Thread by @bfcgpg

A LONG THREAD:

Some notes on the Maupay exit.

How does this sit with us? We know the model. We know the rules. We have pocketed substantial sums from the deal (as usual). But is this one different?

Of course it is! Neal is probably the most influential player that we have had at the club for, well, ages.

At the GPG interview with Thomas Frank, he was drooling over the all-round contribution of Neal.

From defending corners, to his shithousery to his fantastic attitude at the training ground. As Indian Bee said "Let's face it his work rate combined with his goals was exceptional".

There is no doubt that everyone at the club wanted to keep him. I mean everyone. We set our internal deadlines, or tried too. However the noise around him with SUFC, AVFC and B&HA all making overtures was too much to resist. But let's look at the background a little.

Neal joined us 2 years ago. He had a much higher offer from B&HA at that time. However he and his agent (his agent at the time that is) decided to take a much lower offer from us, realising that he was going to play each week.

You might consider that a favour to us, you might not, but we were fortunate to land him. It worked out very well for us, and Neal got paid a lot less than he would have otherwise.

So when B&HA made Neal an offer he couldn't refuse this window, were we obliged to sell? Absolutely not. We could have easily "unplugged the phones". However with his (new) agent in Neal's ear (and ours) claiming that we were ruining his career...

...we couldn't morally turndown an opportunity for Neal to play for the club that he earlier spurned in order to play for us. We just couldn't really refuse him and feel good about ourselves.

In this day of low morals in football these days - I'm glad that we demonstrated that we are a decent club with manners. The fact that we have done right by the player demonstrates to future signings that we provide a potential route to PL, it keeps us in business of course.

So what now? As one GPGer (Mulitinovic) posted "signing a good striker in the dog days of a transfer window is exceptionally hard - think Proschwitz and Willock. We buy early in a window and sell late for a reason."

However we have an excellent scouting network. Maupay himself was discovered by our French Ligue 2 scout. (Yes, a French lower league scout).

Nevertheless (and to continue Mulitinovic's post) "It would be understandable if we broke with normal principles - loan, age, resale - to have the squad place filled and ensure we get some goals with a view to the ideal, long term replacement coming in January or next summer."

That makes complete sense, and it's recognised as a challenge.

Our signings this window look great. Jansson, Pinnock and Jensen all looked imperious on Saturday. Norgaard didn't play and since then we have signed two more exciting players in Joel Valencia and Bryan Mbeumo.

That's without mentioning what may be "one for the future" in Dru Yearwood.

Reading the tea-leaves, we don't expect the other two "crown jewels" to leave us, but as I've learnt, nobody knows nothing when it comes to the transfer window.

There's 10 players left so far. Historically it's been difficult to deal with that turnover (8 players left after the Warburton season), and this is where the new captain has to earn his corn.

Anyway, B&HA might have to sell him to another club next season - they are 3rd favourites for relegation after all. I wonder who he might go to? Newly promoted Brentford perhaps? You never know.

We leave you with GPGer Vid who took on responsibility for keeping Neal locked in his shed. As Vid says: "Well he's not getting back his deposit"

Good luck Neal, see you next season L)(