(02-05-2022, 11:48)wba13 Wrote: Zohore isn’t a replacement by choice, Zohore still has 12 months on his contract and no one will buy him, so we would have to pay him off.. if he’s on 20grand a week we would need to pay him nearly a million quid. No chance of that . Carroll costs us nothing. We need the money for other positions especially central midfield. There will be players paid off and there will be a lot of changes but to make out Bruce is at fault over Carroll is wrong the fault lies with whoever bought in Zohore.
I really didn’t want Bruce but he deserves the chance to do what 3 other managers couldn’t or wouldn’t do and bomb out some of these useless players. Remember our last 3 managers had a transfer window and still kept hold of these players.
To be honest, Zohore isn't a replacement 'by Choice'.... Zohore isn't a replacement, full stop.
You're right, wba13, that Bruce is in no way responsible for the situation insane with Zohore's contract but as the person responsible for a self declared "rebuild" for next season that will deliver promotion, it should plainly obvious that Zohore has no future with the club and will contribute nothing, unlike Carroll. If his real desire is to have only one big striker - Dike - and to get rid of both Zohore and Carroll, then I understand his decision to release Carroll. However, to keep Zohore and ditch Carroll makes no sense; I know that Zohore has another expensive season ahead, playing occasionally for the U23 team but I expected Bruce to make the case forcefully to pay up his contract -as expensive as it is - and retain the undoubtedly superior Carroll. Is that difficult to achieve with the Board? - definitely. Do I think Bruce had that forceful conversation? - no. Why not? - because Bruce is desperate to keep this job and no other club is stupid enough to employ him.
I totally agree with you that we need money to strengthen in other areas, especially putting some creativity in midfield but Lai personally sanctioned the purchase of Dike and, for the sake of, as you say, about £1million, he could solve the ridiculous issue of Zohore. I wanted Bruce to make that case to Gourlay but I strongly suspect he caved in when told 'no'. Strong leaders make the case for the right decision and don't go away at the first rejection, Bruce has never struck me as that type of leader.
Of course, if the club had had the sense to accept an offer for Johnstone in January, as they should have done considering he said he was leaving, then even an offer of £6million would have resolved the above issue. We said we wanted about £10million and clubs said "forget it, we'll wait until he's a free agent and sign him for SFA". Which is exactly what is going to happen.
I do fully recognise that Bruce is neither responsible for the purchase of Zohore nor the stupid contract he was given but I just feel this is another in an increasing long line of poor decisions that he has made, and continues to make.
For all our criticisms of him, I'd much prefer to have retained Jordan Hugill than Zohore; he may have been a somewhat ineffective striker but he always gave 100%. Zohore just can't be arsed and for that alone we should get rid.
