Gary's January Transfer Window

[Memphis09]

Its astonishing the distance they've all moved from..

Woods - Kilmarnock
White - Newcastle
Mitchell - Hibernian
Scott - Hull (but from Scotland)
Aimson - Wigan
McDonald - an unattached Scot

The two previous managers said we could attract players down here well well who got it all wrong then

 

[Martin Lawrence]

One myth that can be written off with this transfer window is the comment every 6 months that we can't attract quality because Devon is so isolated. Most of these players have just finished contracts in Scotland. Can't get much further than that to relocate on this island.

It's not a myth that geography played a part historically in our transfers. I am sure players were less likely to travel down and commit for a manager in the summer, they didn't know at a club they weren't sure would stay in L1.

 

[MJP_Exeter]

One myth that can be written off with this transfer window is the comment every 6 months that we can't attract quality because Devon is so isolated. Most of these players have just finished contracts in Scotland. Can't get much further than that to relocate on this island.

At the moment these players haven't proven to be the quality we are desperately portraying them as, although agree I'm happy with the window and the signings etc.

 

[Average Joe]

At the moment these players haven't proven to be the quality we are desperately portraying them as, although agree I'm happy with the window and the signings etc.

I guess you're right, quality maybe an overstatement but all of the players have held down positions in leagues above ours.

I mean what is quality anyway?

I expect most to easily be able to play in league one.

 

[geoffwp]

What with a January window as we haven't seen in some time, I hope folks don't start dissing Matt Taylor in the process of celebrating GC's efforts. I don't know for sure, but would not be surprised, if Gary was financially backed by the board in a way that Matt would have liked, back when he seemed to be saying there's no extra money. Just a thought like.

 

[Spanks]

At the moment these players haven't proven to be the quality we are desperately portraying them as, although agree I'm happy with the window and the signings etc.

Well, we’re no worse than when the window started, so we’re still magical, just with a larger squad. The strength is in who we’ve kept, not who we’ve brought in.

If we can persuade only one or two of our players, that will be free agents this summer, to re sign, we’ll be in a very good place.

 

[MJP_Exeter]

Well, we’re no worse than when the window started, so we’re still magical, just with a larger squad. The strength is in who we’ve kept, not who we’ve brought in.

If we can persuade only one or two of our players, that will be free agents this summer, to re sign, we’ll be in a very good place.

Agree. We've strengthened really well and appear to be in a good place, especially retaining our most important players which was the biggest achievement of the window.

Let's hope we show this on the pitch in the last 18 matches

But people making suggestions previous managers where being disingenuous about attracting players down being difficult is a little extreme

 

[Dontpassitback]

Agree. We've strengthened really well and appear to be in a good place, especially retaining our most important players which was the biggest achievement of the window.

Let's hope we show this on the pitch in the last 18 matches

But people making suggestions previous managers where being disingenuous about attracting players down being difficult is a little extreme

Like anything in life,it’s all about contacts,some people have more than others,that’s just the way it is !

 

[Grecian in Guzz]

Like anything in life,it’s all about contacts,some people have more than others,that’s just the way it is !

It's not what you know it's who you know - or you are in a bigger lodge !

 

[jambo]

What with a January window as we haven't seen in some time, I hope folks don't start dissing Matt Taylor in the process of celebrating GC's efforts. I don't know for sure, but would not be surprised, if Gary was financially backed by the board in a way that Matt would have liked, back when he seemed to be saying there's no extra money. Just a thought like.

Two things stand out for me, Geoff.

First, the Club backed Big Gazza in a way that, for whatever reasons, it hasn't been able to do in transfer windows past - not just in fronting up the cash to bring players in, but committing to keeping players whom we might otherwise have "had" to sell to make ends meet. I think this is a major statement both of how robust the Club currently is, & how much it is prepared to invest in the Caldwell "project".

Second, the flip side of this is that Caldwell has been able to get a set of impressive players to buy into that same "project", & commit to coming (a long way) to Exeter. This speaks volumes of the esteem in which he's held by players he's worked with in the past.

What I like most about the business he's done is that he looks to have strengthened the squad for the rest of this season, whilst also building resilience into the squad for next season.