The Transfer Thread.

[LinoJo3 3,191]

It was Gibson’s decision to bring him back. Karanka didn’t want him. Gibson said he’d do whatever he could for him to come back.

 

He clearly did as we offered the most ludicrous contract going.

 

It became obvious as the season went on Karanka didn’t want him, as I said earlier I have a feeling this started his melt down. God knows who we sacrificed signing to save money for downing, could we have brought Gaston in during summer instead of January?

 

Rhodes aswell, did Karanka want a certain striker and wide player but Gibson instead decided to pursue his own targets Rhodes and downing? I remember Southgate saying there was no money for a player then a couple weeks later we’re signing alves for £12m. There’s no reason not to think the same thing hasn’t been happening ever since.

[Lurker 2,118]

It was Gibson’s decision to bring him back. Karanka didn’t want him. Gibson said he’d do whatever he could for him to come back.

 

He clearly did as we offered the most ludicrous contract going.

 

It became obvious as the season went on Karanka didn’t want him, as I said earlier I have a feeling this started his melt down. God knows who we sacrificed signing to save money for downing, could we have brought Gaston in during summer instead of January?

 

Rhodes aswell, did Karanka want a certain striker and wide player but Gibson instead decided to pursue his own targets Rhodes and downing? I remember Southgate saying there was no money for a player then a couple weeks later we’re signing alves for £12m. There’s no reason not to think the same thing hasn’t been happening ever since.

 

Yep, AK didn't want Rhodes.

 

Gibson bought Alves, Southgate had asked for money for 1 of 3 experienced Prem forwards; Beattie, Ameobi and I can't remember the last one. Told there wasn't any then we broke our record a few days later unbeknown to him.

[Snowblind 1,734]

It was Gibson’s decision to bring him back. Karanka didn’t want him. Gibson said he’d do whatever he could for him to come back.

 

He clearly did as we offered the most ludicrous contract going.

 

It became obvious as the season went on Karanka didn’t want him, as I said earlier I have a feeling this started his melt down. God knows who we sacrificed signing to save money for downing, could we have brought Gaston in during summer instead of January?

 

Rhodes aswell, did Karanka want a certain striker and wide player but Gibson instead decided to pursue his own targets Rhodes and downing? I remember Southgate saying there was no money for a player then a couple weeks later we’re signing alves for £12m. There’s no reason not to think the same thing hasn’t been happening ever since.

 

Yep, AK didn't want Rhodes.

 

Gibson bought Alves, Southgate had asked for money for 1 of 3 experienced Prem forwards; Beattie, Ameobi and I can't remember the last one. Told there wasn't any then we broke our record a few days later unbeknown to him.

 

A deal for Brett Emerton was pulled because of the Alves deal too.

 

In fact, I think the deals you're thinking about were for Distin and Emerton as opposed to a striker?

[Changing Times 12,344]

Is it based on starts or sub appearance?

 

Well it's not bloody goals and assists or he'd owe us money.

[Alfaboy 5]

Probably best thing to loan him out and pay a portion of his wage if he's not going to be used!

[LinoJo3 3,191]

Wonder if we could persuade forest to take him? They have money to spend and he played well under O’Neil at villa, he’s the type of manager who would get in Downing type players aswell.

[estonpidge 1,449]

https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/17371845.stewart-downing-not-starting-for-middlesbrough-because-club-want-to-avoid-automatic-contract-extension/?ref=ebmps.

[Changing Times 12,344]

According to someone on Come On Boro who has gotten things right before, the club have offered Downing a 2 year extension but on less money than the 1 year extension would be  :D

[Dan1234 1,056]

So is his contract up at the end of this season or next?? Lots of different reports on that.

[Lurker 2,118]

According to someone on Come On Boro who has gotten things right before, the club have offered Downing a 2 year extension but on less money than the 1 year extension would be  :D

 

Makes sense. He’s got 3 options, renegotiate his current deal with us. See out his current deal, not play then get what he can on a free. Go somewhere now for less than what he’s on.

 

There’s 1 guarantee with it all, unless he starts a match for us, he’ll be getting paid a lot less next season that what he currently is.

 

He’s 34, 35 in July. Not a chance anyone will offer him a big contract.

[Changing Times 12,344]

Makes sense to who? I was laughing at the idea of Downing being here for another 2 years.

[Jamie-H 1,322]

I'm laughing my way through that Echo article from the summer of 2015 'splashing the cash' all the way to the panicked meeting between 'hierarchy' and Downing last week as if everyone just realised he's turning 35 and close to triggering the clause so as usual nothing makes sense with us but you have to remember we're a well run club obviously there's a bigger plan in the works. It's like my dad whose a ST holder 20 odd years he said to me last month Downing's getting on a bit I said a bit?!? He was getting on a bit when we signed him,w 4 years on he would struggle to get in 90% of the teams in the Championship.

 

We had a net spend that summer of about 11 million, Stuani/De Pena/Nugent all were moved on Downing's the last signing standing and no surprise because we gave him some ridiculous retirement contract.

 

I'd love to see the meetings where this contract was hashed out in 2015 did no one say hold on what are we thinking this 30 year old, who has already been moved inside from the wing because of his age, is going to offer us when he's 34/35?

 

I'm guessing that massive wage bill we're rushing to cut is also down to the ridiculous 30k a week contract extension you gave Leadbitter who doesn't make matchday squads and shouldn't make matchday squads as well. If you believe the articles we are a club who sacked the manager who got them promoted because a few 'senior and local' players paid a visit to the chairman complaining about the repetitiveness of his training and methods.

 

Well run club though, well run club sooooo well run.

[Essuuaitch 330]

It was Gibson’s decision to bring him back. Karanka didn’t want him. Gibson said he’d do whatever he could for him to come back.

 

He clearly did as we offered the most ludicrous contract going.

 

and Gibsons comeuppance will be that his close friend will sponge another large lump of  funds in wages whilst  enjoying the retirement that started two or three years ago in earnest.

[p_mards 1,365]

The Downing signing is starting to look even more complicated and divisive than it already was. Gibson shouldn't have forced the signing upon Karanka. However, the signing had the desired effect as it contributed to us getting promoted but now were stuck with an ageing player on money far more than he's worth, even without the contract extension.

 

At this moment in time we need to be fully focussed on clearing up the mess that a succession of reckless and ill thought out signings make under Gibson. I know we were desperate for promotion in the Summer of 2015 after the play off final defeat and Downing is an academy lad who took a significant pay cut to come here, so that would help somewhat justify why we to put the clause in, but we need to operate as a sensible budget focussed Championship club. We have too much of a mess to clean up for us put sentiment before the clubs best interests moving forward. I'd happily see us hard-ball Downing into coming to some sort of agreement for him to negate the contact extension clause, even if that means he remains a bench option until the end of the season before he leaves or if Pulis stays, he review the situation and decides whether to keep him (hopefully not).

 

If we don't get promoted - which is looking very likely - then Pulis won't be staying and we'll have a new manager with a remit to drastically cut the wage bill so that we can adjust to like after parachute payments, so there's no was that we want a 35 year old on £35,000 a week. We're already stuck with enough bloated wages on our wage bill that are going to strain our budget next season so we cannot take having Downing here. I certainly wouldn't want him to be here on a 2 year deal on half the wages. That option terrifies me more!.

[Dan1234 1,056]

Don't really see the issue as far as we are concerned regarding Downing. Its more a problem for Downing himself assuming hes not happy being guaranteed to not start again this season. 

 

He shouldn't be starting for us anyways. So just keep him on the bench or drop him completely if his head isn't right and get rid at the end of the season, job done.