The irony of people saying they'd take 500k, when 12 months prior to that, the same people would have been up in arms.
In my view, I wouldn't sell for anything less than 750k-1m. For a few reasons:
- The possibility we could lose Bayliss would mean we'd lose two young assets in centre midfield.
- Stevenson is not merely a League 2 player, Wigan clearly see him as a player who can perform at L1-Championship standard and because they're looking like favourites to win the league, you'd imagine they see him as a Championship player in-waiting. So I say we should keep unless they're willing to pay over the odds.
- Stevenson was one of our best players last season, so we already know he can perform at that level. If we're a club with serious promotion aspirations, why would we sell a player we know can play a level above we're at. Plus, if we get promoted, I imagine Doyle's contract won't be renewed, or if it was, his playing time will be reduced. Brining me on to the next point...
- Doyle is 36, a great leader and has been a v good player for us this season, however, despite looking after himself as well as he has, he's not getting younger and we won't be able to rely on him as much next season, especially if we get promoted. In fact, if were to get promoted, I don't think we'll renew his contract. So we're in a position where we'd be in the market for a centre midfielder anyway, which if you refer to the previous point, is another reason not to sell him.
- Just because he isn't getting much a look in this season, it doesn't necessarily mean MR doesn't rate him, I think we have a clear game plan in this division and maybe he's just not suited to it this season. If we were to get promoted, our style of player is likely to change again, most teams tend to play a bit less direct when they get into L1.
- I don't think he's all of a sudden turned into a bad player and he still has the potential to play at a good level.
- A lot of people using the same hypothetical scenario as they did with Willis, 'if we sell him and get a striker who scores goals, then I'd sell him'... We need to be proactive in this transfer window and if we're pursuing targets that are dependent on us selling a player for a fee, it delays our moves in the window. I think, for example, we have the funds and resources set aside for Craig Davies - so I don't think selling any of our players will be to bring other players in. I really do think the whole club, top to bottom are pushing for promotion hard because despite setbacks, we're still making moves in the transfer market, when we could've probably just settled and pushed again in the summer.
Just my thoughts, I hope I'm right!
But unfortunately we need now not future and we are not exactly flushed with money so if an asset can pay some 'shortfalls' on bills etc then thats what has to happens and if that then allows us to trade Stevenson and get an improvement (yes I know thats a big IF/lottery/gamble) and we manage promotion I am 100% behind it.. Remember Maddison was a god by many on here until we heard he had been sold then he was a lot of peoples hate boy, its taken a couple of seasons for Maddison to mature have we got that luxury with the likes of Stevenson et al?
