Forest boss Davies plots new signings
BILLY Davies will start work on building his Nottingham Forest side for next season by taking the first steps towards signing Chris Gunter and Dexter Blackstock permanently.
The Reds completed their Championship campaign with a flourish, by beating relegated Southampton 3-1.
But Davies (above) is already looking to the future and will this week meet with the club hierarchy to discuss transfers.
And he has already put the wheels in motion when it comes to adding striker Blackstock and defender Gunter to his squad permanently. The players are likely to cost around £2m each.
"I am going to meet with the board this week and discuss things," said Davies.
"I would like to start to work with a team that can be together for three or four years. I want to build a team for the future, work with players for months and years, to develop a team over a period of time rather than having to rely on loans and chopping and changing.
"If I had the option of taking Gunter permanently I would do so. But if his club say no, I would be delighted to take him on a season-long loan.
"In an ideal world, I want to make permanent signings but there may be one or two we have to take on long-term loans.
"We want to bring good human beings to the club, players with the right attitude and spirit.
"Chris has that in abundance. He can also play in several positions and he has fitted into the dressing room brilliantly.
"He epitomises the type of player we want to bring in. We have to approach Spurs and see if it is a possibility.
"We have touched base with QPR with regard to Dexter. We are trying to find out about fees and such like. The conversation has begun."
Davies will also attempt to bring keeper Lee Camp back to the City Ground from the London side.
"Paul Smith has been brilliant in the last five games," he said. "But right through the side we have to have equal quality and two players in every position."
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by scoobydoo, Nottm
Tuesday, May 05 2009, 3:42PM
“rent the ground? it's a lease on the land. And this is a football CLUB which takes pride of place in the city and is not stuck on a brownfields site in the middle of a..not very nice.. area. ND is still very rich regardless of paper losses and Forest's debt is to him, the owner, it's far from uncommon. At least we dont have crisps commons eating £10k a week.. ho ho ho you can have him for xmas ;)”
by T, Notts
Monday, May 04 2009, 9:55PM
“ram4ever, wat did i tell u about being silly and including the 16/17 year olds in this 45 man squad. its not clever, u jus look silly tryin to dress up your answers.”
by ramster, derby
Monday, May 04 2009, 9:38PM
“alwaysared, long eaton
Still waiting for the answer, just curious.
Funny how Puke isnt on here after 10pm, oh yes school tomorrow.”
by alwaysared, long eaton
Monday, May 04 2009, 9:27PM
“ramster derby,and why would you be bothered?doesn't really matter to you does it ?”
by Graham, Beeston
Monday, May 04 2009, 9:25PM
“Brewer, sounds like you've been around and know the scene and to be fair if heard the late great BC on documentaries ripping into players. I suppose we all respond to criticism in different ways. Well lets just keep watching and see what happens.”
by ram4ever, nottingham
Monday, May 04 2009, 9:23PM
“Red living in Alvo ( which you dont ) Sorry about your amount of players i said it was 37 so i checked your website its actually 45 sorry about that mate i underestimated how many you have got”
by alwaysared, long eaton
Monday, May 04 2009, 9:20PM
“dave nottm,not sure about that mate just think that earnie wanted us to sing robert earnshaw is a red,he loves the adulation.
dave duffield,phsyco hadn't been in management when he was appointed but i think that we wanted him to be the messiah just as you sheep want nigel to be.all a bit sentimental by both sets of fans.
as for billy not doing well with the committee in january,give him a chance,he'd only just joined us.be realistic not prejudiced just because he's now with us.”
by ramster, derby
Monday, May 04 2009, 9:16PM
“Where is the money coming from for Billy to sign all these new players he wants? You're £40 odd million in debt, chairman has lost millions in credit crunch, rent the ground from the council, attendances nuff said?”
by Graham, Beeston
Monday, May 04 2009, 9:15PM
“dave, duffield, The Psycho example is exactly what i mean. The romantic notion is not always the right idea. Pearce and N Clough were idolised at Forest as payers but that does not guarantee they will be successful managers. It's just my view. There are no rights and wrongs just differences of considered opinions.”
by brewer, long eaton
Monday, May 04 2009, 9:15PM
“Grah Beeston Point taken mate I can tell you another manager who has had a player in tears many times Billy Davies he used to give Giles Barnes hell Billy would say the only way i can get him to play is to make him mad so thats what he did i think you would be surprised what goes on in football”