Squad churn (1 Viewer)

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oucho

oucho

Well-Known Member
Firstly I didn't disagree with us binning off most of those players we released back at the end of last season.... but looking at those senior players we have still got on the books since the start of last season, I am scratching my head wondering about the potential impact of the lack of continuity.

If we remember that G Thomas, RCC, Turnbull and Reid may leave before the Notts County game, and remembering that this time 12 months ago none of Stevenson, Kwame Thomas, Dion KE or Beavon had (barely) played a single game for us, the only first-teamers left in the squad are:
Lee Burge
Ryan Haynes
Chris Stokes
Jordan Willis
Jodi Jones

That's not a great line-up, considering that Haynes and Stokes have injury records (last season at least), may also, Jones and Burge have been inconsistent (at best) performers and that Willis may also leave (touted to Rotherham), you are looking at a very, very thin "long term" continuity/spine of the squad.

I hope MR will start to construct a long-term spine to the squad and develop a continuity in the club, rather than having virtually a new squad every season - his offering 2-year deals to several new recruits bodes well from this point of view.
 
Colin Steins Smile

Colin Steins Smile

Well-Known Member
oucho said:
Firstly I didn't disagree with us binning off most of those players we released back at the end of last season.... but looking at those senior players we have still got on the books since the start of last season, I am scratching my head wondering about the potential impact of the lack of continuity.

If we remember that G Thomas, RCC, Turnbull and Reid may leave before the Notts County game, and remembering that this time 12 months ago none of Stevenson, Kwame Thomas, Dion KE or Beavon had (barely) played a single game for us, the only first-teamers left in the squad are:
Lee Burge
Ryan Haynes
Chris Stokes
Jordan Willis
Jodi Jones

That's not a great line-up, considering that Haynes and Stokes have injury records (last season at least), may also, Jones and Burge have been inconsistent (at best) performers and that Willis may also leave (touted to Rotherham), you are looking at a very, very thin "long term" continuity/spine of the squad.

I hope MR will start to construct a long-term spine to the squad and develop a continuity in the club, rather than having virtually a new squad every season - his offering 2-year deals to several new recruits bodes well from this point of view.
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I think you have a valid point in that the wholesale changes to the team is something that successful teams have difficulty in managing well. I remember when Bobby Gould took over the team from Dave Sexton and we saw a mass turnover of players. In the longer term that provided the basis for our 87 cup winning squad, but in the short term we struggled in the post Xmas period during the first season.
The club needs some degree of stability on the pitch if we are to succeed and I do believe that MR will develop some of the maligned younger players into real gems over his period in charge. Given the amount of change, I would not be surprised if we missed out on promotion this season....but would be manage it in year two....if MR & the squad stays intact.
 
oucho

oucho

Well-Known Member
Yep - in an ideal world you'd like to see 7-8 long-term club stalwarts each with 5-6 seasons of playing regularly for us (and being good enough). Football is changing but apart from Willis we don't even have one such player at the moment.

Again I have no problem in releasing players not deemed good enough - don't want to keep someone on the books, taking up a slot in the wage structure, just to provide continuity as a "stalwart"....the key is in recruiting better players in the first place and then keeping hold of them, thus developing a long-term squad which can hopefully take us to success.
 
sw88

sw88

Chief Commentator!
Out of your lists I think you could probably take jones from the bottom list and add him to the top. He was hardly a first teamer before we kicked off the season last season just like the others you mention.

But whilst I agree with your point, although I've only seen 1 game and a training session, I did sense that the team collectively have brought into what we want to do here; what MR has set up as a philosophy. Certainly upon speaking with 2 of the new recruits, that's the impression they gave me too!

Hopefully this enforced reshuffle, which should never have had to have happened had we done things properly last summer, will be a blessing in disguise
 
stupot07

stupot07

Well-Known Member
We know theres a large turnover of players, there is in most league one and league two sides. I'm not sure how you can discount the likes of beavon, Stevenson, etc they all played last season, but yet include Turnbull, Reid and G Thomas as potentially leaving thus not giving continuity.

I look at the players who were released and with the exception of lamieres I don't see any as bad decisions.

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oucho

oucho

Well-Known Member
stupot07 said:
We know theres a large turnover of players, there is in most league one and league two sides. I'm not sure how you can discount the likes of beavon, Stevenson, etc they all played last season, but yet include Turnbull, Reid and G Thomas as potentially leaving thus not giving continuity.

I look at the players who were released and with the exception of lamieres I don't see any as bad decisions.

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I meant continuity over a few seasons not between last season and this. Great news if the players are buying into MR's ethos as reported above - hopefully we will start to have testimonials every season again!
 
mark82

mark82

Moderator
The positive is obviously that he's got the majority of the squad in Nice and early so they've had a full pre season with us. Makes a big difference. They looked like a team on the whole yesterday.
 
sw88

sw88

Chief Commentator!
stupot07 said:
I look at the players who were released and with the exception of lamieres I don't see any as bad decisions.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
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I agree entirely, which again highlights the recruitment Mowbray was mainly responsible for.

Managers will always look to turf out the previous managers players. TM did it when taking over from Presley and other managers before that. But if one thing stands out more than ever this year is Mowbrays signings were mainly duff.

We got lucky the season before last that the loans paid off - Kent, Armstrong, Murphy, even Cole to a degree. All of those I assume were taken on a wim that they would come good; if our scouting system was anything to go by I doubt we had them watched before they were brought in
 
Hobo

Hobo

Well-Known Member
sw88 said:
I agree entirely, which again highlights the recruitment Mowbray was mainly responsible for.

Managers will always look to turf out the previous managers players. TM did it when taking over from Presley and other managers before that. But if one thing stands out more than ever this year is Mowbrays signings were mainly duff.

We got lucky the season before last that the loans paid off - Kent, Armstrong, Murphy, even Cole to a degree. All of those I assume were taken on a wim that they would come good; if our scouting system was anything to go by I doubt we had them watched before they were brought in
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Wasn't Kent, Armstrong and Murphy in the England youth set up? Wasn't one of Mowbray's assistants involved in the England youth set up? So I think they were targeted rather than signed on a whim.
 
Gazolba

Gazolba

Well-Known Member
There's always going to be a much bigger turnover when you get promoted or relegated.
There is less excuse when you stay in the same division, but that's not us this season.
 
Sky Blue Harry H

Sky Blue Harry H

Well-Known Member
I was concerned about the amount of injury prone/inadequate left backs we had; however, I have heard from a good source that Paul Nicholls (ex Eastenders) has just been offered a short term contract as cover (don't shoot the messenger)
 
Nick

Nick

Administrator
Sky Blue Harry H said:
I was concerned about the amount of injury prone/inadequate left backs we had; however, I have heard from a good source that Paul Nicholls (ex Eastenders) has just been offered a short term contract as cover (don't shoot the messenger)
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Hollyoaks have offered him a better deal
 
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