Returning ram

So many players look good when they are young, yet their careers end up in the lower leagues of the English pyramid. Playing in the U18s and 21s, the step up is massive to the first team and so many aren't consistent enough to make it at a higher level. It's testament to Hughes that he has played at the top level for most of his career now, his abilities to link up play without being eye catching but being consistent is why managers like him so much. None of our youngsters have come anywhere close to matching his achievements to date, lots of "reports" of going to the bigger teams, but none have materialised, it shows how hard it is to break into the PL, that none have made it yet. Sibley being another great example, despite being on a free, looks like he will ply his trade in Div 1 next season.

Not really, it's not an auction. We have offered him a set amount of a wage, which we aren't prepared to go over. We arent bidding against anyone.

But that's not being outbid ? We have chosen to offer him a figure from our budget that we believe represents value for money. Rotherham have decided that he is worth paying extra than we are willing. If true, seems like a sensible approach to me, why pay over the odds for a player if you feel you can get better elsewhere.

That is what I have heard, they have offered a pay increase on what is on the table from us, not what he is on at the moment. This is not first hand information though, so how true it is I couldn't tell you, just the rumour mill via moor farm.

Not at all, just agreeing with you, that Warne obviously got it wrong when it came to Smiths scoring ability and let's hope he doesn't sign someone else who he expects to get goals and they fail 👍

Ah ok thanks. Let's hope he doesn't get any more predictions wrong with players this pre season either, who knows what that would lead to.

I remember him commenting about getting him further forward, must admit I couldnt remember him ever saying he was going to get him 8-10 goals per season. I'm surprised Warne said that, he must think he is a football genius or be delusional to be able to get a player who has only ever scored 8 goals in his entire career to get that in one season.

Why what did you Warne say ?

I think the popularity and wider reaching audience of the English game is a massive factor for global reputation. I have had the joys of going to Egypt and Saudi amongst other countries over the past 18 months. Football is often on the TV, however more often than not it's the English game, be it PL or below. I mention those countries, as both were times when Derby were on and on both occasions they were being shown, other games were going on at the same time from other countries, however they were relegated to the smaller screen. In Egypt, it was also noticeable that there was also another Rams fan, from Russia, that's all I could get, oh and vodka neat only 🤣 Who is bigger between Villarreal though, haven't got a clue 😊

Sure I put exactly that in my post 🤨 Our games would have been the same, I looked for alternative venues, think we missed 5 in total...the club have also secured grants to improve drainage across all our grass pitches. We also looking into possibly getting 3G pitch. i asked because its very difficult to comment without knowing what age group, league to be able to respond.

Victor Valdes being a prime example

Not necessarily, under FIFA rules the insurance of the player is the requirement of the club holding the registration. Therefore, until that player officially moves club, the new one can't cover themselves against certain eventualities (not just injury😥) therefore if say something serious happens, the insurance would still be covered by the original team for the duration of the contract. As seen in the Cardiff case, lawyers will argue against certain things, regardless of contracts including Cardiff arguing that the player wasn't registered in the first place.

So the transfer will become "effective upon the opening of the transfer season" 👍 Edit; To add a bit of context; we were originally talking about a player who weeks ago did his ACL, I presume the season wasn't finished and was still playing, as I have said, he can't officially sign until the transfer window opens.

? Where, need something more to go on before I can comment.

Sorry, not sure what you want me to expand on and pretty sure we exhausted the conversation. A player cannot sign for another team outside the window unless their contract is due to expire within 6 months. I'm sure players do know where they are going, but I doubt very much you will get a legally binding contract that will cover you for scenarios like where the player gets injured. Hence going back to my original point, the player in question will not have been signed by the club in secret.

All over, we travel around notts and Derby. Our local club has just built multi million pound clubhouse, has a grant for thousands on pitch improvements for example, this is mostly at U18s admittedly. Each council should be committed to building at least three 3G pitches in their area, with big grants available to do so. I would say maybe it's as much down to the people that run it, as to the money provided, you do have to put the work in to get your returns and it is harder as you go up the pyramid, because your doing it more to compete than what I call true grassroots. Of course it's not perfect, but to say that sky for example has not contributed to the improvement of grassroots, imo is not true. There is more money available across the board, more entry levels, better facilities, especially for the younger ones.

Sorry but that isn't true, grass roots football is thriving. Everything about it has improved over the past 10 years, the facilities, the format, the coaching, the availability to more getting involved, the girls side of it. Only thing that I can think off, is the weather, we need more facilities like the new Derby hub as the climate changes. Without investment from the likes of sky, that would never have happened.

Someone injuring their ACL, just highlights why it fraught with risk. I'm sure their is lots of agreements, however the point still stands, you can't sign them, as you say if there is an injury clause, end result, you can't sign them.

You can do all that, but he still isnt signed as your not officially allowed to register them. Of course you can agree a fee, etc, but you run the risk of the player getting injured, insurance not being valid as the players contract cannot be transferred. Which is why players transfers are not done, until you can transfer the contract. So I'll reiterate what I said, he can't be signed in secret.

Unlikely given transfer window isn't open yet.

If only football was played by stats, you'd be right. However whenever watching the game, it's clear to see, when playing in his preferred position, he goes missing for large parts of the game. Bird is involved a lot more and can play all 3 positions in midfield. I remember when Mount first came to us, one poster had him as our 3rd best midfielder, behind Bradley Johnson, it may have been missed by some, but you can tell when a player has that something special wherever they play on the pitch. Even at grassroots, it only takes a few games to know, Sibley has had over 100 games and is not consistent enough, otherwise he'd have gone by now, someone would have taken the plunge. But we shall see, in a couple of months, if he has the potential some believe, there will be a host of clubs knocking on his agents door, he is still young and someone when first bursting on the scene I would have put money on making it to a very high level.

Teams need to want him for him to end up in PL or high Champ team. Bird who is much more productive, ended up at Bristol City, Sibley won't find a team much if any higher than them.

Who is arguing 🤔 I was merely pointing out about what will probably happen, of course I didn't expect to be proved right within 72 hours, but you can always rely on some 🤣

Do I think, no, my point was more around other expectations going from survival in this league to mid table before we have even made a signing and how when we make a couple, it will probably goto top 6 😏 I wouldn't be surprised to see us pushing for a top 6 place, I also would be surprised if it was bottom 6 either. I think PW plays winning football over pretty football and in this league, anything is possible, however I'd consider survival next season a success, anything else, a bonus.

The bar by quite a few last year was success would be promotion, that was changed to promotion was expected when it looked like we'd do it, accompanied with PW wouldnt keep us in the championship. Now we are promoted, it has been raised to mid table, I fully expect a couple of good signings and it be play offs. Probably why you see posts are cynical about some fans 😏