J Lingz

[wassy04]

Feels like this signing deserves its own thread, given his profile.

Lets just hope he's not just here to promote his clothing line!

Pretty classic timing that our first home game is against West Ham too. Personally think it's a cracking signing for many reasons. Also noticed Sky Sports singled out Miltiadis for praise once again which is good to hear.

All in all, a real cherry on top of an already excellent window, with by the sounds of it more to come!

[Salvatore Matrecano]

It is quite amusing to read other clubs reactions to it all especially West Ham. They have convinced themselves despite evidence we must be paying way more because they offered him £150k for 3 years (yeah right course they did) and well he is mediocre anyway despite the fact he has been their top target for over a year.

[Sausage Roll]

I think we've structured this pretty smartly. It's a risk for both us and him and the money involved is still eye-watering, however a one-year deal safeguards us from being stung with massive wages should the worst happen. If he does well and keeps us up then he's done exactly what we paid for and he leaves with our best wishes - or could even decide to stay.

[wassy04]

I think we've structured this pretty smartly. It's a risk for both us and him and the money involved is still eye-watering, however a one-year deal safeguards us from being stung with massive wages should the worst happen. If he does well and keeps us up then he's done exactly what we paid for and he leaves with our best wishes - or could even decide to stay.

I imagine he'll want to stay for our Europa League campaign...

[Salvatore Matrecano]

Positives
Proven top quality player in the No.10 role (we can safely say we have an upgrade, sorry Zinc)
Proven Premier League experience in a young squad that needs some added know how.
Real motivation for him to give his all to get in World cup squad
Cost hit of £6m for 1 year is actually seriously good value if it comes off
If it doesnt come off we wave goodbye with no long term pain
Statement of intent and encouragement for other high quality additions
Media profile and England international increases interest and revenue

Negatives
We will have to look for someone else or renegotiate next year
Risk he downs tools after World cup is over
The media and social media circus, how committed is he
Does his reputation and rumoured wage disrupt squad harmony
If we struggle and he doesnt perform well then I suspect we have the new fans scapegoat.

Overall its a fine line but for me positives outweigh negatives and he is worth the gamble. Well down to all involved for making the investment.

[wassy04]

Positives
Proven top quality player in the No.10 role (we can safely say we have an upgrade, sorry Zinc)
Proven Premier League experience in a young squad that needs some added know how.
Real motivation for him to give his all to get in World cup squad
Cost hit of £6m for 1 year is actually seriously good value if it comes off
If it doesnt come off we wave goodbye with no long term pain
Statement of intent and encouragement for other high quality additions
Media profile and England international increases interest and revenue

Negatives
We will have to look for someone else or renegotiate next year
Risk he downs tools after World cup is over
The media and social media circus, how committed is he
Does his reputation and rumoured wage disrupt squad harmony
If we struggle and he doesnt perform well then I suspect we have the new fans scapegoat.

Overall its a fine line but for me positives outweigh negatives and he is worth the gamble. Well down to all involved for making the investment.

What is his reputation that I keep hearing mentioned? I was under the impression the only issue was that his social media content is annoying? In terms of his work ethic/professionalism he still is rated highly and he comes across as a nice guy. I can't say I've followed his career in depth though.

As another positive to add to the above, according to the Athletic article I read about him leaving Utd, his natural role sounds like it could not be a better fit to our system from last year. Not quite an AM, presses well, uses his pace effectively, drifts out wide left (opposite to Brennan). Seems a great fit. Although this was not the way he was used at West Ham so effectively, think he was closer to a forward than an AM.

[Sausage Roll]

He played for David Moyes at Man U and West Ham and he didn't seem to have any problems with him.

[wassy04]

I think we've structured this pretty smartly. It's a risk for both us and him and the money involved is still eye-watering, however a one-year deal safeguards us from being stung with massive wages should the worst happen. If he does well and keeps us up then he's done exactly what we paid for and he leaves with our best wishes - or could even decide to stay.

This is an interesting read about his time at Man U and the loan to West Ham:

Good read this, impressed at how open he is about his mental health situation, suggests a high level of maturity. A few cringey moments but really good insight. I can't help but think he fits the type of personality that Cooper has had success with so far (Spence for example). I honestly think this is a pretty low risk move.

My only slight concern is simply on why he has picked us over West Ham? Is there something we're unaware of? Is he really just getting silly money compared to what WH were offering (doesn't appear to be what the media are reporting)

[Sausage Roll]

I think we've structured this pretty smartly. It's a risk for both us and him and the money involved is still eye-watering, however a one-year deal safeguards us from being stung with massive wages should the worst happen. If he does well and keeps us up then he's done exactly what we paid for and he leaves with our best wishes - or could even decide to stay.

This is an interesting read about his time at Man U and the loan to West Ham:

Good read this, impressed at how open he is about his mental health situation, suggests a high level of maturity. A few cringey moments but really good insight. I can't help but think he fits the type of personality that Cooper has had success with so far (Spence for example). I honestly think this is a pretty low risk move.

My only slight concern is simply on why he has picked us over West Ham? Is there something we're unaware of? Is he really just getting silly money compared to what WH were offering (doesn't appear to be what the media are reporting)

The consensus seems to be he'll be getting £115k a week from us. If West Ham were offering him £75k that's a massive difference.

In real, non-football life, if someone were offered around 40% more wages to join a 'not as good' company, chances are they'd still take it. That doesn't automatically mean they wouldn't give their all for their new employer though.

[wassy04]

I think we've structured this pretty smartly. It's a risk for both us and him and the money involved is still eye-watering, however a one-year deal safeguards us from being stung with massive wages should the worst happen. If he does well and keeps us up then he's done exactly what we paid for and he leaves with our best wishes - or could even decide to stay.

This is an interesting read about his time at Man U and the loan to West Ham:

Good read this, impressed at how open he is about his mental health situation, suggests a high level of maturity. A few cringey moments but really good insight. I can't help but think he fits the type of personality that Cooper has had success with so far (Spence for example). I honestly think this is a pretty low risk move.

My only slight concern is simply on why he has picked us over West Ham? Is there something we're unaware of? Is he really just getting silly money compared to what WH were offering (doesn't appear to be what the media are reporting)

The consensus seems to be he'll be getting £115k a week from us. If West Ham were offering him £75k that's a massive difference.

In real, non-football life, if someone were offered around 40% more wages to join a 'not as good' company, chances are they'd still take it. That doesn't automatically mean they wouldn't give their all for their new employer though.

Agreed and if that is the reason then I'm fine with it. If you look at the non financial intangibles though, it's harder to understand. West Ham being where he clearly enjoyed, was made a focal point of the team and played every game. They're also in European competition, even if only the Conference League. You've got to think in terms of ambitions of getting back into the England squad it'll be less likely from Forest than West Ham. At WH he'd have been directly playing with a number of England players already, Rice is one of our most important players, so from that perspective it's more confusing. 

Maybe West Ham weren't willing to offer the short contract and that's what he wanted? It sounded like he was being offered to be their highest paid player so you'd assume a guaranteed starter. 

Maybe we won't find out the above, just feels like on paper the extra 40% pay doesn't fully explain it.

[Sausage Roll]

I think we've structured this pretty smartly. It's a risk for both us and him and the money involved is still eye-watering, however a one-year deal safeguards us from being stung with massive wages should the worst happen. If he does well and keeps us up then he's done exactly what we paid for and he leaves with our best wishes - or could even decide to stay.

Good read this, impressed at how open he is about his mental health situation, suggests a high level of maturity. A few cringey moments but really good insight. I can't help but think he fits the type of personality that Cooper has had success with so far (Spence for example). I honestly think this is a pretty low risk move.

My only slight concern is simply on why he has picked us over West Ham? Is there something we're unaware of? Is he really just getting silly money compared to what WH were offering (doesn't appear to be what the media are reporting)

The consensus seems to be he'll be getting £115k a week from us. If West Ham were offering him £75k that's a massive difference.

In real, non-football life, if someone were offered around 40% more wages to join a 'not as good' company, chances are they'd still take it. That doesn't automatically mean they wouldn't give their all for their new employer though.

Agreed and if that is the reason then I'm fine with it. If you look at the non financial intangibles though, it's harder to understand. West Ham being where he clearly enjoyed, was made a focal point of the team and played every game. They're also in European competition, even if only the Conference League. You've got to think in terms of ambitions of getting back into the England squad it'll be less likely from Forest than West Ham. At WH he'd have been directly playing with a number of England players already, Rice is one of our most important players, so from that perspective it's more confusing. 

Maybe West Ham weren't willing to offer the short contract and that's what he wanted? It sounded like he was being offered to be their highest paid player so you'd assume a guaranteed starter. 

Maybe we won't find out the above, just feels like on paper the extra 40% pay doesn't fully explain it.

In The Athletic article it said that Cooper and Marinakis Jr. spoke to him and made him feel wanted - could be as simple as that.

[Salvatore Matrecano]

The West Ham conspiracy theories as to why he turned them down are fantastic.
They are starting to grudgingly accept that his wages arent as high as they thought but now apparently we are giving him a £5m “survival bonus” incentive.