Scouting Non League

[jam tomorrow]

According to Snooze we have scouts taking in the Non League matches with a view to seek out any gems. Although this may an option for one or two players I hope this isn’t a sign that our owners are not going to fund bringing better quality players in. Which needs more ambition and investment

[Pompey55]

This has always been part of the Cowley master plan there are 2 schools of thought one that as part of an overall strategy it’s what clubs in our position do in addition to adding established players, the other is it’s trying to do things on the cheap as with everything it’s what happens in the window which will show our ambition for next season

[Pompey55]

The more interesting development is that 4 out of 8 of the 18 year old academy players have been given either a full one year contract or a one year scholarship which can only bode well for the future of our youth set up

[Blue Walter]

Oldham Athletic scoured the National League for 'gems' last summer and filled their team with players from that league for this last season. The end product was that this team, full of National League players, has ended up in the National League for next season.

[Pompey1984+1]

I'm sure this is absolutely going to be the only place we sign any players from...

[PeteM]

As someone who works and scouts for a club in semi-pro non league football, there are definitely players there who are hidden gems that haven't made it at a better level for various reasons.

While I'm pretty confident most of our recruitment will be from Championship or other League One clubs, there's no harm in having a low-risk punt on two or three raw talents out of non-league to supplement what we have.

[Blue Walter]

As someone who works and scouts for a club in semi-pro non league football, there are definitely players there who are hidden gems that haven't made it at a better level for various reasons.

While I'm pretty confident most of our recruitment will be from Championship or other League One clubs, there's no harm in having a low-risk punt on two or three raw talents out of non-league to supplement what we have.

I fully agree that scouting around the lower leagues is the right thing to do, Jamal Lowe is a prime example of that. But for every player who becomes a success from this route there are, probably, two or three that will fail to make the grade. We have seen examples of that here where we have brought in players that have not reached the level we have operated at.

You say you are confident that our recruitment strategy will be based at League 1 & Championship level, which I think I would agree with now. From what I have read recently, and understand from the club, there has been a shift from Danny Cowley's plan to bring in '4 or 5 assets from the National League who are good enough to go straight into the first team' policy to one of bringing in more established players.

[jam tomorrow]

When you look at some of the teams that have gone up these past seasons. Teams such as Luton, Blackpool, Hull and Coventry. I don’t believe these clubs have overspent on players and are pretty stable in the Championship. So it can be done with astute loans and good value signings. Just needs DC to demonstrate he’s got what it takes.

[Blue Walter]

I have abstained from posting recently as the general mood on this board seemed full of optimism. Some of you may have noted that my views concerning our near future is somewhat less optimistic than some other posters on this board and I did not want to ruin the 'feel good' factor that seems to prevail. I only post what I think and what my opinion is rather than post for an effect or, as I think, some posters are overly blue tinted optimistic. Also I have contacted Mr Cullen for clarification on the clubs transfer policy going forward and I am waiting for a definitive reply. I have had a sort of we will be in touch later sort of reply but nothing concrete to report back on just yet. I have also had some information from a source at the club which was interesting. I have to say now that I can't say what this source is and also that it has been very unreliable in the past, more unreliable than reliable in fact. On the odd occasion it has been quite enlightening though and in this instance, apparently, Cowley's 'vision' is not the whole to be adopted by the club.

I think the long term prospects of the club are very sound and I think the clubs owners are ambitious and want the club to be successful, which obviously means promotion. Eric Eisner has said on several occasions that he wants promotion but only when we have a squad that can maintain and prosper at the higher level and the infrastructure in place to go with it. We are way off that scenario and all that kudos the team reaped in the last few games will be tempered by the fact that, quite possibly, half the players will not be here next season. That means another overhaul can be expected although I note Cowley is talking of trying to bring back as many of the loanees and short contract players as possible. There is also a shift in the way he answers questions by saying he will put forward what he thinks the club needs to build a competitive side for next season by saying that is now down to the owners which is more ambivalent. Whereas before he claimed there was an almost undying love in with the owners in saying that they will back him. All this leads me to believe that we will be in for a certain 'marking time' period while the club is being underpinned and revamped, which is well past time and needs to be done.

I think for next season there will be again a heavy reliance on loan players and will not be as competitive as we would like. I also think the following season will be much the same, but more competitive. On the other hand I think the owners may be stunned to find that season ticket sales have dipped and may well move to speed up the squad revamp. I know of several people (including one of my relatives) who are not renewing their season tickets because some of the football has been so poor and the discontent with Cowley and his 'transformation' to fast attacking football, although in fairness we did see a hint of that against Wigan in the second half.

My synopsis is the long term is great but the short term is ungreat.

[eltorrro]

Can't disagree with what you say BW and all could well be true. Think we need to realise the Eisners will not go overboard, throwing huge amounts of cash at the club in order to get promotion..certainly not in the short term.

Interesting your comment from DC 'saying he will put forward what he thinks the club needs'..maybe that relates to a DoF coming in and DC having to pass everything through that person?? Maybe management are beginning to question his ability?...intriguing!!

[Sam_Brown]

The query I have is how much of our transfer business is dictated by the Cowleys and how much by the Owners \ Chief Exec? I feel like the lines are being blurred here and I'm not convinced it's not intentional from either or both parties.

I might not be remembering correctly here but I got the feeling from last summer Cowley had his list and gave it to the club and we were unable to bring in the players he wanted. I feel like maybe he is getting frustrated at not being backed by the club financially or that for whatever reason we just can't get the deals over the line.

Not sure we'll ever know 100% for sure but the coming months are going to show whether the actions back up the rhetoric.

[Sam_Brown]

maybe that relates to a DoF coming in and DC having to pass everything through that person??

I got the feeling this was what was happening already in a round about way. Cowley passed his requests over to the club and they worked on it. Perhaps a DOF would just be making official what was happening all along?

[Pompey55]

I might not be remembering correctly here but I got the feeling from last summer Cowley had his list and gave it to the club and we were unable to bring in the players he wanted. I feel like maybe he is getting frustrated at not being backed by the club financially

When he left Huddersfield it was reported that it was due to disagreement over transfer policy, maybe it’s history repeating itself if it is then I would say it’s down to him not both clubs

[Sam_Brown]

I might not be remembering correctly here but I got the feeling from last summer Cowley had his list and gave it to the club and we were unable to bring in the players he wanted. I feel like maybe he is getting frustrated at not being backed by the club financially

When he left Huddersfield it was reported that it was due to disagreement over transfer policy, maybe it’s history repeating itself if it is then I would say it’s down to him not both clubs

That's the thing we'll never know if it's history repeating or not. It's all conjecture and as mentioned above for some reason I feel like the lines are being blurred intentionally by one or both sides. I guess people who already dislike him will assume it's one way and people who like him assume the opposite. We've got three months of this to get through and the window isn't even open yet

I don't think we'll get an idea of whether the club have put money where their mouth is until August \ September. If last seasons close was any indication it's going to be a bumpy few months

[Blue Walter]

I think the most stark thing is the way he answers, or fields, questions now to earlier. For instance when he announced his 'vision' he said words to the effect that 'I think the owners will back us'. Now he has basically said 'well I have told them what I want and now it's up to them'. I think his wings have been clipped to a certain extent. Eric Eisner has said he wants to see improvement in the playing style, perhaps no coincidence that he played his best team when Eric Eisner was in attendance. Also, maybe, it was no coincidence that Walker never featured when Eric Eisner was here either. When Eric Eisner said he wanted to see an improvement did that mean it was because he hasn't seen any improvement up to now? He also rather pointedly said that we are coming up to this much heralded third window!

I may well be reading between the lines and got it completely wrong, to the point of being mischievous, but I certainly see a shift in the relationship now. I am not even saying the Cowley's should go but I do want to see an end to all the bluff and blarney. And I certainly would like to see something tangible of this so called transition to fast attacking football.