Bids for McNulty / McNulty to Reading (3 Viewers)
- Thread starter Pete in Portugal
- Start date
SkyBlueCRJ
Well-Known Member
As quoted by Harry Redknapp, "activity which verges upon 'tapping-up' regularly occurs in deals between Premier League clubs." Given that these activities regularly go unpunished in the top divisions throughout the world, there's little chance of any punishment being enforced in the lower leagues. From my knowledge I don't even remember a club in the reaches of the EFL being punished for tapping up players. Even the punishments for Premier League clubs are pathetic. Liverpool bought Van Dijk a house, admitted to tapping up said player and didn't even face punishment.
Don't quote me on this but you'd have to have a warrant to gain information of that sort and even if you didn't, opposing lawyers would put a stop to gaining such information quicker than you can say tapping up. Hence why it's so difficult to prove.
Exactly, it's literally a case of he said/she said, hence again why it's so difficult to prove
JimmyHillsbeard
Well-Known Member
Discusses = “I’ve got no comment to make on that “
NorthernWisdom
Well-Known Member
I get more discussion with my cat.
NortonSkyBlue
Well-Known Member
Why would you be more interested that Reading lost to Eastleigh?
Voice_of_Reason
Well-Known Member
According to the CET Readings offer of £600,000 was £1.4 million below the club's valuation. That makes sense !
robbiekeane
Well-Known Member
£2million and i'll give him a lift
Is that not the CET's valuation? That's how I read it anyway
stevefloyd
Well-Known Member
better days
Well-Known Member
That's the amount I guessed we'd ask for
Robins has control of the playing budget
We're under no pressure to sell our best players we can hold out for top money if the player is likely to be a starter in L1
I expect a few fringe players to follow Ryan Haynes out either for small fees or by mutual agreement if the player gets an offer
SkyBlueCRJ
Well-Known Member
Where have they sourced that figure from though? There were a reports on Reading's end that our valuation was around the £1 million mark so where has the extra million come from?
higgs
Well-Known Member
better days
Well-Known Member
The asking figure is rarely what's paid up front unless there are several clubs chasing
What normally happens is that a figure is agreed with a large initial payment (often paid in instalments) with additional payments payable when itemised targets are met
If all the targets are hit the initial asking price will be met or even exceeded
My cats very talkative actually, especially at feeding time.
Thanks Tim.
SkyBlueCRJ
Well-Known Member
Yes I understand standard transfer procedure but you haven't touched on my point. The two figures quoted in the media are likely to be nothing more than click-bait as the numbers simply don't add up. I don't doubt there would be add-ons in the deal but it's unlikely any offer would reach what's required to meet our up front valuation, which is likely to be the stumbling block in any future deal as we'll need the funds to replace McNulty - but this is depending on what our actual valuation even is as at the moment it's about as clear as mud. For instance, if the '£2 million' valuation is correct, the add-ons would likely be substantial.
Add-ons of this size are usually only associated with players that have a promising future in the game, and subsequently can further their careers higher up the league pyramid. E.g. look at James Maddison. Add-ons agreed in the contract upon his transfer to Norwich were in the form of promotions, goals scored, England appearances etc. As they are young, players such as Maddison have the time and talent to meet their targets as they're still relatively new to the game. McNulty however is 25, entering the peak of his career, and many have doubts he could even cut it in the Championship.
So, if anything it would be illogical for CCFC to agree to any deal that proposes significant add-ons as there's less guarantee he'd meet these targets. McNulty's realistic targets that would trigger the add-on clause could most likely be: goals scored, appearances, final team position. So, based on this, if I had to make a logical guess, any add-ons of the McNulty deal would be in the region of 250-500K. But surely that renders the £2 million valuation invalid as this suggests the up front transfer sum could be in the region of around £1.5 million - which is realistically far too high for a player of McNulty's ability even in today's inflated transfer market whether it would be in instalments or not. Admittedly this is all speculation on my behalf but most would agree the numbers don't add up but then again this could just be a tactic by Robins to ward off any potential buyers...
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covcity4life
Well-Known Member
wouldnt even sell for 2m now. pre season has started, we have our star striker. no guarantees we can replace him even if we have money
that said go get mcgoldrick so we can have 2 lol
that said go get mcgoldrick so we can have 2 lol
Captain Dart
Well-Known Member
That's the equivalent of £75K in today's money.
That was all before Bosman & the Sky money came into the game.
Captain Dart
Well-Known Member
That's reads like a fragment of Peter Griffin's dialogue in Family Guy.
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better days
Well-Known Member
Sorry James what I should have said is that a deal like I set out would only happen if the player or his agent is agitating for a move and the club feels it's counter-productive to hold out for the full asking price
If the player privately wants to stay this is the time to negotiate a new contract with the leverage of the outside interest
The Fleetwood manager said there was a feeling in the game that if McNulty gets fit he could easily play at Championship level so there will have been talk about him
Football is a small world and the agents and clubs know which players in lower divisions might have a chance higher up
If McNulty went to a Championship club who make plenty of chances he could easily score 20 goals in a season
Players who can do that transfer for £10m to Championship clubs let alone Premier League
Anyway it's all hypothetical
Hopefully Sparky will sign a new contract here
SkyBlueCRJ
Well-Known Member
He's previously struggled at League One level so what on basis would he score 20 goals a season in a league higher? That's a massive statement to make without any previous evidence to support it. There's a few factors in McNulty's game that would be exposed in the Championship and could result in him struggling.
better days
Well-Known Member
You might be right James but in football clubs clutch at straws especially when buying goal scorers
There are loads of examples
Ross McCormack being a recent one
Anyway let's see what happens
fernandopartridge
Well-Known Member
He didn't struggle at League 1 level. He did OK. He's older and more experienced now anyway, players don't necessarily standstill
Mucca Mad Boys
Well-Known Member
Considering Barnet we’re asking £1.5m for Akinde a few seasons ago, £2m sounds about right for McNulty. It’s not a commentary on either player’s ability, but we’re in a far stronger position than Barnet. He’s under contract, we’ve just been promoted and we’re breaking even now. We even have the added boost of Maddison’s sale.
I thought we’d price out any potential suitors at roughly £1.5m because as you say, he hasn’t proven himself above L2 and at 25, it isn’t necessarily a long-term investment with him being sold on if he did well in the Championship. This said, McNulty hasn’t really been given a chance in L1 so it’s not fair to judge him on that, imo. More importantly, goalscorers have got into a goalscoring groove have stayed there for multiple seasons. Only Salah and Kane scored more league goals in 2018 in whole Football League. Who’d have thought that Callum Wilson would’ve kept up his impressive Bournemouth record in the Prem? McNulty will likely score around the 10-15 mark this season at a minimum.
In balance, however, even Beavon had a season where he scored over 20 goals in a season.
SkyBlueCRJ
Well-Known Member
You're right, there are plenty of examples but there are a number of factors to why they succeeded, and subsequently why McNulty may not:
1. Age: The majority of lower league prolific strikers are snapped up young - an advantage for Championship managers who can identify their weaknesses and nurture them into Championship strikers - they ultimately see them as an investment for the future. Charlie Austin and Andre Gray are primary examples here. McNulty on the other hand is at prime age and only a few years from entering his peak.
2. Level Exceeded At: Looking at the current crop of Championship strikers who have performed well last season, all have been previously prolific at League One level. Leon Clarke, Lewis Grabban, Britt Assombalonga have all excelled in the league we currently find ourselves in. Note that they joined Championship clubs because of their success in League One - not in League Two. (Also note that Grabban and Assombalonga were snapped up when they were young). This is obviously a stark difference to McNulty who's previously stint in League One can be described as nothing short of average and is now 25. Strikers who have exceeded in League One are more likely to cope with the step up to the Championship than those who have exceeded in League Two
3. Making the Leap: Leading on from my last point. More players fail than succeed in making this jump from the lower leagues to the Championship. Great strikers at League Two/League One level who were/are arguably as good if not better than McNulty have failed to make the step up. Will Grigg, Craig Mackail-Smith, Matty Taylor, Nicky Ajose. Need I say more. To further put it into perspective I can only name a handful of strikers who have made the leap straight from League Two or below to the Championship who have actually gone on to find any relative success: Ollie Atkins - Exeter, Jamie Vardy - Leicester, Andre Gray - Watford.
4. Weaknesses in His Game: Lacks any significant pace, isn't overly strong or tall, fitness at times is suspect. Many of the strikers who have been snapped up have all had multiple aspects of their game where they excell. Also, Championship defenders have evolved significantly over the last decade. Now they're strong, quick, good on the ball, can pick a pass and are a danger in the box both ends.
There obviously are exceptions to the rule I won't deny that. E.g. as previously mentioned Andre Gray and Jamie Vardy but both had prolific careers prior to their move to the Championship. But the difference here is that whilst McNulty has consistently scored, last season was the first time he managed to break the 20 goal barrier. Championship clubs will be taking notes of all this.
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I_Saw_Shaw_Score
Well-Known Member
Lol
SkyBlueCRJ
Well-Known Member
He had a solid first season for Sheffield United I won't disregard that. But he didn't get in the side for 2 years, then when loaned out to Bradford, his time there saw a return of 1 goal in 16 appearances. I'd call that struggling personally!
better days
Well-Known Member
Everything you say makes sense
Even so it appears Reading have already offered £600k for McNulty
Anyway I hope he signs a new contract and stays with us
SkyBlueCRJ
Well-Known Member
I personally think he'll do well in League One and I agree with you, 10-15 goals sounds realistic. How he'd perform in the Championship however is a different matter as I think the leap would be too much for him.
NorthernWisdom
Well-Known Member
Slightly worried a player with a decade left in the game is seen as not a long term option!
Nick
Administrator
It could well be he didn't get many chances or didn't settle in those 16. He didn't score many in his first 16 for us either. He could have also been playing with players who would rather shoot from 45 yards or take everybody on than pass to him
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Mucca Mad Boys
Well-Known Member
That really isn’t the question. The question is what he is worth to us as opposed to what he’s actually worth. If the likes of Barnet - midtable in L2 at the time, now relegated - were asking £1.5m for Akinde, we’re well within our rights to ask for about £2m because frankly, we have no reason to sell. There’s not even the risk of losing him on a free as we thought.
