This is getting serious...

So Schteve (must stop doing that) Steve has been in the job for 2-3 weeks and has, albeit with a smile on his face, voiced his concern at lack of transfer activity. Ummm, sounds familiar. Andy Reid is the lone signing. Outbound reads close to a whole team.

The second the final whilst blew in Swansea and our league was confirmed for 2011/12, it was always going to be a case of quite a number of players leaving. There was a certain inevitability about that as out of contract players might look for a big payday and/or some might get picked up by promoted rivals or other bottom end PL sides. Also, there needed to be the realisation that having failed to leap the playoff hurdle two years running, some of the players just didn't/don't have the level of quality to take us further. Its been the right time for them to go - and I include Earnshaw in that list along with Tyson, McKenna, Adebola, Bennett etc. Good luck to them all, thank you - but it's best for all that they move on.

But here is where I'm less than happy. It is now July 8th, the club goes to Portugal in 4 days time to step up pre-season. The new campaign is one month away as they kick off even earlier than ever before on August 6th. How on earth has Nigel Doughty and Mark Arthur allowed the club to become SO under strength???

Despite Steve proclaiming their ambition as a big draw for him, these, "Good people" dithered and dawdled in sacking Billy Davies letting valuable weeks elapse in which concrete transfer negotiations should have been conducted. Yet again, they have wasted the closed season and left us playing catch up.

What Nigel does with his money is up to him. Mark Arthur trots out his statistics defending his master's position. I've always been a Doughty admirer (still am really) but their lack of planning is all too obvious and jaw droppingly, mind-bogglingly short sighted.

Leicester have stolen a march on proceeding this summer. They already had their new manager in place in fairness and planning would have started sooner. However, when you look at their transfer activity maybe it's not so hard to sign players when those that wield the chequebook are willing to write them out and are simultaneously realistic in what quality costs.

This leads back to the crux of the matter at the City Ground. Mark Arthur and Nigel Doughty are either unrealistic, baulking at what things cost these days or indecisive. Whatever their inadequacies, Steve is already out defending them telling us they are working so hard behind the scenes. Why is it so hard? Stop mucking about Mark! I don't believe you when you say it is SO difficult. That is an excuse. It is difficult as you make it if you want negotiate at less than market rates - so learn what the market rates are and "get with the programme!". Steve tell Mark and Nigel who you want. Mark get on the phone, get out the chequebook and start writing some cheques. Money talks. If the cheques need to be a bit bigger than you thought, so be it. The extra money you spend now will be recouped by the payday of promotion to the Premier League. Speculate to accumulate.

Nigel if you feel that you've spent all you want to spend - that's absolutely fine. It's your money. You should do with it as you want. BUT if you have decided to scale down your financial backing maybe it's time to look to get other people with resources and a mindset to spend less hestitant that yours has become and a Chief Executive who makes things happen.

Either way, get some players NOW.