Expiring Contracts

[TheSage]

Just added up points per game, average points when he's not played we'd have ended on 40 points if I did my maths right. We got 16 points, I think, in the 18 games he missed. He's not a world beater but he definitely gives us some presence in midfield nobody else does.

 

I think Oyeleke is decent but it's frustrating because he's been injured 2-3 times and doesn't seem able to put together a run of a dozen games or more before he limps off.

I wonder if we have overestimated his ability because the rest are so poor.

I'm never sure what his role is. Is he a defensive shield for the defence or an attacking player to support Pope? If the latter he needs to score more and get a bit fitter so that he is more able to get up and down the pitch.

But I do think he's as good as we've got at present and he'd be in my team if fit.

I hope he stays.

[The Kalamazoo Kid]

I don't think he knows personally,what he is saying is that the decisions will already of been made

 

Indeed. Blakeman asked Askey after the Bury game if any decent performances in that game had changed his mind regarding contracts, to which Askey replied 'No, he already knew his retained list and one game wasn't going to alter it.'

 

I assume that Blakeman was talking about Vassell, who apparently played well on Saturday (if so, Askey is correct to still release him IMO as he's regularly shown to not be good enough).

[The Kalamazoo Kid]

Is oyleke really that good? I’d say not, but football is all about opinions.

 

Wow! I've said since back in the Autumn that we are a completely different (much, much poorer) team without him. Even during his quieter games he'll produce something (a clever ball or burst forward) that others in the current squad can't/don't.

 

An absolute must-keep IMO.

[For Us All]

Fair comment perhaps but it's the players who vote for their most formidable opponents so I can't really see why everyone hasn't got an equal chance. Clearly the top teams have the best players overall so it's no surprise that they dominate the awards as with Liverpool and City in the Premiership nominations but you might have a valid point.

 

I like to think that I have got a good idea of who might stay and who we release, based on what I'm told from others working close to the Club. But I'm keeping my powder dry and we'll find out this week I imagine.

 

It's common knowledge that some lads have been disgracing themselves (Askey and Sproey told us that a fortnight ago)so it should not surprise anyone when a few get released for their lack of professionalism and poor behaviour.

 

I'm crossing everything for a new beginning this week, a clean sheet and a fresh set of players in August to get us salivating for the first time in ages. UTV.

 

Out of all four league's the only player selected for one of the PFA teams and not to finish in either the automatic or play-off places was Middlesbrough goalkeeper Darren Randolph.

[Danish Valiant]

We had a smaller squad than most of the promoted sides. It's a fine balancing act, I'm not really sure what an optimum size is without loans during the season.

24-26, becuase in an ideal world, you have 2 players for each position. Where the second choice isn't more than perhaps 10-15% behind the first choice.

Because then, he can slide into the team and the other 10 can help him out and he won't look bad.

The problems only start, when you have a squad like ours. Where the second choice, if we even have one, is half as good as the first choice. Where we have to play players out of position, to cover for the lack of ability of the 'natural' second choice. Where the 'regulars' have to carry, 3 or 4 players, playing out of position or half as good second choices. Then we look abysmal!

Brown, Bruno and Aspin put together giant squads, but not a team. They signed random players, Aspin spoke about 'targets' all the time, but hindsight tells he didn't have a plan. At all!

Askey seems to have a clear plan, whether or not he can turn it into reality, is another matter.

But I have seem the style he wants to play, and I trust him A LOT more than the prior kick and rush managers!

[Budgie_2260]

These discussions are pointless without knowing how much they earn.

 

If Worrall is on 1.5k/week I'd keep. If he's on 3k/week I wouldn't. Same with Manny. Same with Hannant. Same with all of them.

 

I don't see many of the current squad going onto bigger and better things if they are moved on which seems to be a recurring theme each summer.

 

Totally agree, it’s all relative to wages...

[Budgie_2260]

Decisions have already been made and some of the ones you might want to stay are on their way. There have been a lot of very unprofessional things going on and we need to sweep the slate clean and begin afresh in August.

 

It's perhaps a good thing because we can't keep on giving chance after chance to players who perform one game in every three and don't conduct themselves well.

 

Let's be brutally honest. How many of our first XI would make Lincoln's first XI, or MK Dons, or even Colchester or Exeter or Mansfield or Bury? At a push you might stretch to 2-3 in the squad but no more than that.

I don't want to start a debate about Brown who has been marvellous for us but even he wasn't in the PFA League Two team.

 

We are surely at least 4-5 better players short of where we want to be.

 

Have you seen the retained list TheSage? If so are you happy?

[TheSage]

Have you seen the retained list TheSage?

 

No, I haven't.

My only claim to fame is that I know one or two folk quite close to the Club and keep my eyes peeled.

 

I'll be quite happy if it turns out like that but sorry for the lads who might not be staying and putting at risk a career in league football.

 

I'm looking forward now and waiting and hoping for some good news very soon so that we can start rebuilding the Club. What's done is done and we move on and think about the future.

[LancyTony]

...Hannant has the most assists of any player at the club.

 

You should know better than quote facts at this lot - they will still say he runs around a lot but has no value!

[dantheman]

Just added up points per game, average points when he's not played we'd have ended on 40 points if I did my maths right. We got 16 points, I think, in the 18 games he missed. He's not a world beater but he definitely gives us some presence in midfield nobody else does.

 

Oh yeah. It was by no means a slant on brown. He has been the only positive in an otherwise horrible season. I was more aluding to how poor the rest are.

[TheSage]

Hannant has the most assists? 5? Better than most but not great.

 

I'm not particularly picking him out as he's done his best mostly but we need to set our sites higher if we want to improve and not fiddle around in the bottom half of this poor League.

 

We need twice as many goals.

 

Crewe's Kirk has got 7 assists and scored 11 goals. Law (Exeter) has got 5 as well but also 10 goals. Mandeville of Morecambe has got 8 assists. Brown has got 12 assists at FGR as well as 11 goals.

 

It's hard finding these players but unless we do we'll struggle.

We badly need a midfield player and a winger who can both chip in with double figures next season as well as lots of assists.

Last time we went up we had Dodds and Myrie-Williams in their prime. Types like that are what we need.

 

It's easier said than done and some lads might improve in a better team but unless we score goals we'll be stuck where we are for a while.

It's been our achilles heel for 3 years now.