January 2014 Transfer Window Roundup

It’s been a glorious transfer window for Forest, used to maybe one insipid free transfer or a loan; we have strengthened with 5 new players coming in.

This is more than what we had targeted and coupled with keeping the existing squad together it has to be deemed a success. The only departure saw Miller return to Yeovil but he was peripheral at best anyway.

So what do we know about the new recruits and what will they bring? Here’s a round up

Hobbs

Jack Hobbs
In what was on-going on off saga we finally at the death got our man in Jack Hobbs. The central defender had been an ever present before he got injured, and was then recalled by Hull in an obvious attempt to force our hand to dip into the pockets and sign him. Under pressure from Reading, Wigan and Leicester Hobbs always said he was our favoured choice of destination.
We know of course that Hobbs is a strong central defender and this was somewhat illustrated versus Watford on Thursday night. We know exactly what we got with Jack, and that’s a quality central defender.

David Vaughan
We also know what we are getting with Vaughan, who completely changed our midfield for the better when he arrived. The interplay and balance provided by the 3 of him, Lansbury and Reid started a lot of what has been good lately. He made the deep lying midfielder role his own and shone for his initial loan period with the club. His signing will be vital for the promotion bid.

Danny Fox
Considering we have been after him at left back for a while signals our intent here. With Cohen injured and Harding form intermittent getting in a quality recognised left back with top level experience at Celtic is a major coup and will be help us no end defensively, and hopefully attacking wise too, with interchange down the left.

Djebbour

Rafik Djebbour
An interesting signing and rare one for a club to buying in relatively older players from abroad. Djebbour has come in for a cut price from what we were going to pay in the summer. He offers another option up front and must be an upgrade at least from the likes of Tudgay, Derbyshire and Henderson are aren’t players to push you to the Premier League. Apart from that I don’t want to base opinions on YouTube videos as I could make vids that make me look good. Be interesting to see how quickly he adapts

Gomis

Kevin Gomis
Being a loan it feels relatively pressure free. If he succeeds we can hopefully make it permanent like with Hobbs, if he fails, then it’s not financially cost us much (though what it could cost on a pitch is only one the future can answer) Gomis has top level experience in Ligue 1. Apart rom that I know nothing.

Transfer Deadline Confusion

I was going to try and update the Live blog on the deadline day yesterday at 11pm with a round up. That proved impossible. I think we all know why.

And the current word is that Adlene Guedioura remains a Forest player. This morning word was confirmation was being sought.

So where are we?

Well let’s confirm that Stephen McLaughlin has gone on loan to Bristol City. That much we do know. Guy Moussi and his move to Sheffield Wednesday didn’t happen. Any of the mooted departures for the “deadwood” of Greening, Gillett, Derbyshire and Miller didn’t materialise.

Then there was Adlene. Guedioura as any Forest fan not living under a rock for the last 24 hours knows had been to Crystal palace to talk through a move. It is said that terms were struck, and that all that which entails a transfer went through, save for the actual confirmation in time. Leaving Guedioura as a Forest player.

Now for the minute details. Guedioura “requested” a transfer. That much is true, but that doesn’t mean he tried to force though the deal in a desperate attempt to leave Forest. That merely means he would waive his bonuses and pay offs and any other smaller parts of his contractual arrangement should he be sold by Forest. It basically could have sped things up.

Does this mean Guedi wants out? Well, I’m certain the prospect of Premiership football and one assumes a pay increase appealed to Guedioura. He is 28. He is not getting younger. There is no guarantee we would go up. So he may see this as a last chance to “make it” at the top flight. And even more so in a World Cup year. Not that Algeria are there for sure, not that his place is under threat, he starts for Algeria, but it all adds up in a footballers mind. If he’s succeeding at the top level then his place would be assured. Should Algeria come through the remainder of their qualifying programme he will have a chance to shine in Brazil in a year’s time? Paying in the Premier League would not hinder his chances.

Guedioura as much as he loves Forest, and I think he genuinely does love our fans, wants to play at the top level as said, I am certain that pretty much any of our other players in the same situation would go through the same thought process. A year of Championship football with a good chance of Premiership football, or a move now with guaranteed Premiership football and higher wages. Furthermore the arguments that Palace are definitely down and in a year’s time the roles reverse argument isn’t as great as the kids (and its mainly kids) making it think. If you went there, and excelled and starred, and then Palace are relegated, but you proved yourself, then you’d score a move. Like Charlie Adam with Blackpool, Andros Townsend proved to Spurs he has what it takes despite being in a relegated side, and Taarabt scored a Premiership move too. Just because the sides relegated doesn’t mean they may stay. It’s a chance to prove yourself.

Additionally some people were criticsing Fawaz and Billy for selling a fans favourite, but I heard fee's in excess of £2.5mill suggested. If a club offers above what you believe a players value is, I'm sorry but you snap their hands off.

So for these reasons I won’t lambast Guedi. I won’t criticise. Yes he may have sought to move, but if he agitated for it (and the suggestion is he didn’t) then I’d think Ok, move him on. But an offer was made, it was put to him does he want to negotiate and he did. It just didn’t work out in time. I won’t boo him. I’ll still cheer his role with the team, and neither would I see him rot in the reserves. The territorialism of this makes me laugh, that the fact he entertained a notion of leaving Forest people think he is a Judas. Yet how many of these people have thought of moving up the career ladders. It bothers me with Football fans this idea that you can’t play for anyone else.
But, if, and it’s still if for me, Guedioura is a Forest player. Then support him. Don’t get on his back as then you give him a reason to leave, and ruins what’s been a beautiful relationship. I support anyone wearing the shirt, hell I’d even get behind Commons back in a Forest shirt. It’s the team that matters. Not the individual.

Transfer Deadline Day : LIVE (ish) (UPDATED 20.30)

Ok so not live blogging or update upon update, but when I can and where I can I will try to follow the latest news going on with the deadline day madness, seeing as we’re still meant to be in for people.

Will Sako, Holt, Leadbitter, Vaz Te, or Morgan sign. Who will depart. We will follow the news today

9am: So here we go first update... David Nugent is being linked, as is Liam Bridcutt at Brighton. Some wag is suggesting Benteke might be coming, forgetting he has a new contract and frankly would be as likely as signing Messi or Ronaldo. There is nothing concrete in either direction yet. No departures really being rumoured, though Blackstocks name is being bandied around


10.30 Update
Well, the usual names are being chucked around, Nugent and Sako are getting the most tweets and the most likely sounding also. Few others being thrown in for good measure include Aaron Wilbraham, Luciano Becchio, and Josh McEachran. I can’t see any of those 3 being likely.

Still nothing concrete, still just guesswork.

As for outs, nothing there either. For all of how breathless I thought this might be, it’s all rather... well. Quiet. It’s not going to be one of those deadline days again is it?


12 Noon.
And it looks like Guy Moussi could be out the door. Rumoured to be £500k for the Frenchman, which would be a profit and not a bad bit of business. Sheffield Wednesday looks like his destination. Say what you like, on his day the man is a machine and will be missed, if not only for the behind the scenes stories. There isn;t anything official yet though.

Adlene Guedioura is now being linked with Crystal Palace according to Sky. Not a huge surprise because Davies has been rumoured to be unsure on the Algerian. However at the same time he was influential in bringing in Abdoun, and was being used to market the club in Kuwait. It may be he is used to finance a deal for the the type of ball carrying defensive midfielder Davies clearly wants. However the rumour is Palace are in talks about the possibility. It might have been a very short conversation.

Again nothing official.

On the subject of in’s no further updates or news has sprung up. Unless you count what certainly looks unlikely in a loan bid for Obi Mikel from Chelsea.


1330 Update
No updates on Moussi to Wednesday and Guedioura to Palace. They both remain seemingly on. Although apparently Bannan going to Palace might see their Guedioura interest ended, there is also apparent chatter Palace aren’t alone in terms of Premiership clubs eyeing Adlene.

On any players at the start of the day being mentioned as departures, well no news on Miller, Derbyshire, Blackstock, or Gillett being off.

It’s all rather quiet, save for spurts of conjecture with no real basis.

This is all going to be rather anti climatic isn’t it?

Oh and if I see one more bloody eye joke I might scream.


1600 Update
In an attempt to at least have something salient, I tried leaving it an extra hour. Remember what I said about periods of quiet punctuated with a flurry of mental activity, well....

Liam Bridcutt has started to be wildly linked after a passing mention on Twitter this morning, this has either started to spread like wildfire with little basis, or there is some substance to this. Paul Taylor felt the need to mention on it, that in the absence of a Leadbitter deal it may be plan B. A plan B which would likely be expensive, and I really can’t see one of last seasons top teams selling a vital player. That said, you never know. Brighton have supposedly said he isn't for sale.

Adlene is still being linked with Palace, though after a few hours now the furore has settled. It also doesn’t seem to have moved on anywhere. So it’s still a little unclear. I’d argue the longer these go on without something more concrete that they might have been sheer speculation, but a lot of these rumours slow burn all day and if he was en route to Croydon, well that’s not an quick and easy journey to make.

Stephen McLaughlin is going out on loan to Bristol city, where he joins up with ex Forest boss Sean O’Driscoll. The exposure to regular first team football will surely show whether he will be able to make the step up, and have a huge impact on his future so he has a lot to prove. A lot of hopefully motivating factors for the Irishman.

And now Matty Fryatt is being strongly linked by Sky. Forest apparently with a loan move for the striker. The average reaction on twitter is one of indifference bordering on disappointment. This is before a player is even signed and pulls on a shirt. These same people also usually say trust in Fawaz or Trust in Billy, yet now are complete armchair managers. Anyway, he looks like being the latest solution to the striker issue.


20.30 Update
All very quiet. Doesn't look like anything happening. Not even confirmation of the supposed Moussi and McLaughlin deals. Same old Deadline Day Forest.Thing is we really don't need much anyway. What we have is good enough to be up there.