"Owls appoint Dean Smith as first team coach"

.......you heard it here first.......

Again, this is another article that is similar to one i wrote a week or so ago! I totally agree, deadwood gone and signing the right players for the positions required! I'm happy with the patient approach!

My glass is half Full!!!!

Dean Smith eh?? That'd be a good move

I stand by what I have said previously.

1)`Our best eleven is about the same standard that finished last season.

2) Our overall squad is weaker than finished last season.

3) Three or four quality signings in the right areas will make us a promotion chasing side.

I think that is factually correct and I am neither overlly positive or negative.

Its not factually correct Steve, it's all a matter of opinion.

The best eleven is much improved on last season with the additions of Bennett, Prutton and Semedo replacing Spurr, Potter and JOC.

I'd agree with that consilio... and more importantly there is still ample time to add to the existing squad. We're definitely looking weak upfront, having halved the number of strikers on our books but Megson has gone on record to suggest that's a priority position to strengthen.

I'm not ready to condemn a midfield pairing of Semedo and Prutton without giving them a chance to play in blue and white first.

1)`Our best eleven is about the same standard that finished last season

---------------------------

personally, I'd say we're slightly improved with the arrivals of Semedo and Barrett.

Sorry......meant Bennett

Posted elsewhere but fits this one too.....

No more signings and we're mid-table, two/three good ones and we can look good for a solid play-off spot, maybe challenging for the top two, four good ones and we've a chance of automatic. Not panicking yet, but will be happier when pen has been put to paper.

I think the success of our season next year depends on the striker Meggo signs. Other positions he wants to fill(RM, DEF) are likely cover and competition cos we're thin in these areas. Striker is key and if he gets a 20+ goal-a-season player then we are looking in better shape than last year, IMO.

I think Semedo & Bennett should make us quite a bit better & more balanced.

But then that's off-set with losing Baath & Mellor, so I dunno.

I do think the larger squad increased apathy rather than increasing competition though.

You can have the best eleven players in the world but if they dont like each other want to play for each other or make a team you are going to lose.

Would there be more optimism if we secured Mellor permanently or would we favour an alternative "League One" forward? It's unlikely we'll persuade a "tried and tested" player of any worth to drop down a league from the Championship (unless it's a loan deal).

I love how we always seem to fall back on " what are you moaning about it's not as if we still have 'insert name here' playing for us!"

Is this our measuring stick for success? no wonder we're in division 3. We all love the club but under-ambition is a serious offence. Some of you are waking up and smelling Megsons coffee.

As for MM splashing more money out, if he intended Megson to have all the cash he needed he'd have it wouldn't he? Not create a situation where Megson has to ask for more...

How much cash do you expect a League 1 chairman to splash out? MM has already confirmed that resources are available but you need to be realistic.

There's still a wage structure in place and club will continue to operate within it's limited financial means. The fact Milan has millions doesn't translate into the club being minted.

We're only going to attract lower league players, ageing opportunists or cast offs irrespective of how much money we throw about so we're better off being shrewd than irresponsible.

Point of this article is to reinforce that it's premature to write off the season (based on previous articles).... if come September we're still working with a limited squad then I'll start fretting.

I think it's fair to agree with that elvis!

'We're only going to attract lower league players, ageing opportunists or cast offs'

That's a load of rubbish. There are young players at Premier League clubs who we could attract and would be good players for us, as our own signings have shown in the past. We also signed a player from the Championship and one from the SPL in January.

I do agree it's silly to write our chances off before the season has started but I don't think to many on here are doing that, rather pointing out that we had a rubbish season last year and we're going into this one with a squad which is arguably weaker.

Let's hope we make some signings this week though and we can look forward a bit more optimistically..

Rumours that we had an offer for Le Fondre rejected over the weekend but have since had one accepted!

I think that is exactly what most fans are saying. At the moment, we won't go up but with three good signings, we might go up.

Not Le Fondre again! Well, I hope we sign him. It'll be interesting to see everyone laying into him when he doesn't score a hat-trick on his debut.

U8805... Unless these Premiership youth players are loan deals, obviously they'd fall into the "cast off" category. Fact is, even with us wafting Milan's fat wad of cash at a Premier League "prospect" we're not going to entice a player down TWO Leagues. That was my point.

Granted we got Reynolds from SPL, and he came with a decent pedigree and backing from the Motherwell fans, but it's realistic to assume that most of our transfer targets will be from the lower leagues.

I want to see us competing for quality players as much as anyone, but it'll not be for players with options and offers to remain in the Championship. They'll come to Wednesday because they're more likely out of favour at their current club, not because we're writing 7 figure cheques.

ELVISwasanOWL

Well I don't really get why you bothered making theat point then as it seems all you're doing is stating the obvious; most people know we won't be signing Premier League players and you could argue any player who leaves a club is a 'cast off' - ever heard the chant 'Wednesday reject'?!

The whole point was in response to a previous comment questioning why Milan hasn't "splashed the cash". I'd say it was perfectly relevant in that particular context and an "obvious point" that needed stating at them time.

But what you said was wrong, as the players we signed in January demonstrate or at best a tautology.

It's fair to say I'm wrong if it's an opinion you don't agree with fella, but it wasn't a tautological statement. Simply attempting to justify (and to reinforce my own opinion) why MM wouldn't commit to a substantial transfer fund and, more importantly, explain how offering big money at potential signings wouldn't entice top players. It's a point that hadn't previously been introduced to the thread as a direct response so I don't see how you can label it as tautology?

Having said all that..... nice to have a bit of banter all the same. Bloody hell, hardly seems worth writing now!

Just the 'others cast-offs' thing - guess you could say that if a plyer is leaving he must be a cast-off.. ah well.

It's clearly circumstantial? Tommy Spurr to Donny was a cast off as he was surplus and disregarded by Megson. Fabregas to Barca would be a loss to Arsenal as they would clearly prefer to retain him. Leicester hardly fought to keep Morrison, they were eager to move him on by all accounts. Judging by the fans/managers response when we signed Reynolds, he had a future at the club. So granted mate, we did well to land him. Le Fondre wouldn't be a cast off by any means. The Millers would sooner start the season with him upfront! So.... Actually I'll not encourage a response good game U.