General Priorities for next year

[Oxford57]

Aggressive defensive midfielder who can the simple things well, aggressive centre forward who will dominate defenders, wingers who can get crosses in to the box, far to long what team that has been selected lacked a physical presence
Play players in their correct positions and recruit fit footballers …. It’s not rocket science

 

[Patch1262]

It’s far, far, FAR too early to write off any of our current players (with perhaps one or two exceptions). New coach, new methods, new motivations and better insights. Some who’ve struggled will flourish, some who’ve done ok up til now will struggle. What’s more important is that the structure for recruitment, development and improvement is established and resourced.

I look forward to the ‘x looks like a different player this season’ comments from august onwards. In some cases it will be because x is in fact a different player! But I’m certain that several who are currently underperforming will hit their straps under Manning.

Totally disagree they’ve had all season it’s a poor squad only asset we have is cam, sorry but the table don’t lie!

 

[Marked Ox]

Totally disagree they’ve had all season it’s a poor squad only asset we have is cam, sorry but the table don’t lie!

Goodrham and GO'D?

 

[Leysboy]

GK
RB
LB
DM
X2 wingers
X2 FW

 

[Jolteon]

I'm going to try and be realistic and not just say "get rid" on players that we have very little chance of actually getting rid of like Murphy. I don't think our situation is as bad as it feels, a lot of the players in the club are perfectly fine as squad players/backups, it's the first team that really needs a big boost. I wouldn't be surprised to see a few players move on after the turbulence this season, but this is my opinion of the current state of the playing side and where we'll be next season:

GK:
Eastwood - One year left on the contract, perfectly capable backup but not good enough for L1 promotion challenge. Keep.
McGinty - Needs a loan. Get him playing and he may push on and be able to challenge for the No.1 shirt. Keep, but loan out to L2 or Conference.
Stevens - If an offer comes in I'd let him go.

LB:
Seddon - One year left on the contract, and I wouldn't be against keeping him as a backup. If someone is willing to take him, I'd let him go.

RB:
Anderson - To quote Gennaro Gattuso "sometimes maybe good, sometimes maybe s**t". Keep.
Long - Just signed a new contract, flexible, dependable, and able to play anywhere in defence. Keep.

CB:
Moore - Keep, but need to sign a proper ball playing CB in the summer.
Findlay - Clearly had a tough season. But there's a player in there, and I'm hoping we'll see that now that KR is gone. Keep.
Brown - Dependable and solid, one of our better performers this season. Keep.
Negru - Honestly couldn't tell you if this guy is good enough or not. I don't think he takes up a squad place next season, so no harm in keeping.
Mfuni - One of Fowler's "hot prospects". Very unlikely to be good enough. Get rid.

CDM:
Smyth - Liked what I saw against Derby. Is he a CDM? I don't know, but I'd like to see more of him. Keep.
Gorrin - Injuries have destroyed him. His contract is up, and we should let him go. Replacing him (finally) is very high priority.

CM:
Brannagan - If we don't go down I think he'll stay. Probably the easiest keep in the entire squad.
McGuane - Really good start to the season, but tailed off a bit. If you could coach the attacking output that Bran has into him he'd be elite at this level. Keep.
Davis - Anyone else forget this guy is still contracted? Out of contract, goodbye.

CAM:
Henry - Contracted for one more season. If someone wants him I'd let him go, but it feels more likely he'll be here next season.
Bodin - Had a good couple of months in 21/22, and has otherwise been pretty poor for us. If we can I'd offload, but like Henry I suspect he'll still be here next season.

Wingers:
Browne - PLEASE get back to the Browne we knew before. Keep.
Wildschut - Similar to Bodin and Henry, you can see he has/had quality. Another where if we can offload I would, but suspect he'll be here next year.
Jones - Couldn't say if he's good enough because KR never bloody played him. Think it's probably best for Jodi to get away from OUFC either way.
Murphy - If we had any chance of getting rid I'd pack his bags for him and drive him to whatever club KR is managing next season. Unfortunately it's extremely likely we'll pay a handsome price for the pleasure of him sitting in the stands for next season.
Goodrham - This kid has it. Keep.

Strikers:
Taylor - I would be happy to sign him for one more year as a backup option on reduced wages, but I very much doubt Taylor takes that. First choice striker a priority.
Baldock - Unless he retires he'll be here next season. He won't play, but he'll be here.
O'Donkor - Like Goodrham, this kid has it. Keep.

Loan players:
Bate - Really like him. Zero chance he's here next season.
Joseph - Similar to Bate, decent player, no chance he's here next season.
Fleming - Maybe Manning can get him going, but wouldn't take him back.
Smith - Read entry for Fleming, it's the same situation.
Konate - Wtf was this signing? No thanks.

Priorities have to be a Left Back, Striker and a CDM as an absolute must. Following that a CM, a winger or two, a ball playing CB, and if we can make space a new keeper. After that it's about bulking out the squad and making sure every position has good cover, and getting in a few young prospects. I think we'll have around 15 players contracted that go towards the squad cap, so plenty of room to manoeuvre, and if we can somehow offload one or two of the ones I've said will probably be here next season even better. Quite the rebuild for Manning to undertake.

 

[Foley]

Brannagan will be off if we go down I’m sure.
We should in the meantime recall all our players to give us more options.
This is a threadbare squad. Hopefully Liam Manning can at least produce three quick wins to help our safety.
The likes of Baldock and Gorrin have to move on as well as Eastwood.
Agyei might prove to be what we need. If Portsmouth want him he can’t be that bad

We need far better than Agyei.
Do Pompey want him or is it just speculation?

 

[Sarge]

'big' clear out at Cambridge at the end of the season - any of theirs that could do a job for us? ......

U’s boss expecting busy summer at the Abbey Stadium

Cambridge United have a number of players with contracts due to expire at the end of the season.

www.cambridgeindependent.co.uk

 

[Millman]

About our contracted players who we no longer want. The question was asked why use money to pay them off. To me the answer is all about the team, we are now rebuilding for the future and some of these unwanted players are a reminder of utter failure of this season. Are these players going to sit on their hands while not even getting in the first team squad or will some cause agitation or resentment. Its better to wipe the slate clean where possible.

If by the end of the season certain players have not proved themselves the club will need to be ruthless. They need to be told that there is no place in the squad for them and pushed out the door. I'm sure some more professional players would agree to leave especially if they can get a club. Others may need to be sent to train with the kids or medically proven they cannot do the job. Its not nice but the insanity of KR's contracts and the contribution of some of our senior players this season has been absolutely shocking.

In all likelihood its going to take a couple of seasons of rebuilding before we get a decent squad. But this summer will be critical we need 7 or 8 top quality first team players just to make us successful again, and that's only the start. Our player recruitment has to be greatly improved on its current woeful standard (no more stupid fantasy bids for players we can not possibly sign).

My hope now is that Manning improves what we have enough to save us from the drop (this weekend is absolutely massive for him, which is totally unfair but because of lack of prompt action by the board there we are). But the size of the task of rebuilding this squad should not be underestimated.

 

[Nadi-]

'big' clear out at Cambridge at the end of the season - any of theirs that could do a job for us? ......

U’s boss expecting busy summer at the Abbey Stadium

Cambridge United have a number of players with contracts due to expire at the end of the season.

www.cambridgeindependent.co.uk

Thought Sam Smith, Callum Morton and Dale Taylor have been some of the best forwards we’ve played against this season.
Surprised Morton dropped a league, but as it’s Salford?

 

[Nadi-]

About our contracted players who we no longer want. The question was asked why use money to pay them off. To me the answer is all about the team, we are now rebuilding for the future and some of these unwanted players are a reminder of utter failure of this season. Are these players going to sit on their hands while not even getting in the first team squad or will some cause agitation or resentment. Its better to wipe the slate clean where possible.

If by the end of the season certain players have not proved themselves the club will need to be ruthless. They need to be told that there is no place in the squad for them and pushed out the door. I'm sure some more professional players would agree to leave especially if they can get a club. Others may need to be sent to train with the kids or medically proven they cannot do the job. Its not nice but the insanity of KR's contracts and the contribution of some of our senior players this season has been absolutely shocking.

In all likelihood its going to take a couple of seasons of rebuilding before we get a decent squad. But this summer will be critical we need 7 or 8 top quality first team players just to make us successful again, and that's only the start. Our player recruitment has to be greatly improved on its current woeful standard (no more stupid fantasy bids for players we can not possibly sign).

My hope now is that Manning improves what we have enough to save us from the drop (this weekend is absolutely massive for him, which is totally unfair but because of lack of prompt action by the board there we are). But the size of the task of rebuilding this squad should not be underestimated.

Wouldn’t blame recruitment, if the head has lost its marbles

 

[tonyw]

We should in the meantime recall all our players to give us more options.

If you mean recall our players to give us more options this season - the short answer is we can't.

For loans between football league clubs, you can only unilaterally recall players within a transfer window. Outside a transfer window, it can only happen if both clubs agree and they get special dispensation from the EFL (which isn't happening). So Taylor and Stevens are gone for the year.

There was some hope about Jodi Jones, because the rules around loans to non-league are a little more flexible, but Craig Short confirmed a couple of weeks ago that they couldn't get him back either.

 

[tonyw]

I suspect Manning will get Browne performing as he knows how and what he is capable of from when at West Ham. Bodin is a useful squad player. I think Findlay will come good as well.

Murphy and Baldock however....

It's hard not to feel a little sorry for Baldock, but he's clearly now completely physically broken. Our only hope is that he retires to get a start on his coaching career.

Murphy is the guy that will test our commitment.
He's no use to us, but there's equally zero chance that anyone else will sign him now (given his career trajectory) for even a third of what we're supposedly paying him.
From all reports, paying him off will cost about 300k. We as fans might think that's worth doing, but it's not our money. Will the Board, given that they seemed willing to put up with KR forever just to avoid paying him off for a similar sum?

 

[yellowbow]

Apologies for the possibly silly question but does the cost of paying up contracts go towards the wage cap?

 

[tonyw]

Apologies for the possibly silly question but does the cost of paying up contracts go towards the wage cap?

It's a good question, and one I had to look up - https://www.efl.com/-more/governanc...s/appendix-5-financial-fair-play-regulations/

The answer seems to be yes, under Part 2, Appendix B, Section 17:

Redundancy and/or Compromise payments made to Players (e .g . the payment of the balance of the contract as a lump sum which has been discounted to represent accelerated receipt) should also be included for the purposes of determining Player Related Expenditure . Where redundancy payments are staged they should be allocated into the SCMP Documentation for the Reporting Period in which the payments fall due

But as a reminder - the Salary Cost Management Protocol that operates in League One is pretty toothless. You can get around it with cash injections or similar from the owners, and there's no points deductions for failing to comply either. The worst they can do is impose a transfer embargo.

 

[mariokempes]

Has nobody thought that perhaps our new management team can turn Murphy's career around. They seem far more measured regarding the task between now and the end of the season than KR was. A completely different approach to the man management of him could be the difference.

 

[YellowSubmarine]

Keep:

Stevens, Long, Moore, Brown, Golding, Brannagan, McGuane, Browne, Goodrham, Taylor, O’Donkor

The rest can go.

 

[Grumpy Git]

I suspect Manning will get Browne performing as he knows how and what he is capable of from when at West Ham. Bodin is a useful squad player. I think Findlay will come good as well.

Murphy and Baldock however....

I suspect Browne will shine under Manning as he’ll play him on the wing….because he is a winger!