Txiki Begiristain

[domalino]

If you are claiming that Fernando has been a successful signing then you really are clutching at straws. The others have all come for huge fees and have yet to really justify them - although KDB is obviously class.

The list would be at least twice as long for all the players who have flopped, most notably the centre halves.

Txicki may well be doing a great job with the rest of the club, academy etc. I wouldnt know as I am not sure exaclty what his duty's are and what he does on a day to day basis. But most of his transfer dealings have been really poor.

Maybe we need some better scouts to help him out? Southampton seem to have a massive player turnover each season, yet they manage to find good replacements. Their academy aint bad either!

Fernando has been a successful signing. He cost £8m and is a perfectly good squad player who has some brilliant games in the right circumstances - when we're aggressively pressing and counter attacking.

A squad player, doesn't mind spending large periods on the bench and who comes in and does the dirty work when Fernandinho isn't around. He'll come in to the side and add some physicality to help out. He even did a good job at RB when asked to help out against a big WBA side.

Every good team has players like that, Fernando is ours and he's fine.

 

[The-Dogs-Pollocks]

Fernando has been a successful signing. He cost £8m and is a perfectly good squad player who has some brilliant games in the right circumstances - when we're aggressively pressing and counter attacking.

A squad player, doesn't mind spending large periods on the bench and who comes in and does the dirty work when Fernandinho isn't around. He'll come in to the side and add some physicality to help out. He even did a good job at RB when asked to help out against a big WBA side.

Every good team has players like that, Fernando is ours and he's fine.

Think it was £12 million actually. And he hasn't exactly ripped up any trees. He is pretty average footballer. If you want to claim that as a shrewd investment and good business from the Txicki, then I think it just shows how bad some of his other signings have been.

Are you not dissapointed that our defence has not been sorted out given the money we have spent?

 

[01cravend]

Think it was £12 million actually. And he hasn't exactly ripped up any trees. He is pretty average footballer. If you want to claim that as a shrewd investment and good business from the Txicki, then I think it just shows how bad some of his other signings have been.

Are you not dissapointed that our defence has not been sorted out given the money we have spent?

Every team needs a Fernando, unspectacular but solid..Puts himself about and keeps the play ticking over... Good signing

 

[The-Dogs-Pollocks]

Every team needs a Fernando, unspectacular but solid..Puts himself about and keeps the play ticking over... Good signing

Ok, we can agree or disagree about the merits of Fernando. The main point is when you look at hiw much dosh we have spent since Txiki has been in place. We should have a better defence in place at least.

 

[01cravend]

Ok, we can agree or disagree about the merits of Fernando. The main point is when you look at hiw much dosh we have spent since Txiki has been in place. We should have a better defence in place at least.

Preaching to the choir mate, we've made some good signings, but;

- He's let this squad age
- Forgot about the defence, I mean how many wingers do we need ffs
- Removed most of the physicality from the side
- Paid huge sums of money for players who one day might be good instead of going and getting ready made players (don't mind this but there should have been more effort to sign "Pep players" for the here and now then invested in youth once Pep had settled)
- Bought players with poor injury records
- A terrible salesman, mr loan with option to buy.

 

[domalino]

Think it was £12 million actually. And he hasn't exactly ripped up any trees. He is pretty average footballer. If you want to claim that as a shrewd investment and good business from the Txicki, then I think it just shows how bad some of his other signings have been.

Are you not dissapointed that our defence has not been sorted out given the money we have spent?

Who cares if he hasn't "ripped up trees", why is it you can't get your head around the idea that not every signing is a galactico. He's a squad player, he was signed to be a squad player and he's done it well.

 

[domalino]

Preaching to the choir mate, we've made some good signings, but;

- He's let this squad age
- Forgot about the defence, I mean how many wingers do we need ffs
- Removed most of the physicality from the side
- Paid huge sums of money for players who one day might be good instead of going and getting ready made players (don't mind this but there should have been more effort to sign "Pep players" for the here and now then invested in youth once Pep had settled)
- Bought players with poor injury records
- A terrible salesman, mr loan with option to buy.

Letting the squad age was a deliberate strategy as outlined by Khaldoon numerous times for the benefit of the academy. They feel having academy players is integral to the club they want (as is their right as owners) and they believe having two 25 year olds in each position kills off any chance of youth involvement. Khaldoon's end of season interview in 2015.

And the rest of it is just rubbish as well. Who do you think wanted wingers and players for the future? It was Pep. That's why it was Pep on the phone to Gabriel Jesus convincing him to join us, and it was Pep who wanted Sané.

Do you really think Begiristain can sign up the most promising and sought after youth talent in the world but can't sign a full back? Jesus Christ, of course he can. He signs players the managers want.

If you've got a criticism about us signing more wingers than defenders, complain about Pep, because he's the one who personally guaranteed we went and got them, which I doubt he'd do if they were getting forced on him.

Clearly Guardiola thinks getting in these very promising players when they are still available - because no doubt someone else like Barca, Bayern, Real, Juventus would have picked them up - was more important to his plan than replacing the full backs.

 

[greasedupdeafguy]

Every team needs a Fernando, unspectacular but solid..Puts himself about and keeps the play ticking over... Good signing

hmmmmm

I expected a lot more for 12 million.

Even thought Garcia was better especially towards the end of the title winning season.

 

[nellyonthewing]

hmmmmm

I expected a lot more for 12 million.

Even thought Garcia was better especially towards the end of the title winning season.

I agree garcia was very effective to bring on and steady the ship,Fernado was not an upgrade imo.

 

[Rolee]

Letting the squad age was a deliberate strategy as outlined by Khaldoon numerous times for the benefit of the academy. They feel having academy players is integral to the club they want (as is their right as owners) and they believe having two 25 year olds in each position kills off any chance of youth involvement. Khaldoon's end of season interview in 2015.

And the rest of it is just rubbish as well. Who do you think wanted wingers and players for the future? It was Pep. That's why it was Pep on the phone to Gabriel Jesus convincing him to join us, and it was Pep who wanted Sané.

Do you really think Begiristain can sign up the most promising and sought after youth talent in the world but can't sign a full back? Jesus Christ, of course he can. He signs players the managers want.

If you've got a criticism about us signing more wingers than defenders, complain about Pep, because he's the one who personally guaranteed we went and got them, which I doubt he'd do if they were getting forced on him.

Clearly Guardiola thinks getting in these very promising players when they are still available - because no doubt someone else like Barca, Bayern, Real, Juventus would have picked them up - was more important to his plan than replacing the full backs.

Exactly and besides where the full backs are concerned we would've got little or nothing for them had they been sold last summer given their age, we probably would've had to pay out their contracts too, so would've taken a financial hit instead of letting their contracts run down meaning no compensation pay, a lot of wages freed up for next summer and a blank canvas for Pep to work with.

We've messed up on centre backs but that goes right back to before Txiki came on board. Where Mangala and Otamendi are concerned we did pay over the odds but that was to fend off interest from our title rivals in Chelsea and the rags respectively.

People can point to an overall figure and throw accusations around but when you break it down we have only had a few transfer fuck ups( no more than any other club ) and then there's always FFP and the impact that had on what we could offer in wages, context as always is needed when these judgement are being made.