2024/25 Kevin Thelwell

[sanctioned]

Haaland was a stupid comment from Walsh. Nothing was agreed and was probably even near. Half the continent wanted him so even if the hierarchy had agreed it's unlikely he'd have ended up at Everton.

Being in negotiations with players and then that deal not happening is normal. Good players tend to have more than one choice. And sometimes something happens that is just beyond club's powers, like the Kudus deal falling through because ManU offered 100 million for Antony.

Fact remains, Thelwell had to make a profit every year on player trading. No other Premier League club had the same restrictions. Yet somehow Thelwell is the one making bad deals. Except of course now that we have a manager interested in using the squad properly not many of his signings in the squad look bad. Thelwell signed exactly one 30+ million player and sold him on for a profit. Every other PL club has signed several during that time. Thelwell was forced to work in the bargain basement & loan market.

Tarkowski for free. Great business.
McNeil for 15 million. Good business.
Young for free. Decent business.
Gueye for 2 million. Great, great business.
Garner for 10 million. Good business.
Onana for 30 million. Nice profit, so good business.
Ndiaye for 15 million. Great business.
O'Brien for 15 million. Good business, potentially great.
Chermiti - jury's still out. Too many injuries.
Beto for 25 million. Not good, signed basically because club couldn't pay any fees that season and his fee could be deferred to next season. But we clearly paid too much for his skillset (or lack of).
Iroegbunam for 10 million. Seems decent business. A backup at worst, or we could sell him on and not make a loss.

Those ten cost around 125 million or thereabouts and 50 of that was recouped with the Onana sale. Add 10 for Maupay and total outlay is about what the big clubs might pay for one player. Even a club like Brighton whose model we apparently should emulate paid 40 million for Rutter, 30 milion for Minteh, close to 30 for Wieffer, Gruda, Kadioglu and O'Riley last summer and 30 million for Pedro season before that. But Thelwell was bad at his job because he couldn't make similar signings with no money.

Loans have been more hit and miss but that's their nature. Clubs rarely want to loan players who are doing well. Mangala looked decent and I feel he would have been good under Moyes. Dyche's kick and rush didn't really suit him. Alcaraz has looked good on his cameos but Moyes might have other targets in his mind for summer. Harrison was ok-ish during his first season but poor since. Rest of the loans amount to little, although I would have expected more from Danjuma.

Everything correct but McNeil was great business, literally carried Dyche's offense.

 

[Makis]

He splits opinions and I wanted to err on the cautious side but at that price I agree he was great business.

 

[Neiler]

 

[MACCA75]

We’ll see how good he is at Rangers, at least it’s a very clear metric of success.

Not convinced by him at all personally.

 

[jazzy]

Well that will make at least one person on here very happy

 

[Zatara]

Fantastic move for him. Second best club in the realm

Would be great to see him continue where he left off and perhaps a loan option for a youth player.

49ers apparently after a major stake in Rangers. On the up

 

[brieverton]

With respect to him, and if it's true, it's a big career drop leaving the Premier League and going to the SPL. It would indicate that there isn't the level of interest in his services that he might have hoped for, either here or abroad. At least he'll be used to working with very tight budgets.

I thought he did a reasonable job here though, all things considered, and good luck to him.

 

[Billy Dean]

With respect to him, and if it's true, it's a big career drop leaving the Premier League and going to the SPL. It would indicate that there isn't the level of interest in his services that he might have hoped for, either here or abroad. At least he'll be used to working with very tight budgets.

I thought he did a reasonable job here though, all things considered, and good luck to him.

He'll be following the path of Brands. Going to a bum league where it's almost impossible for the top two clubs not to be successful. He'll at least have a crack at the champions league though I guess

 

[Azza]

That's a very suitable level for him.

 

[NilSatisOptimum]

If can bring in players of quality of the O'Brien and Ndaiye for Rangers, he will certainly improve them in Europe, his not so good get him above Celtic. If he thought Everton was tough goldfish bowl of emotion, he ain't experienced football...

 

[Bedfordblue]

Would be interesting to know what has driven his departure.
Seems to me that he’s been told they want to go with a different strategy and he’d prefer to go elsewhere than oversee his last 3 years work undone to pursue a philosophy he’s maybe not enamoured with.

It feels to me like he could have stayed on if he wanted.

Don’t think he’s done anything wrong in the circumstances and the pros certainly outweigh the cons from his tenure for me.

 

[jazzy]

If can bring in players of quality of the O'Brien and Ndaiye for Rangers, he will certainly improve them in Europe, his not so good get him above Celtic. If he thought Everton was tough goldfish bowl of emotion, he ain't experienced football...

Rangers can't afford that level of fee ......on the other hand what dross have we got that we need to get rid of.........

 

[dockroad]

Hope he makes Michael McKeane his first signing

 

[W84 Dum Freeze]

Might have a fiver on Gnonto to Rangers.

Good Luck Kev !

Remember it's more run and kick up there, with a fair amount of hoof ball.

Hope it works out.

 

[Eggs]

Hope he makes Michael McKeane his first signing

….just thinking of him before his first Old Firm;