AndySams10
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Armed with scout Steve Palmer and a portfolio of scouting reports we set off to attend various meetings and training grounds to speak to potential transfer targets. Our first port of call though was my main priority on trip, which was stopping off at Francois Zoko's house, to chat through our ambitions for the up coming season and hopefully persuade him that his immediate future lies at Vicarage Road. I knew Francois's agent was the type that would play a fair game, but get the best deal for his client, and with his contract a couple of weeks from running out, I knew Sheffield Wednesday, Empoli, Bologna and another un-named Italian side had already been in contact with the player, so it was down to me to sell my belief in the ambitions of myself and the club that we can achieve exciting times.
The meeting went better and much quicker than I thought, with Francois making it clear that he was too hasty in handing in a transfer request last season, and that with his family settled in the area he wanted to stay and signed a new two year deal.
With the successful conclusion of the Zoko deal, we set off with objectives of bringing in a central defender, a winger who could play on either flank and a full back, again who had versatility to play either side.
We made our way up the A14, then joined the A11 towards Norwich where we were scheduled to meet Norwich boss Gareth Southgate. We sat down in the reception area of Carrow Road and Mr Southgate came over followed by a player in a Norwich club tracksuit, Anthony Pilkington. "Nice to meet you both" I greeted them, "I'm really keen on Anthony becoming an important part of my team this year and feel he will give us alot more creativity and flair that maybe we had been missing in some games last year. Here is what we can offer". As I passed over a contract to both player and manager. "All looks good on our side, I will need to discuss things further with Anthony and if all is accepted, then I will get our chairman to finalise a deal at your end. You'll have an answer by the weekend." responded Mr Southgate. As I started to get up to leave, I received a text from our chairman "Just had Daniel Ayala agent on fone, he is keen on joining. Unsettled at Norwich." With that bit of information, I spoke to Gareth Southgate over the possibility of taking Daniel Ayala on a season long loan. He was a centre back, highly rated at previous club Liverpool, and for whatever reason it just hadn't worked out for him at Norwich and taking into account that Norwich had an abundance of defenders, Mr Southgate wasted no time in agreeing the deal.
With one deal completed and one close to being finalised I managed to cross off two areas I wanted to strengthen and it was very nearly a hat trick from one club, but we were unsuccessful in a bid to sign Andrew Surman on a permanent deal, as he decided to join Leeds United.
It was a pretty successful day, but a long tiring one at that spending nearly six hours in deep conversations to complete relevant deals, and though tedious at times, it was a great pleasure to spend so much time and start to build potentially a good friendship with someone who is very highly regarded in the football world.
The following day I received news that Anthony Pilkington was delighted to sign for the club, so I gave our admin team a call to get them to sort and send the relevant paperwork. Whilst we made a start on our five hour journey to Merseyside and to meet a massive legend in Football, none other than newly appointed Everton manager Ruud Gullit.
I was very excited to meet Ruud, who after spending much time out of the English game, felt it right to come back and join the blue half of Merseyside. He was somebody who had done pretty much everything in football and I wished he could become another friend in the game, as by building up well known contacts, it would only stand me in good sted for now and the future. Right back, Greg Halford was the player I wanted to sign, but Everton were only keen on a permanent deal, whereas we could only afford a loan. Not to waste a long trip, Ruud told me about hot prospect Luke Garbutt, who he rated very highly, but felt he needed a season in the championship to help his development. So we went out to watch the reserves play in a behind closed doors friendly. Garbutt, was playing left back and I could see he had some quality, and would provide great competition for Lloyd Doyley, so by the side of the pitch myself and Ruud shook hands on a season long loan and finished off watching the game, while Ruud and I casual chatted about various football matters.
Three signings in four days, and job done I felt. Next was the journey back down south followed by the start of the proper pre-season training where the new boys would be introduced to the current squad and over the coming days to the media. I was very excited about getting back on the training pitch, especially with the new additions and finally looking forward to the start of the Championship season.
The meeting went better and much quicker than I thought, with Francois making it clear that he was too hasty in handing in a transfer request last season, and that with his family settled in the area he wanted to stay and signed a new two year deal.
With the successful conclusion of the Zoko deal, we set off with objectives of bringing in a central defender, a winger who could play on either flank and a full back, again who had versatility to play either side.
We made our way up the A14, then joined the A11 towards Norwich where we were scheduled to meet Norwich boss Gareth Southgate. We sat down in the reception area of Carrow Road and Mr Southgate came over followed by a player in a Norwich club tracksuit, Anthony Pilkington. "Nice to meet you both" I greeted them, "I'm really keen on Anthony becoming an important part of my team this year and feel he will give us alot more creativity and flair that maybe we had been missing in some games last year. Here is what we can offer". As I passed over a contract to both player and manager. "All looks good on our side, I will need to discuss things further with Anthony and if all is accepted, then I will get our chairman to finalise a deal at your end. You'll have an answer by the weekend." responded Mr Southgate. As I started to get up to leave, I received a text from our chairman "Just had Daniel Ayala agent on fone, he is keen on joining. Unsettled at Norwich." With that bit of information, I spoke to Gareth Southgate over the possibility of taking Daniel Ayala on a season long loan. He was a centre back, highly rated at previous club Liverpool, and for whatever reason it just hadn't worked out for him at Norwich and taking into account that Norwich had an abundance of defenders, Mr Southgate wasted no time in agreeing the deal.
With one deal completed and one close to being finalised I managed to cross off two areas I wanted to strengthen and it was very nearly a hat trick from one club, but we were unsuccessful in a bid to sign Andrew Surman on a permanent deal, as he decided to join Leeds United.
It was a pretty successful day, but a long tiring one at that spending nearly six hours in deep conversations to complete relevant deals, and though tedious at times, it was a great pleasure to spend so much time and start to build potentially a good friendship with someone who is very highly regarded in the football world.
The following day I received news that Anthony Pilkington was delighted to sign for the club, so I gave our admin team a call to get them to sort and send the relevant paperwork. Whilst we made a start on our five hour journey to Merseyside and to meet a massive legend in Football, none other than newly appointed Everton manager Ruud Gullit.
I was very excited to meet Ruud, who after spending much time out of the English game, felt it right to come back and join the blue half of Merseyside. He was somebody who had done pretty much everything in football and I wished he could become another friend in the game, as by building up well known contacts, it would only stand me in good sted for now and the future. Right back, Greg Halford was the player I wanted to sign, but Everton were only keen on a permanent deal, whereas we could only afford a loan. Not to waste a long trip, Ruud told me about hot prospect Luke Garbutt, who he rated very highly, but felt he needed a season in the championship to help his development. So we went out to watch the reserves play in a behind closed doors friendly. Garbutt, was playing left back and I could see he had some quality, and would provide great competition for Lloyd Doyley, so by the side of the pitch myself and Ruud shook hands on a season long loan and finished off watching the game, while Ruud and I casual chatted about various football matters.
Three signings in four days, and job done I felt. Next was the journey back down south followed by the start of the proper pre-season training where the new boys would be introduced to the current squad and over the coming days to the media. I was very excited about getting back on the training pitch, especially with the new additions and finally looking forward to the start of the Championship season.
