Dele

[barryj]

20 minutes ago, RPG said:

Maybe, but if the 'plan' is not to play him, why buy him in the first place?

Bought to use but subsequently found out he isn’t what we need or the right fit. I can’t see any other explanation. 

[Romey 1878]

1 hour ago, barryj said:

I assume we don’t want to play him as we don’t want to activate the number of games clause. 

The clause wouldn't have been activated even if he'd played in every game for the rest of the season after he signed for us.

[MikeO]

7 minutes ago, Romey 1878 said:

The clause wouldn't have been activated even if he'd played in every game for the rest of the season after he signed for us.

I thought the first payment, £10m, would've been due after twenty games, and we'll have played twenty-one since he joined by the end of the season; so theoretically he could've hit the target, but he was never realistically going to.

[Cornish Steve]

1 hour ago, MikeO said:

I thought the first payment, £10m, would've been due after twenty games, and we'll have played twenty-one since he joined by the end of the season; so theoretically he could've hit the target, but he was never realistically going to.

That 21 includes two FA Cup games, I believe. I remember at the time noting that there were 19 league games remaining. That's all immaterial, though, since he's not played in many games. His through pass to Rondon in his first game was sublime, so he has ability, for sure. The question is whether attitude and fitness are there after such a long period in the doldrums. If not, then his move would have cost us nothing but his wages for a few months.

[badaids]

Sadly for us there is something wrong with him.  Loads of rumours as to what it is, but it's between the ears rather than a physical thing.  I bet we didn't even due proper due diligence before we signed him either; we just bought those magic beans as the man said they were free (conditions attached).  Say what you want about Levy, but he's a shrewd businessman, there's a reason they couldn't wait to get rid of him.  

[barryj]

2 hours ago, Romey 1878 said:

The clause wouldn't have been activated even if he'd played in every game for the rest of the season after he signed for us.

That’s fair enough I knew it was close. Knowing Levi there’s probably more to it than meets the eye. He is a luxury style player but there have been opportunities he could have played. I just can’t see him staying past the summer based on what we’ve seen so far. 

[Bailey]

We dont know the clauses or even if there was a fee involved to start with. 

Its all paper talk.

[MikeO]

13 minutes ago, Bailey said:

We dont know the clauses or even if there was a fee involved to start with. 

Its all paper talk.

The details that came out are so specific, not paper talk for me; if it was an invention why such a complex invention? And why did nobody on either side refute what was being said?

[Gwlad]

Can I get this straight? At the end of the season we can give him back to Levy?

[Palfy]

10 hours ago, Shukes said:

If bringing him in has helped push Iwobi into more effort and form…. Then It’s a good transfer.

You really think it’s good business that we pay a player well over 100k a week who doesn’t get in the team, because it makes a player who’s on 100k a week play better, really?

[The Phoenix]

6 hours ago, MikeO said:

As it stands we've not bought him at all, it was a free transfer with money kicking in after certain numbers of appearences, hence risk free punt.

It’s only a risk free punt if he never steps foot on the pitch. His attitude stinks and his inability to grab his “second chance” with both hands show he’s not a player we need, we’ve been enough of a rudderless ship this season without adding him to the mix. I hope you’re right that we can show him the door without cost. These types of “risk free” deals just show that the people making recruitment decisions are inept at best and total fuckwits at worst

[AlbanyNYToffee]

42 minutes ago, Gwlad all over said:

Can I get this straight? At the end of the season we can give him back to Levy?

Don't believe so. We would have to find someone else to buy him, for a fee or free. He's our player, we just don't pay Spurs anything until he makes a certain number of appearances for us. 

[MikeO]

49 minutes ago, Gwlad all over said:

Can I get this straight? At the end of the season we can give him back to Levy?

No, he signed for two and a half years so he's our player, so logically we could get rid if we felt the need without paying Spurs anything (if the deal is as reported).

49 minutes ago, Palfy said:

You really think it’s good business that we pay a player well over 100k a week who doesn’t get in the team, because it makes a player who’s on 100k a week play better, really?

When did you get access to his pay slip Palf?

[Gwlad]

Cheers all.

[StevO]

13 hours ago, Palfy said:

Why do you say that he’s a central midfielder, when I look at his playing position his last starts showed 30 CM  8 Forward and 1 LM. Surely the reason he’s not playing is because he’s simply not good enough, whether that’s ability mentally emotionally physically or attitude or a combination I don’t know, but what I do believe is he’s not sat on the bench because he’s better or equal to what’s playing for us every week because if he was that would be a mystery. 

I don’t need stats on a website to tell me he isn’t a central midfielder. I’ve seen him play many times for Spurs and he just isn’t. He can play off a striker or not at all. Can call him a number ten I guess, but he’s not in the traditional sense. 
 

I’ve no idea if he’s fit or not, but suspect it’s more a case of he doesn’t fit into what we’ve been doing lately with how Frank wants us to play. 

[Romey 1878]

1 minute ago, StevO said:

I don’t need stats on a website to tell me he isn’t a central midfielder. I’ve seen him play many times for Spurs and he just isn’t. He can play off a striker or not at all. Can call him a number ten I guess, but he’s not in the traditional sense. 
 

I’ve no idea if he’s fit or not, but suspect it’s more a case of he doesn’t fit into what we’ve been doing lately with how Frank wants us to play. 

I suspect we would've seen him play more if we'd gotten ourselves safe before now, and will do if we manage it with games to spare.

[StevO]

6 hours ago, MikeO said:

I thought the first payment, £10m, would've been due after twenty games, and we'll have played twenty-one since he joined by the end of the season; so theoretically he could've hit the target, but he was never realistically going to.

We had 19 games in the league remaining. 

[MikeO]

17 hours ago, StevO said:

We had 19 games in the league remaining. 

True enough, he was cup tied, my mistake.

I apologise unreservedly, though when I made the comments I fully believed them to be true, it was never my intention to mislead honourable members and I will, in the fulness of time (once a thorough enquiry is completed) give an honest explanation of my actions.

I now plan to get on with the job as admin with even more determination than ever!

Mike de Pfeffel O.

[Shukes]

23 hours ago, Palfy said:

You really think it’s good business that we pay a player well over 100k a week who doesn’t get in the team, because it makes a player who’s on 100k a week play better, really?

You on the pop Palf haha. Course i don’t mean that. 
What I am certain is that bringing in competition that pushes players forward can only 100% be a good thing for the team.

People have been crying out for years for us to have good competition in the squad. I’m happy the club agree with me

[Shukes]

On 14/04/2022 at 07:50, RPG said:

I really can't see that at all. Iwobi has always given effort and I think his form is down to Frank and the coaching team. Which, in turn, begs the question, why hasn't it worked for Alli?

Disagree completely mate. Iwobi’s biggest failure was always his jogging alongside players and never putting a foot in. Spent so long ghosting games that the crowd turned in him for it.

I have no idea of it has worked or not for Ali. He hasn’t been here for long enough. 
I also agree with others that he is more of a luxury player for when tho he are going good. He will be used you can be sure of that. 

[Hafnia]

The way I see it he’s like a Ferrari that couldn’t get going, the the same price as what we were paying niasse it was worth the risk. 
 

id sooner pay the money on something that could perform like a Ferrari and performs like a fiat as a minimum rather than pay the same for a fiat. 

[Palfy]

25 minutes ago, Shukes said:

You on the pop Palf haha. Course i don’t mean that. 
What I am certain is that bringing in competition that pushes players forward can only 100% be a good thing for the team.

People have been crying out for years for us to have good competition in the squad. I’m happy the club agree with me

But he’s not good competition, when Iwobi doesn’t play he still doesn’t get a game, in fact when any of our MFs have missed a game he doesn’t play, how can that be called good competition, plus I don’t believe many in the club will be as happy as you with this signing

[Palfy]

23 minutes ago, Hafnia said:

The way I see it he’s like a Ferrari that couldn’t get going, the the same price as what we were paying niasse it was worth the risk. 
 

id sooner pay the money on something that could perform like a Ferrari and performs like a fiat as a minimum rather than pay the same for a fiat. 

He hasn’t performed like a fiat mate he’s broken down and hasn’t been out the garage. 

[Hafnia]

30 minutes ago, Palfy said:

He hasn’t performed like a fiat mate he’s broken down and hasn’t been out the garage. 

The gamble will have cost us about £2m….. niasse cost us £33m.

not a great signing as it stands but for me if he was able to rediscover himself it was a potential £60m player. 

[Palfy]

15 minutes ago, Hafnia said:

The gamble will have cost us about £2m….. niasse cost us £33m.

not a great signing as it stands but for me if he was able to rediscover himself it was a potential £60m player. 

I don’t get how you come to 2m he’s signed for 2.5 years, we can’t give him back to Spurs and say na he’s shite, we could try and sell him or give him a free, but besides us are there any more idiots who would be willing to pay 100k a week for someone with his track record of the last 2 years or so. What he’s doing besides nothing football wise is putting an extra 5.2m a year on our wages bill, which in turn is fucking with our FFP issues, sorry mate a very poor gamble for a poor player. 

[Wiggytop]

58 minutes ago, Palfy said:

He hasn’t performed like a fiat mate he’s broken down and hasn’t been out the garage. 

A Fiat of old then

[Hafnia]

33 minutes ago, Palfy said:

I don’t get how you come to 2m he’s signed for 2.5 years, we can’t give him back to Spurs and say na he’s shite, we could try and sell him or give him a free, but besides us are there any more idiots who would be willing to pay 100k a week for someone with his track record of the last 2 years or so. What he’s doing besides nothing football wise is putting an extra 5.2m a year on our wages bill, which in turn is fucking with our FFP issues, sorry mate a very poor gamble for a poor player. 

tbf palfy you along with many of us were surprised that we were able to negotiate a sensible deal without a dof. 
 

If frank doesn’t see that the lad has a future at the club then as far as I’m concerned he will be gone in the summer. There is an abundance of clubs that would take him on a free or even a nominal fee.  The 2.5 years wont matter, he could go to Italy and stroll it in that league and stand out. 
 

he won’t live up here to just train from Monday to Friday.  It may well be that lampard does see a role for him but not in our current predicament.  It could be that the lad tips up his contract David Bentley style. 

[Bailey]

On 14/04/2022 at 16:23, MikeO said:

The details that came out are so specific, not paper talk for me; if it was an invention why such a complex invention? And why did nobody on either side refute what was being said?

You tend to find that when one journalist / paper reports it, they all pile in. 

It was initially reported by Matt Law of the Daily Telegraph. Why only he would have access to that information I don't know. 

Everyone after that have jumped on the bandwagon to support their 'in the know' egos.

I suspect there is some truth to it, but I would be amazed if its the whole story.

 

 

[Matt]

So far as I remember, he signed for free and money starts after 10 games. Maybe were waiting to see if we survive and can afford him, if not sell. But I think we're keeping him sidelined to save paying early and got Donny in to bridge the gap. 

[Shukes]

16 hours ago, Palfy said:

But he’s not good competition, when Iwobi doesn’t play he still doesn’t get a game, in fact when any of our MFs have missed a game he doesn’t play, how can that be called good competition, plus I don’t believe many in the club will be as happy as you with this signing

Him being on the squad means players have competition mate. They will see it on the training pitch. 
My old team brought in Richard Eniver and Lee Willets from West Brom’s youth team.

They rarely got even a sub appearance in our team as several players stepped up. Our forward Jamie scored 70+ that year, and I took absolute control of midfield as I knew Rich was signed. 
 

But your right mate, no one is as happy as I am haha!