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Transfer News, Gossip & Speculation Transfer Rumours Etc part 2.....2024/25

Transfer news
Hopefully people no longer think Justham would be a good signing. He has made so many shockers this season and yesterday for Bonne’s goal he made some terrible decisions. First one being that stupid kick to the defender which instantly put him in trouble making him lose the ball and then before it was put in to Bonne he was in no man’s land and didn’t look like he knew what he was doing at all.

One player I would have liked to have come in would be Alan Judge who has gone to Braintree until the end of the season. Think a player like him could have seen us add some much needed experience in the middle and would possibly push us on to the playoffs.
 
I don't know how much he was offered but going by the rumours on here he originally accepted a deal then got greedy. As I previously said his goal scoring record isn't great and doesn't warrant us bowing down to his demands. Not like we are signing will grigg who similar age and has proven goal scoring record in the efl. Also not keen on going back to players who we had previously from 5 years ago, never tends to work out.
The reality is he is worth what the best deal he/his agent is able is able to get a Club to put on the table!
Now for us that may well be a deal that simply is not 'value' for money but if someone is willing to pay it then the Agent from a monetary perspective has done the best job for his Client by securing the best available contract and no doubt commission for himself! That's the financial reality to a player of Hopper's age and status but for us as a Club if we feel we can get better, even if that means waiting to the summer we should .
 
I don't know how much he was offered but going by the rumours on here he originally accepted a deal then got greedy. As I previously said his goal scoring record isn't great and doesn't warrant us bowing down to his demands. Not like we are signing will grigg who similar age and has proven goal scoring record in the efl. Also not keen on going back to players who we had previously from 5 years ago, never tends to work out.
But negotiations are like this. Sometimes it takes longer and sometimes it doesn’t work out. He may sign for us yet, and looking after his family against a potential employer doesn’t make someone a bad person and doesn’t mean they won’t try their best for the employer (which will be what folk will accuse him of now if he were to sign).

Let’s put this another way (and I don’t know the ins and outs of this). Lifelong fans were saying last week that they won’t spend £400 on a season ticket next season. Now assume that Hopper has been offered just £200 a week more elsewhere. That’s about £10k before tax for that same 1 year. As someone who isn’t a lifelong fan, why would he not ask the club to match it?
 
But negotiations are like this. Sometimes it takes longer and sometimes it doesn’t work out. He may sign for us yet, and looking after his family against a potential employer doesn’t make someone a bad person and doesn’t mean they won’t try their best for the employer (which will be what folk will accuse him of now if he were to sign).

Let’s put this another way (and I don’t know the ins and outs of this). Lifelong fans were saying last week that they won’t spend £400 on a season ticket next season. Now assume that Hopper has been offered just £200 a week more elsewhere. That’s about £10k before tax for that same 1 year. As someone who isn’t a lifelong fan, why would he not ask the club to match it?
I've never said he was bad person, of course as player you want the best deal for yourself and your family. I just don't think he good signing. Why pay out for 31 year old striker who not very prolific in front of goal who best years are behind him. Prefer to save the budget for the summer to recruit potentially younger striker who got potential to go onto bigger better things. In the mean time if we can't get the required level of striker we would like on permanent basis then use the loan market to see us through to the summer. Don't just sign someone who had decent 6 month spell 6 years ago, we need to be careful how we spend our budget. We don't want to be in position where in 12 months time saying **** another ex player who turn into poor signing on 2 and half year contract.
 
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I've never said he was bad person, of course as player you want the best deal for yourself and your family. I just don't think he good signing. Why pay out for 31 year old striker who not very prolific in front of goal who best years are behind him. Prefer to save the budget for the summer to recruit potentially younger striker who got potential to go onto bigger better things. In the mean time if we can't get the required level of striker we would like on permanent basis then use the loan market to see us through to the summer. Don't just sign someone who had decent 6 month spell 6 years ago, we need to be careful how we spend our budget. We don't want to be in position where in 12 months time saying **** another ex player who turn into poor signing on 2 and half year contract.
Ok. That’s fair enough and based on logic. In your first post it felt like it was a bit personal towards Hopper.

I agree that we shouldn’t blow next seasons budget today.
 
Why would anyone pile on for TH for trying to extract as much money as he can? Football is a jungle and few are around at his age still with some earning power.
But negotiations are a two way street. Last Thursday the hangover from 0-3 home defeat had yet to dissipate and a 31 year year old striker scoring less goals every season and patchy injury record looked an attractive proposition because of his previous successful stint with the club. His work rate and ability to hold up the ball intelligently were valued sufficiently by those who make these decisions to offset the potential negatives. As a result he was offered terms.
Perhaps the negative vibes around the club were also a motivating factor to make what I suspect was a decent offer.
The player and//or agent (who knows ?) perhaps believing leverage was on their side asked for more which was their absolute right.
Cue 72 hours later: we comprehensively won a local derby, and, fans players and management are all ecstatic. No desperation in the air now and imagine the mood if we get a result at Boston next week.
Now everyone is feeling positive do we really want to shell out the money demanded by a 31 year old with his injury history? And another thing; had we lost at the weekend the clamour to sign him would have been such perhaps would have been such his demands might have been met
However, with the Roots Hall optimism meter now registering a high reading the pressure to sign TH has been much reduced. Will the thought now be: perhaps better for the club not to commit so much right now and wait to sign someone younger who is perhaps more durable?
Will TH realise that the weekend reduced his bargaining power and sign on the dotted line tomorrow? Or will he end up somewhere else for less than we offered originally?
What a difference a 2-0 away Derby win makes!
 
Why would anyone pile on for TH for trying to extract as much money as he can? Football is a jungle and few are around at his age still with some earning power.
But negotiations are a two way street. Last Thursday the hangover from 0-3 home defeat had yet to dissipate and a 31 year year old striker scoring less goals every season and patchy injury record looked an attractive proposition because of his previous successful stint with the club. His work rate and ability to hold up the ball intelligently were valued sufficiently by those who make these decisions to offset the potential negatives. As a result he was offered terms.
Perhaps the negative vibes around the club were also a motivating factor to make what I suspect was a decent offer.
The player and//or agent (who knows ?) perhaps believing leverage was on their side asked for more which was their absolute right.
Cue 72 hours later: we comprehensively won a local derby, and, fans players and management are all ecstatic. No desperation in the air now and imagine the mood if we get a result at Boston next week.
Now everyone is feeling positive do we really want to shell out the money demanded by a 31 year old with his injury history? And another thing; had we lost at the weekend the clamour to sign him would have been such perhaps would have been such his demands might have been met
However, with the Roots Hall optimism meter now registering a high reading the pressure to sign TH has been much reduced. Will the thought now be: perhaps better for the club not to commit so much right now and wait to sign someone younger who is perhaps more durable?
Will TH realise that the weekend reduced his bargaining power and sign on the dotted line tomorrow? Or will he end up somewhere else for less than we offered originally?
What a difference a 2-0 away Derby win makes!
This is what makes Zone such an enjoyable read, mostly! Nicely crafted piece with balance. Sums up neatly what a difference 48 hours can make. Perhaps the performance of Bonne will cause those making the decisions to switch their attention to someone like Levi Amantchi at Bromley. Not in the squad yesterday. Significant or just injured?
 
In fairness to Hopper, you can’t really criticise him without knowing the full facts.

Say he’s on £1,750 a week at Colchester. We might have offered him £1,300 a week and a club up north might have offered him £1,500 a week. He then has four choices:

A) Sign for us and lose approximately £9,000 in wages between now and the end of the season, unless Colchester offer to pay the difference to get him off the books;
B) Use the interest up north to try and get us to match the offer;
C) Sign for the club up north; or
D) See out his contract at Colchester.

The type of deal on the table is also relevant. If we’re offering a deal until the end of the season with an option of a further year (our option), and the club up north are offering a 1.5 year deal, we’re not exactly offering a great deal for him really.

There’s so many variables here and with him living in Leigh, I’ve no doubt he wants to come. But he’s also got to look out for himself too and maximise his earnings in what’s realistically the last few years of his professional career. If the deal is right, I’ve no doubt we’ll do it. If it’s not, I’ve no doubt we won’t. If we don’t, we move on and there’s no hard feelings from me.
 
We have no idea what he’s been offered - none. Hence, no-one knows why the delay or if it’s justified (on either side)…

But of course the facts have no currency so we will just make stuff up to suit our point of view. Alternative facts.
There are lots of reasons this may have hit a hurdle. Have to say, its not always the incoming player or agents fau!t. Please have some patience. Totally inappropriate to say what's occurring but it's clear all parties want it sorted.
 
There are lots of reasons this may have hit a hurdle. Have to say, its not always the incoming player or agents fau!t. Please have some patience. Totally inappropriate to say what's occurring but it's clear all parties want it sorted.
And that’s the key thing. Sometimes things are difficult to resolve- but as long as there is trust between the parties and a desire to agree something…

However, you ask for patience….good luck….
 

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