Next Summer Transfer Window Critical

[Citizen's Nephew]

Tough one between Flint and Morrison, as they are both very good championship central defenders. I'd say Morrison is overall slightly better, but Flint has been better for us in a back 3 .
Flint will be 33 when it comes time to sign a new contract though, which possibly tilts it towards Morrison for me, as he's a couple of years younger.
We could offer Morrison a 2 year deal, but I'm not sure a 2 year deal for Flint would be a sensible move as he'd be 35 by the end of it.

I thought the same thing after I posted and for that reason, I agree it needs to be Morrison over Flint. I agree with WJ99Mobile that's it'll be a bloodbath next summer. It is a precarious season for Cardiff City (I don't mean in terms of relegation) but there's a perfect storm shaping up here for it to be really difficult to kick on for a few seasons. Actually, quite a few seasons. It just feels a bit meh and all the excitement since 17/18 seems to be petering out. Back to reality. I really think we need a couple of players to fire up the fans (and keep the attendances around the 20K mark) and nobody on that list will be able to do that.

[WJ99mobile]

I thought the same thing after I posted and for that reason, I agree it needs to be Morrison over Flint. I agree with WJ99Mobile that's it'll be a bloodbath next summer. It is a precarious season for Cardiff City (I don't mean in terms of relegation) but there's a perfect storm shaping up here for it to be really difficult to kick on for a few seasons. Actually, quite a few seasons. It just feels a bit meh and all the excitement since 17/18 seems to be petering out. Back to reality. I really think we need a couple of players to fire up the fans (and keep the attendances around the 20K mark) and nobody on that list will be able to do that.

I do think we’re not going to be the only club in this situation mind

[Rjk]

I do think we’re not going to be the only club in this situation mind

yes the gap between the teams with the parachute payments and those without seems massive now we are on the wrong side of it.
we need to be a lot better at a lot of things to be able to close that gap, but it is never too late to start making good decisions.

[Citizen's Nephew]

I do think we’re not going to be the only club in this situation mind

Oh for sure. I just hope that Covid hasn't messed up things so much that the PL relegated sides become sure-things for going straight back up because 1. they've got the squads and 2. they've got the parachute payments whilst the rest of the league are struggling forever. The economics of Covid could have already rendered The Championship as a PL MkII. It won't be as competitive outside say, a top 6 clubs and will be very difficult and in most cases (just like the PL) to break through without the money people.

Trouble is, it's further complicated by the FA having no backbone when it comes to FFP regs. being applied fairly.

[Enoch Mort]

I can see us offering a couple of them a contract but it may be at such a low (realistic) level compared to their previous one that that my wish to look elsewhere anyway

[Rjk]

I can see us offering a couple of them a contract but it may be at such a low (realistic) level compared to their previous one that that my wish to look elsewhere anyway

That's true - as happened with Bennett before his injury.

I think several of them would have plenty of offers at this level

[blue lewj]

That's true - as happened with Bennett before his injury.

I think several of them would have plenty of offers at this level

I'm almost certain they would.

It is one thing signing a seasoned pro with experience to supplement what you already have and another building a new team around them.
A lot are getting on and this squad is getting no younger.

[blue lewj]

I would add that any new offers would need to be competitive at Championship level.

Cardiff City can't be seen as the cash cow it has been for many up to this stage. If other teams won't pay anywhere near what we will, and it has been a problem for us in moving players on in the past, then it is something that needs to change.

Offer top money for the top players yes, but I think we've been seen as a team that pays over the odds wage wise at actor level for some time now.

[blue lewj]

Instead actor it meant to say this.

Not sure how that ended up there.

[WJ99mobile]

My premonition is that next summer will be a blood bath for loads of teams

We will see a similar economy in football as the wider one, with a 2 tier wage structure. The smaller clubs hit harder the big clubs doubling down.

I think for us we’ll let go of a number of the over-the-hill players mentioned above after being unable to agree reduced wages and then having to replace with other deadwood.

[PontBlue]

Even though signings excite people I'd like to see a team based on Academy Graduates. I wouldn't be sad to see some of those listed off the wage bill.

Loaning out Wintle unless for Family reasons looks a shrewd move. He gets a years experience at this level whilst finding his feet at another club and gives us greater leeway to not offer a contract to a more expensive option who struggles to play a simple pass accurately.

[blue lewj]

My premonition is that next summer will be a blood bath for loads of teams

We will see a similar economy in football as the wider one, with a 2 tier wage structure. The smaller clubs hit harder the big clubs doubling down.

I think for us we’ll let go of a number of the over-the-hill players mentioned above after being unable to agree reduced wages and then having to replace with other deadwood.

I think next summer might see a very different way of doing things a lot like you see in American or Australian sports.

Their transfer of players sees them move from one team to another mainly based on where they can be fit into their playing budget and wage cap. I know there isn't a wage cap here but in effect there is for many clubs in that they have an upper limit that they can afford and have to build a squad with and all without having too much to splurge on transfer money.

Done well it could be the making of a club. Done badly at it could be curtains.

[WJ99mobile]

Even though signings excite people I'd like to see a team based on Academy Graduates. I wouldn't be sad to see some of those listed off the wage bill.

Loaning out Wintle unless for Family reasons looks a shrewd move. He gets a years experience at this level whilst finding his feet at another club and gives us greater leeway to not offer a contract to a more expensive option who struggles to play a simple pass accurately.

Bolton, Merthyr etc tried that.

They’re not exactly setting the world alight.

Not all academy players will make it no matter how much game time they have

[blue lewj]

Bolton, Merthyr etc tried that.

They’re not exactly setting the world alight.

Not all academy players will make it no matter how much game time they have

This is it.

The success of going the academy product route is based purely on how good those products are.
Bad products coming through, bad performances, bad results.

I know that players need to be playing to learn and will make mistakes, it is whether they learn from those mistakes though and how long you give them in the team while making those mistakes.

If I knew the answers then I'd be employed somewhere else I'm sure.

[dembethewarrior]

He's only played one season at league one level, where he's done well - prior to that he was in league 2.

We've brought him into a side that is already accommodating a few other players who are getting upto speed at this level.
They've had a look at him in a couple of games and probably have felt that we can't afford to bring him through at the same time. So to get championship level game time somewhere is better than warming the bench for us.
I'm sure that would have preferred that he'd immediately claimed a starting spot but as that hasn't happened this is a good outcome. Far better than him going back on loan to league one.

I guess it is difficult to judge how players will make the step up - some are excellent at league one, but struggle to make an impact in the Championship (i.e. Gavin Whyte)

[surge]

I agree that contract renewals and transfer window next summer are critical, though I disagree with your comments regarding effort of the players.

Think it's probably too early for this thread though and should be thought of more of a horse race (some taking early lead, some falling back) rather than it's current yes/no question.

At the moment there is a group of four in this season's starting XI who appear to be working themselves into a good position but a lot will depend on contract length, wage and minute demands; who we have ready to take their place; budget for next season; and what Mick wants going forward. For that reason the youth appearing the League Cup and over rest of the season will tell us a lot.

You should add Brown to the list who is on his one year option and needs agreement to extend if he'll be around next year. His status and development should be a factor as well.

[City123]

Obviously too early to say, at the moment I'd keep Morrison, Ralls & maybe Pack. How many of Ralls, Pack & Vaulks stay will depend entirely on whether Wintle can kick on and if we're ready to give proper opportunities to Bowen, Sang or D'Almeida in their actual positions

I'd like to see us try Pack and Ng at centre back. We desperately need someone who can pass in that back 3 as well as bring the ball out of defence in order to progress up the pitch, they could do that

[dembethewarrior]

Morrison, Ralls, Flint, Pack are all starters with Vaulks as back up in midfield.

If they go they will all need replacing and some of those are top players at this level
Not as easy as it sounds and we would lose a lot of our goal threat.

Smithies is an excellent keeper, but you can’t have a back up in that money and Tomlin and Murphy will surely go, both are huge talents, but just haven’t done near enough.

Its almost like we should have started the process this year so it's not such a big shocker next year.

[Rjk]

Its almost like we should have started the process this year so it's not such a big shocker next year.

in fairness we had other issues to address then too

[Lawnmower]

Its almost like we should have started the process this year so it's not such a big shocker next year.

You can’t do that when they’ve all got 2 years on their contract

[LeningradCowboy]

I think that re-signing Morrison is a no-brainer unless he wants silly money.

[logic]

I think that re-signing Morrison is a no-brainer unless he wants silly money.

Logic would indicate that Morrison isn't going to play for a pittance - at his age, next contract is likely to be the last big contract he can get - this may not tally with our financial constraints. As our financial health is far more important than any one player, it's likely that if no deal can be worked out he'll be sold.

[LeningradCowboy]

Logic would indicate that Morrison isn't going to play for a pittance - at his age, next contract is likely to be the last big contract he can get - this may not tally with our financial constraints. As our financial health is far more important than any one player, it's likely that if no deal can be worked out he'll be sold.

Which clubs will be looking to sign Morrison and won't have the same financial constraints that we do? He's a top player in the Championship, but not good enough for the Premier League, or at least he wasn't a few years ago.

[jon1959]

I think that re-signing Morrison is a no-brainer unless he wants silly money.

Logic would indicate that Morrison isn't going to play for a pittance - at his age, next contract is likely to be the last big contract he can get - this may not tally with our financial constraints. As our financial health is far more important than any one player, it's likely that if no deal can be worked out he'll be sold.

The alternative to 'silly money' is not 'a pittance'.

With a very few exceptions it is likely that all clubs in the EFL will be reducing costs - partly because of the Covid and post Covid football economy and partly because what went before was unsustainable anyway. We will have had four windows of reduced fees, reduced wage offers, more key loans from EPL clubs and promoting home grown academy players.

If Morrison doesn't want to take a realistic wage offer to stay, he is unlikely to get a significantly better final pay day from most other Championship clubs (maybe those with parachute payments, but even then the purse strings will be tighter than in the past) and if EPL clubs haven't tried to get him before now it is unlikely that will happen by next summer when he is another year older and hampered by more bumps, twists and tears.

I would try to keep Morrison, Pack and Ralls (maybe Murphy if he finally wakes up this season and plays to his potential) but all on realistic Championship wages.

[Jimmy the Jock]

The alternative to 'silly money' is not 'a pittance'.

With a very few exceptions it is likely that all clubs in the EFL will be reducing costs - partly because of the Covid and post Covid football economy and partly because what went before was unsustainable anyway. We will have had four windows of reduced fees, reduced wage offers, more key loans from EPL clubs and promoting home grown academy players.

If Morrison doesn't want to take a realistic wage offer to stay, he is unlikely to get a significantly better final pay day from most other Championship clubs (maybe those with parachute payments, but even then the purse strings will be tighter than in the past) and if EPL clubs haven't tried to get him before now it is unlikely that will happen by next summer when he is another year older and hampered by more bumps, twists and tears.

I would try to keep Morrison, Pack and Ralls (maybe Murphy if he finally wakes up this season and plays to his potential) but all on realistic Championship wages.

Jon , your account has been hacked .