Riggs and Khan

[WayneKerrins]

Want to acknowledge the good work Riggs has done overhauling a poor squad and addressing most deficiencies at circa break even on fees. I was wrong to question his substance and stand corrected.

(Let's not go down the are signing on fees up fronted wages or transfer fees debate or have we saved or not on wages by shifting Hughe earners etc)

The team clearly lacks pace offensively, out wide and up front. As Kit isnt a tactical magician I think better teams will set up recognizing this a stifle us. To that end while the squad is unit, by unit play off or thereabouts overall this one big weakness I think means we will be more likely a top mid side as opposed to bottom play offs.

Whilst I was wrong re Riggs I was bang on re Khan. Plaudits to him for bringing Riggs in but once again, for the third window in a row we see no net investment in the team. Sell to buy and balancing the books rules despite his pronouncements.

We might just scrape play offs via this frugal approach but looking at rival Chairman who have less resources and less FFP headroom by virtue of our para payments I think it is factually correct to state Khan has not walked his talk. I'm sure Khan's advocates will try to demur but the numbers are the numbers and his words are on the record.

Anyway let's move on and get behind the team.

[davew]

Yes let's move on but forget the playoffs , we will be a long way off those! I used to be such a negative person, these days I am a realist!

[Andy S]

I find this post amazing. What were we supposed to do? It is very difficult to attract players to a club that is coming from nowhere. The best that can be hoped for is to build bit by bit in the right way until there is enough improvement. This window we have gone a long way to doing that! There is no sure fire recipe for winning promotion. You pick a side and hope it wins. In this league as we saw last season everyone was beating everyone. We have improved and it is now time to se how much before we play with things again

[Deeping_white]

Could you please explain how it's a negative that we haven't spent loads of money? Why does Khan have to spend a fortune to justify that he's an ambitious owner? Look at Bournemouth's owner, I'm sure he was ambitious to get to the premier league, but he didn't spend a shed load of cash to do so. Spending loads of money on players doesn't equal success and I think you'd do well to bear that in mind.

[Denver Fulham]

Worth noting that we can still get Hooper or someone else on loan, but I agree with Wayne's overall assessment. It's a decent start to halting the rot at the club, but we have a lot of work left to be a legit playoff contender. We're still a very one-note team with an extremely one-note manager.

That said, I'm excited to see how the new defense develops, and we should win our share of games assuming guys like Ross and LVC start finding their normal levels.

[love4ffc]

Could you please explain how it's a negative that we haven't spent loads of money? Why does Khan have to spend a fortune to justify that he's an ambitious owner? Look at Bournemouth's owner, I'm sure he was ambitious to get to the premier league, but he didn't spend a shed load of cash to do so. Spending loads of money on players doesn't equal success and I think you'd do well to bear that in mind.

Your absolutely correct.  Spending loads of money on players doesn't equal success.  It needs to be a combination of things.  

The right owner determining when it's right to spend cash on players.
The right GM getting the right players, the right coaches getting the players to all be in sync.
The right manager with the right tactics to get the wins.
The right players to make it all come together on the pitch.  

Oh and don't forget the stars must be aligned properly in the heavens.  

Hopefully all of this is set in place for FFC to do great things this year.  
:Get Coat gif:

[Blanco]

Could you please explain how it's a negative that we haven't spent loads of money? Why does Khan have to spend a fortune to justify that he's an ambitious owner? Look at Bournemouth's owner, I'm sure he was ambitious to get to the premier league, but he didn't spend a shed load of cash to do so. Spending loads of money on players doesn't equal success and I think you'd do well to bear that in mind.

Yes but Bournemouth have Ernie Howe and we have Kit symons.

[Pluto]

I would have liked us to spend a little more to get a top class goal scorer in like Vydra or Rhodes but I'm happy enough with the moves we made. Unfortunately im not so optimistic about the manager...

[love4ffc]

I would have liked us to spend a little more to get a top class goal scorer in like Vydra or Rhodes but I'm happy enough with the moves we made. Unfortunately im not so optimistic about the manager...

I'm content with our strike force.  Will be glad when Smith is back fit.  Would really of liked for us to have spent on some pacey wingers. 

[Finnegans Wake]

Could you please explain how it's a negative that we haven't spent loads of money? Why does Khan have to spend a fortune to justify that he's an ambitious owner? Look at Bournemouth's owner, I'm sure he was ambitious to get to the premier league, but he didn't spend a shed load of cash to do so. Spending loads of money on players doesn't equal success and I think you'd do well to bear that in mind.

Your absolutely correct.  Spending loads of money on players doesn't equal success.  It needs to be a combination of things. 

The right owner determining when it's right to spend cash on players.
The right GM getting the right players, the right coaches getting the players to all be in sync.
The right manager with the right tactics to get the wins.
The right players to make it all come together on the pitch. 

Oh and don't forget the stars must be aligned properly in the heavens. 

Hopefully all of this is set in place for FFC to do great things this year. 
:Get Coat gif:

Agreed

[Nick Bateman]

Want to acknowledge the good work Riggs has done overhauling a poor squad and addressing most deficiencies at circa break even on fees. I was wrong to question his substance and stand corrected.

(Let's not go down the are signing on fees up fronted wages or transfer fees debate or have we saved or not on wages by shifting Hughe earners etc)

The team clearly lacks pace offensively, out wide and up front. As Kit isnt a tactical magician I think better teams will set up recognizing this a stifle us. To that end while the squad is unit, by unit play off or thereabouts overall this one big weakness I think means we will be more likely a top mid side as opposed to bottom play offs.

Whilst I was wrong re Riggs I was bang on re Khan. Plaudits to him for bringing Riggs in but once again, for the third window in a row we see no net investment in the team. Sell to buy and balancing the books rules despite his pronouncements.

We might just scrape play offs via this frugal approach but looking at rival Chairman who have less resources and less FFP headroom by virtue of our para payments I think it is factually correct to state Khan has not walked his talk. I'm sure Khan's advocates will try to demur but the numbers are the numbers and his words are on the record.

Anyway let's move on and get behind the team.

In another posting I've praised Khan and the administration  but there is nothing wrong with expecting even more and Khan is a MULTI-BILLIONAIRE so by his standards this is "chicken feed".  I am always with Fulham supporters who demand the HIGHEST standards/ambition/investment, although one is quite content with the transactions we did on the final day.

[love4ffc]

Want to acknowledge the good work Riggs has done overhauling a poor squad and addressing most deficiencies at circa break even on fees. I was wrong to question his substance and stand corrected.

(Let's not go down the are signing on fees up fronted wages or transfer fees debate or have we saved or not on wages by shifting Hughe earners etc)

The team clearly lacks pace offensively, out wide and up front. As Kit isnt a tactical magician I think better teams will set up recognizing this a stifle us. To that end while the squad is unit, by unit play off or thereabouts overall this one big weakness I think means we will be more likely a top mid side as opposed to bottom play offs.

Whilst I was wrong re Riggs I was bang on re Khan. Plaudits to him for bringing Riggs in but once again, for the third window in a row we see no net investment in the team. Sell to buy and balancing the books rules despite his pronouncements.

We might just scrape play offs via this frugal approach but looking at rival Chairman who have less resources and less FFP headroom by virtue of our para payments I think it is factually correct to state Khan has not walked his talk. I'm sure Khan's advocates will try to demur but the numbers are the numbers and his words are on the record.

Anyway let's move on and get behind the team.

In another posting I've praised Khan and the administration  but there is nothing wrong with expecting even more and Khan is a MULTI-BILLIONAIRE so by his standards this is "chicken feed".  I am always with Fulham supporters who demand the HIGHEST standards/ambition/investment, although one is quite content with the transactions we did on the final day.

Who is this chap who talk more sense of late?  What has happened to the old NB?   1500.gif

[dannyboi-ffc]

We seem to be losing each other with one side happy with the window and the other a tad disappointed. Those disappointed aren't angry millions and millions wasn't spent or potentially wasted. It just seems a little frustrating that Khan spoke at length about doing what it takes to get promoted when it was time to renew season tickets. And now it appears he hasn't spent a penny. Not a problem and at least the club aren't in a financial mess as a result. But most would agree you need to spend more than a net of zero to give yourselves maximum chance of promotion.

I don't think many are upset with who we did sign. It's not all doom and gloom anyway. I'm looking forward to seeing our new signings

[Nick Bateman]

Who is this chap who talk more sense of late?  What has happened to the old NB?   1500.gif

Perhaps what I was saying constantly wasn't getting across but my view has been pretty consistent.

I equally concur with Dannyboi and a couple of weeks ago was a "Raging Bull" while others were citing FFP and content with second-rate bargain-basement provisions.  The frustration within one was boiling over and one felt moved to argue vehemently on this Fulham representative publication.

However, one must see that the club have invested at the death and Fredericks does excite me - I can see a legend being born and that has to be acknowledged.

[WayneKerrins]

I find this post amazing. What were we supposed to do? It is very difficult to attract players to a club that is coming from nowhere. The best that can be hoped for is to build bit by bit in the right way until there is enough improvement. This window we have gone a long way to doing that! There is no sure fire recipe for winning promotion. You pick a side and hope it wins. In this league as we saw last season everyone was beating everyone. We have improved and it is now time to se how much before we play with things again

'

Fair enough if you disagree. Think "amazing" is somewhat extreme. 1 or 2 more signings with pace (winger/forward) and Id suggest we were nailed on play offs. We know we have an owner who says he wants to do what it takes to get us back to the prem, we know he has the means, owner funded losses  FFP in the context of our parachute payments provide us with a relative advantage.

Despite all of this it didn't happen. I'm positive about the window, indeed Rigg has done as well as anyone with less cards than some but the facts are that Khan didn't put in a bean (again) and my view is that if he had we could have been set fair for a real run as opposed to being marginal contenders.

Respect you may disagree with my view, but the facts are not in dispute and I don't think my analysis can in any way be called extreme or wacky.

But as I said, I expected posters to demur.

Let's move on.

[WayneKerrins]

We seem to be losing each other with one side happy with the window and the other a tad disappointed. Those disappointed aren't angry millions and millions wasn't spent or potentially wasted. It just seems a little frustrating that Khan spoke at length about doing what it takes to get promoted when it was time to renew season tickets. And now it appears he hasn't spent a penny. Not a problem and at least the club aren't in a financial mess as a result. But most would agree you need to spend more than a net of zero to give yourselves maximum chance of promotion.

I don't think many are upset with who we did sign. It's not all doom and gloom anyway. I'm looking forward to seeing our new signings

Well put

[Logicalman]

I agree with the OP that Khan expressed his intent that money would not be an option but apparently maintains a sell-to-buy policy and balancing books attitude.

How much of this is actually directly down to Khan is not evident, perhaps he has made the funds available and it's the mentality of those that do the deals that goes some way towards this policy, we really don't know, but on the face of it, Khan could clarify his position even if he is not required to do so.

I would have to say that, if his statements of intent still hold true, the only possible reason I could find would be that he is still 100% dependent on those that advise him in these matters and they have decided on such a policy, perhaps with an eye on FFP, perhaps not, or they have just not identified and convinced those players that would stretch the purse strings to come to the Cottage.

[Fulham1959]

Who wants promotion this season ?  Not me  -  just a vast improvement, to prepare for something more substantial next season.

So, 'on paper', I am pretty happy with how things are shaping-up.

[NJFulham]

So breaking even = not spending money?

[nose]

Regarding the OP.

I do not really know these players we have brought in and I will reserve judgment. It would have been nice to try and get a 'name' but on the other hand that does not guarantee anything.

Since mr khan took over we have gone backwards at alarming rate, that is not apportioning blame just a fact. if this window is the first step in turning it round we will all be pleased but too soon to say.