Billy Sharp - permanent?

[soggy biscuit]

Can't help but feel we would be setting our sights very low if we sign Sharpe. Bit of a statement of non intent really if that is the quality the club are aiming at.

[RoyalBlue]

Looks like we will probably miss out on him anyway as RFC seem to think that there is no rush to get on and do anything in this transfer window! Apparently they will get around to talking to Southampton 'in the next week or so' to find out what their thoughts on Sharp are. WTF?!! If Adkins wants Sharp, why the hell hadn't those talks taken place with Saints even before the window opened? No wonder we more often than not fail to sign our targets in transfer windows.

We now have a player (well we don't) wondering who wants him and where he needs to train to feel part of a team. If we do want Sharp, how the hell is that helping continuity? If we don't want him (and that doesn't appear to be what Adkins is indicating) why the hell don't we just say so in fairness to the player and to dampen fans' expections?

It takes two to make a deal - perhaps Southampton want to wait and see if there's interest elsewhere - I can't believe that we haven't tried to do a deal, but they hold all the cards, and there's no urgency whatsoever in their part to do a deal....
We could, I guess, try to force their hand by making a silly offer, but given his performances, I'm not sure that Sharp is worth it.....

You may be right with the first point although some of the comments from Sharp seem to suggest that is not the case. However, if it is, then why give us the mushroom treatment again? Is there really any harm in telling us the truth on this occasion? i.e. 'We have spoken to Southampton, however they (and maybe the player) appear to want to see whether there is interest from elsewhere before making any commitments' .
Sometimes the 'PR spin' from RFC seems pretty clueless.

[Cypry]

Looks like we will probably miss out on him anyway as RFC seem to think that there is no rush to get on and do anything in this transfer window! Apparently they will get around to talking to Southampton 'in the next week or so' to find out what their thoughts on Sharp are. WTF?!! If Adkins wants Sharp, why the hell hadn't those talks taken place with Saints even before the window opened? No wonder we more often than not fail to sign our targets in transfer windows.

We now have a player (well we don't) wondering who wants him and where he needs to train to feel part of a team. If we do want Sharp, how the hell is that helping continuity? If we don't want him (and that doesn't appear to be what Adkins is indicating) why the hell don't we just say so in fairness to the player and to dampen fans' expections?

It takes two to make a deal - perhaps Southampton want to wait and see if there's interest elsewhere - I can't believe that we haven't tried to do a deal, but they hold all the cards, and there's no urgency whatsoever in their part to do a deal....
We could, I guess, try to force their hand by making a silly offer, but given his performances, I'm not sure that Sharp is worth it.....

You may be right with the first point although some of the comments from Sharp seem to suggest that is not the case. However, if it is, then why give us the mushroom treatment again? Is there really any harm in telling us the truth on this occasion? i.e. 'We have spoken to Southampton, however they (and maybe the player) appear to want to see whether there is interest from elsewhere before making any commitments' .
Sometimes the 'PR spin' from RFC seems pretty clueless.

If they came out and said the player wanted to wait and see what else is on the table, he'd get absolutely slated from some quarters along the lines of "well if he doesn't want to be here". They're a bit "damned if they do, damned if they don't"....

[paddy20]

Cant get excited about Sharp, not exactly shone since he has been here. Rather an up and coming striker from the nether regions.

[Royal Biscuitman]

Cant get excited about Sharp, not exactly shone since he has been here. Rather an up and coming striker from the nether regions.

Like that Adam Le Fondre chap we signed from League 2 Rotherham

[andrew1957]

Can't help but feel we would be setting our sights very low if we sign Sharpe. Bit of a statement of non intent really if that is the quality the club are aiming at.

I agree. If we seriously want to be in the PL why would we want a player that the current manager dropped as soon as he got Southampton promoted. Good Championship player but not PL standard. Therefore why waste the money on him unless we just want to stay in this division. I would rather we brought in a younger player with potential.

[Agent Balti]

But generally speaking, you buy to the level at which you're currently playing...and Sharp fits that model. All other signs indicate that we've not got the backing or intention to go balls out for a PL rated striker, it just doesn't make sense.

If there's other strikers which are available, affordable and PL level that you're alluding to, then I don't know who that would be, personally.

[soggy biscuit]

Personally I would prefer us spend money on a young player with potential that the club feel they can develop to be someone good rather than a bloke in his late 30's that hasn't played well for a couple of years, been hit and miss his whole career and just finished a very underwhelming loan spell here.

[Agent Balti]

Personally I would prefer us spend money on a young player with potential that the club feel they can develop to be someone good rather than a bloke in his late 30's that hasn't played well for a couple of years, been hit and miss his whole career and just finished a very underwhelming loan spell here.

Agree with you there, Sogs. Whilst Sharp is a good finisher, I don't see what new added dimension he gives us over ALF.

[RoyalBlue]

It takes two to make a deal - perhaps Southampton want to wait and see if there's interest elsewhere - I can't believe that we haven't tried to do a deal, but they hold all the cards, and there's no urgency whatsoever in their part to do a deal....
We could, I guess, try to force their hand by making a silly offer, but given his performances, I'm not sure that Sharp is worth it.....

You may be right with the first point although some of the comments from Sharp seem to suggest that is not the case. However, if it is, then why give us the mushroom treatment again? Is there really any harm in telling us the truth on this occasion? i.e. 'We have spoken to Southampton, however they (and maybe the player) appear to want to see whether there is interest from elsewhere before making any commitments' .
Sometimes the 'PR spin' from RFC seems pretty clueless.

If they came out and said the player wanted to wait and see what else is on the table, he'd get absolutely slated from some quarters along the lines of "well if he doesn't want to be here". They're a bit "damned if they do, damned if they don't"....

Possibly if they said that and if it was true (I'm not sure it is Sharp that is hanging out for another club though - he seems to want things sorted). However, they could say that 'we have spoken to Southampton but at the moment they are waiting to see if their is interest elsewhere.' However, to say that 'we will speak to Southampton in the next week or so to see what their thoughts are ' (when we get around to it!) seems a daft thing to do and say.

[dogzbollox]

According to Ian Abrahams ... @broadcastmoose on twitter Sharp is heading back to Donny this month

[maffff]

Official. Frustrating.

[winchester_royal]

Fine by me tbh. Thought he was bang average, and if we are going to bring in another striker would rather it was someone with pace who will offer something different to the players we've already got.

[dogzbollox]

Yep

http://www.doncasterroversfc.co.uk/news ... 10576.aspx

[Barry the bird boggler]

Just waiting now to hear that Baird is off to Forest or somewhere... So much for JM's statement that funds would be available in January irrespective of the take over situation

But then I forgot that our funds probably amount to 20p and a night out with Nicky Hammond.

[Royal Ginger]

Good luck to him, i hope it works out. He's always been a decent player that seems to be constantly shafted by circumstance.

[maffff]

Better than a night in with Nick, couple of bottles of Muscadet and a few poppers...

[SPARTA]

Better than a night in with Nick, couple of bottles of Muscadet and a few poppers...

Didn't you say we had agreed a deal with Southampton? Frustratingly that must mean there is next to nothing in the pot, contrary to more nonsense from SJM about him ensuring there would be at the very least some money!

So now it appears unless the take-over happens pretty sharpish (no pun intended), we are gambling our season only two strikers in Pogrebnyak and Le Fondre. If one of them gets injured we will either revert back to one up top, which doesn't work for us yet, or we use Blackman or HRK up front, who both look terrible up there. That really doesn't fill me with much confidence for the remainder of the season.

[ZacNaloen]

Still, we've got the youth team eh

[floyd__streete]

Didn't you say we had agreed a deal with Southampton? Frustratingly that must mean there is next to nothing in the pot, contrary to more nonsense from SJM about him ensuring there would be at the very least some money!

Yet still people eat the sh*t Madejski spouts/spouted in his radio interview following the Wigan game.