This Could Be Us

[Robbored]

I find this quite amusing, you say about the interview they gave, and the errors they made. And then they just went ahead and copied all their previous erros again... as if they never happened.

Can you back up that statement?

I can't think of any players signed since Sexstone took over as Chairman that fall into the same category as Styvar and Hunt.

[TRL]

Can you back up that statement?

I can't think of any players signed since Sexstone took over as Chairman that fall into the same category as Styvar and Hunt.

I never mentioned errors with purchasing of players, you did that. I am talking about spouting utter tripe such as we will do our purchasing early, we know where we are weak and we concentrate on that at get those positions filled first. Those types of statements, all of this happened just after Sexton was announced... All turned out to be utter tripe. As per usual, the Board comes out with a whole string of meaningless guff to sell season tickets.

Is thak backed up enough?

Time will tell if they screw up transfers, as they have not really got any of their targets apart from Kilkenny. I will hold judgement on that side of things until they buy.

Taylor, bought, so far not showed much, early days I know, in a position we did not need to fill according to the board and managers statements.

Bolasie bought, not for much, not even made the bench, early days, again a position not really needed to fill according to Board and managment statements.

Killkenny free, largish wages not much difference to Johnson, will go missing for Australia games, early days, Looks like alot of money in wages for an average temperamental player to me, a postion that did need to be filled a playmaking midfielder, On what I have seen home and away, not really the type of player described, not the creative central midfielder Millen said he was looking for.

All these signings on the face of it look decidedly average, but I won't comment too much until they have had a season here and get bedded in.

[Robbored]

I never mentioned errors with purchasing of players, you did that. I am talking about spouting utter tripe such as we will do our purchasing early, we know where we are weak and we concentrate on that at get those positions filled first. Those types of statements, all of this happened just after Sexton was announced... All turned out to be utter tripe. As per usual, the Board comes out with a whole string of meaningless guff to sell season tickets.

Is thak backed up enough?

Time will tell if they screw up transfers, as they have not really got any of their targets apart from Kilkenny. I will hold judgement on that side of things until they buy.

Taylor, bought, so far not showed much, early days I know, in a position we did not need to fill according to the board and managers statements.

Bolasie bought, not for much, not even made the bench, early days, again a position not really needed to fill according to Board and managment statements.

Killkenny free, largish wages not much difference to Johnson, will go missing for Australia games, early days, Looks like alot of money in wages for an average temperamental player to me, a postion that did need to be filled a playmaking midfielder, On what I have seen home and away, not really the type of player described, not the creative central midfielder Millen said he was looking for.

All these signings on the face of it look decidedly average, but I won't comment too much until they have had a season here and get bedded in.

You have a bee in your bonnet about the 'tripe' as you put it coming out of Sexstone's office but that's not what I was referring to. Signing players without doing their homework is no longer the case was my point. About time as well.

[Melksham Red]

If we had changed the playing staff en mass as some on here were suggesting we could be in the same plight as the blue few.

Who no matter how you dress it up are shocking at the moment.

Leicester at a higher level have brought in shed loads of players and are not exactly setting the world alight are they.I am not saying that in the future all these players may click and they may play well, but the risk is that they may not and then what happens.

I can imagine this forum imploding if Kieth spent a good ammount of money on players and they never done the buissesness.All i am trying to say is that replacing to many players at once has its risks as the two mentioned teams are finding out .............. :city:

It was always going to take time for the two examples you have given to gel and become a team. Both are in a transitional stage and I have little doubt both will gradually improve and will make the play-offs in their respective leagues.

Don't really understand how you've used these clubs to make out Millen is a genius?

[TRL]

You have a bee in your bonnet about the 'tripe' as you put it coming out of Sexstone's office but that's not what I was referring to. Signing players without doing their homework is no longer the case was my point. About time as well.

Time will tell Robb, they have only been here a few months. You can't say for sure these three players will be good signings or outrageous flops.

After all GJ used to put signings through stringent examinations before he signed them if you look at the Metab and the Maltese guy's transfers. He still made awful signings.

[fishy]

If we had changed the playing staff en mass as some on here were suggesting we could be in the same plight as the blue few.

Who no matter how you dress it up are shocking at the moment.

Leicester at a higher level have brought in shed loads of players and are not exactly setting the world alight are they.I am not saying that in the future all these players may click and they may play well, but the risk is that they may not and then what happens.

I can imagine this forum imploding if Kieth spent a good ammount of money on players and they never done the buissesness.All i am trying to say is that replacing to many players at once has its risks as the two mentioned teams are finding out .............. :city:

I don't expect Leicester to hit the ground running, but I'm 99% certain they'll be up there come the end of the season. We're not even 10 games in yet. I'd prefer to hold judgement on any teams performance until at least mid Oct.

[Andy082005]

Rather that attack the poster with a reply that brings nothing to thread, why don't you either a) ignore the thread b) Post something reasoned and constructive.

As Woodsy said, I was replying to him. Secondly, I was attacking your post as it is, as ever, hypocritical .

Have a good day little buddy

[chinapig]

You point is invalid considering that many players wouldn't play for Johnson.

I take it you approve of players running the show and deciding who should be manager? Would you similarly approve if they decided to do the same to Keith? The modern player is interested in one thing only. In what other line of work are employees often paid more than the boss after all? You can bet your season ticket this lot will turn on Keith too if it suits their ends. Not exactly busting a gut for him now in fact. If in doubt look back at one of David James' Observer columns in which he explained how players go about getting managers sacked; and note that he does not at any point suggest it is anything but a good thing. Then keep your fingers crossed for Keith.

[Robbored]

You can bet your season ticket this lot will turn on Keith too if it suits their ends. Not exactly busting a gut for him now in fact. If in doubt look back at one of David James' Observer columns in which he explained how players go about getting managers sacked; and note that he does not at any point suggest it is anything but a good thing. Then keep your fingers crossed for Keith.

That's a very impressive conspiracy theory.

I can just see the headlines in an EP scoop '' City players sack manager.'' David James takes over as new manager who said ''I'd like to thank Keef for his service to the club and wish him the best for the future''

[chinapig]

That's a very impressive conspiracy theory.

I can just see the headlines in an EP scoop '' City players sack manager.'' David James takes over as new manager who said ''I'd like to thank Keef for his service to the club and wish him the best for the future''

I see, you live in a world where players are jolly nice chaps and not self-serving, badge kissing parasites? I believe it was called the 1950s. Read my post again and read James' article. I was not suggesting James was after the job but pointing out that players get managers sacked deliberately, as James confirmed without any thought that it might be a bad thing. Only Ferguson is safe and perhaps Wenger, though he looks less and less so. Dalglish also perhaps. Maynard is further proof of the power players wield as he keeps Keith and Colin dangling on a string. Sooner or later the same will happen to Keith as happens to most managers. It doesn't just happen to managers you happen to dislike. The players concerned in the meantime will have to take no responsibility at all and will go on to swear undying loyalty to the next man. Th power has shifted too far.

[Nogbad the Bad]

But replacing lots of players at the same time is exactly what we are going to do

Afaik these are the players out of contract between now and the end of the season

• Liam Fontaine- 1st Team when fit.- Got a feeling he'll go in January
• Lee Johnson- On loan at Chesterfield - No new contract
• Jamie McAllister- 1st Team when fit - No new contract
• David Clarkson- On way out?- Look to sell in January, no new contract
• Nicky Maynard-1st Team - Look to get contract signed and sell in January, won't be here next season whatever.
• Jamal Campbell-Ryce- 1st Team - New contract
• Nicky Hunt-On way out- No new contract
• Kalifa Cissé- Fringe/on way out? - Face doesn't seem to fit, no new contract.
• David James-1st team/retirement next season? - No new contract
• Louis Carey- Fringe/Retirement - Mistake to offer new contract this year, definitely no repeat.
• Marlon Jackson- free? No new contract
• James Wilson 1st Team - New contract
• Joe Edwards-free? - One year contract
• Danny Ball-free? - Will probably be released in January
• Joe Lennox-free? - Ditto.

So out of those 15 players 6 are first teamers, 2 are fringe players and 3 are definitely not in the managers plans, 4 are part of the development squad

Leaving it until the end of the season to sort out contracts and renew those who are staying will be madness and replacing those first teamers ( or at least signing cover for these places) including GK, RB, LB, CB, Striker, CM? is going to be have to be done in Jan and next summer by whomever is in charge or else it will be exactly like those teams that have signed multiple players over the summer..

That people are only concerned with getting the high wages off the playing staff on one hand and seeing what we have got to work with afterwards worries me someone as it would potentially mean we have to sign 11 in the summer just to stand still. The replacement of 6 first teamers is a priority and with only 1 maybe 2 likely to resign its a much bigger job than just cutting the slack as people want,

If we dont make any signings in Jan or contract offers for those we want to keep ( Fonts, Wilson?) Then expect us to be bedding in at least 10 over the summer and yet again, loading the team full of excuses for relative failure because they have to gel.

Long term planning means we should get this sorted now and offer those we want to keep contracts and be getting in contact with players we want to sign over the summer in Jan if they are out of contract in the summer or its going to be snafu at city as per usual

Interesting list, as you can see by my additions above I think very likely 12 out of those 15 won't enter the squad equation for next season. A really brutal squad clearance is essential.

If we don't make any permanent signings in between we'll then be down to a staff of about 20, including 2nd year pros.

We might promote another 2 (purely guesswork) from the Academy for the development squad and sign maybe 6, reducing the professional playing staff by 4 or 5 on what we have now, but reducing the age significantly.

Or we might not promote any Academy players at all, depending on their quality and the progress this season of Amadi-Holloway, Reid, Bryan, Muggeridge and Gk. Carey.

If those 5 reach expectations then the next lot are going to have to be exceptional to get contracts.

Very unlikely we'll be bedding in anywhere like 10 new players to replace the 12 I think will depart because the idea is to reduce the squad size fairly drastically, and particularly the wage bill which can be partly achieved by replacing highly paid veterans with lesser paid youngsters.

I'm assuming the 5 youngsters above were highly thought of enough when given contracts to be seen as genuinely challenging for places sometime next season at the latest.

We already have replacements for James ( Gerken) and Maynard ( Pitman) so of the list above the only first teamers needing replacement would be Fontaine and McAllister.

We'd need a new 3rd goalkeeper, a central defender, a left back and a young pacey striker but that would still leave scope for 2 further quality signings in defence/midfield.

Then we use the youngsters in the development squad - that's what we've kept them for. It would be madness to keep giving youngsters contracts and then continually sign experienced players that ensure they are unlikely to ever get a prolonged chance to stake a place in the team.

[SJC]

certain posters will find something to be critical about.

The frustrating people on this forum are those who draw their battle lines, for whatever reason, and blindly stick to them - positive or negative.

Some on this thread seem to be praising Millen for not making wholesale changes after appearing to suggest wholesale changes were necessary.

Therefore he is being praised, by some, for doing one thing while he would be equally praised for doing the exact opposite. More than that though, some are finding it neccessary to use a situation which he is praised for creating as a reason why he may be struggling.

Once that happens the people who offer a positive angle on everything are equally as fallible as though who are constantly negative, their opinion becomes all but worthless.

[Ashton Gater]

But replacing lots of players at the same time is exactly what we are going to do

Afaik these are the players out of contract between now and the end of the season

• Liam Fontaine- 1st Team when fit
• Lee Johnson- On loan at Chesterfield
• Jamie McAllister- 1st Team when fit
• David Clarkson- On way out?
• Nicky Maynard-1st Team
• Jamal Campbell-Ryce- 1st Team
• Nicky Hunt-On way out
• Kalifa Cissé- Fringe/on way out?
• David James-1st team/retirement next season?
• Louis Carey- Fringe/Retirement
• Marlon Jackson- free?
• James Wilson 1st Team
• Joe Edwards-free?
• Danny Ball-free?
• Joe Lennox-free?

So out of those 15 players 6 are first teamers, 2 are fringe players and 3 are definitely not in the managers plans, 4 are part of the development squad

Leaving it until the end of the season to sort out contracts and renew those who are staying will be madness and replacing those first teamers ( or at least signing cover for these places) including GK, RB, LB, CB, Striker, CM? is going to be have to be done in Jan and next summer by whomever is in charge or else it will be exactly like those teams that have signed multiple players over the summer..

That people are only concerned with getting the high wages off the playing staff on one hand and seeing what we have got to work with afterwards worries me someone as it would potentially mean we have to sign 11 in the summer just to stand still. The replacement of 6 first teamers is a priority and with only 1 maybe 2 likely to resign its a much bigger job than just cutting the slack as people want,

If we dont make any signings in Jan or contract offers for those we want to keep ( Fonts, Wilson?) Then expect us to be bedding in at least 10 over the summer and yet again, loading the team full of excuses for relative failure because they have to gel.

Long term planning means we should get this sorted now and offer those we want to keep contracts and be getting in contact with players we want to sign over the summer in Jan if they are out of contract in the summer or its going to be snafu at city as per usual

I'm in no doubt Millen will already be working on contracts for some of these players. I think it's important to remember that not only is there plenty of time to sort out the contracts for those we want to keep, but bar Maynard, I don't think we'd have too much competition to keep the ones we want anyway out of that list.

[Byrd9999]

Maybe having something to play for (i.e. competition for a new contract) will mean some of those on the list get their arses in gear.