Signings and Departures 2012 / 2013

[Bill Benn]

Clayton has looked good in pre-season against mainly inferior opposition but did not look like a goalscorer for most of last season against L1 opposition. ( I think that at one stage of the season he had something like 2 goals in his last 30 games). Maybe (hopefully) he will have a better season on the scoring front but I was hoping that we would at the very least provide him with a bit of competition for his place which so far we haven't achieved.

I'm not panicking blunstone but I do worry about the inability of our management team to deliver strikers, something that has been apparant ever since Uwe arrived.

I'm afraid that as things stand I see this as the main obstacle to us being a real threat this year

While agreeing with you on the striker situation l don't think it's too much to expect a better return of goals from mid field as well as from Donaldson.Also hoping that this present striker situation Uwe doesn go with 1 up front at away games

[North London Bee]

I don't think the budget will stretch to our signing an experienced third striker without another wage leaving the squad and the obvious candidate has had a pretty decent preseason.

I hope that I am not criticising out of turn but as things stand I Can't say I am too impressed with Mr Warburton as his efforts to complete the squad have so far come to naught and if I was UR I might be feeling a bit let down and disappointed

[Bill Benn]

I don't think the budget will stretch to our signing an experienced third striker without another wage leaving the squad and the obvious candidate has had a pretty decent preseason.

I hope that I am not criticising out of turn but as things stand I Can't say I am too impressed with Mr Warburton as his efforts to complete the squad have so far come to naught and if I was UR I might be feeling a bit let down and disappointed

Interesting point re Warburton considering he's part time he seems to be the man to get Roslers targets on board,why we have a bloke whos been a youth coach most of bis life has this job is beyond mel

[bostonhanwell]

The problem might be that we are trying to extract a player who is in contract without paying a fee to his current club and they might feel that they do not owe us any favours particularly when we turned them away last season when they tried to get KO on the cheap. Tit for tat!

But we wanted to keep KO and they want rid of Hayes so not the same at all really.

[jlove]

Let you into a little secret...............http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/12094...bar&adtype=pla

It's ready for Uwe's high intentsity game...

[bostonhanwell]

I don't think the budget will stretch to our signing an experienced third striker without another wage leaving the squad and the obvious candidate has had a pretty decent preseason.

I hope that I am not criticising out of turn but as things stand I Can't say I am too impressed with Mr Warburton as his efforts to complete the squad have so far come to naught and if I was UR I might be feeling a bit let down and disappointed

You have to remember he is working within the constraints of a fixed budget. I am sure that if we wanted to chuck money about we could pick up any number of strikers but that is not the Brentford way. Signing Donaldson and El Alagui on frees is sound business and hopefully if we can get Hayes we wouldn't be looking too shabby.

[sonofabee]

I don't think the budget will stretch to our signing an experienced third striker without another wage leaving the squad and the obvious candidate has had a pretty decent preseason.

I hope that I am not criticising out of turn but as things stand I Can't say I am too impressed with Mr Warburton as
his efforts to complete the squad have so far come to naught and if I was UR I might be feeling a bit let down and disappointed

I suspect that if Bidwell doesn't return people may start questioning what real benefit UR gets from MW is in his current role

[Bill Benn]

I suspect that if Bidwell doesn't return people may start questioning what real benefit UR gets from MW is in his current role

I started questioning that a long way back.

[North London Bee]

But we wanted to keep KO and they want rid of Hayes so not the same at all really.

It is totally the same - they made an offer for KO that we dismissed out of hand so they are reciprocating now we are trying to extract for nothing a player who is in contract and probably worth a fee. It is brinksmanship, they want him off the wage bill but are waiting to see if someone is prepared to offer them a fee too.

[North London Bee]

I suspect that if Bidwell doesn't return people may start questioning what real benefit UR gets from MW is in his current role

I slightly disagree as the decision as to whether Bidwell returns to us or not is not within MW's gift but what IS is how long we wait for him before we decide to make an alternative arrangement elsewhere. I understand that the club felt, erroneously as it turned out that Schluup would be returning on loan early last season and when this did not happen it put us well behind the clock.

[sonofabee]

I slightly disagree as the decision as to whether Bidwell returns to us or not is not within MW's gift but what IS is how long we wait for him before we decide to make an alternative arrangement elsewhere. I understand that the club felt, erroneously as it turned out that Schluup would be returning on loan early last season and when this did not happen it put us well behind the clock.

You're right NLB, it's not all about Bidwell. It's if there is a repeat scenario whereby loan players we're expecting as nailed on don't arrive and we've no plan b.

[sonofabee]

I started questioning that a long way back.

I don't want to be negative as far more positives to talk about at the moment but just not sure how important MW is to the first team.

[magicbees]

I slightly disagree as the decision as to whether Bidwell returns to us or not is not within MW's gift but what IS is how long we wait for him before we decide to make an alternative arrangement elsewhere. I understand that the club felt, erroneously as it turned out that Schluup would be returning on loan early last season and when this did not happen it put us well behind the clock.

Agree NLB, we shouldn't be starting a trailist in our last pre season game. The season starts on Saturday and we haven't got a left back and no strikers for the bench, other then development players. I'm getting slightly concerned as I feel we have a great chance this season and I don't want us to throw it away.

[ICANBEEFORMILES]

Well it's one of two things, either Uwe learnt nothing from last season, or he's the unluckiest manager in the world when it comes to signing players.

[Steve G]

Agree NLB, we shouldn't be starting a trailist in our last pre season game. The season starts on Saturday and we haven't got a left back and no strikers for the bench, other then development players. I'm getting slightly concerned as I feel we have a great chance this season and I don't want us to throw it away.

We have a brilliant chance, automatic promotion expected but a top 6 finish is the minimum requirement. All the excuses were used up last season.

[Oh Beehave]

We have a brilliant chance, automatic promotion expected but a top 6 finish is the minimum requirement. All the excuses were used up last season.

No offence but you're nuts mate. We all dream of Champship but top 6 would be a great achievement for a club our size recently in D2.

[mhead bee]

Clayton has looked good in pre-season against mainly inferior opposition but did not look like a goalscorer for most of last season against L1 opposition.

Depends how you spin it really. He was prolific at crewe and then last pre season he couldn't buy a goal for us and then the season continued like that until the last third. This season he is on fire pre season carrying on from the form at the end of last season. Goalscoring is in the mind and he has finally got his eye in.

[Brentford_till_die]

If and it is an if no new striker signs we still have Clayton who by all accounts has looked excellent pre season(superb 45 minutes vs Hayes) and a new striker in Farid who has been finding the net - why are you worrying?
We may not have strength in depth but when have we ever? - Short term, we have German or Weston who could fill in short term.

Spot on and it's not about quantity but quality. I we can't sign a striker who adds improvement then were not going to sign one

[shepperton bee]

I love all this 'automatic promotion top 6 expected'......'top six minimum requirement'.....of course we all want to go up but how about a reality check since we went up from div 3s in about 1934 (not sure of date)we have been promoted to the second tier of English football ONCE .....ONCE in 78 years !!!...thats how tough its been and will be...to be honest in the 4/5 years it will take to move to Lionel Road i'm not even sure its a great thing to get promoted immediately...what i DO expect is a return of entertainment and goals to Griffin Park ...lets be honest the last couple of seasons have been tough watching but its clear the sort of football Uwe wants to try and play lets hope he can achieve it ...if we have a tilt at the playoffs great ...if we dont get promoted i'm not going to be calling for his head as long as i've had value for my season ticket which i dont think i have over the past 2 years ...p.s a cup run would be nice as well.

[condorman]

We do need a left back!!!

If we end up starting Redwood in the Carling Cup match its probably not the end of the world which buys another week

[Kingston Bee]

Spot on and it's not about quantity but quality. I we can't sign a striker who adds improvement then were not going to sign one

Agree we are looking to improve the squad with every signing, however, we are a couple of injuries away from lacking quantity and quality in 2 or 3 key positions, and that is without having signed a recognised LB, just 3 days away from the first competitive game of the season. Why?

[fanfrom87]

We have a brilliant chance, automatic promotion expected but a top 6 finish is the minimum requirement. All the excuses were used up last season.

Who exactly is expecting automatic promotion? Our budget is still appreciatedly less than Shef Utd, Bournemouth, MK Dons, Coventry, Swindon and probably others as well. For me the relevant question is can we get at least 6 points more than last season which would get us into the playoffs. I'd say that we were more than capable. The majority of the squad now know the playing style expected, and the other new additions are on the face of it a distinct improvement in quality.

And yes we still need another striker and left back, but there are 46 league games still to go. It would have been lovely to wrap up all our signings by the end of July but in the modern transfer market this is not easy. There is often not much movement until near the end of August when transfers tend to have a cascading effect. Besides, has any other L1 side signed a striker who we would have definitely wanted?

[Rainbrander Bee]

I love all this 'automatic promotion top 6 expected'......'top six minimum requirement'.....of course we all want to go up but how about a reality check since we went up from div 3s in about 1934 (not sure of date)we have been promoted to the second tier of English football ONCE .....ONCE in 78 years !!!...thats how tough its been and will be...to be honest in the 4/5 years it will take to move to Lionel Road i'm not even sure its a great thing to get promoted immediately...what i DO expect is a return of entertainment and goals to Griffin Park ...lets be honest the last couple of seasons have been tough watching but its clear the sort of football Uwe wants to try and play lets hope he can achieve it ...if we have a tilt at the playoffs great ...if we dont get promoted i'm not going to be calling for his head as long as i've had value for my season ticket which i dont think i have over the past 2 years ...p.s a cup run would be nice as well.

It's really nice to see some people on hear live in the real world!!! We all want to see our side sign the best players on offer, and go up by xmas, but that is not going to happen! We will sign a LB, and another striker, they may be great, or they may be average, either way, Uwe has us playing football that people pay to watch. As long as you leave a game having enjoyed it, crowds will return, and our club is on the up! COYR!!!

[Ruislip_Rich]

Nice to see some people on here being positive. I think we have the 6th highest wage bill in the division this season. If I had a crystal ball I would think theres still a 70/30 chance of signing Hayes in the next few days. Don't think Jake will be our left back..a championship club will snap him up. We will sign a couple of youngest from fulham(give them a chance when it happens) to fill the gaps for the first couple of months of the season. Sh@t my crystal ball is getting hazing again.......

[Ealing Bee]

I suspect that if Bidwell doesn't return people may start questioning what real benefit UR gets from MW is in his current role

Wrong way to look at it (imo).

Warburton is not there to please UR, he's there because Benham obviously trusts him to 'look after the shop', since he (MB) cannot devote his full attention (or is attending to other aspects of the club).

I don't know how good Warburton is at the job MB asks him to perform; then again, since MB is putting millions of his own money into the club, he must be entitled to appoint just whoever the Hell he likes. And if UR is going to be allowed to continue in the Manager's job, he (UR) surely knows he has to put up with it, end-of.

Anyhow, one of the things which has most impressed me about BFC recently is that following one of the busiest and (potentially) most momentous periods at the club - MB taking over, Lionel Road, Academy, Development Squad, new Managerial/Coaching set-up etc - is the fact that the people at the top seem pretty "tight". That is, there seem to have been few leaks or rows, personality clashes, sudden changes of direction or recriminations when things don't always go to plan etc.

And for this, I imagine MB, MW and UR must take most credit (I don't really understand where Greg Dyke fits in, but possibly him too)