How we stack up against the opposition in terms of signings

[RoyalBlue]

I see that according to the OS, Kebe is still carrying a knock, has not been training and is not expected to be ready until 23rd February at the earliest!

Well that's an immediate strengthening of the right wing (or any other position) not!!

Oh, and just to reduce our choice of fit wingers even further, Convey has had stitches in a wound on the shin and 'that may affect his chances for the weekend'.

[brendywendy]

I see that according to the OS, Kebe is still carrying a knock, has not been training and is not expected to be ready until 23rd February at the earliest!

Well that's an immediate strengthening of the right wing (or any other position) not!!

Oh, and just to reduce our choice of fit wingers even further, Convey has had stitches in a wound on the shin and 'that may affect his chances for the weekend'.

clearly we should ensure we have 15 wingers on our books at any one time

[Stranded]

I see that according to the OS, Kebe is still carrying a knock, has not been training and is not expected to be ready until 23rd February at the earliest!

Well that's an immediate strengthening of the right wing (or any other position) not!!

Oh, and just to reduce our choice of fit wingers even further, Convey has had stitches in a wound on the shin and 'that may affect his chances for the weekend'.

So come Saturday we'll have Hunt on the left, Marek and Harper in the middle and Oster on the right (who prior to his injury was, IMO at least, playing well). So a LW on the left, two central midfielders and a right winger on the right.

Oh the humanity.

[Arch]

I see that according to the OS, Kebe is still carrying a knock, has not been training and is not expected to be ready until 23rd February at the earliest!

Well that's an immediate strengthening of the right wing (or any other position) not!!

Oh, and just to reduce our choice of fit wingers even further, Convey has had stitches in a wound on the shin and 'that may affect his chances for the weekend'.

Good thing we already have a fit right winger, then.

[Victor Meldrew]

I see that according to the OS, Kebe is still carrying a knock, has not been training and is not expected to be ready until 23rd February at the earliest!

Well that's an immediate strengthening of the right wing (or any other position) not!!

Oh, and just to reduce our choice of fit wingers even further, Convey has had stitches in a wound on the shin and 'that may affect his chances for the weekend'.

Isn't it good news that Bobby might not be playing?
At least it will give us a better shape with players in their best positions.

[The whole year inn]

Apologies if this is posted elsewhere, from the Official site.

Coppell's full transfer Q&A
Posted on: Sat 02 Feb 2008

Steve the transfer window has closed now, were you tempted to do more and get more in?
We signed two, but all along we didn't want to make four-month signings. That might prove to be the wrong thing to do. I have been loyal to my players, I think they are really good, they have been challenged over the last two seasons, they have responded to that challenge and I am confident that they can respond again to this particular challenge.

I just think, why be forced to buy seven players in January? Why shouldn't clubs be able to accumulate the players as and when they want, right the way through, back to the old transfer deadline. Why buy seven in 30-odd days, it is not logical really, it is not sound business sense.

You are better off, if you need someone short term, to loan a player. It just seems a lot more sensible and geared to better business finance.


There are opportunities for every team in the transfer window to do business, but you look at the money that has been spent, significant transfers, it's Chelsea and Anelka. If there's a problem for them, spend £15million on a new player who is playing at another Premiership club.

I go very much against the transfer window, I can't see the point in it. There are too many players that you have to carry for the 'just in case' scenario and it makes it unhealthy.

Were you close to anything late on?
I didn't make any calls about players, I was waiting at the end of a phone and was available. I knew that if anything was happening, Nick Hammond would call. We were tying up Simon Cox until the early hours, he has gone to Swindon. Nick was really busy with that but otherwise we didn't receive any calls.

What about the supposed bid for Leroy from Bolton?
It is 100% incorrect. I was surprised this morning when I heard that. I thought maybe someone phoned Nick at the last minute, but he received no phone calls about any of our players in that respect, at that level.

Are you going to have to speak to Leroy about this?
I think all the players know if there was significant interest in any of them, I always tell them. I don't deal in secrets in that respect because they always come out. I always tell them.

We heard nothing, I think it was a misunderstanding at their end, and they will correct it. We have received nothing of any significance regarding any of our players.

Did it matter that Bolton are your rivals?
It wasn't a factor so there is no point in a response.

What did your search for players involve?
I have said all along, the field of where we can buy players from is minute. We are a certain size of club, we have a certain feel of everybody, it is a business that runs itself. We can't throw money at it in terms of wages. I think everybody knows that they are only going to get a certain level of wages if they sign here.

It is a very small field that we work in, they are young and hungry and emerging, not the finished article. I would love to be in a position where I can say to the Chairman, 'Anelka is available, can we go and get him?' But it is pointless me doing that, we can't tick his boxes.

Have you taken a risk not getting anyone?
I would only bring someone in if I thought they were going to be better than what I have got. I have a lot of faith in my squad, they have been challenged in the last two years and they have delivered. This year is harder but I still have faith that they can deliver, I would only bring someone in who would get the respect of everybody here and is better than what I have already.

They would need to be an automatic choice for the first team. The only one who can make an impact for us between now and the end of the season would be a blue chip. We aren't in the blue chip market, we are in the emerging market.

You can get experience, someone like Robbie Savage?
We want young and hungry. We are a business that self finances. He is a terrific player and will make an impact for Derby without doubt. From a financial point of view it is not business for us. It might be great business for them obviously, with the new American ownership they can afford it better than we do. But every player here has got to have value and a residual value as well.

The players you brought in, no one has heard of them.
Yes, true. We would love to sign Anelka. I would love to go to Wenger and say we'll have Kolo Toure, but would he want to come here?! It isn't going to happen so it is pointless. Young, hard, hungry, emerging players, that is what we always try to build on.

We use more experienced players who have developed and grown with us. Very occasionally we get an experienced player to bolster us up. He invariably doesn't cost a bank robbery amount of money so we can afford to cope with the down side.

[Northern Git]

Apologies if this is posted elsewhere, from the Official site.

Coppell's full transfer Q&A
Posted on: Sat 02 Feb 2008

Steve the transfer window has closed now, were you tempted to do more and get more in?
We signed two, but all along we didn't want to make four-month signings. That might prove to be the wrong thing to do. I have been loyal to my players, I think they are really good, they have been challenged over the last two seasons, they have responded to that challenge and I am confident that they can respond again to this particular challenge.

I just think, why be forced to buy seven players in January? Why shouldn't clubs be able to accumulate the players as and when they want, right the way through, back to the old transfer deadline. Why buy seven in 30-odd days, it is not logical really, it is not sound business sense.

You are better off, if you need someone short term, to loan a player. It just seems a lot more sensible and geared to better business finance.


There are opportunities for every team in the transfer window to do business, but you look at the money that has been spent, significant transfers, it's Chelsea and Anelka. If there's a problem for them, spend £15million on a new player who is playing at another Premiership club.

I go very much against the transfer window, I can't see the point in it. There are too many players that you have to carry for the 'just in case' scenario and it makes it unhealthy.

Were you close to anything late on?
I didn't make any calls about players, I was waiting at the end of a phone and was available. I knew that if anything was happening, Nick Hammond would call. We were tying up Simon Cox until the early hours, he has gone to Swindon. Nick was really busy with that but otherwise we didn't receive any calls.

What about the supposed bid for Leroy from Bolton?
It is 100% incorrect. I was surprised this morning when I heard that. I thought maybe someone phoned Nick at the last minute, but he received no phone calls about any of our players in that respect, at that level.

Are you going to have to speak to Leroy about this?
I think all the players know if there was significant interest in any of them, I always tell them. I don't deal in secrets in that respect because they always come out. I always tell them.

We heard nothing, I think it was a misunderstanding at their end, and they will correct it. We have received nothing of any significance regarding any of our players.
Did it matter that Bolton are your rivals?
It wasn't a factor so there is no point in a response.

What did your search for players involve?
I have said all along, the field of where we can buy players from is minute. We are a certain size of club, we have a certain feel of everybody, it is a business that runs itself. We can't throw money at it in terms of wages. I think everybody knows that they are only going to get a certain level of wages if they sign here.

It is a very small field that we work in, they are young and hungry and emerging, not the finished article. I would love to be in a position where I can say to the Chairman, 'Anelka is available, can we go and get him?' But it is pointless me doing that, we can't tick his boxes.

Have you taken a risk not getting anyone?
I would only bring someone in if I thought they were going to be better than what I have got. I have a lot of faith in my squad, they have been challenged in the last two years and they have delivered. This year is harder but I still have faith that they can deliver, I would only bring someone in who would get the respect of everybody here and is better than what I have already.

They would need to be an automatic choice for the first team. The only one who can make an impact for us between now and the end of the season would be a blue chip. We aren't in the blue chip market, we are in the emerging market.

You can get experience, someone like Robbie Savage?
We want young and hungry. We are a business that self finances. He is a terrific player and will make an impact for Derby without doubt. From a financial point of view it is not business for us. It might be great business for them obviously, with the new American ownership they can afford it better than we do. But every player here has got to have value and a residual value as well.

The players you brought in, no one has heard of them.
Yes, true. We would love to sign Anelka. I would love to go to Wenger and say we'll have Kolo Toure, but would he want to come here?! It isn't going to happen so it is pointless. Young, hard, hungry, emerging players, that is what we always try to build on.

We use more experienced players who have developed and grown with us. Very occasionally we get an experienced player to bolster us up. He invariably doesn't cost a bank robbery amount of money so we can afford to cope with the down side.

What about the Sunderland bid for Hunt?

The rest of it seems to be a constant 'we cannot afford them or the wages' statement.

[The whole year inn]

The only conclusion I got from the article was that we spent as much on transfers in January as we did on Coppell's media training.

[Dai Brainbocs]

I assume no reference to Hunt because he sees that as put to bed beforehand. Total respect for his way of doing business and I can see why players would want to play for him. I think relegation is down to one place and Derby and Fulham have gone, but in times of crazy spending I think you can make a case for a team getting relegated and the manager still being considered successful if he is not prepared to jeopardize the long term for the short.

[PieEater]

The one thing that bothered me about that interview was Coppell's attitude of not agreeing to the transfer window, and as a result feeling uncomfortable about getting involved in and dealings during it. I'd much rather he said he didn't agree with it, but as it's a reality he'll use it as best he can to strengthen the squad.

He also seems to place too much trust in keeping the same squad without acknowledging that other clubs will improve each season, so his squad needs to.

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

I see that according to the OS, Kebe is still carrying a knock, has not been training and is not expected to be ready until 23rd February at the earliest!

Well that's an immediate strengthening of the right wing (or any other position) not!!

so you think we should not have signed him because he's expected to miss one match?

[Platypuss]

I see that according to the OS, Kebe is still carrying a knock, has not been training and is not expected to be ready until 23rd February at the earliest!

Well that's an immediate strengthening of the right wing (or any other position) not!!

so you think we should not have signed him because he's expected to miss one match?

Are we not playing Everton next week then?

[Platypuss]

Cisse has had 2 good games against 3 very small strikers-I reserve judgement on how he might fare against the more physical players in upcoming games v Kevin Davies and Jo Carew.

"Kevin Davies out-jumped Kalifa Cisse to head across the danger zone where Nolan had arrived to slot home from 10 yards."

[Southbank Old Boy]

I thought Cahill was excellent today by the way.

Don't know if he's worth the money they paid for him but none of our forwards got a kick and he dominated for the majority of the game.

[RoyalBlue]

Looks like Fulham's investments in the transfer market are beginning to pay dividends too.

It doesn't matter what excuses the management or RTGs put up, the fact is that the club have failed to strengthen adequately both last summer and in the latest transfer window.

Their failure is looking increasingly likely to cost us dear in terms of our PL status and, in all probability, our prospects over the next few years at least. Excuses can not be traded in for the points to save us.

The team now have to pull off a couple of miraculous results in their next two games or losing really will have become a habit and we will be firmly encamped in the relegation zone with little realistic prospect of getting out again.