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NP - No 20 Goal Striker..........Yet?

Discussion in 'Bristol City' started by wizered, Aug 3, 2021.

  1. wizered

    wizered Ol' Mucker
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    "We can't afford a 20-goal striker at the moment" - Nigel Pearson on Bristol City transfers
    Manager gave candid local radio interview on Monday evening discussing whether a new front-man will arrive this window

    Bristol City may be finished for recruitment this summer, with manager Nigel Pearson giving his opinion on the subject.

    Pearson spoke to Geoff Twentyman on the Sound of the City BBC Radio Bristol programme on Monday evening - a highly recommended listen. And in a revealing interview the Robins boss explained once again that he would have to sell before buying further.

    Asked if he expected to bring any more players in, Pearson said that he thought it was unlikely that ("I don't think we will") any other players would arrive by September and the close of the current transfer window.

    He later clarified the situation and gave a further insight into what would be needed for anyone else to come in, repeating that a sale would be required - as he told Bristol Live recently - for a new arrival.

    "The only way that we'll get anybody else in now, is if we sell. That's the reality of the situation," said Pearson.

    "I have to make decisions as the manager to see what the priorities are. If we end up not getting a striker in, that's my responsibility to prioritise where we need players.

    "With Andi Weimann, with Chris Martin, Nahki Wells, when Antoine [Semenyo] is fully fit, the Tommy Conways coming through, Bell-y making good progress... I know we are short of a guaranteed 20 goals a season person but we can't afford one of those at the moment.

    "This is the reality of where football is at the moment. It's alright having a wish list but we've made a very conscious effort as a club to decide to move in a direction where we're trying to cut the wage bill but still be competitive and still have a campaign that gives people hope for the future.

    "Sorry if I'm the party pooper but there's got to be a dose of realism. Part of my job is to try and manage people's expectations, and that is to say that we expect ourselves to have a positive season where we're successful.

    "What does success mean? You talk to all the players and they're not shy about talking about promotion.

    "Managing expectation is a difficult thing to do with realism, but what I don't want to ever do is to stop people being ambitious, and looking to the future and saying why can't we be a success?" he explained.

    The Bristol City boss explained that he only wants to bring in genuine quality players, not 'nearly men'.

    Bristol Live understands that there is tentative interest in several Robins players but whether that materialises in bids to then see City recruit elsewhere this window remains to be seen.

    "If I can't get what I want then I'd rather work with what I've got. It's as simple as that," he told Twentyman, on whether he will replace Famara Diedhiou this summer.

    "What's the point of wasting money on players who we don't think are going to be better than what we've got?

    "I would rather develop the group that we have got here, and when we're in a position where we can improve, then we'll do it."

    Whether that will be in the next four weeks, January or next summer, watch this space.
    https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/we-cant-afford-20-goal-5733526
     
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  2. Angelicnumber16

    Angelicnumber16 Well-Known Member

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    When (and who) was the last time we had a 20 goals a season striker at this level ?
    I'm not even sure we had that in the promotion season under Alan Dicks ?
     
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  3. AshtonRed

    AshtonRed Well-Known Member

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    Tammy, but he wasn’t ours, apart from that Fam is the nearest, I’m sure he was bought with that In mind, although he never achieved it. At least he managed 15or thereabouts. Oh & Wells was before he came here.
     
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  4. wizered

    wizered Ol' Mucker
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    That's it then, the cupboard is bare,the money has gone, reality bites, we have to sell to buy. No more 'Nearly Men', we have to live with in our means and go with what we have got, not how we have traded for the past few years but that is now the world we are in, we have to get used to it.

    We have got some options, Nagy, Bentley, Kalas, Massengo,Palmer, Wells and several young prospects coming through but it's going to be tough and NP has big decisions to make, do we trade or consolidate the players we have got, it's a crazy, haphazard world, no wonder the guy has had a mass clearout and I've a feeling there is still more to come, watch this space as the Bristol Post keeps telling us.
     
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    Last edited: Aug 3, 2021
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  5. bcfcredandwhite

    bcfcredandwhite Well-Known Member

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    I think there will be a big difference in how ALL clubs at our level do business now, not just us.
    With the exception of the newly relegated clubs with their parachute payments, everyone has taken a massive financial hit with the Covid pandemic. Some clubs have been very close to folding. Luckily not us.
    We saw with our own Fammy that there simply isn't the money around that there was and he ended up having to go to Turkey to get work. Players are having to settle for a lot less than before, and for some of them it takes a little longer for reality to sink in than for others. I think we will see quite a number of 'decent' players scrapping for work just before the transfer window closes because they've priced themselves out of today's market.
    I summary; I don't think we are at any more of a disadvantage finance-wise as far as the market is concerned than we were before Covid. It's all relative.
     
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    Last edited: Aug 3, 2021
  6. realred1952

    realred1952 Well-Known Member

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    That is the pain of Covid, a 3 year build up to get into profit , selling the family silver... at a cost of progress! …. and now we have ditched 11 players to balance the books wages wise [ cant actually make that work as no crowds, so really to save money! ]
    We all have our own opinion of player quality, amongst the 11 gone likely we may have one or 2 that thought should have kept him or him …. I do.
    Does mopping up players previously played under the manager work? … not always, unless they are a young talent with scope, the over 28's usually set in their way which may or not be a good thing.
    Selling to buy? …………… in this depressed market, who? bearing in mind we need to be developing a squad to take us past Lee's achievement prior the selling of Brownhill.
    who to sell …. I would say at moment no one! Academy players were supposed to be the route forward, get them polished and use them or "sell them on" we have had a good clearout this summer …….
     
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  7. Redprintt

    Redprintt Well-Known Member

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    Pearson knew what he was getting into when he signed.
    Just looking for a contract that will see him through to retirement.
    A sh*t squad he inherited and added with pros very much on the way down.
    Avoiding relegation will be an unlikely success.
     
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  8. AshtonRed

    AshtonRed Well-Known Member

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    I disagree, the gap between the teams with parachute payments was bad enough pre COVID, post it is going to be massive.
     
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  9. Angelicnumber16

    Angelicnumber16 Well-Known Member

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    Pearson should have made enough money from football both as a player, and as a Manager not to be coming to us just to top up his pension pot.
    If he has come here solely for that reason, then he will go right down in my estimation.
    He's 57 and a lot younger than some Managers like SAF, Ancelotti, Roy Hodgson etc.
     
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  10. bcfcredandwhite

    bcfcredandwhite Well-Known Member

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    I meant; the difference between us and the other NON-parachute clubs.
    3 clubs will have a huge advantage. The others (including us) will be more or less as we were before compared to each other - albeit with less ready cash to spend.
    I've gone back and highlighted the relevant statement in my earlier post.
     
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  11. invermeremike

    invermeremike Well-Known Member

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    The rules have changed because of the Covid situation and that means many clubs, including ourselves, will have to reshape the way they do business for the foreseeable future. The massive loss of revenue will affect all aspects of the game and that is now reflected in the sad fact that our cupboard and bank balance are seriously depleted meaning that we will have to sell to bring in new blood. Nigel Pearson knew all the barriers facing him when he signed on the bottom line and yet he still took the plunge at a time when we were desperately needed a guiding light who knew the way. He more than fitted the bill due to his past experience and contact list and now he has to move us forward in his way and see where it takes us. We all know there may be problems along this newly chosen path and the possible lumps and bumps that will inevitably arise will be the measure of the man.

    My biggest question right now is why do we need to sell existing players who we know, only to be replaced with those we don't, unless there is strife within the camp that begs to be addressed. I reckon that if Nigel is capable of some finite diplomacy then perhaps those who are currently not content at Ashton Gate might have a change of heart given the overall financial aspects of the game which will limit some possibilities as an option for them. I am looking forward to our new season but have this awful feeling that the pandemic is just waiting to stab us in the back and throw more confusion and pain in to the coming winter.

    To all those who have not been vaccinated I send this message to say that our only hope is for all of you to get the jab which will help protect all of us, including yourselves, and put a potential barrier around the new Delta variation. Should the current state of affairs on vaccination numbers continue you are allowing this new variant the freedom to mutate and eventually produce a super variant beyond the reach of existing vaccines. Recently we have seen a rise in cases due to the decision to open up some aspects of Covid protection such as masks and public gatherings and with this new extremely infectious strain of the virus out there I think we all made a massive blunder. After the new season gets in full flight I truly expect the next wave to hit us full in the face and perhaps the repercussions of the original outbreak on football may get even worse with crowd limitations etc.

    The 2021/22 campaign will be what it will be and whatever trials and tribulations come our way we have years of dealing with guff and apathy in spades to handle all things Bristol City.:1980_boogie_down:
     
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  12. RedorDead

    RedorDead Well-Known Member

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    Jonathan Kodjia scored 19 league goals and one cup goal so 20 goals a season in 2015/16.
     
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