I think we have one of the smallest squads as it is. The problem is we are able to bring in better players but with history of injuries, which then warrants a larger squad to cope with inevitable further injuries.
Ostigard (10 Viewers)
- Thread starter Saddlebrains
- Start date
SBAndy
Well-Known Member
Disagree on pure squad size - by my reckoning we’ve got about 32-33 in the first team frame (including those currently out on loan). You’re right about the injury situation though, although that would be something we may need to look at changing to progress. This season was always going to need a fairly large squad given the congested nature but if we revert back to the regular schedule next season I’d want to trim the first team squad down to 26 or so.
shmmeee
Well-Known Member
We need 6 first team players next year through a mix of frees, fees, and loans. GK, CB, LCB, LWB, CM, ST. A similar increase in budget as we had last year, not taking into account improved contracts, would be sufficient I think.
Assuming roughly the same budget (£3-4m in fees, a couple of frees and a few loans), I think we could afford: £1m each on GK, LCB, ST. Frees at CB/CM (Østigård/James?). Loan in a LWB and an AM. Add in a couple of gambles from abroad (counting Scotland here) or lower down the leagues. Maybe another loan at CM. I think we’re looking pretty good. And could afford to offload: Wilson, Marosi (keep Billson), Pask, Williams, a few of the other kids, Kelly, Kasta, Hilßner, Shipley, Allen, Baka. I can’t see next season being anything like as bad as this one for injuries/COVID and we’ve used 25 players by my count this year.
Assuming roughly the same budget (£3-4m in fees, a couple of frees and a few loans), I think we could afford: £1m each on GK, LCB, ST. Frees at CB/CM (Østigård/James?). Loan in a LWB and an AM. Add in a couple of gambles from abroad (counting Scotland here) or lower down the leagues. Maybe another loan at CM. I think we’re looking pretty good. And could afford to offload: Wilson, Marosi (keep Billson), Pask, Williams, a few of the other kids, Kelly, Kasta, Hilßner, Shipley, Allen, Baka. I can’t see next season being anything like as bad as this one for injuries/COVID and we’ve used 25 players by my count this year.
Sky Blue Pete
Well-Known Member
Great summary get on the blower to robins and boddy
cc84cov
Well-Known Member
We might need a lot more than that if we go Down
Saddlebrains
Well-Known Member
Personally feel considering the budget is tight, that GK is fine. Yea a new one would be nice but Marosi and Wilson isnt relegation fodder in the GK department, lower mid tableish
Sky_Blue_Dreamer
Well-Known Member
I'm not saying we won't improve the squad, I just think we might focus on the attacking element and release baka, baimou and bremang to bring in one forward and look to sell/give away Shipley, Kasta and probably Allen to bring in an AM. Hilssner is a possibility too, but I think he deserves an opportunity and has done well on loan, albeit it at a lower level, as is Jobello. We could well release Jones as well.
I don't know how much of Osti's wages we're covering, so if it's all of it then yes getting rid of Fadz, Thompson and Williams could allow us to bring in another on top of Osti (assuming we got him). There's also the possibility of allowing Pask to move on freeing up his wages, although I just have this feeling he will come good just probably not here. I wouldn't get rid of Hyam yet - he has played almost every game and we can take up the one year extension at a (relatively) cheap cost to a Championship level CB.
Trouble with reducing the squad size is if we had another year of injuries like this year we'd literally be playing the kids right now. Uncertainty with Covid etc just adds to that. Yesterday we had pretty much every available member of our first team squad in there with a few kids.
Sky Blue Pete
Well-Known Member
And we didn’t win
SBAndy
Well-Known Member
Done some fag packet working out this morning and I reckon if we could increase our wage bill by 15-20% (which isn’t unreasonable given we will hopefully have fans back and the additional revenues that go along with it) and drop the squad size by 5 then we’d have a reasonable chunk of money to look at bringing in a GK, 2 CBs, a LWB, a CM, 2 AMs and a striker. Yes, calculations based on guesswork but don’t think it sounds an impossible proposition. Doesn’t account for any transfer fees though, so would be dependent on whether we could generate some income through player sales.
Sky Blue Pete
Well-Known Member
Pretty sure this last transfer window is the first one in robins second time here when I’ve not been blown away. I have been reminded that the summer is when you do the bigger work and it could easily prove to be brilliant if james signs permanently and the young left back breaks into first team before the end of the season
Danceswithhorses
Well-Known Member
O'Hare signed for us when he was out of contract, because we were a 'winning' side, (and i dare say he also got a good deal !)
The trouble with Osti and a potential transfer, is that he is playing in a 'struggling' side (albeit in a higher division), and that may not be enough for him to consider signing for us.
Most pros want to be winners, or at least play in a side which plays attractive, attacking football, and at the present moment, we don't qualify on either count, sadly.
The trouble with Osti and a potential transfer, is that he is playing in a 'struggling' side (albeit in a higher division), and that may not be enough for him to consider signing for us.
Most pros want to be winners, or at least play in a side which plays attractive, attacking football, and at the present moment, we don't qualify on either count, sadly.
cov donkey kick
Well-Known Member
Think Brighton are covered for CBs so would be worth asking them.
If we stay up, realistically next season will be about stabilization. Some of our current players, if they manage injuries, are going to get better from championship experience - Dabo, Rose, Hyam, Hamer, O'Hare, Allen, Godden, Walker, Dacosta. We then have some talented youngsters who will hopefully, at least one or two, step up. I am thinking of Billson, Rowe, Drysdale, Reid, Eccles, Kavares, Bapaga. There are certainly players that need to move on but I would be concerned about wholesale changes. The team togetherness and knowing the system balances out the lack of quality in certain areas. I would be just as concerned regarding who we hang on to as who we get in (Dabo, Hamer, O'Hare and probably Rose).
robbiethemole
Well-Known Member
Isn’t it worth c£10m if we stay up? Pretty sure we could do a few upgrades with some of that.
Grendel
Well-Known Member
I think the accounts in the promotion season will show a significant operating loss which will have been funded by short term loans that will need paying back
I’d estimate a £4 to £5 m loss
Sky Blue Pete
Well-Known Member
Could easily be.
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Deleted member 11652
Guest
He’s improved an awful lot this season. Will probably end up back in Germany or Sweden I imagine.
I think he suits the middle of the 3. Having to play on the right doesn’t really help him same with Hyam on the left.
Him, O’Hare and Mccallum will be premiership quality one day I think. Jury still out on Hamer
I think he suits the middle of the 3. Having to play on the right doesn’t really help him same with Hyam on the left.
Him, O’Hare and Mccallum will be premiership quality one day I think. Jury still out on Hamer
cc84cov
Well-Known Member
D
Deleted member 11652
Guest
Hamer your not sure on but McCallum will be premier quality one day
Yes Mccallum is proven championship quality and he’s just turned 20. He’ll likely be contracted to a premier league side next year. I don’t think Hamer will
cc84cov
Well-Known Member
Mccallum is clearly struggling at the level his passing is nowhere near the level required either
lordy_87
Well-Known Member
Jamesimus
Well-Known Member
McCallum had one of his best games for us for a while yesterday. I think he'll get better.
I'd love to keep Ostigard, but surely Brighton, who seem to be a fairly progressive club, are monitoring his performances here and would be looking at offering a more favourable contract than we could.
I'd love to keep Ostigard, but surely Brighton, who seem to be a fairly progressive club, are monitoring his performances here and would be looking at offering a more favourable contract than we could.
SeaSeeEffCee
Well-Known Member
Brighton have 6 centre backs better than Ostigard, I’d imagine he moves on in the summer but I think it’ll probably be somewhere else rather than back here.
D
Deleted member 11652
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His passing is hit and miss. Played a nice through ball to Biamou in the first half. He’s 20 if he had everything he wouldn’t be here. Like I said, he’ll likely be contracted to a premier league side in the summer. Will Hamer?
Jamesimus
Well-Known Member
Depends how we do in the playoffs...
cc84cov
Well-Known Member
Mccallum will be moved on this summer if they go up or at least loaned out when Hamer moves he’s going for big money a cdm who’s top scorer and young it’s not even comparable...McCallum is over rated at this level anyway
cc84cov
Well-Known Member
If we go down we will need more than 15 let me tell ya lol
Sky Blue Pete
Well-Known Member
I think yesterday most were excellent and it’s all about consistency isn’t it
SBAndy
Well-Known Member
Worth remembering we brought in a reported £3.5m for McCallum. Could have limited the damage. Besides, pretty much every club will be in a similar boat given what’s happening at the moment. Let’s see what happens.
Sky Blue Pete
Well-Known Member
Yep that’s why Grendel said operational loss but I was thinking the same as you
Grendel
Well-Known Member
It was according to Norwich a £750k upfront payment and to be honest I’ve assumed around £1.5m - it certainly will not be £3.5 m
The accounts won’t be pretty.
Wages would have gone up to i would estimate £7m and critically revenue down. Remember revenue the prior season on player sales exceeded match day turnover. Can’t see that holding up either Turnover is down and match day costs will be massively up - around £1 million