[Lord Snooty]

We've now been linked with Will Alves of Leicester.

Deadline day is tomorrow, Monday the 1st.

Signed on loan. 20 year old attacking midfielder. Played against us in the Cup. Got hauled off at half time.

[theo_luddite]

Lets hope we don't break him by the end of September. We've signed (and have still got) worse than this lad in the last couple of seasons. Hope he fits in well and with already knowing players at Town, he shouldn't come across as a Billy-Big-Bollox.

[themaclad]

Alves is decent

[Devongone]

Lets hope we don't break him by the end of September. We've signed (and have still got) worse than this lad in the last couple of seasons. Hope he fits in well and with already knowing players at Town, he shouldn't come across as a Billy-Big-Bollox.

Billy No-Mates might be a nice lad, keen to listen and desperate to fit in, but Billy-Big-Bollox, if he's anywhere near as good good as he thinks, is far more likely to get you promoted.

It's how the other lads react when he comes over a bit big-bollox. If you are winning they'll always handle it.

It's stitching a bit of attitude into that team ethic that's the trick. Big-Bolloxes are always going to be prone to that sort of mindset, but they know deep down they have to keep proving it or they become a laughing stock.

[theo_luddite]

We've frozen more than a few out before that came over that way. There was one lad from West Ham the lads wouldn't even look at let alone pass to when he was stood a mile from any defender in their box. Someone will know who I mean. It sure as hell wasn't Callum Marshall last season. He was one that never stopped trying when many of ours that knew they were facing no contract extension had long given up. Last heard of in the League at Port Vale I think. Mipo? Or someone before him? He was supposed to be here for a season and we'd sent him back before Christmas he was that popular. Liverpool won't be offering £125m for him this afternoon anyway.

To be fair, most of the Prima Donna lads we get know why they are here and it's not hard to spot those that will on to play for England or any other international country after a handful of games. Castledine is already starting to shape up that way. It will take him a few more games to get in the groove but we rarely get a bad 'un from Chelsea or Leicester. It might take Goodman (OK, he's from Palace) a while to get his act together but he's proved he can do the good stuff when we need him to, he just needs to give his rush of blood antics a bit of work. That's what you get sometimes from picking kids. Ask Souness.

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They can have the attitude, eff me show me a professional athlete in any professional sport that dosn't have an ego the size of the sun, but they don't need to gob off about it in the dressing room. They might be Prima Donna League (or equivalent in Europe) and even International cap bound but telling them around them when they come out of the showers that they've reached their level or are over the hill isn't tactful or clever, even if it's true. The idea is to big up the whole squad or keep your gob shut and learn. Most players are aware of their limitations, where they will end up and where they've come from. They don't need some cocky teenager telling them that they are a bunch of losers/has beens and expecting them to be his best mate for the next 9 months.

[Devongone]

You even get players in the Saturday and Sunday Leagues who think they are too good for the level they're playing at. Quite often they are actually right. It works fine when the team uses their ability and benefits from it. But it can be destructive. A keeper can destroy a centre back by blaming him for every goal. Equally a centre back can destrohy a keeper's confidence, especially if he happens to be captain and a gobshite.

But yes a top player is going to have ego. He knows he's good. All this staying humble guff is for the birds. There is no way the meek are going to inherit the earth however little there is left of it. Being humble has never got a winger past a full back.

[theo_luddite]

Mostly it's his feet and an ability to keep the ball near them, well it was when I was a Sunday League 5th division superstar (cough). Amazing how every player is super happy, delerious to be where they've suddenly been transfered/loaned to and not a word about where they just left. You know, the previous club they were super, happy, delerious to have signed for and where they'd fit right in if they could only get a game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9QjyTAxPMs

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PS we didn't sign Marc Guehi from Palace either, but apparently neither did Liverpool. Who knew eh?

[Lord Snooty]

19 year old Dutch striker from Villa inbound?

Zepiqueno Richmond. Signed on loan.

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Redmond not Richmond.

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He's named after a character in a Brazilian gangster movie.

[Lord Snooty]

Neo Eccleston gone on loan to Grimsby.