| Chair 09:30 - Apr 11 with 9807 views | Dorse |
Obviously, this is an opinion thread, so it will solve nothing but I think we should try to flog Illy in the Summer (subject to him not doing a 10 stretch in the Belgian Scrubs). My reasoning is as follows:
Firstly, If we're ever going to get a reasonable fee for him, it needs to be sooner rather than later. He's as fit as a fiddle, no AFCON next season, his stats are right up there: it's about as attractive a proposition as he's going to get and, if we wait, we'll lose the opportunity. Imagine we waited another year for the Eze sale - it'd be the BOS situation again.
Secondly, and on a purely personal level, he's becoming increasingly predictable: get ball, dribble to edge of box, ignore overlapping runner, cut in on the right foot, edge of box, shoot on angle, rinse, repeat up to 20 times per match. If I can see it, then of course our oppo has prepped for it. We either adapt or die.
Finally, the team dynamic. I don't know professional football coaching from a hole in the ground but having a 'write the theme tune, sing the theme tune' player in the team is predicated on that player producing an end product. We call Dykes, Frey et al names because they don't score a lot. If Illy used the overlap more often, or even just crossed more regularly, our limited strikers might stand more of a chance. They might still be shite, but at least they can prove it on their own terms.
I'd sell. Would you? |  |
| 'What do we want? We don't know! When do we want it? Now!' |
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| Chair on 09:32 - Apr 11 with 5571 views | W7Ranger |
No. |  | | |
| Chair on 09:35 - Apr 11 with 5545 views | Hunterhoop |
Yes. Regardless of opinions on him as a player, value in the team, etc, etc, our contract model means both he and JCS should be sold this summer.
IF, big IF, the club collected £8m-£10m for the pair, that would give Cifuentes come ammunition for next season along with a lot more wiggle room with salaries due to the Warburton gamble year dropping out.
The club have actually nailed Chair’s contract situation. Spot on. The problem is that he may have his 1 yr prison sentence upheld in the appeal/2nd court hearing. No one is going to buy him before they know the outcome of that. The club desperately need to know that as soon as possible. |  | | |
| Chair on 09:35 - Apr 11 with 5543 views | GaryBannister86 |
Nope. He's not perfect, but he's ours, fully committed, fun to watch and can spark something out of nothing. When he isn't playing, it really shows.
I'd rather sell loads of the others first.
Moot point anyway, until the charges on him are out the way, however that is. |  | | |
| Chair on 09:40 - Apr 11 with 5501 views | nix |
| Chair on 09:35 - Apr 11 by Hunterhoop |
Yes. Regardless of opinions on him as a player, value in the team, etc, etc, our contract model means both he and JCS should be sold this summer.
IF, big IF, the club collected £8m-£10m for the pair, that would give Cifuentes come ammunition for next season along with a lot more wiggle room with salaries due to the Warburton gamble year dropping out.
The club have actually nailed Chair’s contract situation. Spot on. The problem is that he may have his 1 yr prison sentence upheld in the appeal/2nd court hearing. No one is going to buy him before they know the outcome of that. The club desperately need to know that as soon as possible. |
Yes agree with you and Dorse on that. We probably should have sold him when Beale came in but glad we didn't now as we would have ended up with signing Tyler Roberts-type disasters. |  | | |
| Chair on 09:48 - Apr 11 with 5437 views | Antti_Heinola |
Love him, one of my fave players ever. But that's irrelevant. If a suitable bid comes in, we sell - it's not even a discussion, just as it shouldn't be a discussion with any of our players. Sell, reinvest, repeat.
This, however, relies hugely on our own recruitment. |  |
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| Chair on 09:56 - Apr 11 with 5388 views | Landshark |
I've fixed your 3rd paragraph for you based on recent games.
"Secondly, and on a purely personal level, he's becoming increasingly predictable: get ball, dribble to edge of box, ignore overlapping runner, cut in on the right foot, edge of box, shoot on angle, ball goes into orbit, rinse, repeat up to 20 times per match. If I can see it, then of course our oppo has prepped for it. We either adapt or die."
The first game after his news I thought he played well, since then he has been really off the boil. He is without a goal or assist in 7 games. We really need more from our most creative player.
I would sell, we're a club that needs money, we're a club that needs to sell players when they reach value so we can reinvest that money. Unfortunately the last few years we wait too long before we sell. But I don't think anyone will buy him unless his case gets resolved. |  | | |
| Chair on 10:04 - Apr 11 with 5335 views | E17hoop |
Had a look at his stats for Plymouth:
3 shote, 0 on target
0 tackles, interceptions or blocked shots
22 passes, 59% completion - the lowest of any player in the team
7 crosses, 2 accurate
3 long balls, 1 accurate
Busiest player but did the least business. |  |
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| Chair on 10:10 - Apr 11 with 5295 views | Ned_Kennedys |
Sell him if we get a decent offer.
JCS too: he’s had a great season and now is the time to cash in.
Use the money to buy a decent keeper and help re-vamp the attack. |  | | |
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| Chair on 10:10 - Apr 11 with 5297 views | Hastings_Hoops |
If he’s not going to prison and we can therefore get a decent fee - yes, sell.
If he is going to prison and therefore we can’t get a decent fee, we should offer him an extended contract on our terms on the basis he will have security when he returns and we protect our asset against running a contract down, then build him back up again and sell in a year or two. |  | | |
| Chair on 10:12 - Apr 11 with 5280 views | GaryBannister86 |
| Chair on 09:48 - Apr 11 by Antti_Heinola |
Love him, one of my fave players ever. But that's irrelevant. If a suitable bid comes in, we sell - it's not even a discussion, just as it shouldn't be a discussion with any of our players. Sell, reinvest, repeat.
This, however, relies hugely on our own recruitment. |
A sage point, indeed, and I thought of that because at the time of their peaks I didn't want to sell Willock, Dickie, Dieng either. And I was wrong.
But with Ilias - my word a difficult one to replace. Also perfect for us in that he isn't quite good enough perhaps to be top flight, we're unlikely to get massive money, so why not spend all your best years here? | | | |
| Chair on 10:13 - Apr 11 with 5276 views | daveB |
If we get a good offer for him we have to sell but will miss him when he goes, |  | | |
| Chair on 10:15 - Apr 11 with 5258 views | RamseyR |
Yes, sell....we need new young blood and a change of strategy by removing our dependency (handicap?) on everything going through him, but if sold it has to be relatively early in the window, so we get the time to reinvest wisely.
That's our model, so let's not miss the opportunity when his stock is relatively high, due to stats, contract etc (not withstanding poss jail time)
I'd be happy losing Chair & Willock. Both will have been good signings, given good service for the majority of their time here, particularly Chair, but we need to keep moving on. |  | | |
| Chair on 10:16 - Apr 11 with 5237 views | stainrods_elbow |
| Chair on 09:48 - Apr 11 by Antti_Heinola |
Love him, one of my fave players ever. But that's irrelevant. If a suitable bid comes in, we sell - it's not even a discussion, just as it shouldn't be a discussion with any of our players. Sell, reinvest, repeat.
This, however, relies hugely on our own recruitment. |
I'm glad I'm not on whatever zombie drugs you are is all I'll say. |  |
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| Chair on 10:17 - Apr 11 with 5251 views | qprninja |
For me, he was the standout player on Tuesday night at Plymouth.
Argyle fans all raved about him after the game. If we can afford to keep him, we should. Who do we replace him with?
Better off selling Willock, who strikes me as thinking qpr are beneath him. |  | | |
| Chair on 10:25 - Apr 11 with 5190 views | dmm |
I agree with Dorse, with this one caveat. Chair might improve further under Cifuentes' coaching and within a better team. If that happened, his value would increase and we'd reap the benefit from a sale next winter or summer.
That said, I am in the 'sell if we get a decent offer this summer' camp. We must provide Cifuentes with a transfer fund. |  | | |
| Chair on 10:27 - Apr 11 with 5177 views | rbee |
Sell.
I am with RamseyR. I am hoping that Marti develops a new style of play for the team.
Illias has bags of talent and has been a wonderful servant to the club but so much goes through him, he often slows the attack down (This is why I think he is no longer in the Morocco squad) often shoots instead of passing.
I think a move is best for us, get some money and create a new way of playing without Illias. I think a fresh challenge would also benefit him and his career.
Of course the final decision is with Marti. |  | | |
| Chair on 10:28 - Apr 11 with 5168 views | TheChef |
I think if he wants to improve then he needs to move on.
Odd that under Marti he's one of the few players who's got worse? Can't deny his effort or his talent but his decision making and use of the ball has deteriorated. I also wonder if there are some team mates he doesn't trust or rate and that is why he holds on to the ball longer than he should.
Take a decent offer and I trust Marti and co to reinvest well over the summer. |  |
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| Chair on 10:31 - Apr 11 with 5150 views | Northernr |
First order of business this summer is making sure he's not going bloody kayaking again. |  | | |
| Chair on 10:32 - Apr 11 with 5134 views | E17hoop |
| Chair on 10:31 - Apr 11 by Northernr |
First order of business this summer is making sure he's not going bloody kayaking again. |
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| Chair on 10:36 - Apr 11 with 5088 views | Wegerles_Stairs |
Obviously depends on the court case but assuming he's still a free man, I would reluctantly sell in the summer. His value is only going to diminish and we will have to bite the bullet eventually. If we get a significant bid for JC-S, then he needs to be sold too. | | | |
| Chair on 10:39 - Apr 11 with 5075 views | traininvain |
I’d sell him if we get a decent offer as that’s the only way the club can survive. But we’ll miss him and I don’t buy into this idea that we’ll somehow be a better team without him. Be careful what you wish for! |  | | |
| Chair on 10:42 - Apr 11 with 5056 views | ted_hendrix |
We've been selling our best players for as long as I can remember, that has to continue I'm afraid. |  |
| My Father had a profound influence on me, he was a lunatic. |
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| Chair on 10:44 - Apr 11 with 5045 views | Spaghetti_Hoops |
No.
We wouldn’t get much for him and he is our best attacking player by miles.
Willock on the other hand should be sold. His temperament and commitment and value to the team is sadly lacking. Dykes should have been sold yonks ago when he was scoring goals for Scotland. | | | |
| Chair on 10:46 - Apr 11 with 5033 views | dmm |
| Chair on 10:44 - Apr 11 by Spaghetti_Hoops |
No.
We wouldn’t get much for him and he is our best attacking player by miles.
Willock on the other hand should be sold. His temperament and commitment and value to the team is sadly lacking. Dykes should have been sold yonks ago when he was scoring goals for Scotland. |
Willock won't be sold. His contract is up this summer so he'll leave on a free. | | | |
| Chair on 10:50 - Apr 11 with 5011 views | hantssi |
| Chair on 10:44 - Apr 11 by Spaghetti_Hoops |
No.
We wouldn’t get much for him and he is our best attacking player by miles.
Willock on the other hand should be sold. His temperament and commitment and value to the team is sadly lacking. Dykes should have been sold yonks ago when he was scoring goals for Scotland. |
Willock I believe is out of contact at the end of the season so we won’t be able to sell him I’m afraid.
He might sign a new one, then we’ll get a few bob for him if he moves on. | | | |
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