So let's make this really simple

[Beamer]

We have signed Ream, now go out and get Dunk and Gayle. What will this do:
1. Prove the owner is prepared to put his money where his mouth is.
2.Give the manager a squad that is more than equal to most in the Championship.
Then we judge the position at the start of the new window - if we are in the top eight to ten:
1. The owner gets a lot of credit from the fans and proves he has FFC's interests at heart.
2. The manager is not naive and a poor man manager/motivator.
3. Rigg has done a good job in bringing stability back to the club on the playing side and has given us a base from which to move on.
If we are still struggling in the lower reaches:
1. The owner has done what he can by putting some cash back into the side.
2. The manager has either already gone or will be on his way soon.
But at least nobody can say we haven't tried. 

[HatterDon]

Somebody has to ask this question: What if Dunk and Gayle don't want to come to Fulham? What if there have been several players during this transfer period who we've made a move for who just don't want to play for us?

[Roberty]

Do you mean like Gayle and Grey both turned down a move to Bristol City after Palace and Brentford announced that the had agreed a fee to sell them?

Couldn't happen to us could it?

[RaySmith]

They might not want to come to us, of course, and there is not much the club can do about this.

Also, if we get them, they may not be the magical solution people hope for, and we already have a decent squad - but I agree that it needs some strengthening.

[PokerMatt]

I agree to an extent, but..

We already have very good players, barring provably bodurov. If kit can only get us to 10th with dunk and gayle on board (with him we'd surely have the best midfield and attack in the league?) then I'd say that's underperforming still.

[Beamer]

At some stage we need to ask why they don't want to come if this is the case. If the money is right, they would look at our side and be confident of getting regular starts - then it would probably be down to not believing in either the club ambition or that the manager is going to help their career. Not having a pop at KS just thinking what I might feel at present. Surely that is what Rigg was employed to put right.
Leaving out the individual players mentioned The point I was making is that spending some sensible money now would send a message to fans, the team, other teams and prospective signings that we are not going into a terminal decline.

[alfie]

We have signed Ream, now go out and get Dunk and Gayle. What will this do:
1. Prove the owner is prepared to put his money where his mouth is.
2.Give the manager a squad that is more than equal to most in the Championship.
Then we judge the position at the start of the new window - if we are in the top eight to ten:
1. The owner gets a lot of credit from the fans and proves he has FFC's interests at heart.
2. The manager is not naive and a poor man manager/motivator.
3. Rigg has done a good job in bringing stability back to the club on the playing side and has given us a base from which to move on.
If we are still struggling in the lower reaches:
1. The owner has done what he can by putting some cash back into the side.
2. The manager has either already gone or will be on his way soon.
But at least nobody can say we haven't tried. 

Re point 1. why does everyone think that Khan is not prepared to pay out for players, it is up to the management team to identify the player they want and then ask for money, this business with Dunk in my opinion it is Brighton who are playing games, they know we want him so they are pushing for all they can. there has to be a limit on what a club are prepared to pay for a player, whether wanted or not.

[Craven Mad]

I agree with the sentiment of this thread, but I've gotta say, the comments about Khan not spending/caring do seem very wrong.

He's spent every single window, including two £10m+ players in his first two seasons. He's heavily invested in our media presence which, for fans who can't make it to every game, has been invaluable in keeping up with our team and was something he really didn't need to do (just think about it, how many Championship teams do you think get almost daily videos/interviews etc, get full 90-minute match replays, get entire matchday coverage from the game and a studio, including special guests, etc, etc - it's really great and that'll be expensive). He's progressed plans to renovate the cottage (even though it'd probably be more lucrative to move us to a modern stadium). He's personally invested in a nice sponsor for the front of our kit (saving us from any gaudy logos, betting companies or payday loan sharks).

Basically, he's not scared to invest in our club and bring us forward. His job is to provide funds, which he has done, but he can't personally change results on the pitch - that's down to the players and manager.

I think what some people miss is that he's not a football man, he's a businessman. The decisions the club makes are down to (predominantly) Ali Mac, Mike Rigg and Kit Symons. Khan has always been there with seemingly a blank cheque at every stage. We've had really big bids for players rejected (like £5m for Dunk, which even the Brighton fans think is too much), how can anyone say Khan isn't willing to spend??

I have no doubt that the owner wants us promoted just as much as we do.

Maybe controversially, I feel that Khan has been a 100% better owner in his first three seasons than Fayed was in his final three.

[Baszab]

Very accurate OP

KS has been trying to sign players all Summer - had a target list of about 15

Where has it gone wrong ?

The stupid offers we made ? Rigg/Mackintosh negotiating ?

Nobody wants to come to FFC ?

We basically cut our own balls off by our conduct in the last 2 years and now reaping the side-effects

[Fulham1959]

I agree with the sentiment of this thread, but I've gotta say, the comments about Khan not spending/caring do seem very wrong.

He's spent every single window, including two £10m+ players in his first two seasons. He's heavily invested in our media presence which, for fans who can't make it to every game, has been invaluable in keeping up with our team and was something he really didn't need to do (just think about it, how many Championship teams do you think get almost daily videos/interviews etc, get full 90-minute match replays, get entire matchday coverage from the game and a studio, including special guests, etc, etc - it's really great and that'll be expensive). He's progressed plans to renovate the cottage (even though it'd probably be more lucrative to move us to a modern stadium). He's personally invested in a nice sponsor for the front of our kit (saving us from any gaudy logos, betting companies or payday loan sharks).

Basically, he's not scared to invest in our club and bring us forward. His job is to provide funds, which he has done, but he can't personally change results on the pitch - that's down to the players and manager.

I think what some people miss is that he's not a football man, he's a businessman. The decisions the club makes are down to (predominantly) Ali Mac, Mike Rigg and Kit Symons. Khan has always been there with seemingly a blank cheque at every stage. We've had really big bids for players rejected (like £5m for Dunk, which even the Brighton fans think is too much), how can anyone say Khan isn't willing to spend??

I have no doubt that the owner wants us promoted just as much as we do.

Maybe controversially, I feel that Khan has been a 100% better owner in his first three seasons than Fayed was in his final three.

Very well said.  There is far too much of 'jumping to conclusions' on this message-board, not to mention complete doom and gloom after just 3 matches, 2 of them away (yeah, yeah, I know it's not just this season, etc., etc.).

What will be, will be and, as fans, we just have to weather the storm.

[HamsterWheel]

Its easy to buy players if their current clubs want to sell. But Fulham seem to be only buying players who's clubs don't want to sell - mostly those voted player of the year !
Bit different from the Magath era when all the unemployed journeymen were begging for a job.
If they get Dunk they'll have done well with the buying.
Now all we need is for Kit to mould them into a team.... that's the bit I worry about.

[Craven Mad]

Its easy to buy players if their current clubs want to sell. But Fulham seem to be only buying players who's clubs don't want to sell - mostly those voted player of the year !
Bit different from the Magath era when all the unemployed journeymen were begging for a job.
If they get Dunk they'll have done well with the buying.
Now all we need is for Kit to mould them into a team.... that's the bit I worry about.

Completely agree.

We're going for the best in the league who - if they were honest - really want to play in the top flight, not for a club who finished in the bottom half last year. It was never gonna be easy, nor quick. I imagine players like Dunk have held out for a Premier League offer, hence why he wouldn't leave early in the window.

Hopefully we can get a few deals done before the close of the transfer season...

[Beamer]

Never meant to give the impression that I didn't think that the owner wasn't spending or that we hadn't been trying to get players, rather saying that if we followed through with a couple more good acquisitions it would make things look much rosier and clear any lingering doubts about our future intentions. At the moment it still feels like a job half done for whatever reason.