Ferran Soriano & Txiki Begiristain

[Marvin]

This summer's transfer window is going to be a big one for Begiristain. The squad needs renovating, and his track record has been hit and miss at best since joining the club. It also still seems unclear if we face FFP restrictions again. Time for Txiki to earn his corn.

I'm trying not to fret but some of the players we've been linked to recently make us look more Spurs or Liverpool level than a top level club. But as its still newspaper talk (except the Barkley thing which seems to have more substance) I'm not panicking too much yet. If the bulk of our signings are on the level of rumoured targets like Barkley, Wilshere, Cresswell and Ljajic, we're heading for a 4th place battle IMO unless our stagnating team spine, that hasn't really been improved since 2011, plays out of its skin. I'm waiting for rumours of players like Pogba and Koke to spring to life but now Pogba is wanted by Chelsea according to Wayne Veysey (not sure where he is working now but used to have a lot of good info) to complete a Matic/Fabregas/Pogba trio. Imagine that vs. Yaya/Barkley.

We first need to establish whether key players like Kompany and Yaya Toure want to be at the club.

 

[IanBishopsHaircut]

This summer's transfer window is going to be a big one for Begiristain. The squad needs renovating, and his track record has been hit and miss at best since joining the club. It also still seems unclear if we face FFP restrictions again. Time for Txiki to earn his corn.

I'm trying not to fret but some of the players we've been linked to recently make us look more Spurs or Liverpool level than a top level club. But as its still newspaper talk (except the Barkley thing which seems to have more substance) I'm not panicking too much yet. If the bulk of our signings are on the level of rumoured targets like Barkley, Wilshere, Cresswell and Ljajic, we're heading for a 4th place battle IMO unless our stagnating team spine, that hasn't really been improved since 2011, plays out of its skin. I'm waiting for rumours of players like Pogba and Koke to spring to life but now Pogba is wanted by Chelsea according to Wayne Veysey (not sure where he is working now but used to have a lot of good info) to complete a Matic/Fabregas/Pogba trio. Imagine that vs. Yaya/Barkley.

We first need to establish whether key players like Kompany and Yaya Toure want to be at the club.

Mirror bollocks of handbags aside have I missed something?

 

[Damocles]

I'm trying not to fret but some of the players we've been linked to recently make us look more Spurs or Liverpool level than a top level club. But as its still newspaper talk (except the Barkley thing which seems to have more substance) I'm not panicking too much yet. If the bulk of our signings are on the level of rumoured targets like Barkley, Wilshere, Cresswell and Ljajic, we're heading for a 4th place battle IMO unless our stagnating team spine, that hasn't really been improved since 2011, plays out of its skin. I'm waiting for rumours of players like Pogba and Koke to spring to life but now Pogba is wanted by Chelsea according to Wayne Veysey (not sure where he is working now but used to have a lot of good info) to complete a Matic/Fabregas/Pogba trio. Imagine that vs. Yaya/Barkley.

We first need to establish whether key players like Kompany and Yaya Toure want to be at the club.

Mirror bollocks of handbags aside have I missed something?

Nope.

 

[JoeMercer'sWay]

Barkley/Wilshere/Cresswell/Ljajic.

Bloody hell...

 

[paulchapo]

Barkley/Wilshere/Cresswell/Ljajic.

Bloody hell...

Barkley has done nothing this season and is injured a lot of which the latter applies to Wilshere too, one criteria in signing new players is they have a good fitness record otherwise we will be without them for months like some others we have signed.

Cresswell looks a good prospect and i haven't the foggiest about Ljajic. Surely we must have some good young players of our own pushing the first team by now??

 

[dancity19]

Barkley/Wilshere/Cresswell/Ljajic.

Bloody hell...

Barkley has done nothing this season and is injured a lot of which the latter applies to Wilshere too, one criteria in signing new players is they have a good fitness record otherwise we will be without them for months like some others we have signed.

Cresswell looks a good prospect and i haven't the foggiest about Ljajic. Surely we must have some good young players of our own pushing the first team by now??

If they are the players we are looking at, then we have clearly changed our ambitions.

It may sound 'FIFA-ish' but we need to make a couple of big signings - real quality players. I would be delighted with the signing of Barkley, despite him doing nothing this season, but as long as it is alongside a few top signings.

I don't think we have changed our ambitions though - We are still, surely, aiming for progression year upon year.

We need a big name to freshen up the dressing room. If we are looking around the ball park of names above, then we will, as LoveCity says, be facing a battle for top 4.

What buys did Txiki make at Barca - or was he more behind the growth of key young players - Messi, Xavi, Iniesta etc etc. That is a worry for me. Are we being too clever all the time looking for a bargain.

 

[Stephenhakin]

Too many to list but a link to Barcelona's transfer whilst Txiki was there.

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.worldfootball.net/teams/fc-barcelona/2004/6/6/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.worldfootball.net/teams/fc-b ... /2004/6/6/</a>

 

[Stephenhakin]

Too many to list but a link to Barcelona's transfer whilst Txiki was there.

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.worldfootball.net/teams/fc-barcelona/2004/6/6/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.worldfootball.net/teams/fc-b ... /2004/6/6/</a>

2003-2010 I think he was there from. Most definitely signed some top players many that were not top players when they signed.

 

[dancity19]

Too many to list but a link to Barcelona's transfer whilst Txiki was there.

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.worldfootball.net/teams/fc-barcelona/2004/6/6/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.worldfootball.net/teams/fc-b ... /2004/6/6/</a>

2003-2010 I think he was there from. Most definitely signed some top players many that were not top players when they signed.

Thanks mate. Was a genuine question. I didn't know exactly who he had signed whilst at Barca.

I guess him signing players, who were not top players....but then became top players is great. Shows he can be a shrewd operator in the market, BUT, maybe that is an issue here. We do need a couple of ready made top, top players.

 

[sam-caddick]

Txiki's transfer record at Barcelona was quite patchy if you ask me, especially with signings 20m+.

I would be interested to see the team he would have helped built had Barcelona not inherited the likes of Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Puyol, Busquets, Pedro, Valdes etc...

Let's not forget he would have sanctioned selling Fabergas to Arsenal and Pique to United only for the club to end up buying them back for close to 50m, I hope he doesn't end up doing the same with some of our youngsters.

I think Txiki was primarily appointed DOF at City to implement a philosophy throughout the club and give it a direction and pathway to work with.