Jump to content
IGNORED

Current Squad Status. What Would You Do?

Harry

By Harry
in Football Chat

Recommended Posts

Harry

Harry

Posted
Posted

Before I begin, please do not take this post too seriously, it is just my ramblings and I am fully aware it will not be this easy to achieve, but here goes anyway. I would be interested to hear other posters thoughts on what they would realistically try to do if they were in charge.

Heres the current squad situation :

We have 28 full time permanent players on the books. Their contracts are as follows (someone please correct me if I have any of these wrong?) :

Expiring January 2013 : M Wilson, Bates.

Expiring June 2013 : Heaton, Gerkin, Carey (GK), Nyatanga, Carey, Edwards, Amadi-Holloway, Skuse, Morris, Elliott, Stead, Pitman.

Expiring June 2014 : Foster, Fontaine, J Wilson, Kilkenny, Pearson, Adomah, Woolford, Anderson, Taylor.

Expiring June 2015 : Reid, Bryan, Davies.

Expiring June 2016 : Cunningham, Baldock.

So, we come to the January window and we start to think about what we need to bring in for the short term and the long term, but we also need to think about the current squad and who we are looking to offer new contracts, who we are willing to let go, who we need to offload with the hope of possibly bringing in some fees.

My question to everyone is, faced with the above contract scenario, what would your team look like at the beginning of July 2013 on the assumption (the rather optimistic assumption) that we will be in the Championship next season.

Personally, this is what I would do :

Out of Contract players:

Pitman will already be sold to Bournemouth in January.

I would release M Wilson in January. Skuse or Marv can provide decent enough cover at RB for the rest of the season.

I would offer Bates a deal until the end of the season, and dependent on his fitness for the rest of this season, I'd give him a 2 year deal in the summer.

In the summer, I would release Gerkin, Nyatanga, Carey, Amadi-Holloway, Skuse, Elliott, Morris, Stead.

I would offer new contracts to Heaton (2 years), Carey (GK) ( 1 year), Edwards (1 year).

Contracted players :

I would entertain offers in January for Kilkenny, Nyatanga, J Wilson & Woolford.

I would also seriously consider any offers that may come in for Adomah.

All in all, this could leave my squad, at the beginning of July 2013 looking like this :

GK : Heaton. Backup Carey

LB : Cunningham. Backup Bryan

RB : Foster. Backup Edwards

CB : Bates & Fontaine

CM : Reid

LM : Anderson. Backup Pearson

RM : None

ST : Baldock & Davies. Backup Taylor

That's 14 players and a number of 1st team positions filled.

All we need to do then is sign 4 key players - a starting CB, 2 starting CM's and a starting RM, followed by 4 decent squad players to take the squad to 22 players. We would then supplement the squad with 4 or 5 youth / prospect players.

So, what would you lot do?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
djb6162

djb6162

Posted
Posted

Before I begin, please do not take this post too seriously, it is just my ramblings and I am fully aware it will not be this easy to achieve, but here goes anyway. I would be interested to hear other posters thoughts on what they would realistically try to do if they were in charge.

Heres the current squad situation :

We have 28 full time permanent players on the books. Their contracts are as follows (someone please correct me if I have any of these wrong?) :

Expiring January 2013 : M Wilson, Bates.

Expiring June 2013 : Heaton, Gerkin, Carey (GK), Nyatanga, Carey, Edwards, Amadi-Holloway, Skuse, Morris, Elliott, Stead, Pitman.

Expiring June 2014 : Foster, Fontaine, J Wilson, Kilkenny, Pearson, Adomah, Woolford, Anderson, Taylor.

Expiring June 2015 : Reid, Bryan, Davies.

Expiring June 2016 : Cunningham, Baldock.

So, we come to the January window and we start to think about what we need to bring in for the short term and the long term, but we also need to think about the current squad and who we are looking to offer new contracts, who we are willing to let go, who we need to offload with the hope of possibly bringing in some fees.

My question to everyone is, faced with the above contract scenario, what would your team look like at the beginning of July 2013 on the assumption (the rather optimistic assumption) that we will be in the Championship next season.

Personally, this is what I would do :

Out of Contract players:

Pitman will already be sold to Bournemouth in January.

I would release M Wilson in January. Skuse or Marv can provide decent enough cover at RB for the rest of the season.

I would offer Bates a deal until the end of the season, and dependent on his fitness for the rest of this season, I'd give him a 2 year deal in the summer.

In the summer, I would release Gerkin, Nyatanga, Carey, Amadi-Holloway, Skuse, Elliott, Morris, Stead.

I would offer new contracts to Heaton (2 years), Carey (GK) ( 1 year), Edwards (1 year).

Contracted players :

I would entertain offers in January for Kilkenny, Nyatanga, J Wilson & Woolford.

I would also seriously consider any offers that may come in for Adomah.

All in all, this could leave my squad, at the beginning of July 2013 looking like this :

GK : Heaton. Backup Carey

LB : Cunningham. Backup Bryan

RB : Foster. Backup Edwards

CB : Bates & Fontaine

CM : Reid

LM : Anderson. Backup Pearson

RM : None

ST : Baldock & Davies. Backup Taylor

That's 14 players and a number of 1st team positions filled.

All we need to do then is sign 4 key players - a starting CB, 2 starting CM's and a starting RM, followed by 4 decent squad players to take the squad to 22 players. We would then supplement the squad with 4 or 5 youth / prospect players.
So, what would you lot do?

your last two sentences are bang on the money and exactly what will happen IMO

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Robbored

Robbored

Posted
Posted

Before I begin, please do not take this post too seriously, it is just my ramblings and I am fully aware it will not be this easy to achieve, but here goes anyway. I would be interested to hear other posters thoughts on what they would realistically try to do if they were in charge.

Heres the current squad situation :

We have 28 full time permanent players on the books. Their contracts are as follows (someone please correct me if I have any of these wrong?) :

Expiring January 2013 : M Wilson, Bates.

Expiring June 2013 : Heaton, Gerkin, Carey (GK), Nyatanga, Carey, Edwards, Amadi-Holloway, Skuse, Morris, Elliott, Stead, Pitman.

Expiring June 2014 : Foster, Fontaine, J Wilson, Kilkenny, Pearson, Adomah, Woolford, Anderson, Taylor.

Expiring June 2015 : Reid, Bryan, Davies.

Expiring June 2016 : Cunningham, Baldock.

So, we come to the January window and we start to think about what we need to bring in for the short term and the long term, but we also need to think about the current squad and who we are looking to offer new contracts, who we are willing to let go, who we need to offload with the hope of possibly bringing in some fees.

My question to everyone is, faced with the above contract scenario, what would your team look like at the beginning of July 2013 on the assumption (the rather optimistic assumption) that we will be in the Championship next season.

Personally, this is what I would do :

Out of Contract players:

Pitman will already be sold to Bournemouth in January.

I would release M Wilson in January. Skuse or Marv can provide decent enough cover at RB for the rest of the season.

I would offer Bates a deal until the end of the season, and dependent on his fitness for the rest of this season, I'd give him a 2 year deal in the summer.

In the summer, I would release Gerkin, Nyatanga, Carey, Amadi-Holloway, Skuse, Elliott, Morris, Stead.

I would offer new contracts to Heaton (2 years), Carey (GK) ( 1 year), Edwards (1 year).

Contracted players :

I would entertain offers in January for Kilkenny, Nyatanga, J Wilson & Woolford.

I would also seriously consider any offers that may come in for Adomah.

All in all, this could leave my squad, at the beginning of July 2013 looking like this :

GK : Heaton. Backup Carey

LB : Cunningham. Backup Bryan

RB : Foster. Backup Edwards

CB : Bates & Fontaine

CM : Reid

LM : Anderson. Backup Pearson

RM : None

ST : Baldock & Davies. Backup Taylor

That's 14 players and a number of 1st team positions filled.

All we need to do then is sign 4 key players - a starting CB, 2 starting CM's and a starting RM, followed by 4 decent squad players to take the squad to 22 players. We would then supplement the squad with 4 or 5 youth / prospect players.

So, what would you lot do?

I think you have absolutely no idea about what a squad should look like.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Esmond Million's Bung

Esmond Million's Bung

Posted
Posted

I'd do as you do, but Skuse would stay. (I really can't be ****** with the Skuse argument again though H, so lets leave it at that)

Clear them all out, I'm actually bored of having a lot of these players here now.

I think to be honest JT, we will learn a lot about Skuse over the coming weeks, if he is (which I expect him to be, though perhaps not for as much as he would like) offered a new contract and he accepts that contract for him that would be a huge mistake IMO, he has stagnated with us and I think he needs a move to fulfill his undoubted potential, he needs a coach who can push him to the next level, probably much like Bolaisie. At his age and with his experience he should be having a far greater influence on games.

That is my opinion and I apologise in advance if that opinion does not concur with the majority, Skuse has to think long and hard about his next move and do what is best for him, I suspect he will be able to earn more elsewhere and also have the benefit of fresh coaching ideas in new surroundings.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Nogbad the Bad

Nogbad the Bad

Posted
Posted

I think to be honest JT, we will learn a lot about Skuse over the coming weeks, if he is (which I expect him to be, though perhaps not for as much as he would like) offered a new contract and he accepts that contract for him that would be a huge mistake IMO, he has stagnated with us and I think he needs a move to fulfill his undoubted potential, he needs a coach who can push him to the next level, probably much like Bolaisie. At his age and with his experience he should be having a far greater influence on games.

That is my opinion and I apologise in advance if that opinion does not concur with the majority, Skuse has to think long and hard about his next move and do what is best for him, I suspect he will be able to earn more elsewhere and also have the benefit of fresh coaching ideas in new surroundings.

I agree that Skuse has stagnated and should move on.

I'm not convinced he is as highly rated in the football world generally as he has been by some at AG (and by himself if his latest wage demands are to be believed) and it would be very interesting to see what offers came in..

Rather than offer a new contract I'd test the water by inviting offers in January and let's see how he is really rated outside of Bristol City.

Would there be a scramble for his signature? I can't see it, I don't remember there ever being any concrete interest in Skuse, let alone a bid.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
eric04

eric04

Posted
Posted

Agree with most of the above.

Edwards will go to Yeovil on a permanent deal I suspect.

Bates will get a deal until the end of the season, and if he says fit will get better.

I hope we can do better than McManus, although this summer's failings suggest our pulling power isn't so good now with our less competitive wage offers.

Release Gherken in the summer and take a serious look at Marek Stech. All my Yeovil friends tell me his has been amazing for them. He has 18 months left on his deal and someone will buy him in the summer. I hope Del is at least aware of him, and our "improved scouting" is checking him out.

Don't sell Albert.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Uncle Albert

Uncle Albert

Posted
Posted

NEW KEEPER HEATON

Gerken

Carey

Cunningham

Bryan

Fontaine

Bates

NEW CB - YES

NEW CB - YES

NEW RB Foster unless something exceptional

EDWARDS

NEW LM

Anderson

Adomah - A MUST KEEP

Ajala

REID

SKUSE

ELLIOT NEW CM

NEW DM

GET DANNS

Baldock

Davies

Taylor

NEW YOUNG ST.

----------

Sell / release the rest. Keep Wooly as maybe a squad player too.

My changes but about right!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Tom Fleuriot

Tom Fleuriot

Posted
Posted

Expiring January 2013 : M Wilson, Bates.

Expiring June 2013 : Heaton, Gerkin, Carey (GK), Nyatanga, Carey, Edwards, Amadi-Holloway, Skuse, Morris, Elliott, Stead, Pitman.

Expiring June 2014 : Foster, Fontaine, J Wilson, Kilkenny, Pearson, Adomah, Woolford, Anderson, Taylor.

Expiring June 2015 : Reid, Bryan, Davies.

Expiring June 2016 : Cunningham, Baldock.

As you said, all of this will be difficult to achieve. And I suspect that, as Robbored said (in, I have to say, an uncharacteristically unprovoked and obnoxious tone for which RR should, frankly, apologise), I "have no idea what a squad should look like", But my tuppence worth:

I'd say the priority is to get rid of the high earners and invite offers for them. The contracts that that respect are Kilkenny and Woolford (because of length and likely high wages).

Of those out of contract in June 2013, I would like to see Skuse retained and given more of a run at right-back. I think he's improved a lot in that position and note that Bradely Orr made that transition successfully. I'd also have thought we want to retain one goalkeeper of the two, probably Carey but easy either way. I have no idea what Gerken's salary is; I'd assume low considering provenance, but he was signed at a time we were splashing the cash. I'd give Joe Edwards another year if he wants it,

I would, in January, he happy to accept offers for any of those out of contract in June (including Skuse if the price is decent), Kilkenny and Woolford. If stupid money comes in for Adomah then take it (although I say not less than £4m + sell-on, as I can't see his value collapsing in June). I'd love to get Bates until end of season + automatic extension if plays a number of games, and Danns in as well.

In June, I'd be willing to take offers for Pearson as well. Possibly Foster too but the squad looks pretty thin there. I think Fontaine can still contribute if we get some decent competition in for him.

This would leave us with, in terms of positional cover:

GK : Heaton, Carey (New GK needed)

LB : Cunningham, Bryan

RB : Skuse, Foster, Edwards

CB : Bates, Fontaine

CM : Danns, Reid, Skuse

LM : Anderson, Davies, Bryan

RM : Edwards, Skuse, Foster

ST : Baldock, Davies, Taylor

This squad looks alarmingly thin, and I think that to have such a huge clearout would probably be disastrous in terms of disruption (look at the gas last season). But in an ideal world I would like to see the players above forming a baseline. I'd want to see a couple of centre-backs come in (Bates & Fontaine risks turning into Can't Play, Won't Play), and one midfielder (two on the assumption we don't get Danns, and a right-midfielder.

Which is pretty much what the OP said.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
joeyb

joeyb

Posted
Posted

This would leave us with, in terms of positional cover:

GK : Heaton, Carey (New GK needed)

LB : Cunningham, Bryan

RB : Skuse, Foster, Edwards

CB : Bates, Fontaine

CM : Danns, Reid, Skuse

LM : Anderson, Davies, Bryan

RM : Edwards, Skuse, Foster

ST : Baldock, Davies, Taylor

This is how I would do it too, and in an ideal world would then recruit:

  • 2 new CBs
  • 1 DMC and 1 AMC/creative player
  • 1 LM and 1 RM
  • 1 young back up striker (possibly look to development squad if there is anyone with potential)
Link to comment
Share on other sites
del ete

del ete

Posted
Posted

Before I begin, please do not take this post too seriously, it is just my ramblings and I am fully aware it will not be this easy to achieve, but here goes anyway. I would be interested to hear other posters thoughts on what they would realistically try to do if they were in charge.

Heres the current squad situation :

We have 28 full time permanent players on the books. Their contracts are as follows (someone please correct me if I have any of these wrong?) :

Expiring January 2013 : M Wilson, Bates.

Expiring June 2013 : Heaton, Gerkin, Carey (GK), Nyatanga, Carey, Edwards, Amadi-Holloway, Skuse, Morris, Elliott, Stead, Pitman.

Expiring June 2014 : Foster, Fontaine, J Wilson, Kilkenny, Pearson, Adomah, Woolford, Anderson, Taylor.

Expiring June 2015 : Reid, Bryan, Davies.

Expiring June 2016 : Cunningham, Baldock.

So, we come to the January window and we start to think about what we need to bring in for the short term and the long term, but we also need to think about the current squad and who we are looking to offer new contracts, who we are willing to let go, who we need to offload with the hope of possibly bringing in some fees.

My question to everyone is, faced with the above contract scenario, what would your team look like at the beginning of July 2013 on the assumption (the rather optimistic assumption) that we will be in the Championship next season.

Personally, this is what I would do :

Out of Contract players:

Pitman will already be sold to Bournemouth in January.

I would release M Wilson in January. Skuse or Marv can provide decent enough cover at RB for the rest of the season.

I would offer Bates a deal until the end of the season, and dependent on his fitness for the rest of this season, I'd give him a 2 year deal in the summer.

In the summer, I would release Gerkin, Nyatanga, Carey, Amadi-Holloway, Skuse, Elliott, Morris, Stead.

I would offer new contracts to Heaton (2 years), Carey (GK) ( 1 year), Edwards (1 year).

Contracted players :

I would entertain offers in January for Kilkenny, Nyatanga, J Wilson & Woolford.

I would also seriously consider any offers that may come in for Adomah.

All in all, this could leave my squad, at the beginning of July 2013 looking like this :

GK : Heaton. Backup Carey

LB : Cunningham. Backup Bryan

RB : Foster. Backup Edwards

CB : Bates & Fontaine

CM : Reid

LM : Anderson. Backup Pearson

RM : None

ST : Baldock & Davies. Backup Taylor

That's 14 players and a number of 1st team positions filled.

All we need to do then is sign 4 key players - a starting CB, 2 starting CM's and a starting RM, followed by 4 decent squad players to take the squad to 22 players. We would then supplement the squad with 4 or 5 youth / prospect players.

So, what would you lot do?

I thought Elliott had signed an extension so his contract ran out in 2014? also thought Baldock signed the same deal as Davies? So expiring in 2015? and thought Fontaine had another year so expiring in 2015

Hope I am wrong on all counts though!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Esmond Million's Bung

Esmond Million's Bung

Posted
Posted

Reid in midfield who has made just one start ( if my memory is correct ) and that wasn't under McInnes. Only two goalkeepers, releasing Skuse ...... I didn't bother to read the rest.

That's your problem perhaps you should have read the rest, because Skuse is out of contract at the end of the season, so it's not about releasing him it's about whether we can satisfy his demands if DMC wants him to stay.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
bearded_red

bearded_red

Posted
Posted

Firstly I was under the impression that Marv's contract runs through to the end of the 13/14 season?

In January Pitman will obviously finalise his move to Bournemouth and Wilson will end his spell here and probably return north of the border. I would offer Bates a deal to the end of the season. He has shown glimpses in his few games here that he has some talent and his record would suggest that as long as we are able to get him on the park he could be a good player for us. If he plays a reasonable amount of games, impresses and has sensible wage demands (and we stay up) then offering him a contract in the summer would be a no brainer.

In the summer I think it is fairly certain that Morris, Amadi-Holloway, Nyatanga and Louis will all be released. As much as I like Stead the right move would probably be to offload him as well. His is a high earner and probably fourth choice at the moment so releasing him would be an obvious way to free up some wages to strengthen elsewhere.

The goalkeeper issue is an interesting one. Haven't seen anywhere near enough of Carey to comment, but he seems highly rated so I expect he will be offered a new contract. As for Heaton, I think he has a clause in his contract that if he plays a certain amount of games he is automatically offered a new one? If that is the case then it is highly likely he will remain here next season. That obviously leaves Gerken, who, if Heaton and Carey both stay, should probably be off. He would have spent the last three seasons barely playing and although he unlikely to be a top earner it would make more sense to me to offload him and promote Carey to number two keeper. Getting keepers on loan during the season is never really an issue if injury strikes so I don't feel that three keepers is entirely necessary.

From the way McInnes was speaking last Thursday he would very much like Skuse to stay. So without wanting to deal in rumour about how much Cole is holding out for or if he fancies a move away I would say the situation there is pretty clear. If Skuse wishes to stay and his wage demands are reasonable he will be here next season. I would offer Edwards another years contract as competition for Foster, the bits I have seen of him he looks a decent player, although they obviously rate him at Yeovil so he may feel it makes more sense for him to go somewhere where he is guaranteed regular football.

Either in January or next summer we should be trying to offload James Wilson and Kilkenny. It is clear that McInnes doesn't rate Wilson I would say so it makes sense for all if we try and move him on. By all accounts he was highly rated as a youngster and he surely can't be on that high a wage? so you would have thought we wouldn't find that hard to find a new club for him. Kilkenny on the other hand could be extremely tricky. I think it is common knowledge he is on a much higher wage that his talent suggests so finding him a new club could be extremely difficult, the best we could probably do is hope he ends up at a club that is willing to pay a reasonable chunk of his wage, while we pick up the rest until his contract here was due to end.

Wooly and Anderson will stay here until the summer, but if Anderson is still not featuring and Wooly fails to recapture his August form then we should be attempting to offload them. I'm not sure how difficult that may or may not be, but you would have thought that both of them would be interested in going elswhere and playing football if their opportunities here are limited. However it is almost impossible to believe that Anderson won't get a chance in the first team at some stage, and who knows maybe a fit Cunningham will help Woolford find some form again when he is back available.

I wouldn't even contemplate selling Albert in January (unless of course there is some sort of astronomical figure). He is extremely important to our hopes of staying up and as every single one of our five wins this season show, when we win a game it requires Albert to majorly contribute. My heart says never let him leave, but of course my head realises that the day will surely come that we have to let him go. If that is in the summer than fair enough, it gives us a much larger window to try and replace him and also give us time to hopefully spend a little bit of the money that selling him brings in. One thing I would say is please let it not be Palace, this could be me putting two and two together and getting five, but the fact that in the summer they will have the money from selling Zaha, they will need to replace Zaha, Hollowhead was heavily linked with Albert while he was Blackpool manager and Albert was at Barnet, Millen obviously rates him and his best mate being there makes me think that Albert to Palace could be a potential move.

That leaves Cunningham, Baldock, Davies, Taylor, Fontaine, Bryan, Foster, Reid and Pearson as players who you would have thought are extremely likely to still be here. Davies, Baldock and Cunningham are players who could potentially attract interest from bigger clubs, but with the amount of time left on their contracts you would hope we would be able to keep them.

Of course it is almost complete guesswork trying to work out what squad we will have in August when it is eight months away. There are many, many things that could happen between now and then that make anybody attempting to work it out look complete fools.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
joeyb

joeyb

Posted
Posted

This is how I would do it too, and in an ideal world would then recruit:

  • 2 new CBs
  • 1 DMC and 1 AMC/creative player
  • 1 LM and 1 RM and KEEP Adomah unless £3m+ and then consider options
  • 1 young back up striker (possibly look to development squad if there is anyone with potential)

Just realised a huge mistake in this. Obvious

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Robbored

Robbored

Posted
Posted

That's your problem perhaps you should have read the rest, because Skuse is out of contract at the end of the season, so it's not about releasing him it's about whether we can satisfy his demands if DMC wants him to stay.

Good chance that Skuse will join Palace in the January window as contract negotiations with City haven't been going very well for him. Millen knows a good player when he sees one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
JammyOne

JammyOne

Posted
Posted

This would leave us with, in terms of positional cover:

GK : Heaton, Carey (New GK needed)

LB : Cunningham, Bryan

RB : Skuse, Foster, Edwards

CB : Bates, Fontaine

CM : Danns, Reid, Skuse

LM : Anderson, Davies, Bryan

RM : Edwards, Skuse, Foster

ST : Baldock, Davies, Taylor

Davies as a left midfielder? Maybe as a left forward, but not midfield.

Edwards in right midfield? He's a defender.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...