Dabo released (5 Viewers)

[David O'Day]

View attachment 30036

he looks a lot more hench these days, probably put on too much muscle rehabbing from injury

 

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[Terry_dactyl]

he looks a lot more hench these days, probably put on too much muscle rehabbing from injury

I was thinking the same when I posted it. He’s much bigger now…less athletic looking.

 

[nunchuckas]

So sad to see this and wish him all the best wherever he goes. I get the impression he was really a big part of the excellent team morale. I couldn't help notice how he comforted Hamer, who was clearly upset, when he went off yesterday.

This is my biggest worry about the loss; the breaking up of the team, and potentially a large amount of our much coveted spirit.

With so many players moving on, including some who, from the outside looking in, seem very positive personalities, like Dabo, probably Gus, and the loan players like Norton, Doyle, and Panzo, it could really change the dynamic of the bond. I'm sure we'll bring some quality in, but it will probably be more spread out around the team, rather than Gus and Vik being exceptional, and everyone else being working hard to enable their talents.

For this reason, I'd be more tempted to keep Kelly. Like most, I'd written him off before his recent resurgence, but he's been massive in the run in, so there is an argument to give him a year on merit anyway, but with his age, injury record and presumably high wages as captain, probably isn't worth the risk financially, and we have the potential to bring in a younger more talented project to potentially add value to the squad...but, with so many players leaving this summer, it might be worth keeping him for some continuity to the team spirit, and he has proven he's still got it in him to perform if he keeps fit.

 

[Skyblueweeman]

If true, I think it shows the magnitude of the rebuild.

He could easily have been kept on as a back up. Knowing he's going makes me think it's going to be a bigger rebuild than I first thought.

 

[Sick Boy]

We've been overly reliant on two players, a long term injury to either or both of them would have resulted in a very different season.
I'd like to think that as a squad we'd be in a better place should we get a decent amount of money to invest and improve overall. I think we can come back and have a decent season and challenge the top 6 but the league definitely looks a lot tougher.

 

[Grendel]

I wouldn’t worry about team spirit - players move on all the time - there’s going to have to be at least 8 - 10 new players anyway

 

[nunchuckas]

I wouldn’t worry about team spirit - players move on all the time - there’s going to have to be at least 8 - 10 new players anyway

I agree there will be a lot of players leaving, all except Gus and Vik are rightly so but thanks for the service, with circa 10 coming in. Do you not think there's an argument for keeping Kelly to reduce the lack of continuity now he's proven he's still capable of being a valuable player in the team, bar his injury record?

He's the only one I think there's a decision to be made on, and if it wasn't for the amount going out I'd be leaning more towards letting him go

 

[clint van damme]

he looks a lot more hench these days, probably put on too much muscle rehabbing from injury

I won't name names but was with someone yesterday who worked with players on strength and conditioning at a premier league club and he was saying he thought this was the issue.
He said it would be because of his own training regime not the one given him by the medical staff.
He named a quite well know player he worked with who did the same. Doing his own training which they hadn't advised him to.

 

[djr8369]

Why on earth would you let a player that knows he’s leaving take a pen in such an important game?

surely he couldn’t have been in the best state of mind?

I did wonder if knowing he was leaving pushed him into trying to be a hero.

 

[RegTheDonk]

It's a shame it's finished on a bit of a sour note with the pen, when fit he's been a decent enough player. Likeable, seems to gel well with the other players, and most of the fans like him. Unfortunately, like Max, you can't get by on being a nice bloke and a character - it's business at the end of the day and you have to look at the bigger picture. If we want to progress we need to look at everbody and if there is better out there within our budget, we'd be daft not to go down that route. Thanks Dabs, its been fun, wish you all the best for the future.

 

[SkyblueTexan]

Yep-wish him all the best if/when he goes. Inevitably he will unfortunately be asked from now on about “that penalty” wherever he goes in the future, but from our perspective I thank him for his contribution in helping us to go in the right direction again.

I hope he’s not asked about the penalty miss in future wherever he goes. In any case, the only way to ensure “that penalty” doesn’t become an enduring memory is to get promoted as soon as we possibly can. Many have mentioned our team spirit taking a hit with the departure of Dabo, but we need to put sentiments aside and build squad depth chock full of talent across all positions. Ben Wilson mentioned how 10-15 players joined the team at the same time he did. I think it might take a similar level of rebuilding this time around. MR and AV have to get the players (existing and incoming) to buy into their plans and the team spirit will sort itself out. Although we missed promotion by such a fine margin, I think we were not ready for it. We have to now make sure that next time we get that chance, we succeed and emphatically at that as well to put all doubts aside.

 

[Grendel]

I did wonder if knowing he was leaving pushed him into trying to be a hero.

It would have only put us level in sudden death

 

[TomRad85]

We've been overly reliant on two players, a long term injury to either or both of them would have resulted in a very different season.
I'd like to think that as a squad we'd be in a better place should we get a decent amount of money to invest and improve overall. I think we can come back and have a decent season and challenge the top 6 but the league definitely looks a lot tougher.

My brain keeps fighting back and telling me we won't get a chance like we just had again for another 20 years, but I'm trying to tell myself we weren't ready anyway and we can start building a squad that is more ready for a promotion and would need less surgery if it were to achieve promotion. Wait and see I guess, but I'm currently not in a place where I'm looking forward to next season when we were a shootout away from Utd, Arsenal, Chelsea etc...

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[clint van damme]

My brain keeps fighting back and telling me we won't get a chance like we just had again for another 20 years, but I'm trying to tell myself we weren't ready anyway and we can start building a squad that is more ready for a promotion and would need less surgery if it were to achieve promotion. Wait and see I guess, but I'm currently not in a place where I'm looking forward to next season when we were a shootout away from Utd, Arsenal, Chelsea etc...

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I bet there's a thread somewhere on a Luton message board from the end of last season which says 'we won't get a better chance, be a strong league next year etc etc'.

 

[djr8369]

It would have only put us level in sudden death

Yeah true and we were running out of players to take one.

 

[GIMOC]

I bet there's a thread somewhere on a Luton message board from the end of last season which says 'we won't get a better chance, be a strong league next year etc etc'.

Difference could be, they kept the players and improved. Whereas we could be losing our best 2 players not to mention the good loans we had.

big difference

 

[TomRad85]

I bet there's a thread somewhere on a Luton message board from the end of last season which says 'we won't get a better chance, be a strong league next year etc etc'.

Might be mate, not everyone is going to do a Luton though unfortunately. As I say, wait and see. Me worry is we largely got into that position because of 2 players, both of which are likely to leave.
I'm not writing us off, I'll start next season with the same blind optimism I always do but I just can't look forward it atm. Too raw.

 

[clint van damme]

Difference could be, they kept the players and improved. Whereas we could be losing our best 2 players not to mention the good loans we had.

big difference

We need to make sure we get adequate replacements, I'm confident we will.

 

[Adge]

Think Vic will inevitably leave as it’s been on the cards for a while, but why has everybody suddenly decided that Gus is leaving? A great player at this level and key for us, but Premier League ready? I’m not so sure. I think he could well give us another year.

 

[Sick Boy]

Think Vic will inevitably leave as it’s been on the cards for a while, but why has everybody suddenly decided that Gus is leaving? A great player at this level and key for us, but Premier League ready? I’m not so sure. I think he could well give us another year.

That'll mean him signing a new contract this summer - I hope he does but can't see it myself.

 

[coop]

He was always leaving probably missed on purpose( only joking) been great for us but just isn't good enough as we need to progress

 

[TomRad85]

That'll mean him signing a new contract this summer - I hope he does but can't see it myself.

Maybe if we get a massive fee for Gyok we can pour some of that into a bumper contract for Hamer. Be more than happy with that.

 

[Harry Krishner]

I reckon they are already planning what to spend the Vic bonanza on.

We've seen it many times before - a big name player moves upwards and onwards only to disappear into the ether.

Cracking player, but that said, Luton largely contained him on Saturday as did Middlesborough before them. He could end up languishing on the benchat his next club - as he did at Brighton. Maybe best to cash in while the going's good.

 

[SkyblueTexan]

I reckon they are already planning what to spend the Vic bonanza on.

We've seen it many times before - a big name player moves upwards and onwards only to disappear into the ether.

Cracking player, but that said, Luton largely contained him on Saturday as did Middlesborough before them. He could end up languishing on the benchat his next club - as he did at Brighton. Maybe best to cash in while the going's good.

I tend to agree. It's harder to strikers to keep scoring at that prolific rate season after season. McNulty couldn't sustain it at a higher level after making the step up, Bamford was decent for a season or so and now looks a shell of himself, Pukki was good at this level but not anymore (likely age-related), Akpom caught lightning in a bottle this season. Vik has been great the last couple of seasons, but maybe we cash in now when we can get the most for him. We need pacy wide players who can chip in with goals and spread the goals around for the 23/24 season so as not to be over-reliant on just 2 players for goals. Hopefully we can stay injury free and players like O'Hare, Palmer and Sheaf can score a few in the new season.

 

[Hobo]

He has become second choice this year. One to try and upgrade.

 

[Skyblue_LDN]

If true, I think it shows the magnitude of the rebuild.

He could easily have been kept on as a back up. Knowing he's going makes me think it's going to be a bigger rebuild than I first thought.

Agree, if he is off then that’s two more players needed, first choice and cover

 

[Perryccfc]

Isn’t one of the Stevenage lads a RWB?

 

[Balli001]

Isn’t one of the Stevenage lads a RWB?

Yes

 

[CDK]

Had to be done I think. He's had a poor couple of seasons not helped by his injury problems. Hope he gets a good move. He was bloody brilliant in league 1

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Shrewsbury?

 

[shmmeee]

I bet there's a thread somewhere on a Luton message board from the end of last season which says 'we won't get a better chance, be a strong league next year etc etc'.

There were plenty on here saying we’d never make the playoffs again after last season.

 

[covcity4life]

I reckon they are already planning what to spend the Vic bonanza on.

We've seen it many times before - a big name player moves upwards and onwards only to disappear into the ether.

Cracking player, but that said, Luton largely contained him on Saturday as did Middlesborough before them. He could end up languishing on the benchat his next club - as he did at Brighton. Maybe best to cash in while the going's good.

Yet he got an assist in both games

 

[fatso]

This is my biggest worry about the loss; the breaking up of the team, and potentially a large amount of our much coveted spirit.

With so many players moving on, including some who, from the outside looking in, seem very positive personalities, like Dabo, probably Gus, and the loan players like Norton, Doyle, and Panzo, it could really change the dynamic of the bond. I'm sure we'll bring some quality in, but it will probably be more spread out around the team, rather than Gus and Vik being exceptional, and everyone else being working hard to enable their talents.

For this reason, I'd be more tempted to keep Kelly. Like most, I'd written him off before his recent resurgence, but he's been massive in the run in, so there is an argument to give him a year on merit anyway, but with his age, injury record and presumably high wages as captain, probably isn't worth the risk financially, and we have the potential to bring in a younger more talented project to potentially add value to the squad...but, with so many players leaving this summer, it might be worth keeping him for some continuity to the team spirit, and he has proven he's still got it in him to perform if he keeps fit.

Massive change was always going to happen though regardless of the Wembley result.

Obviously the futures of Vik and Hamer are in doubt, and the loans have expired, but if your honest, how many of the others would you keep.

For me it's only,
O'hare, Palmer, Sheaf, Eccles, Kelly, Fadz Godden, and Bidwell. And most of them are under contract still anyway.

And if your really being ruthless maybe only 4 of the above would be retained.

But what an amazing opportunity to get shot of the deadwood and for MR to build his own side with none of the hang overs from previous seasons knocking about.

 

[Deleted member 5849]

I won't name names but was with someone yesterday who worked with players on strength and conditioning at a premier league club and he was saying he thought this was the issue.
He said it would be because of his own training regime not the one given him by the medical staff.
He named a quite well know player he worked with who did the same. Doing his own training which they hadn't advised him to.

There'd be a certain irony if working too hard buggered his career!

Didn't we as a club try and bulk Huckerby up a bit, so he was never quite as lightning fast again after that?

 

[cstring82]

Massive change was always going to happen though regardless of the Wembley result.

Obviously the futures of Vik and Hamer are in doubt, and the loans have expired, but if your honest, how many of the others would you keep.

For me it's only,
O'hare, Palmer, Sheaf, Eccles, Kelly, Fadz Godden, and Bidwell. And most of them are under contract still anyway.

And if your really being ruthless maybe only 4 of the above would be retained.

But what an amazing opertunity to get shot of the deadwood and for MR to build his own side with none of the hang overs from leagues 1 and 2 in the building.

I’d keep Wilson as well, my view has changed on Kelly but got to be a contract which covers if he’s injured half the season again, especially if he’s helping out with the U18/21s whilst doing his coaching badges.

 

[Terry_dactyl]

I hope he’s not asked about the penalty miss in future wherever he goes. In any case, the only way to ensure “that penalty” doesn’t become an enduring memory is to get promoted as soon as we possibly can. Many have mentioned our team spirit taking a hit with the departure of Dabo, but we need to put sentiments aside and build squad depth chock full of talent across all positions. Ben Wilson mentioned how 10-15 players joined the team at the same time he did. I think it might take a similar level of rebuilding this time around. MR and AV have to get the players (existing and incoming) to buy into their plans and the team spirit will sort itself out. Although we missed promotion by such a fine margin, I think we were not ready for it. We have to now make sure that next time we get that chance, we succeed and emphatically at that as well to put all doubts aside.

Likely he’ll be asked about that 40 yard own goal he scored instead.