Transfer Deadline Day: Michael O'Halloran signs until 2020

[pete 2,499]

The game against Burnley I watched I wouldn't offer near 600.000 for Diagouraga. I don't know if he was carrying an injury or not but it looked like he couldn't even run properly. He just jogged about doing nothing really. I think we were lucky to dodge the bullet on this one so no tears here.

It is a bit worrying whether there is money available though.

[Anchorman 0]

The game against Burnley I watched I wouldn't offer near 600.000 for Diagouraga. I don't know if he was carrying an injury or not but it looked like he couldn't even run properly. He just jogged about doing nothing really. I think we were lucky to dodge the bullet on this one so no tears here.

It is a bit worrying whether there is money available though.

 

The one thing I would say is that MW and DW have seen him a helluva lot more than any of us have, and I'm still in the 'I trust in Warburton' camp. Also if that was the game last weekend the Talksport presenters said that he was desparately trying to avoid any contact at all as he was desperate for a move and knew he was going. He also stayed on the pitch at the end himself apparently to wave goodbye to the fans.

 

Anyway hes gone now!

Edited January 23, 2016 by Anchorman

[trublusince1982 243]

Plus when your operating at this level the world is full of players just as good.

 

It's not like your missing out on Scotland best striker or goalkeeper etc where there's a clear step down to the next guy.

So why did it take 23 days to figure out we couldn't afford the guy? Would you not use a scatter gun approach if that was the case? why would you put all your eggs in one precarious basket?

 

makes no sense if you realistically cant afford your number one target for a certain position to then only make an approach for that out of reach player and no other at the same time in a small window of opportunity.

[Anchorman 0]

So why did it take 23 days to figure out we couldn't afford the guy? Would you not use a scatter gun approach if that was the case? why would you put all your eggs in one precarious basket?

 

makes no sense if you realistically cant afford your number one target for a certain position to then only make an approach for that out of reach player and no other at the same time in a small window of opportunity.

 

Bang on the button.

[Rousseau 9,370]

Can't comment on the veracity of the source (that O'Halloran has agreed personal terms), but I do believe that personal terms can be agreed before a fee agreement between clubs. Arsenal did it with Sanchez, and Man Utd with Pedro (before that deal collapsed). Most recently, Pato has agreed personal terms with Chelsea, despite no agreement of fee between clubs.

Edited January 23, 2016 by Rousseau

[der Berliner 3,245]

Quite a few assumptions flying about regarding Diagouraga being our No.1 target, we couldn't afford it, and the like.

 

Do keep in mind that it apparently took Diagouraga some 24 hours after Leeds' bid being reported to be up there and signing up. Why would he do that when he handed in a transfer request after we (and especially Warburton) showed an interest? That more than his display in one game would suggest that we dodged the proverbial bullet?

 

Perhaps I am wrong here, but we said that we wanted to do our dealings early and essentially did so in signing up 4 players. It were obviously not the fit-the-bill players for quite a few people, so now we have a few cries about not being fit for the challenges ahead this or next season. Because we haven't bought a striker thus far, or did not get this 28-year old who at the end of the day was more keen to getting away from Brentford than to coming to us.

We'll essentially only know how good our squad is when we face more quality opposition, e.g. Killie in the club. And it is anyone's guess whether the lower half of the Premiership right up to 3rd place is exceedingly better than Hibs or Falkirk - or, for that matter, us.

[trublusince1982 243]

Quite a few assumptions flying about regarding Diagouraga being our No.1 target, we couldn't afford it, and the like.

 

Do keep in mind that it apparently took Diagouraga some 24 hours after Leeds' bid being reported to be up there and signing up. Why would he do that when he handed in a transfer request after we (and especially Warburton) showed an interest? That more than his display in one game would suggest that we dodged the proverbial bullet?

 

Perhaps I am wrong here, but we said that we wanted to do our dealings early and essentially did so in signing up 4 players. It were obviously not the fit-the-bill players for quite a few people, so now we have a few cries about not being fit for the challenges ahead this or next season. Because we haven't bought a striker thus far, or did not get this 28-year old who at the end of the day was more keen to getting away from Brentford than to coming to us.

We'll essentially only know how good our squad is when we face more quality opposition, e.g. Killie in the club. And it is anyone's guess whether the lower half of the Premiership right up to 3rd place is exceedingly better than Hibs or Falkirk - or, for that matter, us.

 

so do you think falkirk could hold down a top six position?

[Yorkshire Bear 0]

So much for the guy wanting to play for Warburton again.It's true,money DOES speak louder than words.

[Rousseau 9,370]

Although I'm fairly disappointed to miss out on Toumani Diagouraga -- especially after finally being able to spell his name! -- but I'm quite pleased that we haven't gone over our valuation. Brentford's asking price was several 100k's over our bid was it not? Leeds have certainly over-paid, and for a player that will have no resale value. I don't want us to start paying over-the-odds on players. There are many players at this level that we can approach that match our valuation. We do not have the money to throw about, so it makes sense to get value for money.

 

Whether these guys are good enough for the Premiership or not is a different question. Ultimately, we'll not know until they are tested. We can make an educated guess, based on the fact that the English Championship/League One is presumably of a higher standard than all but one of our Premiership sides. I still believe that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. While we may be assembling a team of players that on the surface may not be of the same standard -- and certainly not the same 'value' -- as those acquired by Celtic, it doesn't necessarily mean that we won't be able to challenge them. Moreover, just because a player is playing at a certain level, doesn't mean he is of that level. We look to be acquiring players with a certain ability or skill-set to contribute to our philosophy, while also possessing potential to improve. Bournemouth and Brentford etc. have done very well at acquiring players from lower leagues, and utilising their skill-sets to improve their teams as a whole.

[the gunslinger 3,366]

So why did it take 23 days to figure out we couldn't afford the guy? Would you not use a scatter gun approach if that was the case? why would you put all your eggs in one precarious basket?

 

makes no sense if you realistically cant afford your number one target for a certain position to then only make an approach for that out of reach player and no other at the same time in a small window of opportunity.

Did we do any of that though