The clock has almost timed out on the transfer window, and at 11.00 pm tomorrow it slams shut once again. An unproven young striker from Tottenham Called Dane Scarlett is hardly the answer, and if we are serious about taking this division by the throat, then we have to work hard to get some potential deals over the line in the time remaining.
I am hopeful that CEO Mark Ashton is not resting on his laurels and has a few deals very close to completion, but the last day of the transfer window is always a nervous time for players, coaches, management teams and supporters alike. It’s decision time!
So then, who do we think might be coming to Portman Road? Leeds United striker Joe Gelhardt has been mentioned by several sources as a real possibility, and perhaps the path to Jesurun Rak-Saki has not gone completely cold. We certainly need another forward but ideally, one who has more experience than loan players Omari Hutchinson and Dane Scarlett. They have a bright future but what we need is the here and now!
George Edmundson was to blame for the late Reading equalizer in the Carabao Cup, and watching him over the years, there seems always a mistake just waiting to happen. He may be experienced but I am not at all convinced he can step up to the plate at Championship level. That leaves, Cameron Burgess, Luke Wollfenden and a rapidly improving Elkan Baggott. This is not enough, and we do need another experienced central defender – otherwise, we could be found wanting. The same applies to the goalkeeping department. I would like to see an experienced keeper coming in on a stop-gap loan deal until January. I think Town will be thinking along those lines as well.
Tomorrow is our last chance to strengthen, and we must try our damndest to get some important deals over the line. Anything less, and sadly, we could live to regret it later.
In all honesty I think we need to be very careful. The loans are good players that come with no risk. We need to stick to our guns and budget and if things don’t go our way we have a squad more than capable of remaining in this league which has to be pur priority. Whilst it would be great for an instant promotion we are far from a product that could compete. Surely the Leeds game told us that much. I’d be more than happy for gradual and financially prudent improvements year on year until we are good enough to have a good fist at the PL.
That was very well articulated Redhotitfc, and I agree, in the main, to most of what you say. We should remain prudent, and I think it would do us no favours going straight up to the Prem and then most likely going back down again. That said, I have been largely underwhelmed by some of our most recent acquisitions.
I agree with Redhotitfc Frank and think this season will be one of consolidation. Mark Ashton alluded to the fact that it is very easy to get sucked in to spending big money and probably well over the odds. Look at Derby over the years! He also mentioned that a lot of preperation work goes into the process well before the end of the season, but I suspect that we have missed a few of our first choice targets for one reason or another. The bottom line is that selling clubs, agents and players control what happens irrespective of all our efforts.
That said Ashton has a habit of pulling rabbits out of the hat so you never know what tomorrow may bring.
I agree with both you and Red Hot in that we should not try to run before we can walk and another season in this league would do us the world of good. I have, however, been disappointed with the players we have recruited in the window so far but a lot can happen in the last 24 hours!