Ravel Morrison - signed 1 year deal

[richinspain]

8 minutes ago, JuanFloEvraTheCocu'sNesta said:

We are in an absolute mess. Maybe Morrison signs and maybe he turns out to be good, but the fact we have let ourselves get in to a position where this is the sort of gamble we are having to explore is a joke.

Although I agree with the sentiment, we are in this mess STILL because the EFL have dragged our case out for so long that we haven't been able to operate normally for several seasons now. Yes, we brought things on our selves for our methodology but with original agreement from them. We have been under some sort of embargo for years. We have been unable to sign even free agents early in transfer windows because of this. We are reduced to signing players like CKR and Ravel Morrison because we aren't allowed to compete for others. Up until now we have been given "regrettably" a £100k slap on the wrist. If, and it's a big if, we fall within FFP for all seasons under review we will have been under embargo without reason for all those years.

Yes, I know that we have embargoes in place for not paying transfer instalments and HMRC, but there will be many clubs with cash flow problems under current conditions. Maybe if we had been allowed to operate normally for all these seasons we would have been promoted and could have payed off everybody with money to spare. We have suffered greatly because of the EFL. Mitigating circumstances will not be considered by the EFL if we do fail FFP, they'll hit us as hard as they can when they have already been hitting us for several seasons.

Any way, Ravel Morrison. I've heard his name before, so he's a yes from me.

[Leeds Ram]

I would add this shows an utter lack of imagination from the management and scouting teams on who we're looking to be bringing in. Are we really saying there are no better targets in the free agent market than a bloke whose made around 110 appearances in the past 10 years and has been released from every club he's played for permanently after failing to make an impact on the first team.

Yes, everyone knows about Ravel Morrison in the football world. He's burned through his English footballing bridges in the top 2 divisions so went to Holland for a smaller top division team and once again got released...  Could they not think of anyone else who they might be able to pick up on 11,500 a week apart from this repeated failure?

I'm all for us taking risks on players (after-all what other choice do we have) but they've got to be considered, measured and we need to be looking in places for gems that others haven't thought of.  The club should not be gambling i.e., ill considered, very low percentage moves that are extremely likely to fail. This strikes me as the latter not the former.  If Alex Ferguson, Chris wilder, warburton, warnock etc. can't get a tune out of him I don't think it's realistic to think we can either. It's a very high risk move that is the definition of a gamble and not something we should be considering unless there are no other realistic options. 

[David]

2 minutes ago, Leeds Ram said:

 I would add this shows an utter lack of imagination from the management and scouting teams on who we're looking to be bringing in.

I would add, an utter lack of understanding of the situation we find ourselves in and the quality of players available to us within the EFL restrictions.

 

[Leeds Ram]

Just now, David said:

I would add, an utter lack of understanding of the situation we find ourselves in and the quality of players available to us within the EFL restrictions.

 

I'm under the impression that currently we're restricted to players on free transfers and who will take a maximum wage of £11,500 a week? I'm not sure about the situation regarding foreign players with regard to visa's etc. and the rules for them though. Please correct me if I'm wrong though. 

[BucksRam]

I think who we are looking to bring in and who we can bring in are two different things at the moment.  Aim will be to get together a squad capable of keeping us in the game (i.e. out of the bottom 3!) until all sanctions are lifted (and possibly sale completed) following which we then look to sign some players from Rooney's main list rather than his We Have No Money list. The downside of course is that'll be in the January transfer window in all probability which is never the easiest. 

[BBG83]

Could be the ideal team for him to walk into. We're that crap and lacking any form of spark that he could be given a free role to show off. If nothing else it gives the fans something to clap and massages his ego.

God knows if he's fit and strong enough to compete though.

[BBG83]

44 minutes ago, Leeds Ram said:

I would add this shows an utter lack of imagination from the management and scouting teams on who we're looking to be bringing in. Are we really saying there are no better targets in the free agent market than a bloke whose made around 110 appearances in the past 10 years and has been released from every club he's played for permanently after failing to make an impact on the first team.

Yes, everyone knows about Ravel Morrison in the football world. He's burned through his English footballing bridges in the top 2 divisions so went to Holland for a smaller top division team and once again got released...  Could they not think of anyone else who they might be able to pick up on 11,500 a week apart from this repeated failure?

I'm all for us taking risks on players (after-all what other choice do we have) but they've got to be considered, measured and we need to be looking in places for gems that others haven't thought of.  The club should not be gambling i.e., ill considered, very low percentage moves that are extremely likely to fail. This strikes me as the latter not the former.  If Alex Ferguson, Chris wilder, warburton, warnock etc. can't get a tune out of him I don't think it's realistic to think we can either. It's a very high risk move that is the definition of a gamble and not something we should be considering unless there are no other realistic options. 

You are right. If theres ever a time to scan non-league and employ more scouts (ideally ones with eyes) its now. Cut cloth accordingly.

[bucktwo]

He'll be better than Lawrence 

[Ghost of Clough]

Have Sir Jake baby sit him and we won't have any problems

[QuitYourJibbaJivin]

2 hours ago, Leeds Ram said:

I'm under the impression that currently we're restricted to players on free transfers and who will take a maximum wage of £11,500 a week? I'm not sure about the situation regarding foreign players with regard to visa's etc. and the rules for them though. Please correct me if I'm wrong though. 

I’m under the impression that since we haven’t actually announced any signings, we’re not allowed to sign anybody. 

[Jimbo Ram]

I understand things are really difficult in terms of adding to the squad but the players that we are rumoured to be interested in are very underwhelming. It’s looking like we will start the season considerably weaker in terms of the squad compared with the one that we ended with last season. Very concerning….

[gccrowdpleaser]

2 hours ago, Leeds Ram said:

I would add this shows an utter lack of imagination from the management and scouting teams on who we're looking to be bringing in. Are we really saying there are no better targets in the free agent market than a bloke whose made around 110 appearances in the past 10 years and has been released from every club he's played for permanently after failing to make an impact on the first team.

Yes, everyone knows about Ravel Morrison in the football world. He's burned through his English footballing bridges in the top 2 divisions so went to Holland for a smaller top division team and once again got released...  Could they not think of anyone else who they might be able to pick up on 11,500 a week apart from this repeated failure?

I'm all for us taking risks on players (after-all what other choice do we have) but they've got to be considered, measured and we need to be looking in places for gems that others haven't thought of.  The club should not be gambling i.e., ill considered, very low percentage moves that are extremely likely to fail. This strikes me as the latter not the former.  If Alex Ferguson, Chris wilder, warburton, warnock etc. can't get a tune out of him I don't think it's realistic to think we can either. It's a very high risk move that is the definition of a gamble and not something we should be considering unless there are no other realistic options. 

Name me two better options....

[JuanFloEvraTheCocu'sNesta]

1 hour ago, bucktwo said:

He'll be better than Lawrence 

Everything that has happened in their respective careers so far indicates otherwise, at least to my eyes.

[Ghost of Clough]

2 minutes ago, Jimbo Ram said:

I understand things are really difficult in terms of adding to the squad but the players that we are rumoured to be interested in are very underwhelming. It’s looking like we will start the season considerably weaker in terms of the squad compared with the one that we ended with last season. Very concerning….

Are we really though? So far, we look to have improved on 4 of the 5 January loanees, with Baldock being on par with Gregory.  There's still 3 more weeks to strengthen further.

Clarke
Edmundson vs Jagielka
Mengi vs Stearman
Baningime vs Morrison
Roberts vs Aluko
Gregory vs Baldock
Waghorn

[Anon]

Is this a joke? We have people scoffing at the idea of players like Bladock, Aluko, Stearman on other threads and they've all played 100's of games at this level. The last time Morrison managed to string a few dozen appearances together was 7 years ago and people are talking about giving him a go based on what Rio ducking Ferdinand says. Morrison is a complete and utter fraud. It is absolutely stunning that he still makes a living from the game.

[Ghost of Clough]

Given #29 for the training camp

[Leeds Ram]

41 minutes ago, gccrowdpleaser said:

Name me two better options....

I'm not a professional scout. I'm sure if i dedicated my days to watching players and scouring free agent lists I could come up with an option that played more than 32 games in 4 years though. 

[JuanFloEvraTheCocu'sNesta]

1 hour ago, Ghost of Clough said:

Are we really though? So far, we look to have improved on 4 of the 5 January loanees, with Baldock being on par with Gregory.  There's still 3 more weeks to strengthen further.

Clarke
Edmundson vs Jagielka
Mengi vs Stearman
Baningime vs Morrison
Roberts vs Aluko
Gregory vs Baldock
Waghorn

Have any of these actually signed though or are they just training with us? I'm not sure we've actually done anything official yet. If the EFL have their way we'll sign nobody because they want us relegated.

[ilkleyram]

We've got 3 and a half weeks until the season kicks off, just over 7 weeks until the transfer window closes until January - so plenty of time yet - and we're currently in a position where we can't readily sign players unless they are free and willing to come for what in football terms is a relatively low wage, whatever our owner might be prepared or want to do financially.  

And we are in the part of the season - every season - where every single club has players on trial so that the coaching staff can look at them to see if they are 'better than what we have', add something to the squad and team and improve our chances for the season.  Our greatest ever manager had a funny habit of finding players that other clubs didn't want and who didn't fit and turning them into teams that ruled the football world, because he looked at what they could do rather than at what they couldn't.  He also didn't hesitate to get rid if they didn't fit in.

Ravel Morrison is a good age, footballing wise, apparently hasn't been in any trouble since his late teens (join a long queue for that one) and has persuaded several good managers over the years that he's worth a shot at a high level.  Maybe he'll sign for us, maybe he won't - that's the whole point of pre-season - but he's sure worth looking at. 

[BondJovi]

1 hour ago, Ghost of Clough said:

Are we really though? So far, we look to have improved on 4 of the 5 January loanees, with Baldock being on par with Gregory.  There's still 3 more weeks to strengthen further.

Clarke
Edmundson vs Jagielka
Mengi vs Stearman
Baningime vs Morrison
Roberts vs Aluko
Gregory vs Baldock
Waghorn

Rather take my chances with Mengi than Stearman. Rather Roberts any day than Aluko. Agree on Gregory and Baldock. My bigger concern is how many games can Jagielka actually play.

As for Morrison. We took a gamble with Ibe and it failed. This isn't the same sort of gamble, but it remains a risk.

I would say at best we have got bodies in for bodies sake(if we sign them). It might be the best we can do but it doesn't suggest anything other than a long hard season of scrapping.

Edited July 13, 2021 by BondJovi
For clarity.