[Stairs]

Johnstone bust up with Val. Suggestion being Val is trying to force him out in Jan to obtain money to add to squad (Johnstone out of contract at end of season).

It looks like the manager is losing the players and we are in meltdown.

[BaggieSteve]

Johnstone bust up with Val.  Suggestion being Val is trying to force him out in Jan to obtain money to add to squad (Johnstone out of contract at end of season).

It looks like the manager is losing the players and we are in meltdown.

Just listened to Joe Masi’s comments and I think he’s spot on. We have an England international goalkeeper who is the best in the division. We have an understudy in Button who fully accepts his role as stand-in when Johnstone is unavailable and probably expected to be on the bench last night. Accepting this view, it seems completely perverse to leave Johnstone out unless, as Stairs says, he’s looking to sell him now and so is forcing the issue by creating a spat. Of course, Johnstone could be equal perverse and say “fu*k you, I’ll stay until the summer, run my contract, I’ll get my choice of clubs and Albion get nothing”. If Val is playing that game, it’s pretty stupid

[Slick_Footwork]

Not sure what's going on at the club at the moment, has it only just dawned on the powers that be that Johnstone is going to leave for nothing?

Surely we knew that turning down West Ham's bid in the summer was playing Russian roulette...

While the bid was low in terms of Johnstone's market value given age / experience, the alternative was always risking him walking for free. He clearly wasn't signing a new contract and the most lucrative deal for the player himself is usually a Bosman.

While I understand Ismael wanting to sell and add to his kitty, I agree with Steve that a fall out isn't the best way of going about it and could come back to bite us.

Obviously this is all speculation and we don't know if this is definitely the reason for the 'internal issue'. But what we do know is that Ismael is very good at falling out with players and this situation with Johnstone is further proof of how mismanaged the club is from top to bottom. We're at least 3/4 players and a decent manager away from a side that can compete for automatic promotion and really could've done with some cash for Johnstone. I thoroughly expect him to leave for nothing though and have done since we didn't sell him in the summer.

[Stairs]

They fell out over Johnstone's assumption he would walk straight back into the team after serving his suspension whilst VI decided to reward Button for his performances in recent games.

In a way I can understand that but clearly Johnstone saw it differently and now Val has decided to punish him by not playing him in the next game as well - tough management style.

I can see us keeping Johnstone until the summer now (he will refuse any last minute deal to go) so will be on a Bosman and could easily not feature for rest pf season out of spite with this manager

[Baggiebob(BBB)]

Offering an unknown with no real past experience just because he booted Barnsley away from relegation a four year contract was not only a ridiculous and a panic buy decision by whoever made it, it will if Ismael get sacked, cost us the buy out clause from Barnsley + four years wages. 
I mean that sort of money would have got us a half decent coach for two years.
It's clear the players don't like him or his playing methods, so the sooner he is out - together with the person who bought him in - the better.

[BaggieSteve]

I’ll be honest, I hate when there is a call for a manager to be sacked. I suppose because I have an inbuilt dislike of seeing people losing their employment, whatever job they are in. And VI seems to be, from reports I’ve read, to be a pretty decent guy. So I’m banking everything on him seeing the folly of his ways, recognising the current system is pants, consulting with the players on an approach that better suits their own talents and then implementing this at Millwall.

I also believe in unicorns and think Boris Johnson is completely innocent of all accusations ?

[harrogatebaggie]

I think Vi is not doing himself any favours with both the football and the fallouts. However I do see him as a strong character and we have needed that for so long.

I am sick of SJ he was never going to sign a contract and anyone who thinks we should have taken the West Ham offer needs their bumps read. It was derisory. But SJ should remember who got him to where he is, and that has been from us having faith in him and playing him throughout the last 4 years. Shame players can’t recognise they owe the club just a little bit back.

It is possible that VI has manipulated the situation to force SJ out, but I am not waiting years to hear the truth like in the Peter Odem transfer saga.

Unfortunately in all managers tenureships, there comes a time when it’s time to go, and I think we are getting close (a bit like BoJo)

I would say I think VI has been unlucky. O shea’s injury. Too many sent off, including SJ. Injury to Dike. The legacy of Bilic buying players who all do the same role, CR, KG & GD.

I don’t want Bilic back. And as for transfers are we really considering, Dwight Gayle, Shane Long or Andy Carroll. All past there best, let’s spend there ridiculous salaries on a young up and coming forward from level 3 or 4. We have found some gems before, can the scouting team find another, as we don’t seem to be able to see past Barnsley players.

Rant over I feel better for that. Another year in the championship then!

[Slick_Footwork]

According to BBC, Andy Carroll is set to join.

Just what we need to help during our injury crisis, a player whose entire career has been an injury crisis...

Mixed feelings about this one...

If Ismael is to stay, we need as many big aerial threats as possible. A side with Carroll, Dike, Ajayi, Bartley and Clarke could see us return to scoring from set plays.

The other side is, the player has never stayed fit in his entire career and Ismael seems too stupid to realise he needs all of these aerial threats playing together to make his dull style of play work. He's never been particularly mobile enough to chase aimless hoofballs into the channels which seems to be our only gameplan.

[BaggieSteve]

Slick, I feel exactly the same as you. I saw Carroll playing for Reading a few weeks ago at the Hawthorns and thought he was absolutely dire. However, it's clear that he's improved somewhat dramatically since then and, unusually for him, has stayed fit, playing every match. In his pomp and on his day, he was largely unplayable - unfortunately, those days were about 10 years ago! He has all the attributes to be a magnificent striker but injuries have largely trashed his latter years.

With the limited time and resources remaining in the transfer window, there is some semblance of sense to this signing. However, it reinforces the tactics of "lump it" and passes up an opportunity to promote younger players. I know Cleary is a very different player to Dike or Carroll but it would have been a great chance to bring him meaningfully into the first XI squad. Perhaps VI will still do that, you never know

[drewks]

Slick, I feel exactly the same as you. I saw Carroll playing for Reading a few weeks ago at the Hawthorns and thought he was absolutely dire. However, it's clear that he's improved somewhat dramatically since then and, unusually for him, has stayed fit, playing every match. In his pomp and on his day, he was largely unplayable - unfortunately, those days were about 10 years ago! He has all the attributes to be a magnificent striker but injuries have largely trashed his latter years.

With the limited time and resources remaining in the transfer window, there is some semblance of sense to this signing. However, it reinforces the tactics of "lump it" and passes up an opportunity to promote younger players. I know Cleary is a very different player to Dike or Carroll but it would have been a great chance to bring him meaningfully into the first XI squad. Perhaps VI will still do that, you never know

A. C. all but certain, apparently.
https://www.birminghamworld.uk/sport/foo...ng-3545587

I actually have always liked him and think he's been underrated generally; but yes, his injury /fitness issues are a worry as he's always been a bit of a fragile lump.
Personally I'm glad to see him sign