Signings and Departures 2012 / 2013

[magicbees]

MW CHRONY !

BRENTFORD face a race against the clock to bring in a new striker in time for Saturday's League One curtain-raiser at Bury.
Bees boss Uwe Rosler wants to bolster his frontline with one more signing to complement Clayton Donaldson, Farid El Alagui and Myles Weston.
And sporting director Mark Warburton admits time isn't on their side as they look to wrap up a deal for a forward in the next 48 hours.
“We're working very hard so the phone will be busy over the next couple of days,” said Warburton. “We need another striker to come in.

“It could be a loanee or a permanent signing. It's just a case of making sure we can get the terms right.
“It could be tight in terms of time for Saturday. There's a possibility we can get it done by then.”

Looks like the start of the season caught us by surprise.

[Les Beeavinu]

To be honest I'd rather Warburton was spending his weekends watching 25 year old striker prospects at the local Blue Square Premier clubs

I'd like to know if anyone from Brentford is watching senior games in this country.

[hobbsy]

Weston isn't a forward, why are they the only ones that thinks he is.

I imagine just because he spent most of pre season up there.

[hobbsy]

To be honest I'd rather Warburton was spending his weekends watching 25 year old striker prospects at the local Blue Square Premier clubs

The NextGen series kicked off again this week, wouldn't be surprised if these trips coincided.

[Les Beeavinu]

gazette !

MARK Warburton insists Brentford will leave no stone unturned in their bid to bring the best young talent to Griffin Park.
The Bees have already added Northern Ireland international Stuart Dallas to the squad this summer, while they also handed a trial to former Ajax frontman Rowendey Schoop.
And sporting director Warburton, also co-founder of the NextGen Series which showcases Europe's top youngsters, says Brentford will search at home and abroad to unearth new gems.
He said: “I'm going to Europe at the weekend to see a young player. I'm just waiting for the confirmation that the fixture is taking place.


“These boys are 18, 19, 20 years of age. They may not speak English, will they adapt to League One football and a cold night in Hartlepool or Carlisle in December?
“It's a tough ask. It's a great idea but you must make sure it's the right boy. If it's a 50/50 call we'll take the young English boy.”

18 months now and not one permanent signing - I won't be getting too excited about this.

[Bill Benn]

18 months now and not one permanent signing - I won't be getting too excited about this.

Nothing Warburton says or does excites me.

[steve.bees89]

Weston isn't a forward, why are they the only ones that thinks he is.

They're not. Uwe said he sees Weston as a striker. See one of the recent articles. Also, Weston started up front at Walsall did he not?

So I'd say they aren't the only ones who see him as a striker

[mundee4england]

I am still in the 'pro Rosler' camp but can't ignore those that are criticising the amount of time it has taken to get a striker in! We have had a year and have failed to do a proper job. The priority was always a top draw striker and IMO this should have been sorted long before a CB and LB.... You can get promoted with an average left back but not with an average striker!!

I hope I am proved wrong but feel Uwe may have hedged his bets on Bidwell and Hayes and if they have both fallen through we are now scratching around! I really hope the next signing fills us all with excitement rather than being someone with 'potential'!

[Garybaldbee]

gazette !

MARK Warburton insists Brentford will leave no stone unturned in their bid to bring the best young talent to Griffin Park..........

...........“These boys are 18, 19, 20 years of age. They may not speak English, will they adapt to League One football and a cold night in Hartlepool or Carlisle in December?
“It's a tough ask. It's a great idea but you must make sure it's the right boy. If it's a 50/50 call we'll take the young English boy.”

I'm always amused by the idea that cold winter nights in Hartlepool and similar 'grim up north' places are seen as something uniquely English and a benchmark for the assimilation of any foreign player. Does it never occur to anybody connected with English football that unless they come from the Med most continental footballers will have experienced conditions as cold or colder than those in a Hartlepool winter?

[Ealing Bee]

I have already started to water down my expectations for this season as I think we have got this aspect of the team seriously wrong for the 2nd year running.

"For the second year running", is it?
His "second year" (season) hasn't even started yet and the window is still open.

As for his first, he had two decent forwards in MacDonald and Alexander and both left for reasons outwith his control.

I am a big fan of Uwe and was hoping he would take us to the next level

Had it not been for Uwe (along with a good shift from Nicky F), the next level for BFC would have been League Two.

... but I'm afraid I think he has completely lost the plot when it comes to forwards.

Yeah, you're right. I mean, what would Uwe Rosler know about forward play...

[Ealing Bee]

Actually, we lack a third striker let alone a fourth one. And as for this search for the 'right striker', if 'right' means a set of criteria which makes it unlikely that we will get anyone in by Christmas then I would prefer a more flexible approach which ensured we started the season with competition for places. We went most of last season without this and paid the price in my view.

Of course we all want competition for places, UR more than anyone.

But my point is that if you sign players just for the sake of it i.e. numbers rather than quality, then they cease to provide proper "competition" just as soon as the established players cotton on that the new guys aren't up to it.

Of course, I'm sure Uwe could be much more successful in attracting talented new signings to GP if he promised them a place in the Starting XI, but that wouldn't provide real "competition" would it, though it would piss off CD and FEA.

Let's be quite clear about what's going on here. UR doesn't have pot loads of money to throw at the problem. Nor, to the outsider, is GP a particularly attractive* proposition compared with several other clubs in the Division. And if you're a family man in your mid-20s and playing for a club outside the M25, even if BFC offer a wage package which is competitive by League One standards, the cost of moving house and buying somewhere in the London area will often rule it out. Sure, Uwe could go for youngsters who don't have these things to worry about, or maybe veterans who have a few bob behind them already, but there is always a chance that the former won't make it or the latter are past it.

Above all, goalscoring forwards are the most valuable asset at any club and therefore the most sought-after. Therefore if one is available, affordable, hasn't already been snapped up by another club and is willing to come to GP, then there is very possibly a reason why.

And not a good reason, either.


* - Even if we insiders know differently!

[Ealing Bee]

And Donnelly, I see he is yet to play a competitive game for the swans, could of at least played a dozen pro games for us now. He's been picked for NI squad though

Don't be deceived by that call-up. The circumstances were that for an end-of-season friendly with Holland, NI had over a dozen withdrawals (from a squad which is only about 15 or 16-strong at the best of times!).

They got tanked 6-0. They used 6 of their 7 substitutes, with Donnelly being the one left on the bench. And as a mark of just how depleted they were, striker Will Grigg of Walsall played the entire 90 mins.

Meanwhile, whilst NI were playing a friendly against Finland last night, Rory was part of a 20-man squad representing the NI U-21's for their friendly away to Hungary. However he didn't start, nor was he even one of the seven named substitutes (though I suppose he could have been injured?).

Tbh, he isn't within a mile of getting near the Swansea 1st team yet, and I've heard that he's still struggling to make the transition from part-time to full-time football.

[JANORAK]

....It's probably all these 'phone calls with crossed fingers that have caused the jigsaw not to be finished yet.

[Brain-dead Bee]

Don't be deceived by that call-up. The circumstances were that for an end-of-season friendly with Holland, NI had over a dozen withdrawals (from a squad which is only about 15 or 16-strong at the best of times!).

They got tanked 6-0. They used 6 of their 7 substitutes, with Donnelly being the one left on the bench. And as a mark of just how depleted they were, striker Will Grigg of Walsall played the entire 90 mins.

Meanwhile, whilst NI were playing a friendly against Finland last night, Rory was part of a 20-man squad representing the NI U-21's for their friendly away to Hungary. However he didn't start, nor was he even one of the seven named substitutes (though I suppose he could have been injured?).

Tbh, he isn't within a mile of getting near the Swansea 1st team yet, and I've heard that he's still struggling to make the transition from part-time to full-time football.

and that's someone who, IIRC, would have cost us a big fee if we'd taken him. I know it would be easier to get into our team than Swansea's, but it would still have been a big risk.... though the decision was taken out of our hands when Swansea came in

[magicbees]

They're not. Uwe said he sees Weston as a striker. See one of the recent articles. Also, Weston started up front at Walsall did he not?

So I'd say they aren't the only ones who see him as a striker

Thats what I was saying Rosler and Warburton thinks he's a striker.

[NorthamptonBee]

and that's someone who, IIRC, would have cost us a big fee if we'd taken him. I know it would be easier to get into our team than Swansea's, but it would still have been a big risk.... though the decision was taken out of our hands when Swansea came in

I'm pretty sure that we pulled the plug on that one, legend has it that we were his first choice but we were using up money on a chap who wouldn't have been ready for full time football and we still believed (rightly so) that we were in with a shot at the POs.

[steve.bees89]

Thats what I was saying Rosler and Warburton thinks he's a striker.

Sorry mate thought you were referring to the Chronicle

[Brain-dead Bee]

I'm pretty sure that we pulled the plug on that one, legend has it that we were his first choice but we were using up money on a chap who wouldn't have been ready for full time football and we still believed (rightly so) that we were in with a shot at the POs.

Thanks for clarification. Point I was trying to make was in response to those who think it's easy to invest in a striker - Donnelly case showed that big money can be involved even when the player concerned is far from ready for the level of football. While I'd like us to get in great players, I don't want us spending £250k+ and paying £5k pw in wages at this level - even in the Championship, I think that's pushing it

[shouldbee]

I'm always amused by the idea that cold winter nights in Hartlepool and similar 'grim up north' places are seen as something uniquely English and a benchmark for the assimilation of any foreign player. Does it never occur to anybody connected with English football that unless they come from the Med most continental footballers will have experienced conditions as cold or colder than those in a Hartlepool winter?

Warburton needs to brush up on his geography.......the winters in the likes of Germany, Denmark, Sweden and most all Eastern European countries are far more harsh than HARTLEPOOL. These mythical cold Tuesday nights when our players don't seem to be able to perform is a poor excuse.

[kevalutonbee]

Warburton needs to brush up on his geography.......the winters in the likes of Germany, Denmark, Sweden and most all Eastern European countries are far more harsh than HARTLEPOOL. These mythical cold Tuesday nights when our players don't seem to be able to perform is a poor excuse.

Having said that though, all of the countries cited either have a midwinter break or seasons that are structured to avoid the harshest weather. Perhaps what he really means is the place of Jeff Stellings birth is just an out and out shit hole

[jlove]

These are the strikers (in our "league") that have moved this summer:
Dele Adebola
David Ball
Billy Bodin
Febian Brandy
Ben Burgess
Jonson Clarke-Harris
Alan Connell
Lewis Grabban
Mike Grella
Marlon Harewood
Shaun Harrad
Steve Howard
Ryan Lowe
Izale McLeod
Clinton Morrison
Jon Nurse
Mathias Pogba
Reuben Reid
Luke Rodgers
Ben Strevens
Lee Trundle
Luke Varney
Rowan Vine
Chris Zebroski
Francois Zoko

Two things stand out:
1) how many we have had or had been linked to us in the past;
2) of that list, only Ryan Lowe is one I'd like and he went for money.

[BuzzBeeSi]

The proven goalscorers we crave will cost too much and may not be available.

Maybe all we can realistically expect is players we have owned in the last year like Grabban, Alexander, Grella and MacDonald. Unfortunately these have all now gone to our rivals so it's back to the drawing board.

I think we'll be ok but we desperately need Farid to stay fit (is he even fit now?)

[banburybee]

I had not been on for a few days and I am amazed at the simmering/barely disguised anger at uwe and his team. Its supposed to be an exciting time as we kick off the new season instead some people are going into the season already with a downer on the management and by assocaition on the team. This is exactly the kind of of ferment that means if things do not go perfectly by halftime on Tuesday booing begins at Griffin Park which in turn causes anxiety and resentment amongst the players who under-perform even more leading to more booing etc etc. Please realx give the management and team at least 10 games of full blown support to see how things are going. This external micro management is not healthy.

[wayfarer172]

The proven goalscorers we crave will cost too much and may not be available.

Maybe all we can realistically expect is players we have owned in the last year like Grabban, Alexander, Grella and MacDonald. Unfortunately these have all now gone to our rivals so it's back to the drawing board.

I think we'll be ok but we desperately need Farid to stay fit (is he even fit now?)

You are right, but we need Farid AND clayton to keep fit, otherwise I feel we will be in the poop.

[banburybee]

Oh and i meant to say whoever we bring in as another striker just watch the race to
a. put his record to date up from wikipeduia
b. someone saying I'm not impressed with his record Uwe and Warburton have had months blah blah