ARTICLE: Trafford rejoins Manchester City

[NewClaret]

You didn't warm to him after last season?

Good grief.

I think he’s an excellent keeper and a particularly fantastic shot stopper, but I thought he came across as a bit arrogant and it was obvious he was using us as a stepping stone on to bigger things. I find those kind of players hard to warm to, so I can’t get too upset about his departure. Don’t think there’s anything particularly controversial about that.

Much more disappointed to lose Brownhill, for example, and he may ultimately have been a lesser player but a better servant overall.

[Cirrus_Minor]

He is, without doubt, an excellent keeper and potentially could be even better. Was hung out to dry somewhat by Kompany, but credit to him and the new manager he had been brilliant. Shame to lose him now, but playing in the top of the Premier and probably England is in fairness an advancement for him. Good luck

[summitclaret]

We shouldn’t have agreed such a low fee with Newcastle then.

Doubt we could have got them any higher as time was running out for us to get the move this Summer/our other squad requirements sorted. Firmly believe this had to happen this window. So overall I think we've done well, provided that we now get at least the gk, dcm and cf we all know are essential.

[billyhamilton82]

Well done BFC

Excellent business again.

Kept our cool whilst two of the biggest budget clubs circled and we played it to perfection.

Bring in another Keeper / DM / Striker and we're all set.

UTC

[Cirrus_Minor]

He is, without doubt, an excellent keeper and potentially could be even better. Was hung out to dry somewhat by Kompany, but credit to him and the new manager he had been brilliant. Shame to lose him now, but playing in the top of the Premier and probably England is in fairness an advancement for him. Good luck

[Enola Gay]

He is, without doubt, an excellent keeper and potentially could be even better. Was hung out to dry somewhat by Kompany...

HOUSE!

[Bordeauxclaret]

I wonder if some City fans on some random forum are lamenting their obsession with former players.

[deanothedino]

It's a while since I did maths, but 2 x 19 doesnt really come to nearly 27.

Bought him for less than £19m and sold him for more than £27m.

[Claret Alfie]

Shame. Would have been great to keep him for another year. Hopefully his career doesn’t stall with a lack of game time this season. I’m guessing City had to do sign him now, so they didn’t have to pay £60m+ to Newcastle in a year or two.

[Newcastleclaret93]

Bought him for less than £19m and sold him for more than £27m.

Pretty sure I’ve read we bought him for 14m plus add ons

[Jakubclaret]

It's an amazing universe to reside in where when buying add ons aren't realized but when selling add ons are realized to distort the profit margin size.

[deanothedino]

Pretty sure I’ve read we bought him for 14m plus add ons

Unlikely any of the add ons were realised. We got relegated, he's not played for England yet.

[deanothedino]

He is, without doubt, an excellent keeper and potentially could be even better. Was hung out to dry somewhat by Kompany, but credit to him and the new manager he had been brilliant. Shame to lose him now, but playing in the top of the Premier and probably England is in fairness an advancement for him. Good luck

It would appear from his interviews that he doesn't agree with you about Kompany

[bobinho]

We've lost 3 of our most important players and only one was for a fee. I'm all for looking for the positives but struggling at the moment.

How many clubs have been promoted, lost 3 of their best players and then stayed up? I'm going to take a guess at not many.

I’ll guess who you think they are…

JT - fair enough, an important player and he’ll be missed for sure but we all knew he was going. I’m sure we have a plan.

JB - the contract was on the table a long time ago… it became increasingly unlikely as time went by that he wasn’t going to sign it. A massive signing on fee at a new club became his focus. Never a PL player, and that’s where we are now. We ALWAYS needed better.

CJER - again, the contract was there. I don’t know why he left, but let’s be honest, no one saw his meteoric rise happening after the first three games of last season. In fact, I’m sure some thought we’d have been better off playing an injured Ekdal he was that poor. Good season in the end, but the PL has this knack of exposing weaknesses in players. He would’ve struggled with the pace and power.

No fees isn’t the clubs fault.

Trafford is the big loss for me… we’ll struggle to get someone at near his level, the others weren’t important enough. Neither of them would have been the difference to staying up or dropping.

[bobinho]

Well done BFC

Excellent business again.

Kept our cool whilst two of the biggest budget clubs circled and we played it to perfection.

Bring in another Keeper / DM / Striker and we're all set.

UTC

Can I raise your DM to an AM?

[The Shire Claret]

Agreed, didn't say there was. Was pretty much worst case scenario losing all 3 though.. but Nice to see everyone so positive.

There’s absolutely nothing to be negative about at this stage

[dvalley69]

Still got it all to prove at the highest level at one of the most demanding clubs in the country. And then there's England. He's gonna need some real confidence & personality. It'll be interesting following his career over the next few years. Not sure why it's such a shoe-in he'll hack it as many are suggesting on here. The Championship & U21's footy is another universe compared to Man City's standards. All the best to him.

[CoolClaret]

Cheers for last season, Traff - all the best with your performances for City, but I hope you win nothing because I bloody hate that football club.

[Jakubclaret]

There’s absolutely nothing to be negative about at this stage

I'll have a pint of that.

[Goliath]

I’ll guess who you think they are…

JT - fair enough, an important player and he’ll be missed for sure but we all knew he was going. I’m sure we have a plan.

JB - the contract was on the table a long time ago… it became increasingly unlikely as time went by that he wasn’t going to sign it. A massive signing on fee at a new club became his focus. Never a PL player, and that’s where we are now. We ALWAYS needed better.

CJER - again, the contract was there. I don’t know why he left, but let’s be honest, no one saw his meteoric rise happening after the first three games of last season. In fact, I’m sure some thought we’d have been better off playing an injured Ekdal he was that poor. Good season in the end, but the PL has this knack of exposing weaknesses in players. He would’ve struggled with the pace and power.

No fees isn’t the clubs fault.

Trafford is the big loss for me… we’ll struggle to get someone at near his level, the others weren’t important enough. Neither of them would have been the difference to staying up or dropping.

its not rocket science to work out who they are!
You should read my post again. I didnt say it was anyones fault they left.
I think in most peoples minds, including the owners and managers, the idea of losing all 3 would have been worst case scenario stuff. We clearly though Egan RIley at least would be staying and probably Brownhill too.

The problem we have now is selling the club to new signings. Its hard enough as a promoted club but the optics of losing 3 players is not good and wont be much of a selling point. FRom the outside view it looks like we are down before a balls kicked, a bit like when Sheff Utd lost Berge and Ndiaye a couple of seasons ago.

[Stanbill05]

Be interesting to see how many games he gets at City. I hope he gets a proper chance but have my doubts.

[NewClaret]

Be interesting to see how many games he gets at City. I hope he gets a proper chance but have my doubts.

Thing is with City, they have a lot of games. Easy for Pep to give him enough to keep him happy, easing him in before he becomes number one.

Ederson would play the big Premier League and Champions League games with Trafford playing the lesser Premier League and cup matches if I were managing him.

[boatshed bill]

He is, without doubt, an excellent keeper and potentially could be even better. Was hung out to dry somewhat by Kompany,

I really don't know if he was hung out to dry or thrown under a bus.
Either way VK was the making of him as a goalkeeper.

[Vegas Claret]

City interview for anyone interested
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlawR8zYRBg

[Jakubclaret]

I really don't know if he was hung out to dry or thrown under a bus.
Either way VK was the making of him as a goalkeeper.

It's an hilarious concept because a couple of seasons down the road you are hitting big time. If that's hanging somebody out to dry I think every player throughout the leagues will be wanting a taster of that.

[Cirrus_Minor]

It would appear from his interviews that he doesn't agree with you about Kompany

I think that he is unlikely to ssy anything detrimental about a player who has an immortal status at the club he is about to move to. The amount of goals we conceded during that Premier league season would be less than inspirational for any goalkeeper

[Jakubclaret]

Or perhaps the more plausible alternative explanation exists is that there is nothing negative to add apart from the gratitude he'll feel towards kompany for undoubtedly helping him with his career.

[Cirrus_Minor]

It would appear from his interviews that he doesn't agree with you about Kompany

I think that he is unlikely to ssy anything detrimental about a player who has an immortal status at the club he is about to move to. The amount of goals we conceded during that Premier league season would be less than inspirational for any goalkeeper

[THEWELLERNUT70]

its not rocket science to work out who they are!
You should read my post again. I didnt say it was anyones fault they left.
I think in most peoples minds, including the owners and managers, the idea of losing all 3 would have been worst case scenario stuff. We clearly though Egan RIley at least would be staying and probably Brownhill too.

The problem we have now is selling the club to new signings. Its hard enough as a promoted club but the optics of losing 3 players is not good and wont be much of a selling point. FRom the outside view it looks like we are down before a balls kicked, a bit like when Sheff Utd lost Berge and Ndiaye a couple of seasons ago.

*Kyle Walker ( cough cough)

[Goliath]

*Kyle Walker ( cough cough)

He's 35

[ŽižkovClaret]

Said we should be looking for at least the Pickford fee, and we have exceeded that, so happy on that front. We now need an experience Number 1, and for the German lad to push him the way Pope pushed Heaton.

[ŽižkovClaret]

its not rocket science to work out who they are!
You should read my post again. I didnt say it was anyones fault they left.
I think in most peoples minds, including the owners and managers, the idea of losing all 3 would have been worst case scenario stuff. We clearly though Egan RIley at least would be staying and probably Brownhill too.

The problem we have now is selling the club to new signings. Its hard enough as a promoted club but the optics of losing 3 players is not good and wont be much of a selling point. FRom the outside view it looks like we are down before a balls kicked, a bit like when Sheff Utd lost Berge and Ndiaye a couple of seasons ago.

"Come here, do well, and we won't stand in your way when a big offer comes through.

Oh, and you train by a stately home in a quality training facility, and can live in Ribble Valley, Manchester Centre, or Cheshire"

[Goliath]

"Come here, do well, and we won't stand in your way when a big offer comes through.

Oh, and you train by a stately home in a quality training facility, and can live in Ribble Valley, Manchester Centre, or Cheshire"

'You've just lost 3 of your first choice players going into a league where statistically you were already likely to struggle. I don't want to end up in the Championship with my wages being cut in half, probably not worth the risk sorry'

[wadeswondergoal]

There is a common misconception that Brownhill is/was our best player.

For me, he went missing in games and twice previously he failed to make the step up from Championship to PL.

There’s a reason he still hasn’t got a club.

[Billybong]

'You've just lost 3 of your first choice players going into a league where statistically you were already likely to struggle. I don't want to end up in the Championship with my wages being cut in half, probably not worth the risk sorry'

If you've got confidence in yourself, which most footballers have, you'd back yourself to replace one of those 3, and make the team stronger and more chance of survival

[Goliath]

If you've got confidence in yourself, which most footballers have, you'd back yourself to replace one of those 3, and make the team stronger and more chance of survival

Or you'd back yourself to wait and find a safer club to join where there's less risk of losing 50 percent of your wages in 12 months

[Jakubclaret]

If you've got confidence in yourself, which most footballers have, you'd back yourself to replace one of those 3, and make the team stronger and more chance of survival

First & foremost I'd say players think about the long term prospects of making as much money as possible as it's a relative short career. It's reasonable to assume that the 2 that have already left have done exactly that & it's only a matter of time before brownhill does that making it 3. People are leaving chasing big bucks.

[Big Vinny K]

There is a common misconception that Brownhill is/was our best player.

For me, he went missing in games and twice previously he failed to make the step up from Championship to PL.

There’s a reason he still hasn’t got a club.

I’ve seen this comment made about Brownhill failing to step up to the PL a few times on here and still don’t really get it.

Dyche signed him when we were in the PL and he then played in the PL for 4 out of the 6 seasons he was at the club making 111 appearances in the PL. Not sure how that can be described as failing to step up when he was regularly picked in a side that was managing to stay up in the PL.

People are entitled to their opinion as to whether Brownhill is good enough for what we need now and the PL moving on in terms of quality etc but he 100% made the step up to the PL for Burnley from the championship with Bristol City.

[Billybong]

Or you'd back yourself to wait and find a safer club to join where there's less risk of losing 50 percent of your wages in 12 months

The players we target, in the main, are not wanted by so called safer clubs

[CoolClaret]

I’ve seen this comment made about Brownhill failing to step up to the PL a few times on here and still don’t really get it.

Dyche signed him when we were in the PL and he then played in the PL for 4 out of the 6 seasons he was at the club making 111 appearances in the PL. Not sure how that can be described as failing to step up when he was regularly picked in a side that was managing to stay up in the PL.

People are entitled to their opinion as to whether Brownhill is good enough for what we need now and the PL moving on in terms of quality etc but he 100% made the step up to the PL for Burnley from the championship with Bristol City.

He was pretty decent I thought playing off the right-hand side in his first season for Burnley in the PL (covid year), where we ended up finishing 10th.

[claretonthecoast1882]

I think he’s an excellent keeper and a particularly fantastic shot stopper, but I thought he came across as a bit arrogant and it was obvious he was using us as a stepping stone on to bigger things. I find those kind of players hard to warm to, so I can’t get too upset about his departure. Don’t think there’s anything particularly controversial about that.

Much more disappointed to lose Brownhill, for example, and he may ultimately have been a lesser player but a better servant overall.

Every young player with obvious talent who signs for us is using us as a stepping stone.

[IanMcL]

Thank you for the contribution to the doens and ups of Burnley FC and particularly, thank you for helping achieve 109 points.

Best of luck in MC Reserves

[NewClaret]

Every young player with obvious talent who signs for us is using us as a stepping stone.

Agree, and that’s absolutely fine. Nor do I want us to stop signing that kind of player - he’ll be an England number one for many years and it will be great watching a former claret succeed like that. I’ve said elsewhere I’d actually like us to expand this relationship with City and accept that’s what we’ll pick up if we do.

I was responding to a point about why I didn’t particularly warm to him (didn’t dislike him either), which is because I got the impression he just viewed us as a stepping stone to progress his career. That’s fine, but Esteve is likely the same but his attitude appears very different in terms of his willingness to be here a bit longer and give back to the club on the way. Even Maatsen did a whole load of commmunity work at Christmas.

All I’m saying is that I think they can achieve both; progressing their career with their sights set higher whilst fully embracing Burnley FC and I don’t think Trafford really did that. Maybe his experiences in the first year didn’t help.

So for me he’ll remain in my mind a very talented player I enjoyed watching, but not a favourite player I felt attached to.

[BurnleyFC]

I was initially a bit disappointed with the fee, but if we’ve broken the British transfer record for a goalkeeper then that can’t be sniffed at.

He was particularly excellent last season, but at this stage of his career, he hasn’t (yet) proven to be as good as Pope or Heaton were in their prime, in my opinion.

[fidelcastro]

I was initially a bit disappointed with the fee, but if we’ve broken the British transfer record for a goalkeeper then that can’t be sniffed at.

He was particularly excellent last season, but at this stage of his career, he hasn’t (yet) proven to be as good as Pope or Heaton were in their prime, in my opinion.

Pope and Heaton were both older than Trafford, when they were in their prime.

He has the potential to be better than those two, but it may depend on game time at City in the short term.

[clarets1978]

I’ve seen this comment made about Brownhill failing to step up to the PL a few times on here and still don’t really get it.

Dyche signed him when we were in the PL and he then played in the PL for 4 out of the 6 seasons he was at the club making 111 appearances in the PL. Not sure how that can be described as failing to step up when he was regularly picked in a side that was managing to stay up in the PL.

People are entitled to their opinion as to whether Brownhill is good enough for what we need now and the PL moving on in terms of quality etc but he 100% made the step up to the PL for Burnley from the championship with Bristol City.

I think that probably comes from the contributions he made in the 2 Championship seasons he played. Pretty much stand out seasons for him. In the Premier League it was never like that with him.

I think it was widely expected within the club that Brownhill would leave. Last season we had already started phasing him out by substituting him in a lot of games towards the end of the season

[clarets1978]

Every young player with obvious talent who signs for us is using us as a stepping stone.

As was pointed out by Dave Checketts on Mission to Burnley... I hadnt thought about it until then but its probably not wrong

[Big Vinny K]

I think that probably comes from the contributions he made in the 2 Championship seasons he played. Pretty much stand out seasons for him. In the Premier League it was never like that with him.

I think it was widely expected within the club that Brownhill would leave. Last season we had already started phasing him out by substituting him in a lot of games towards the end of the season

I think that’s right that he did stand out in the championship. If he would have shown this kind of form in the PL at any point in his burnley career then there is little chance we would have been able to keep him for as long as we did.

But there are very few players who could preform in the PL as they had done in the championship. I just think it’s a lazy and not accurate statement to make about him to say he never stepped up though. For me not stepping up is someone who played in a championship team and held his own and was a regular performer in the team who when they move up to the PL cannot hold down a place and looks like the level and speed of the game is too much for them. We have seen lots of players like this and often it’s for the teams that come straight back down.

VK for his own reasons thought that a lot of his championship winning team could not step up to the PL and looking at their careers since TBF he was probably right. But just like Dyche did before him he kept Brownhill as part of his plans presumably because he thought he was good enough and he had proved that in his time under Dyche.

Just think that sometimes our expectations of some of our players are way too high. JB cost us only £8m so it would not have been a big surprise if he had failed to make the step up. Playing more than a 100 games in the PL is no mean achievement.

[Guppyspotter]

Great for both clubs if you strip out the emotion. We got a very young raw prospect who didn't cut it in the premier league with us (forget the emotion or opinions). He put on his big boy pants, came back strongly in the championship getting us out of the division with the team and then was on the radar of a few clubs. None were valuing him at £42 million so Burnley FC made a decision that the best offer we had was worth taking. He might get a career ending injury tomorrow or he might go on to be a £100 million player; no crystal ball will tell us which, he might be a flop at the highest level. Move on, have a great career James Trafford. We had a successful season and got a great fee for a championship keeper with one very good season.

[deanothedino]

Pope and Heaton were both older than Trafford, when they were in their prime.

He has the potential to be better than those two, but it may depend on game time at City in the short term.

He will comfortably be better than both in his prime.

People can say last season was in the Championship all they want, but all the records he broke were played in the same league so there must still be something special about it.