He brought in 3 players that Karanka, by all accounts, wanted. Even though 2 of them turned out to be dreadful signings in every way.Gibson backing Karanka in January would have helped. Massive error.
Karanka’s reaction in the press conference, following the window closing, told a different story.He brought in 3 players that Karanka, by all accounts, wanted. Even though 2 of them turned out to be dreadful signings in every way.
Obviously Karanka wanted the famous 4 players (Jese, Bojan, Snodgrass, Deulofeu) we didn't get as well, but when you look at those players now I'm not sure any of them would have necessarily 'saved' us. And I doubt it was ever the plan to sign all 4. Obviously the Ramirez situation didn't help.
I didn't think it did. I don't think there was ever any doubt that he wanted the 3 we got, just that he wanted more creativity as well.Karanka’s reaction in the press conference, following the window closing, told a different story.
I didn't think it did. I don't think there was ever any doubt that he wanted the 3 we got, just that he wanted more creativity as well.
"We need to improve the team, and the club knew a month and a half ago the players that I wanted," the Spaniard told members of the media.
"I always said the aim in the transfer window was to improve the squad. At the moment, we haven't done that. We will be disappointed if nobody else comes in, but I have tried my best.
"Teams in our position are signing players for £14m – we are signing players that didn't play in the Championship."
Karanka said it was unrealistic to expect Bamford, who made six substitute appearances while on loan at Burnley prior to joining the club, to shoulder the scoring burden.
"If we are expecting that Patrick was going to arrive and score five goals straight away then we are making a big mistake because he is not ready now,"
"I don't know why we haven't signed our targets. That is not my job. I am the coach,"
Having re-read those comments, with the benefit of 3 years worth of hindsight, you're right an element of doubt has crept into my conviction on the subject.“ I don't think there was ever any doubt that he wanted the 3 we got”
to
“then he resigned Guedioura only a year or so later at Forest suggesting he wanted him too.” Suggesting being the key word, maybe he saw him at Boro and thought he could do a job at championship level?
to
“ Not sure about Gestede”
I see doubt there myself..
As he said, he was made head coach, not manager. He was then gifted Orta by Gibson, Orta, who was Gibson’s idea, granted Karanka didn’t have to take him, but did he have to take Downing? Then there’s long term targets by our “scouting” department... Were Gibson and Gill building for another go in the championship?Having re-read those comments, with the benefit of 3 years worth of hindsight, you're right an element of doubt has crept into my conviction on the subject.
Overall, though, my view remains that our managers still have a say in who we sign, and that even if they weren't the 3 he thought were priority, he probably identified them as players he'd prefer to sign than not sign.
Otherwise we have to let Pulis off the hook for signing McNair and not playing him, or Saville, or Flint and then selling him a year later. We have to let Monk off for the £50m he spent on players who didn't deliver anything. We can't say Karanka was hard done by but then say that all our other managers have just made rubbish signings.