from his interviews so far, it sounds as though he wanted a new challenge as the internal politics at Villa are stifling his career.

It is debatable if Upson is still good enough at Prem level, but there is no denying that he has spent the majority of his career performing well at that level and was a cut above the centre backs in the Championship last year.

More often than not, its the underwhelming signings that turn out to be the most exciting. If you look at our most expensive signings, there are not many that have proved their worth.

Akinbiyi £5.5m

Beckford £4m (speculative)

Mills £5m

Eadie £3m

Rowett £3m

Wise £2.5m

Waghorn £3m

Reputation and price tag dont automatically mean quality.

[Babylon]

Can still agree deals in principle you moron

Okay maybe i'm being paranoid then - but the players linked are not really that impressive - like I said we will survive but I would have liked to have seen some higher profile players linked with us.

 

I feel like a broken record... do you know the last 4 years, you might not have noticed but when we signed "higher profile" players, we tended to be pretty average to shit. Then Pearson comes back and created a team from players people on here said "weren't good enough", "weren't high profile enough" and we ended up storming the league.

 

It's not about signing players than make you feel happy because you've heard of them and their name has been in the papers more than others. It's about creating a team that works, it doesn't matter who these players are or where they come from to achieve that.

[Babylon]

Not sure where you've been since Sven left but there is not a chance in hell that we'll be signing any big name 'marquee' signings.

Those days are long gone. What we have in place now is a well drilled scouting network and transfer strategy that not only sees us getting value for money, but also attracts players for the right reasons (hunger, passion, drive, ambition) and not the kid in a sweetshop approach that Harry Redknapp takes.

QPR only just gained promotion and if they didnt, they would have been another Portsmouth and for whatever reason, they just havent learnt their lesson. Signing Ferdinand is an awful move and is not the kind of signing that will help any young central defender develop. The only thing Rio will pass down to anyone is how to 'merc' someone.

Lescott wouldnt have been a bad shout but again, his wages alone could alienate the team and the strength of spirit we have is far more valuable in the long term than making a star signing just for face value.

You mentioned that the signings made so far wont improve the team and I have to disagree. Albrighton is clearly Premiership quality and Upson has played the majority of his career at the highest level.

Try and learn the lessons of the past. On opening day last season, we'd only signed Bakayogo and pretty much everyone had us pinned for mid-table.

Now more than ever, we all have to keep the faith.

Amen.

[Babylon]

Great post - some very valid points. In terms of Albrighton - if he was that good Villa wouldn't have let him leave on a free (just saying) and Upson if he was Premiership quality he would have been playing in the premiership not Championship. 

 

You do know that Villa have put on hold ALL contract renewal negotiations, even with the players they consider their best like Vlar?

 

There are plenty of articles out there where Lambert categorically stated he wanted to keep him and that they had discussions on renewing... then the takeover stuff happened.

[Hack]

Well Ferdinand was just an example but he is the same age as Upson and yes I do think we could afford his wages especially if QPR have.

 

Why didn't we try for Lescott as well 

Wages.  He is coming off a reported 90k at Man City.  He will be on less but probably a lot more than we would be prepared to spend.  Is Matt Upson that much worse a player/defender than Lescott?  I don't think so.

[kingcarr21]

blah blah blah how many more of these threads do we need

[One Half Wonder]

I agree we need some signings that improve what we've got and not just more fringe players to replace the Danns, St Ledgers and Futacs of the club, but still plenty of time!

 

Rio Ferdinand!!? Are you joking? let him join up with Has Been Rangers - they're a laughing stock, it would be hilarious if they signed him and Lampard, a squad full of over-paid, under-performing has-beens to join the lovely dressing room atmosphere of Barton, Assou-Ekotto, Taraabt (back from loan) and Morrison

[AKCJ]

Because that's why they signed him...

 

Did he play for free then?

 

Very naive to think they'll make a profit on him overall.

 

 

They signed him for 10m Euros. On, around 100k p/w

 

 

They had him for 6 months before loaning him to Newcastle.

 

Newcastle paid 2m for his loan, to prevent QPR selling him to Arsenal.

 

So yes, considering he's worth around 12-15m, they'll easily make profit.

[WhispyWizard]

The caliber of players we have signed so far in my opinin won't improve our team - they'll simply compensate for what we lost i.e Albrighton for Dyer, Upson for St Ledger, Hamer will be a sub. The players linked i.e Campbell I'm sorry but they're not better than what we have. When you get promoted you need to improve it's as simple as that.

 

I see this evening that Rio Ferdinand will sign for QPR tomorrow - that's the sort of signing I would of loved down here to help the youngsters not bloody Upson.

 

So your comparing Dyer to someone who impressed the premiership last year that the Villa fans are annoyed at losing, and your comparing Brightons player of the year to our 5th choice CB ...

 

 

Upson is much better value for money than Ferdinand at their ages.

[MrT]

I don't claim to be a football expert - you tried to be funny and it was shocking attempt 

 

I think he was quite validly pointing out the stupidity of your "I want a big name" statement. Beckford was a big name at the time, and cost a lot of money. Ferdinand would be a repeat of this x10 (bigger name, much bigger wage, huge mistake). Also, your statement about Albrighton not being good enough because "Villa didn't want him"; this could be applied to any free agent, so if you're so against free agents why are you moaning about us not having signed up enough?!

 

 

 now go to bed your parents wont be happy you being up this late

 

Now this does my head in; the "you're not funny" people, who follow it up with something as embarrassing as this. Nice one.

 

Anyway, we've signed a couple of decent free transfers and will no doubt buy some real quality once the windows is open. 

[Wilson_6]

Firstly I'd like to place on record that with the current squad of players we have - I do firmly believe we will survive next season. However i'm slightly concerned with the lack of transfer activity so far. I know you'll say well the World Cup is on and current season has only just finished but not too long till pre-season starts.

 

The caliber of players we have signed so far in my opinin won't improve our team - they'll simply compensate for what we lost i.e Albrighton for Dyer, Upson for St Ledger, Hamer will be a sub. The players linked i.e Campbell I'm sorry but they're not better than what we have. When you get promoted you need to improve it's as simple as that.

 

I see this evening that Rio Ferdinand will sign for QPR tomorrow - that's the sort of signing I would of loved down here to help the youngsters not bloody Upson.

 

Opinions lads - do you agree with me or do you have an alternative view.

 

Thanks

 

Omg People like you realy do my head in! 

[Guest Col city fan]

Ffs these threads are so boring, transfer window not open yet, judge the team's readiness for the premiership after we have assembled the team and actually played some matches. Trust Pearson and Walsh with their excellent record blah blah blah

Has nobody learnt from last year's preseason, "how to embarrass yourself on a football forum" competition? Or is this now an annual event?

If so I think the OP has just taken the lead from ASS by seemingly seriously suggesting we sign Rio Ferdinand. Text book twattery that could see a new champion crowned!

Great post...

[Harry - LCFC]

Again people are getting upset far too early. "We haven't improved the squad" you say. Who has though?

 

A few clubs have made a signing or two here and there but on the whole no-one can be said to have really improved their squad so far. I think you're just another person jumping the gun in criticising the club's transfer policy.

[teblin]

In my opinion we have already improved the squad, but what do I know hey?

[Silverdaz]

All Valid points lads - no i hadnt heard of Knocky or Riyaz but when your a new team in the Premier League it would be very naive to buy unknown players who aren't proven at this level as ultimately they're a gamble and in this league you can't afford to take risks.

Upson is proven at this level

[Wilson_6]

In my opinion we have already improved the squad, but what do I know hey?

 

I think so as well! 

 

Albrighton > Dyer

Upson > St Ledger

Hamer > Logan 

[Harry - LCFC]

In my opinion we have already improved the squad, but what do I know hey?

 

The squad itself is better but not so much the starting eleven, if at all, which is what the OP was talking about I think.

[Pookie]

Is Jonstar on the wind-up or does he really not know that much about how our current management team and their approach to player recruitment.

 

Rio Ferdinand, do me a favour, started 14 games Premier League matches for Utd last season

 

Utd's record - Won 4, Drew 4, Lost 6, For 17, Against 18, Pts 16 (43 point season over 38 games)

 

I don't want any of these sort of players near our club, why?

 

I would like to see Liam Moore given the chance to become our Lescott / Fredinand, Drinkwater to become our Gareth Barry.

 

We got 64 points from our last 27 matches in championship not because we had a team of marquee players, it because we had group of very talented young players all pulling in the same direction.

 

The last time we had this kind of spirit in the dressing was under the MON era and we all know were that went.

 

But; look at the 64 points from 27 matches, pretty much the same group of players that the season before got 68 pts, what a improvement they made last season (well 34 points to be exact)

 

We basically we walked the league because Pearson and co have put together a squad of players that are Premier League quality that happened to be playing in the Championship.

 

We don't need wholesale changes just sensible additions to the squad like we have made so far, if Campbell is the next in I will be pleased.

 

I want to play devils here

 

Lets say we made these free signings (Hamer, Albrighton & Upson)

 

Then we bought Kasper & Drinky from other clubs for say £8-10 million combined (might be worth less or more, it doesn't matter), was after Nugent (20 goals last season), plus Frazier Campbell

 

I not so sure we would have endless posts of lack of desire and ambition at the club, getting players like Kasper & Drinky on long-term deals in the sort of ambition the club should be showing. 

 

Not spending (probably their combined wages) on marquee players like Rio Ferdinand for the likes of jonstar to feel all warm inside.

 

So many on here are blinded by grass is greening syndrome.

 

We wont get relegated next season with the players we have in the squad now, yet alone adding to it! So chill and enjoy being Champions and enjoy your summer!

[Haydos]

Well Ferdinand was just an example but he is the same age as Upson and yes I do think we could afford his wages especially if QPR have.

 

Why didn't we try for Lescott as well 

 

How do you know we didn't?

[chapero82]

Did MON sign any well known players? nope he made them into one instead just like Nigel Pearson will, just sit down, relax and enjoy the ride 

[Babylon]

Did MON sign any well known players? nope he made them into one instead just like Nigel Pearson will, just sit down, relax and enjoy the ride 

Yes he did... sometimes, but even then they were players whose careers had mostly gone downhill like Cottee and Stan. Other like Eadie, Robins, Fenton were fairly well known at the time but flopped for one reason or another.

[DanTheFox07]

Seriously are people getting annoyed that we haven't signed anymore player's yet, get a grip! Pearson has been on holiday and im sure we are looking at player's. Besides got a world cup that is yet to finish, still plenty of time for thing's to materialise and can't rush getting the right player's anyway.

[goose2010]

I think at our level we do need to gamble on a few signings. 1. We cant afford established proven players from the prem 2. No offence but why would they want to come to Leicester? 3. NP wouldn't pay the wages. Like others have said everyone needs to just chill out a bit.