Hammonds negotiating skills

[Alexander Litvinenko]

..... We seemed to have lost a number of other targets by not willing sometimes to go that extra mile. ......

No, we seem to have "lost" a number of other targets because we either weren't prepared to be taken as mugs by the selling club. When you want something, you have to have a top level price you're prepared to pay, and if you don't get it at that price you have to be prepared walk away.

But in more cases that that, we've discovered that up-and-coming young players aren't prepared to move to a small, unfashionable club outside London which is in the bottom three of the league and everyone's favourite for relegation.

[SapperBRoyal]

All at a lower level than we are now. Not setting the world alight in the premier league and didn't last time at this level. Arguably the biggest signng this time needed Anton to do the negotiating. Think Paddy may have a point.

Pay attention for the science. Sell high, buy low, do it with someone else's money. Highly respected across the division and coveted by several other clubs - not a big timer, but content to be inconspicuous. Record speaks for itself - incidentally, can we identify many others providing continuity throughout the recent period of success. Common denominator? Nick Hammond. Worst thread ever.

Brian McDermott. John Madejski. Is Nigel Howe still involved?

There's a pretty dark haired girl that used to run the bar in the Thames Room during the 2006-7 season - i think she's still working in hospitality somewhere, but I don't expect that she has much impact on signings. BMcD was obviously chief scout until early '10, not really making executive transfer decisions as opposed to informing them. SJM and the former board members are businessmen, and I'd suggest know as much about football as...well me, quite frankly. I know my limits, and would not be able to deliver such tangible success over such a prolonged period without a football man that knows his s**t - not a collection of well-meaning/bluffing clowns in suits. To be fair to AZ, he brought his own 'advisors' in initially but seems to have quickly to distinguished wheat from chaff in this respect. Given the resource available to the club over the last 7 or so seasons, I cannot think of another executive that has had equivalent impact in the Premiership.

[redscot]

Lets not doudt Hammonds selling skills. But in the past few seasons targets have slipped by, partly because the club "plays" the waiting game in the hope no other team is interested in the target. When the difference is a smaller sum, then this is a foolish game to play. (I bid like that on Ebay, but often lose out.)

[Royal Ginger]

Other clubs now know Reading isn't a QPR style cash-cow who can be talked into a stupid deal. Deals don't 'slip though our fingers', they're on or they're off. We just don't get told about it. When a paper reports 'Reading, West Ham and QPR are in for X player', Hammond's already been in, bid, and moved on whilst the others are playing 'who's got the biggest bollox'.

[melonhead]

have valuation. dont go above valuation.

[redscot]

have valuation. dont go above valuation.

If only men would use this advice in the dating game.... In the real world you have to be flexible and adjust to what other teams are doing. If you wait around "thinking" players will slip threw your hands. This is not the same as spend like there is no tomorrow, though.

[melonhead]

i stick by the idea that paying more than what someone is worth to you, is a silly idea

[cmonurz]

There does have to come a point, however, where if people keep being worth more than you think are are, to the club they currently play for, or to other subsequent buyers, you have to question whether your judgement is correct.

[melonhead]

There does have to come a point, however, where if people keep being worth more than you think are are, to the club they currently play for, or to other subsequent buyers, you have to question whether your judgement is correct.

add in some sort of consideration about what you can afford, and surely it just means you shrug, and move on to the next person on yoru list

[SapperBRoyal]

Absolutely right. This isn't because we can't play poker, it's because we have a strategy and sometimes we have to accept we are priced out of the market, and leave the table - particularly in January when it is a seller's market and the agents are circling. Should we stabilise ourselves in the Premiership, and the Reading brand builds, players will want to play for us and it will become easier.

[Terminal Boardom]

If you are buying a house you look to get the lowest price possible. If you are selling, you want as high a price. Hammond has done well for the club in the past and long may it continue. Therefore, I suggest that the tards complaining stick to pc and video games.

[redscot]

If you are buying a house you look to get the lowest price possible. If you are selling, you want as high a price. Hammond has done well for the club in the past and long may it continue. Therefore, I suggest that the tards complaining stick to pc and video games.

This is wrong. Some people selling houses would gladly accept a lower offer if it was a cash offer rather than a chain. A friend of mine got his offer accepted in spite of 2-3 other higher offers. And this is the point. Are you rigid in your valuation or flexible?

[Terminal Boardom]

If you are buying a house you look to get the lowest price possible. If you are selling, you want as high a price. Hammond has done well for the club in the past and long may it continue. Therefore, I suggest that the tards complaining stick to pc and video games.

This is wrong. Some people selling houses would gladly accept a lower offer if it was a cash offer rather than a chain. A friend of mine got his offer accepted in spite of 2-3 other higher offers. And this is the point. Are you rigid in your valuation or flexible?

So you know the lowest you would sell at and the highest you would pay out. Similar to haggling for that stuffed donkey on holiday. The seller knows what the lowest selling price would be. Perhaps I could have added how desperate are you to either buy or sell. Take Birmingham City for example. Desperate to get high earners off the books so will sell for probably lower than the market rate. This is where Hammond did exceptional work in shifting our higher valued players after relegation in 07/08. Because of the club's reputation in being a "well run club", we were able to get top dollar for the likes of Kitson, Sonko, Doyle, S Hunt and others. There was no firesale even though the mongs here were predicting one.

[redscot]

If you are buying a house you look to get the lowest price possible. If you are selling, you want as high a price. Hammond has done well for the club in the past and long may it continue. Therefore, I suggest that the tards complaining stick to pc and video games.

This is wrong. Some people selling houses would gladly accept a lower offer if it was a cash offer rather than a chain. A friend of mine got his offer accepted in spite of 2-3 other higher offers. And this is the point. Are you rigid in your valuation or flexible?

So you know the lowest you would sell at and the highest you would pay out. Similar to haggling for that stuffed donkey on holiday. The seller knows what the lowest selling price would be. Perhaps I could have added how desperate are you to either buy or sell. Take Birmingham City for example. Desperate to get high earners off the books so will sell for probably lower than the market rate. This is where Hammond did exceptional work in shifting our higher valued players after relegation in 07/08. Because of the club's reputation in being a "well run club", we were able to get top dollar for the likes of Kitson, Sonko, Doyle, S Hunt and others. There was no firesale even though the mongs here were predicting one.

Then we agree that Hammond is very good at selling players for top dollar. Not sure anyone disputes this. But is he just as good at buying? I think he might be sitting on the fence a lot and letting good players pass him by, because he is unsure about their valuation or is waiting for the next player to jump along. I think he should be more flexible on his valuation of players, as in the past for some players there has been a tiny difference between offer and sale price. (If one is to believe the media...)

[Royal Rother]

It's not hard to imagine that, if QPR had been interested in Hope Akpan, Crawley would have got double the fee they did from us.

Reputation counts for a lot.

[Extended-Phenotype]

i stick by the idea that paying more than what someone is worth to you, is a silly idea

It is. Though what is more relevant to this thread, is the quality of your valuation.

If I don't think £500 worth of gold being sold at £250 is worth it, that's even sillier.

[melonhead]

i stick by the idea that paying more than what someone is worth to you, is a silly idea

It is. Though what is more relevant to this thread, is the quality of your valuation.

If I don't think £500 worth of gold being sold at £250 is worth it, that's even sillier.

value of ince 6-8 million tick
value of sigurdsson 10 million tick
value of akpan >300K tick
value of kelly - tick
value of blackman........erm......tick deferred


seems fine to me

[Extended-Phenotype]

i stick by the idea that paying more than what someone is worth to you, is a silly idea

It is. Though what is more relevant to this thread, is the quality of your valuation.

If I don't think £500 worth of gold being sold at £250 is worth it, that's even sillier.

value of ince 6-8 million tick
value of sigurdsson 10 million tick
value of akpan >300K tick
value of kelly - tick
value of blackman........erm......tick deferred


seems fine to me

Not sure you are the best person to verify our player estimates, but I'm glad you are happy.

[Ian Royal]

i stick by the idea that paying more than what someone is worth to you, is a silly idea

Megafucking plus one to that.

+2

It's not hard to imagine that, if QPR had been interested in Hope Akpan, Crawley would have got double the fee they did from us.

Reputation counts for a lot.

LOL @ QPR even knowing League One exists.

[Royal With Cheese]

i stick by the idea that paying more than what someone is worth to you, is a silly idea

Megafucking plus one to that.

+2

It's not hard to imagine that, if QPR had been interested in Hope Akpan, Crawley would have got double the fee they did from us.

Reputation counts for a lot.

LOL @ QPR even knowing League One exists.

Just rename it the "Troisieme Divisione" and they'd be there quicker than a quick thing.