My response from Neil Doncaster concerning Transfer Strategy

Neil Doncaster basically said (in summary very slight editing of exactly what he said but I haven't altered it so it is out of context)

1. we do identify players well in advance Our scouts are continually monitoring players who would add to our squad.
2. we cannot predict the future - both in terms of injuries, form of players, sales of players. No-one here wanted to sell Dean, in this transfer window or any other. But as soon as it became patently clear that the player did not want to be here, we had to act. It is all very well having a long-term vision, but that vision needs to be flexible enough to cope with the unexpected and unforeseeable events that football throws at you.

3. [Neil Doncaster] the reality is that, with the professionalism of scouting networks and the proliferation of information about players, virtually all players who show potential are spotted at a very early stage - usually well before they even play professional football. Hence the number of scouts who watch Academy games. These days, it is simply much harder to find 'undiscovered gems' than once it was. And with the Academy rules on travel time, we are severly restricted in which young players we can bring in.

4. [Neil Doncaster] i am not aware that Nigel has any interest in Grey, Ormerod, Adebola or Lisbie. But, remember that Huckerby, Crouch and Harper were all under-performing for their respective Premier League sides two years ago - each of them came in and helped propel the Club towards promotion.

5. Then he said that we DO plan for contingincies - and thus look for players who are available should we win promotion.

6. And finally he said young, hungry, players with potential are expensive.

That's basically what he said.

Posted By: Poirot, Jan 25, 20:01:27