Bapxit Day

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recordmeister
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Bapxit Day

Post by recordmeister »

Looks like Bapxit Day is finally here. Let the church bells of Oxfordshire ring out with sadness.
Werthers Original
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Re: Bapxit Day

Post by Werthers Original »

Ridiculous. Shooting ourselves in the foot. But at least we should have £3.50 million to spend on the NHS (new hearty striker)?
Dr Bob
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Re: Bapxit Day

Post by Dr Bob »

Just to play Devil's Advocate, whilst I think that another year at Oxford would have catapulted Baptiste into PL club range, our club's viability is based on taking and developing young players, then selling them on at a profit. Browne and Holland provide width, whilst a hopefully-fit-again Thorne, and Kelly, add to a returning Hanson and Brannagan in midfield.

Thinking back over the last few years at the players we have sold, from Roofe and O'Dowda on, we have not just survived that but continued to improve (the Clotet blip notwithstanding). Indeed, would young players want to come to us if they felt we would develop them then block their ambitions to play at a higher level. These are two sides of the same coin. And that fact that we have continued to improve as a club suggests that in Appleton and now KR, we have had managers who can deliver for young players and club alike.

Maybe it hurts more with Baptiste, though, given that he is 'one of our own'...
Kairdiff Exile
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Re: Bapxit Day

Post by Kairdiff Exile »

I have no problem with us developing and selling young players. The only thing worse than having players people want to sign is having players that no-one wants to sign, as was the case from about 1997 until 2009.

What does distress me is when we let good players go for less than they're worth. We can argue until the cows come home about what is a sensible and fair price for Baptiste and Fosu, but I think we'd pretty much all agree that £3m is not enough.
slappy
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Re: Bapxit Day

Post by slappy »

I appreciate Fosu is a bit older at 24 and has already been around the block a few times at various clubs, but it's a shame he doesn't want to get a full season under his belt before moving on. Also Baptiste has had his injuries, and at 21 we could also do with keeping him until the Summer. I'm not sure about the "one of our own" as he was at Reading until 17, but I guess it's worth claiming. As he is on a long contract (3 years) we should get a decent price.

Perhaps it's player/agent pressure, or maybe the club needs to continue the develop and sell model to get some money in the bank.
SmileyMan
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Re: Bapxit Day

Post by SmileyMan »

Kairdiff Exile wrote: Fri Jan 31, 2020 11:54 am I have no problem with us developing and selling young players. The only thing worse than having players people want to sign is having players that no-one wants to sign, as was the case from about 1997 until 2009.
Reminds me of what I said when my own kids started to leave the nest: "The only thing worse than you leaving home would be you not leaving home"

As KE said - if Oxford is the club to go to if you want to play regularly, get the adoration of fans, and (if you're good enough) leave on a high for more money/prestige, then we'll be really attractive to youngsters.

As for Fosu, during the Man City game I was thinking "IF he keeps this up, there's no way he'll be staying in January" - sadly I was right.
OtmoorYellow
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Re: Bapxit Day

Post by OtmoorYellow »

On Fosu, I wonder if he was concerned about being kicked up in the air every week with League One refs doing nothing about it.

I'm a bit more surprised about Baptiste, as I think he will soon be Prem League material, and also, I certainly don't see Brentford as being a bigger club than us. With some good fortune, we may be playing them next season anyway.
Kairdiff Exile
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Re: Bapxit Day

Post by Kairdiff Exile »

That’s that then. Our old friend the undisclosed fee.

I’d expect us to push a couple of deals over the line between now and the deadline - just hope one of them’s a right back.
ty cobb
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Re: Bapxit Day

Post by ty cobb »

I get the feeling this was expected and planned for - always seemed a bit odd bringing in two wingers and central midfielders when we needed cover at full backs and for Taylor. Of all the players that could have gone SB will impact us far less than Dickie, Gorran or CamBran. Indeed I would argue he wouldn't be a starter in our first choice midfield. That said his value was only going to go up and with such a long contract anything under £3m will be under selling him.

Sounded like Fosau had a very low sell on clause in his contract - frustrating we agreed to that, but we had little choice.

Overall a decent window provided we can get Taylor, Henry and CamBran fit and firing for the rest of the season - we still have a very good team.
Old Abingdonian
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Re: Bapxit Day

Post by Old Abingdonian »

Sad in part, but I side with the realists here. I would have liked Baptiste to stay longer, but of course one more injury and perhaps no deal at all and a player worth little to us.

I take heart that we are steadily improving - now a top half of LI club with some players who are worth millions. As long as this is not the high water mark, and we continue to invest, manage and sell wisely, then we can be reasonably optimistic. It's just sad that the financial considerations are so dominant that virtually no-one can buck the trends. Roll on the new ground?
Kernow Yellow
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Re: Bapxit Day

Post by Kernow Yellow »

Agree with Ty that we were always expecting to lose a couple of midfielders in this window - otherwise why sign Kelly and Holland? The real issue is the timing and expectation management by the club, and the fact that we've replaced assets with short-term loans.

Disagree with Ty that Baptiste wouldn't get in our starting XI - he's been our standout player since coming back to full fitness, capable of running the show even when played out wide (as at AFCW a few weeks ago). Very sad to lose the Us player with the most potential since Joey Beauchamp. Let's hope Shandon lives up to his rather better.

The big problem is at full back in my opinion. I really like Long and Ruffels as players, but the former doesn't offer much going forwards and the latter is looking increasingly shaky defensively. And we certainly need better cover there than Hanson. The inability to replace Cadden, even with several million pounds coming into the club, is pretty poor. I hope it's just a reflection on how hard it is to recruit in January rather than an unwillingness to re-invest in the squad.

Up front is also a concern, though Marcus Browne can play that role and clearly knows where the goal is, which is a big improvement on Mackie.

We've had a lot of unbudgeted cup success in the first half of the season, yet ended up with a weaker squad (at least numerically) than before the window opened. Not ideal with the month we've got ahead. But it's still been a better campaign than most people predicted, and hopefully these recent sales will see Us financially stronger in the long term, so we can't complain really. COYY.
Shoobedoo
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Re: Bapxit Day

Post by Shoobedoo »

I'm a big believer in square pegs for square holes and the lack of cover in defence is a major concern. I'm happy with Long at RB and I think his understanding with Sykes is worth persevering with, and I'm OK with Ruffs at LB although I do think the top half of division 3 is the absolute limit of his ability at the moment.

If either of them get injured we're in trouble though. I would much prefer Forde to remain as a right-sided midfielder and Hanson to remain... er... on the bench.

Disappointed to hear KR dismiss the lad from Brentford who's just been released. Championship experience, 24yrs old, liked by their fans - one who could benefit from another chance under KR's guidance surely...?
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