As a fan, I would obviously have loved us to sign loads of players because thats what we do. However, i have seen people on Twitter talking about apathy and potentially not renewing their S's etc so thought I would share a counter view.
We have been a mess for the last couple of years due to poor board decisions and dreadful recruitment. We now have an over qualified CEO who is conducting a proper review into the football department and have continued to shed the deadwood from the squad which has been like a financial anchor round us for the past couple of years, saving millions in the process. We are finally getting to a position where we have young and hungry saleable assets rather than older and non-contributing diddies. Guys like Igamane, Jefte, Dio, Raskin along with prospects like Nsiala, Cameron etc. We are finally in a position where we can see if our youth players can cut it and, while I would obviously rather be in a place where we are romping the league and had a team full of stars, we do need to see if our Academy is capable of producing the next generation of saleable assets.
I understand people being annoyed at us not getting at least 1 more in January however, I am realistic enough to know we are now actually trying to improve the foundations of the club for the future rather than panic paying an expensive loan like Silva/Ramsey etc.
The season isnt over so, yes, strengthening out wide or in midfield would have been nice. But, by the time we play our last 16 game and the later stages of the SC, our bench could be Kelly, Ridvan, Barron, Bajrmai, Cortes, Danilo, Balagoun, McCausland, Nsiala, Rice, Curtis. All on top of a starting 11 that has managed to match and pump celtic (with several players missing) and get to the last 16 of the europa, with even more players missing!
January, whether we like it or not, is a difficult window. Look at the mob across the city with their 100m in the bank. Even they have only managed to bring back a winger they had before and sign a 32yo sub as cover from Palace. Despite selling their best striker and arguable talisman.
All in all, I had accepted this season was going to be a rocky road. But, we will hopefully now have more finances to add quality in the summer and, most importantly, have better foundations as a club to actually build sustainable success rather than constant botch job repairs.
Finally, and I can only talk for myself here, I will be renewing 100% next year and am actually intrigued, and a little excited, to see what we are able to do. Learn to beat the dross, as I think we have celtic's number at the moment tactically, and who knows.