Pressley to reduce size of the squad (5 Viewers)

[oldskyblue58]

http://www.coventrycity-mad.co.uk/news/tmnw/the_squads_too_big__pressley_792098/index.shtml

Coventry City manager Steven Pressley feels that the current first team squad of thirty four players is too big and needs to be trimmed down.
Although, one could argue that City need a big squad due to the amount of injuries they have during a season, the City boss is adamant that he wants a smaller, tighter unit and said to the Coventry Telegraph's Andy Turner: “The squad, for me, is far too big here.
“It’s an unmanageable squad. When I came to the club there were 34 players and you’ve got situations where we’re doing 11 v 11 work and at times you’re having to let some of our senior players down whereas it should be the case that if you’re short of players you bring your young boys in to help.
“But we’ve got a situation where we’re having to let a lot of senior players down and it doesn’t create the type of environment that I want to create at the club.
"So moving forward there’s no doubt that I would like to reduce the size of the squad and create a far more manageable group.
“The average Championship club uses 26 players in a season. We have got a squad of 34 and that’s not ideal.
“I want a tight group and I would rather a situation where if we were struggling for a position then we’d go out and get a loan player, so do it when we need to rather than be in the position of having a huge group which is difficult to manage.
“I think unity and spirit is a very important aspect in taking the club forward and you have to get the right balance in terms of the size of the group so I definitely want to address that.”

Got to say that makes sense. Never have thought that we needed 34 players this season (has been up to 36 at one point). Would certainly support those actions by SP

 

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[jimmyhillsfanclub]

Pressley to reduce size of the squad

Well, McDonald & McSheffrey could stand to lose a few pounds to start with........





...insert tumble-weed here

 

[psgm1]

Andy Thorn said Exactly the same thing. Just saying!

 

[sky blue john]

the problem is when your in an embargo for long periods every season you can't nip out and get a loan player.

 

[mark82]

Andy Thorn said Exactly the same thing. Just saying!

Not sure of your point? You like Andy Thorn? Or you think this manager is useless also?

 

[SkyBlue_Bear83]

So who is leaving then?

Wood
Sheff
Malaga
Bell
McDonald
Cameron
Stewart
Philliskirk

Martin, Bailey and Ball all back to parent clubs

That would be my guess

 

[CovMatt1987]

bet this was a big factor in him getting the job. cutting the squad size to me also screams cutting the wage bill. not that i think its a particularly bad idea, its just going to put ALOT of pressure for him to get the players who stay in the small squad right.

 

[Nonleagueherewecome]

So who is leaving then?

Wood
Sheff
Malaga
Bell
McDonald
Cameron
Stewart
Philliskirk

Martin, Bailey and Ball all back to parent clubs

That would be my guess

I'd say that's a good start. Then a few more that we don't want to lose but will due to administration (Murphy, Baker, possibly Adams).

 

[covboy1987]

bet this was a big factor in him getting the job. cutting the squad size to me also screams cutting the wage bill. not that i think its a particularly bad idea, its just going to put ALOT of pressure for him to get the players who stay in the small squad right.

Agreed not just cutting the squad breaking the squad up would have been a factor in Steven Pressley getting the job and is following orders from above to get rid of any saleable assets for pound notes and replace with the youth team and any journey men on low wages

 

[wingy]

Does this mean they can afford some rent

 

[psgm1]

Not sure of your point? You like Andy Thorn? Or you think this manager is useless also?

Andy thorn was The worst manager in the history of coventry city

Already SP is emulating him!

 

[ccfc92]

Personally, I'd keep my core of players; Murphy, wood, Adams, baker, moussa, Leon. Then build around them? With some youth thrown in/ covering

 

[Nonleagueherewecome]

Does this mean they can afford some rent

They've always been able to afford some rent, they just don't want to pay any!

 

[ccfc92]

Andy thorn was The worst manager in the history of coventry city

Already SP is emulating him!

Agreed psgm, quite worrying :/

 

[Mucca Mad Boys]

Quality > quantity, we have some very good players, some layers that need to go, and hopefully we can bring in some good players for the promotion charge!

 

[Nonleagueherewecome]

Pressley spoke on Monday about making the players work a lot harder-that we are "comfortable Coventry". Sounds like he intends to eradicate the soft dressing room culture that Thorn was responsible for. The only way in which Pressley can be criticised for being like Thorn is that he is trying to play passing football without having the players (or in his case, the pitch) to do it. He's been here for five minutes and had Administration & injuries to deal with. How do you think Robins would have coped without McGoldrick or Clarke and with 3 or 4 other players injured? Doncaster was the best performance of the season IMO and at the very least he deserves some patience. Not something that Coventry fans are known for, sadly.

 

[Covstu]

Andy thorn was The worst manager in the history of coventry city

Already SP is emulating him!

FFS Pressley has been in charge for 10 mins and the assassins are after him already....:facepalm::facepalm:

 

[Covstu]

Quality > quantity, we have some very good players, some layers that need to go, and hopefully we can bring in some good players for the promotion charge!

I agree we need better quality but disagree we have any 'very good' players in the squad at present!!

 

[stupot07]

I agree we need better quality but disagree we have any 'very good' players in the squad at present!!

Yep, agree with you. In fact the only player to look too good for this league was mcgoldrick.

 

[Nonleagueherewecome]

I agree we need better quality but disagree we have any 'very good' players in the squad at present!!

Murphy, Baker and Leon are very good L1 players; Cyrus & Adams are getting there, and I expect Thomas with a proper pre-season to be as well. Barton and Fleck have the ability to be great players at this level and we've already seen more from them under Pressley than previous managers. Clear out the players who have been mooted in this thread, add pace, leadership with 4-5 players, there's no reason why we can't be challenging next season. Well, aside from our present situation, of course..

 

[WillieStanley]

Agreed psgm, quite worrying :/

Quite worrying that you agree with PGSM?

 

[stupot07]

Murphy, Baker and Leon are very good L1 players; Cyrus & Adams are getting there, and I expect Thomas with a proper pre-season to be as well. Barton and Fleck have the ability to be great players at this level and we've already seen more from them under Pressley than previous managers. Clear out the players who have been mooted in this thread, add pace, leadership with 4-5 players, there's no reason why we can't be challenging next season. Well, aside from our present situation, of course..

Fleck and Barton should be first out the door for me, and lets not go overboard, we've seen 1 good half from them under SP, in a half where Doncaster completely stood off them.

 

[SkyBlue_Bear83]

Yep, agree with you. In fact the only player to look too good for this league was mcgoldrick.

Yet Baker and Clarke were voted in the top 10 players in the division by opposition managers.

 

[stupot07]

Yet Baker and Clarke were voted in the top 10 players in the division by opposition managers.

Yeah.....and mcgoldrick never scored any goals worthy of ccfc goal of the season...

 

[WillieStanley]

Fleck, for me, could go either way. He has shown in glimpses what he can do and shown improvement under Pressley. For that reason alone, he deserves another season as, what he can do would be pretty awesome at this level if it were on a consistant basis. After next season though, should there be little or no improvement, we should thank him and send him on his way... Or he may become the next Freddy Eastwood.

Barton, on the other hand, I feel is a different kettle of salmon... erm... fish. I think he has bundles of natural ability. He's a really classy player. I'd love to have seen him before his horrific injury. It seems that prior to his injury, he was as laid back as he appears now, but had that ability to rely on. A real flair player. He suffered, career almost over shortly after massive club attraction and now, I can't help but feel that, along with that laid back style of play, there's a fear. Be it subconcious or not, that fear seems to be what is letting him down. You can be laid back and pro-active at the same time (different type of player, but look at Cranie). That fear is holding him back so much. If we invest enough time and energy into rebuilding his confidence and getting rid of that little niggle in the back of his mind, then we've got an outstanding player at this level.

 

[SkyBlue_Bear83]

Yeah.....and mcgoldrick never scored any goals worthy of ccfc goal of the season...

Well obviously he did but they obviously wanted the award to go to a current player who will be at the awards night.

Anyway what's your point? The fact that 2 of our players got in the top 10 shows we are considered to have some very good players at league 1 level, the only other club to have 2 in the top 10 was Bournemouth.

 

[SkyBlue_Bear83]

Personally I'd say Fleck and Barton are worth at least another 6-12 months to see if they improve next season although I wouldn't be overly disappointed if either left provided they were replaced.

 

[WillieStanley]

Personally I'd say Fleck and Barton are worth at least another 6-12 months to see if they improve next season although I wouldn't be overly disappointed if either left provided they were replaced.

Agreed. They are true Coventry City players. So much potential you just want to shake them repeatedly!!

 

[stupot07]

Well obviously he did but they obviously wanted the award to go to a current player who will be at the awards night.

Anyway what's your point? The fact that 2 of our players got in the top 10 shows we are considered to have some very good players at league 1 level, the only other club to have 2 in the top 10 was Bournemouth.

They are good league one players, who have had a good season, neither are good enough for the championship. For me a very good league one player is one who has the potential to play higher.

Marcus Stewart once won the PL golden boot, was he a very good PL player?

Anyway Covstu said it, I just agreed so I don't know why you're having a go at me.

 

[stupot07]

If he's going for 24 players...I wonder what the make up of the squad will be
If he's determined to player 451..

Gk x2
Rb x2
Cb x 4
Lb x 2

Dm x2
Cm x 2
ACM x2

Rw x2
LW x2

CF x2

Plus 2 others, surely at least 1 more striker.

 

[hamil99]

If he's going for 24 players...I wonder what the make up of the squad will be
If he's determined to player 451..

Gk x2
Rb x2
Cb x 4
Lb x 2

Dm x2
Cm x 2
ACM x2

Rw x2
LW x2

CF x2

Plus 2 others, surely at least 1 more striker.

Think it will be 2 more stikers!

 

[sw88]

As long as hes not allowed to bring in 13 players of his own and gets sacked after a handful of games, he should be Ok

 

[stupot07]

As long as hes not allowed to bring in 13 players of his own and gets sacked after a handful of games, he should be Ok

Ha ha. If you think about, he said he wants to reduce and shake up the squad....your probably looking at 15-20 players going and 5-10 coming in.

 

[SkyBlue_Bear83]

They are good league one players, who have had a good season, neither are good enough for the championship. For me a very good league one player is one who has the potential to play higher.

Marcus Stewart once won the PL golden boot, was he a very good PL player?

Anyway Covstu said it, I just agreed so I don't know why you're having a go at me.

Weren't having a go at anyone, Covstu is free to respond to my post as well. Didn't mean to single out anyone

So were debating the difference between a good league 1 player and a very good league 1 player not much difference really.

I would say if a player would go into 90% of league 1 first 11s he should be considered very good. Clarke has the best games to goal ratio in the division, (even higher than Mcgoldricks who is 2nd highest) not that this means he is better than him. Baker I think is the highest scoring midfielder in the division. Not just this season they have excelled at league 1 either. Clarke has something like 35 goals in his last 65-70 league 1 games and Baker had bags of goals also at Stockport before.

Players like Thomas arguably have potential to play at a higher level, does this make him a very good league 1 player?

Was Bigirimana a very good championship player last season as he had potential to play higher?

 

[Covstu]

They are good league one players, who have had a good season, neither are good enough for the championship. For me a very good league one player is one who has the potential to play higher.

Marcus Stewart once won the PL golden boot, was he a very good PL player?

Anyway Covstu said it, I just agreed so I don't know why you're having a go at me.

Oi you, grass!!!!