ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

We can't compete

With Richardson going to Sunderland it looks as though we are not going to be able to compete with anyone who wants a player that would be useful to us. 3 or 4 players have sold in the past 10 days who would have been good additions to our squad for a European season. I say forget it, I'm not going to be optimistic about any exciting signings now because it ain't going to happen. I really think we should have got Richardson, £5.5m is a risk but if you don't take any risks you end up being shite.
Paul Momber, Thailand Posted 17/07/2007 at 05:58:48

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I was never convinced by Richardson as a viable prospect for anything more than the £2.5m originally mooted. Good for Sunderland if I'm proved wrong but £5.5m is a horrendous amount of money for someone like him and I'm glad we didn't spend that much on him. But your fundamental point holds true; we can't ? or won't ? compete financially at the moment.

Dave Southword
1 Posted 17/07/2007 at 08:58:47

So we should have bought Richardson for 5.5m, Nugent for 6.5m and Koumas for 5.3m? That’s 17.3m on players none of which would be guaranteed first teamers, or 30,000 season tickets if you like.

I for one am glad that Moyes has more sense of the value of money than most of our fans.

Erik Dols
2 Posted 17/07/2007 at 09:07:57

I’m with Dave - be it Moyes or Southword ;).

Would like to see some singings though! Squad is really thin now.

Paul
3 Posted 17/07/2007 at 10:00:28

Dave I didnt mean Nugent and particulary Koumas are worth the money paid for them I simply mean that we cannot compete for players such as these. That is the market value of such players and we cannot afford them whereas many other teams appear to be able to. If someone else comes available in the same bracket who we are interested in the price will not be any lower.

Erik Dols
4 Posted 17/07/2007 at 10:29:20

Well, Paul, teams like Sunderland and Wigan have spend the biggest share of their money by now (although I heard S’lands got a huge transfer kitty), so if we’re the only buyer in the market, prices will drop. Hopefully there are still some decent players left by then...

Brian Waring
5 Posted 17/07/2007 at 10:30:55

I would like to point out one thing.When has Moyes actually come out and said the reason he never went in for these players mentioned is because they were over-valued.He has said transfer prices are over the top.for all we know he may have dying to add Nugent,Koumas etc to the squad.But,as soon as he knew what he would have to pay,it may not have been a case of wouldn’t pay,but more couldn’t pay.

Hal Leonard
6 Posted 17/07/2007 at 11:26:33

All I can say is thank God we did’nt buy Richardson even at £2.5 m. I think I’m right in saying that this is one of the guys Roy Keane had a rant about when he was aplayer at Man. U. saying something about them not being good enough for the first team, and from what I have seen of him recentley he does’nt seem to have improved any. Now Keane buys him, and not only that but pays over £5 . for him! Well done Roy, nothing like a bit of honesty.Hal Leonard, Anglesey.

Andy Tomczak
7 Posted 17/07/2007 at 11:41:49

Sunderland & Wigan have got far more need to be spending that sort of cash on those sort of players than we do. We?ve already got the basis of a v.good side which they have to try and compete with hence them overspending on average players to try and reach the next level.
I know its probably horribly optimistic but I still hope we get hold of Manny Fernandes some how as he would take us onto our next level - i know we can?t buy him but another year long loan then get the cash together to make it permanent.

Sean Dylan
8 Posted 17/07/2007 at 12:48:32

I agree...i have word we?re about to sign the former Swiss captain and AC Milan star Vogel though for free

Any consolation?

Alex Geneva
9 Posted 17/07/2007 at 12:55:12

Vogel would be a great addition but we already have Carsley, Neville or even Jagielka in this position. But I would be proud to have a player coming from my country and my city wearing our blue shirt

Andy Tomczak
10 Posted 17/07/2007 at 13:34:15

I like the idea of Vogel although I fear he could be a bit of AvdM - £30k a week and not that motivated

Dave Reiner
11 Posted 17/07/2007 at 14:49:19

The options Moyes has passed on are benefitting the club immensely in my opinion. Koumas/Nugent/Richardson have sold for far more than they are worth to us. Makes more sense for Wigan/Portsmouth/Sunderland to pay higher fees for players that will feature for them prominently in the new season. All three would have been mere squad players for Everton. I for one wouldn’t mind Vogel (haven’t seen him play in over a year though) as long as we give him an anti-Kroldrup screening beforehand (make sure he has a pulse, basically). But essentially, if Moyes wants to start the season pretty much as is & strengthen/deepen the squad at the transfer window, In Moyes I (We?) Trust.

Chris Masey
12 Posted 17/07/2007 at 17:45:01

Koumas - never cut it in the Premiership, Richardson - barely cut it in the Premiership, Nugent - never cut it in the Premiership. Therefore, they should be no more the price of Tim Cahill, 1.5 million. I don?t know about anyone else, but I am not interested in bridging the gap further with my own wages and that of the players.