Raheem Sterling

[jayffc]

I'm not exactly thrilled about this as I thought his legs were gone whenever I watched him. But if Silva wants and can work with him so then so be it.

I don't want him with us he's already a bit of a has been but marco seems to go for older experienced players but I still don't want him . Prolific cheat.

If true I trust Marcos judgement more than anyone on here.

Marco's judgement is probably Raheem has a couple of good seasons left in him, after which Marco will move elsewhere and Raheem will be rubbish. Macro has a massive conflict of interest, he is mostly interested in signings immediate impact and rather than long-term value.

Is it a massive conflict of interest for the club to sign people who they believe can make us finish higher in the table right now and possibly get us over line into europe?

Considering it sounds like they will sign Nelson as our 25yr old (who could have plenty resale value if he has a great couple seasons) + Raheem possibly signing on a free (bar considerable wages)...cos in that instance, they could well see Raheem as a squad element that could help us take the step up that allows us to qualify for europe and in turn....attract good young players, like - Fofana, who reportedly doesn't want to go to Everton (and probably us) because he likely wants a club in Europe.

Making moves that the club and manager feel can help us finish higher in the table *right now*, is not a conflict of interest, it's in all our interests. It is an outcome that in itself would allow the club to make more money and attract better talent. With NO transfer fee for Raheem - if he managed 2 years of good service and it helped take us up a level, it's good thing for everyone involved.

Totally agree, I remember people judging Willian on what happened at Arsenal, and he didn't turn out too bad.

He played a massive part in keeping us in the league and finishing top 10 and taking the club up a level.
Now we're trying to take that next step with a settled and better squad all round from that.

This theory might carry more weight if we weren't also singing another 25 year old winger at the same time. We've had zero FFP issues to date, and managed 2 club record sales in recent years. If this weren't the case I'd perhaps be more concerned with our approach too.

[Deeping_white]

I'm not exactly thrilled about this as I thought his legs were gone whenever I watched him. But if Silva wants and can work with him so then so be it.

I don't want him with us he's already a bit of a has been but marco seems to go for older experienced players but I still don't want him . Prolific cheat.

If true I trust Marcos judgement more than anyone on here.

Marco's judgement is probably Raheem has a couple of good seasons left in him, after which Marco will move elsewhere and Raheem will be rubbish. Macro has a massive conflict of interest, he is mostly interested in signings immediate impact and rather than long-term value.

Surely by your logic, all managers have a conflict of interest? No elite level manager is going to want a squad of long term prospects because they're judged on short term results, and not every prospect will develop quickly enough to have an instant impact. A DoF should be setting the strategy in terms of building a squad that fits a wider footballing philosophy set from academy through to first team and ensuring you have a range of age groups in the first team squad.

[FFC1987]

I'm not exactly thrilled about this as I thought his legs were gone whenever I watched him. But if Silva wants and can work with him so then so be it.

I don't want him with us he's already a bit of a has been but marco seems to go for older experienced players but I still don't want him . Prolific cheat.

If true I trust Marcos judgement more than anyone on here.

Marco's judgement is probably Raheem has a couple of good seasons left in him, after which Marco will move elsewhere and Raheem will be rubbish. Macro has a massive conflict of interest, he is mostly interested in signings immediate impact and rather than long-term value.

Is it a massive conflict of interest for the club to sign people who they believe can make us finish higher in the table right now and possibly get us over line into europe?

Considering it sounds like they will sign Nelson as our 25yr old (who could have plenty resale value if he has a great couple seasons) + Raheem possibly signing on a free (bar considerable wages)...cos in that instance, they could well see Raheem as a squad element that could help us take the step up that allows us to qualify for europe and in turn....attract good young players, like - Fofana, who reportedly doesn't want to go to Everton (and probably us) because he likely wants a club in Europe.

Making moves that the club and manager feel can help us finish higher in the table *right now*, is not a conflict of interest, it's in all our interests. It is an outcome that in itself would allow the club to make more money and attract better talent. With NO transfer fee for Raheem - if he managed 2 years of good service and it helped take us up a level, it's good thing for everyone involved.

Totally agree, I remember people judging Willian on what happened at Arsenal, and he didn't turn out too bad.

He played a massive part in keeping us in the league and finishing top 10 and taking the club up a level.
Now we're trying to take that next step with a settled and better squad all round from that.

This theory might carry more weight if we weren't also singing another 25 year old winger at the same time. We've had zero FFP issues to date, and managed 2 club record sales in recent years. If this weren't the case I'd perhaps be more concerned with our approach too.

I get the sentiment of comparing Willian and Sterling, but its not one I think is apples and apples. Willian didn't look broken to me at Arsenal. Struggling yes, but I think you could still see he was working hard and showed glimpses of class. Sterling just looked cooked to me. Legs gone. Mind working, but legs not willing. Yards of pace gone. What made Sterling excellent, was his reading of the game along with his pace to anticipate pockets of space that bagged him a lot of goals. If his legs aren't up to it anymore, he'll be a passenger.

If he comes, I'd wager the fitness coaches and Silva et all have seen a lot more than me so I trust the process. I'm personally just saying, on the eye, his legs looked gone. 

[Angus Telford]

Is it a massive conflict of interest for the club to sign people who they believe can make us finish higher in the table right now and possibly get us over line into europe?

Sterling isn't an upgrade on Willian.

Nelson isn't an upgrade on, er, Nelson.

I fully accept/hope that we'll sign some real quality in due course and then we can debate those separately, but these signings (Lecomte, Nelson, Sterling if it happens) are about treading water, they aren't going to "make us finish higher".

[Angus Telford]

Surely by your logic, all managers have a conflict of interest? No elite level manager is going to want a squad of long term prospects because they're judged on short term results, and not every prospect will develop quickly enough to have an instant impact. A DoF should be setting the strategy in terms of building a squad that fits a wider footballing philosophy set from academy through to first team and ensuring you have a range of age groups in the first team squad.

You're absolutely right but, without wanting to open a different can of worms, that's why we're totally exposed to this risk, because we don't have a DOF to set/implement that strategy. Really on the football side it's just Silva

[FFC1987]

Sterling isn't an upgrade on Willian.

Nelson isn't an upgrade on, er, Nelson.

I fully accept/hope that we'll sign some real quality in due course and then we can debate those separately, but these signings (Lecomte, Nelson, Sterling if it happens) are about treading water, they aren't going to "make us finish higher".

Lecomte is an upgrade on Benda and Nelson if he remains fit, is an upgrade on an injured Nelson. How Sterling does I don't know. I'm personally not keen but Willian didn't offer anything really last year so I think it's safe to say his legs were definitely cooked.

[Whitestone]

I'm not exactly thrilled about this as I thought his legs were gone whenever I watched him. But if Silva wants and can work with him so then so be it.

I don't want him with us he's already a bit of a has been but marco seems to go for older experienced players but I still don't want him . Prolific cheat.

If true I trust Marcos judgement more than anyone on here.

Marco's judgement is probably Raheem has a couple of good seasons left in him, after which Marco will move elsewhere and Raheem will be rubbish. Macro has a massive conflict of interest, he is mostly interested in signings immediate impact and rather than long-term value.

Surely by your logic, all managers have a conflict of interest? No elite level manager is going to want a squad of long term prospects because they're judged on short term results, and not every prospect will develop quickly enough to have an instant impact. A DoF should be setting the strategy in terms of building a squad that fits a wider footballing philosophy set from academy through to first team and ensuring you have a range of age groups in the first team squad.

That's if you have a competent DoF who is also able to fully commit to the role.

[jayffc]

Sterling isn't an upgrade on Willian.

Nelson isn't an upgrade on, er, Nelson.

I fully accept/hope that we'll sign some real quality in due course and then we can debate those separately, but these signings (Lecomte, Nelson, Sterling if it happens) are about treading water, they aren't going to "make us finish higher".

Lecomte is an upgrade on Benda and Nelson if he remains fit, is an upgrade on an injured Nelson. How Sterling does I don't know. I'm personally not keen but Willian didn't offer anything really last year so I think it's safe to say his legs were definitely cooked.

Precisely - the issue with Nelson is the fitness concern - the club will have a better read on that than us. When he was in and around the team as an attacking option, we were comfortably in and around the European places as high as 6th at one point, which is what we're trying to achieve.

Failing that working out - We absolutely can not say for sure that Sterling will or won't be an upgrade on Willian? But certainly don't think it's a stretch to suggest he could* be...especially based on the last season and half of Willian. And the stats suggest as much.

Sterling has 123 goals and 75 assists in the Premier League. Absolutely, his form has curtailed the last few years, but 30 is not that old these days.

He had 15 G/A in 23/24 - That's 5 more than Willian had in his best year for us in 22/23 (a year where Sterling still matched that figure by the way)

4 years younger than Willian was when he joined us first and with an impressive history of winning multiple titles, cups, a player of the year award and scoring and assisting. Willian was actually "cooked" at Arsenal according to plenty of their support. Just like we'd be buying a young player based on the hope he could get better...we'd be loaning sterling on the hope we can help him refind his form - as we have so many players before that have been written off.

[Woolly Mammoth]

I'm not exactly thrilled about this as I thought his legs were gone whenever I watched him. But if Silva wants and can work with him so then so be it.

I don't want him with us he's already a bit of a has been but marco seems to go for older experienced players but I still don't want him . Prolific cheat.

If true I trust Marcos judgement more than anyone on here.

Marco's judgement is probably Raheem has a couple of good seasons left in him, after which Marco will move elsewhere and Raheem will be rubbish. Macro has a massive conflict of interest, he is mostly interested in signings immediate impact and rather than long-term value.

But it is about making an immediate impact if we want to not only stay in the Premier League but advance and win a Cup or two on the way. Take one season at a time.
Of course I want to see our quality academy players retained and given an opportunity to have a decent run.
Due to money rearing its ugly head in football since the Premier League commenced, making players millionaires overnight.
The days of planning longer term are diminishing due  to all the uncertainty as the gravy train continues to spread its tentacles.
Managers and players want to win silverware and have something to show for their labour, and the need to survive short term is due to so many club owners not being football supporters and football people, and I am sure a huge percentage of them would not find the club they own if they did not have access to a Sat Nav.
So we are not in a position to turn our nose up at players like Sterling, assuming he would be interested in Fulham in the first place, and Silva like all football followers  knows that results count above everything else.
Let us not kid ourselves.
It is a ruthless business where players via there agents are in a strong position these days to orchestrate clubs to march to the beat of their drum, and you add the lack of genuine interest by far away owners and D of F  to what actually happens on the field of play, and the difficulty managers have managing a club 24/7, because that's what managers do, it takes up their whole life day in and day out.
Every minute of the day chewing over the fat, making sure every single player is happy and content to how the team is run, and has to keep the players not starting happy also.
Because once he loses the dressing room he is a dead man walking.
Some of the club owners these days wouldn't know the difference between a football and a snowball.
But they will sack a manager without a second thought to make him a scapegoat for their own shortcomings and ignorance of football and what makes the loyal supporter continue to follow his beloved club in all weathers no matter what the results.
So for me if Marco Silva wishes to sign Sterling, then he has my blessing.

[Super Mick]

Who's our dof? Do we even have one?

[btffc]

Who's our dof? Do we even have one?

It's technically Tony Khan

[HV71]

Who's our dof? Do we even have one?

It's technically Tony Khan

Yes a gentleman who probably knows more about Kayfabe than he does about offside. He is improving , and learning on the job , but to quote a phrase ' still has a lot to learn grasshopper "

[General]

Looks like the fanbase is well and truly split on this one. Perhaps that in and of itself shows noone really knows and can be sure.

On his day he was arguably one of the best, if not best attacking players in the league.

Currently looks out of sorts..

If Marco can rejuvenate him to half or 3/4 of what he was before, which he tends to have a habit of doing, then I reckon most of us would be pretty happy.

[jayffc]

Looks like the fanbase is well and truly split on this one. Perhaps that in and of itself shows noone really knows and can be sure.

On his day he was arguably one of the best, if not best attacking players in the league.

Currently looks out of sorts..

If Marco can rejuvenate him to half or 3/4 of what he was before, which he tends to have a habit of doing, then I reckon most of us would be pretty happy.

Indeed he once won fwa player of the year and PFA young player is the year and was nominated twice for ballon d'or.

Why anyone would write him off after the amount of revivals we've managed in our history I don't really get.

It's possible he's completely spent but at 30 yo it seems highly plausible to me that he could have plenty left in the tank if motivated.

[FFC1987]

Looks like the fanbase is well and truly split on this one. Perhaps that in and of itself shows noone really knows and can be sure.

On his day he was arguably one of the best, if not best attacking players in the league.

Currently looks out of sorts..

If Marco can rejuvenate him to half or 3/4 of what he was before, which he tends to have a habit of doing, then I reckon most of us would be pretty happy.

Indeed he once won fwa player of the year and PFA young player is the year and was nominated twice for ballon d'or.

Why anyone would write him off after the amount of revivals we've managed in our history I don't really get.

It's possible he's completely spent but at 30 yo it seems highly plausible to me that he could have plenty left in the tank if motivated.

My scepticism is nothing to do with his ability but just that every appearance I saw from him last year and season before, was that he just looked physically weak. He looked slow, lethargic but granted, he's always had that look to him, but just weak. I worry he's just one of those footballers that played too much, too early and hasn't really looked after himself hence why appearing to look fine at 30.

But again though, if Silva and co. See it differently and we have a real baller on our hands then I'll be hoping to be wrong on it!!!

[v]

Watching Italian TV tonight and their weekly football transfer programme thinks Napoli are undecided between making a bid for Chiesa or Sterling up front.

[Super Mick]

Willian looked like he was ready for the scrap yard at arsenal. A few weeks with Marco and he was revitalised.

[Fulham Tup North]

Willian looked like he was ready for the scrap yard at arsenal. A few weeks with Marco and he was revitalised.

That's Doris' tea for you at Motspur Park... all those added 'ingredients'... it would give anyone a boost.... 

[H4usuallysitting]

I'm not exactly thrilled about this as I thought his legs were gone whenever I watched him. But if Silva wants and can work with him so then so be it.

I don't want him with us he's already a bit of a has been but marco seems to go for older experienced players but I still don't want him . Prolific cheat.

If true I trust Marcos judgement more than anyone on here.

Marco's judgement is probably Raheem has a couple of good seasons left in him, after which Marco will move elsewhere and Raheem will be rubbish. Macro has a massive conflict of interest, he is mostly interested in signings immediate impact and rather than long-term value.

But it is about making an immediate impact if we want to not only stay in the Premier League but advance and win a Cup or two on the way. Take one season at a time.
Of course I want to see our quality academy players retained and given an opportunity to have a decent run.
Due to money rearing its ugly head in football since the Premier League commenced, making players millionaires overnight.
The days of planning longer term are diminishing due  to all the uncertainty as the gravy train continues to spread its tentacles.
Managers and players want to win silverware and have something to show for their labour, and the need to survive short term is due to so many club owners not being football supporters and football people, and I am sure a huge percentage of them would not find the club they own if they did not have access to a Sat Nav.
So we are not in a position to turn our nose up at players like Sterling, assuming he would be interested in Fulham in the first place, and Silva like all football followers  knows that results count above everything else.
Let us not kid ourselves.
It is a ruthless business where players via there agents are in a strong position these days to orchestrate clubs to march to the beat of their drum, and you add the lack of genuine interest by far away owners and D of F  to what actually happens on the field of play, and the difficulty managers have managing a club 24/7, because that's what managers do, it takes up their whole life day in and day out.
Every minute of the day chewing over the fat, making sure every single player is happy and content to how the team is run, and has to keep the players not starting happy also.
Because once he loses the dressing room he is a dead man walking.
Some of the club owners these days wouldn't know the difference between a football and a snowball.
But they will sack a manager without a second thought to make him a scapegoat for their own shortcomings and ignorance of football and what makes the loyal supporter continue to follow his beloved club in all weathers no matter what the results.
So for me if Marco Silva wishes to sign Sterling, then he has my blessing.

That's an easy one...a snowball is an ice cream

[H4usuallysitting]

Raheem Sterling like Willian is/was being written off.... Willian turned up with a point to prove...and boy (in his first season) did he prove it....as calculated gamble's go - this could be a good one