Other clubs releasing players...

[boslemportvale91]

1 hour ago, robf said:

Bradford releasing ten - https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/football/bradford-city-release-ten-players-and-remain-talks-richard-odonnell-2865316

Feel for Hornby , can't seem to get first team football in league 2. Definitely has talent but perhaps more suited for national league ?

Lee Novak and James Vaughan feel like they've both been around for donkeys but are only thirty one ! 

 

Weren't we in for Novak a years back ? 

[Joe B]

10 hours ago, robf said:

Bradford releasing ten - https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/football/bradford-city-release-ten-players-and-remain-talks-richard-odonnell-2865316

Will update my spreadsheet in a bit.

From first glance, there's some decent players in there, but the fans are ecstatic - they're only really bothered about releasing Shay McCartan. The rest are all not well liked.

[robf]

8 hours ago, boslemportvale91 said:

Feel for Hornby , can't seem to get first team football in league 2. Definitely has talent but perhaps more suited for national league ?

Lee Novak and James Vaughan feel like they've both been around for donkeys but are only thirty one ! 

 

Weren't we in for Novak a years back ? 

Wasn't Novak an Aspin target as he'd signed him for Gateshead?

[Joe B]

Alright, have updated the spreadsheet with Bradford's released players: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1oqwDRZY9maZWmOkOr-qZ9dvTvX0OI7MykNVsuKRP9f4/edit?usp=sharing

Its very interesting - there is a good number of players I've put into 'Good' or 'Average', despite Bradford fans being very convinced they're utter tripe. Some of the players they lambast have played 100+ games in the Championship; I simply think the squad building went wrong this year at Valley Parade, of a lot of expensive, experienced players in a bloated squad. The club was trying to shift the relegation hangover with big-spending on recognisable names, which gets the fans excited as they tweet "Yes, I've heard of him so he must be good!" - a tactic that has NEVER gone well, especially when your biggest names are all over 30. As a consequence, I think some very decent players didn't perform well.

Good players: Hope Akpan, CM- Bradford fans seemingly detest him, but the lad has 5 full seasons in the Championship. Was part of Bradford's relegation squad so I think he was never going to win them round. Only 28.

Shay McCartan, AM - Proven goal-scoring attacking midfielder in League 2. Again, a player whose career you can't argue with who hasn't cut the mustard at Bradford. This leads me to believe there are deeper problems than the quality of player at that club. Has scored 7, 10, 7, 6 in his last 4 full seasons with regular playing time. A bit Louis Dodds. Wouldn't really fit in our system, unless in a very attacking 8 role of the midfield 3, or shunted out wide.

Average Players: Adam Henley, FB: Again, another player with circa 100 games at Championship level, hasn't worked for him at Bradford. Only 25.

Kelvin Mellor, FB: Another player who fans are celebrating the departure of. A good player for Crewe at the start of his career, a promotion winner with Blackpool. Decent fullback.

Jermaine Anderson, CM: Was very hotly tipped at Posh a few years ago. Had a few injuries since but undoubtedly talented. 24.

Again, take a look at the fans' responses, and they're delighted to be rid of the above, bar McCartan. However, these players have proven to be decent at this and higher levels - there have been deeper problems of squad-building and poor management at Bradford for the last two seasons. This is a club who forked out stupid money for James Vaughan and Clayton Donaldson, failed to notice they're both declining, panicked when it went wrong, loaned out Vaughan, and signed a decrepit Lee Novak and '5 goals a season' Kurtis Guthrie on a rumoured 4k a week. There isn't a crumb of long-term planning or sustainability up there.

Therefore, the above players could do with a settled club, a good manager, and a lean squad to ensure game-time (in other words, Port Vale).

[Joe B]

Bradford now have striking options of James Vaughan, Lee Novak, Kurtis Guthrie, and Clayton Donaldson.

They're commanding at least £10k a week between them. Three of them are over 30. The other has a career best season of 12 goals, with 5 last season.

Novak had 7 goals last season, Donaldson 4, Vaughan a more respectable 13, but was loaned out to make way for Guthrie and Novak.

There's no way I can believe that club has been a harmonious and well-set up enterprise last season. An expensive shambles.

[JRC]

1 hour ago, Joe B said:

Alright, have updated the spreadsheet with Bradford's released players: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1oqwDRZY9maZWmOkOr-qZ9dvTvX0OI7MykNVsuKRP9f4/edit?usp=sharing

Its very interesting - there is a good number of players I've put into 'Good' or 'Average', despite Bradford fans being very convinced they're utter tripe. Some of the players they lambast have played 100+ games in the Championship; I simply think the squad building went wrong this year at Valley Parade, of a lot of expensive, experienced players in a bloated squad. The club was trying to shift the relegation hangover with big-spending on recognisable names, which gets the fans excited as they tweet "Yes, I've heard of him so he must be good!" - a tactic that has NEVER gone well, especially when your biggest names are all over 30. As a consequence, I think some very decent players didn't perform well.

Good players: Hope Akpan, CM- Bradford fans seemingly detest him, but the lad has 5 full seasons in the Championship. Was part of Bradford's relegation squad so I think he was never going to win them round. Only 28.

Shay McCartan, AM - Proven goal-scoring attacking midfielder in League 2. Again, a player whose career you can't argue with who hasn't cut the mustard at Bradford. This leads me to believe there are deeper problems than the quality of player at that club. Has scored 7, 10, 7, 6 in his last 4 full seasons with regular playing time. A bit Louis Dodds. Wouldn't really fit in our system, unless in a very attacking 8 role of the midfield 3, or shunted out wide.

Average Players: Adam Henley, FB: Again, another player with circa 100 games at Championship level, hasn't worked for him at Bradford. Only 25.

Kelvin Mellor, FB: Another player who fans are celebrating the departure of. A good player for Crewe at the start of his career, a promotion winner with Blackpool. Decent fullback.

Jermaine Anderson, CM: Was very hotly tipped at Posh a few years ago. Had a few injuries since but undoubtedly talented. 24.

Again, take a look at the fans' responses, and they're delighted to be rid of the above, bar McCartan. However, these players have proven to be decent at this and higher levels - there have been deeper problems of squad-building and poor management at Bradford for the last two seasons. This is a club who forked out stupid money for James Vaughan and Clayton Donaldson, failed to notice they're both declining, panicked when it went wrong, loaned out Vaughan, and signed a decrepit Lee Novak and '5 goals a season' Kurtis Guthrie on a rumoured 4k a week. There isn't a crumb of long-term planning or sustainability up there.

Therefore, the above players could do with a settled club, a good manager, and a lean squad to ensure game-time (in other words, Port Vale).

Bradford are a club going through multiple rebuilds and managers. Players brought in to do a specific job by one manager being square pegs in the system of the next. All players who should be at their peaks, age wise.

[boslemportvale91]

7 hours ago, robf said:

Wasn't Novak an Aspin target as he'd signed him for Gateshead?

I believe he was. I just remember the rumours going round we were looking at him but his wage demands were ridiculous and he ended up at scunthorpe I believe.

[werstayinup]

On 21/05/2020 at 16:26, Joe B said:

A note on Palmer - saw a lot of League 1 clubs sniffing around him. Can't see him coming here.

Where/when did you see a lot of league 1 clubs sniffing? I personally don't think they are

[darren1810]

Boyle and Addai signed new deals at Cheltenham.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/former-coventry-city-swindon-town-4174034.amp

[Joe B]

Lincoln the first L1 club to issue a retained list; will update the spreadsheet today, though have seperate categories for L1 players.

Suggests to me that Lincoln know they won't need to continue the season, and it'll be finished on PPG with playoffs and relegation, much to the ire of Peterborough.

 

[Joe B]

Completely missed that Scunthorpe did their retained list over a month ago; they basically released every senior player they could. Massive cost-cutting exercise. Another club, like Bradford, who spent a lot on established players, tried to shoehorn them all in to an imbalanced 11, and were baffled when it failed. Some decent players been let go who may be more of a victim of a poorly-run club than their own inadaquecies.

Names I picked out:

Levi Sutton, FB/CM- Utility man, can play in defence or midfield. There is some sentiment from the Iron fans because he's a local lad but they're gutted he's gone. A good age at 24 and versatile.

Rory McArdle, CB - Feel like we play this lad every season. Experienced, commanding centre half with proven success at this level.

Cameron Burgess, CB - Spent all of last season on loan at Salford, playing 35 times. 6"4, 24 years old, and some fans confused as to why he's been released.

Yann Songo'o, CB - Hasn't really clicked at Scunny for him but he played loads of games for Plymouth, won promotion from this level, as is bang in his prime as a centre half at 29.

Jordan Clarke, FB - Again, a player with loads of experience in Championship and League 1. Injury prone.

Some old heads like James Perch, Adam Hammill etc but wouldn't expect us to be interested.

[Joe B]

The good news is that, if Smith goes, there is a plethora of free and available centre halves. I've highlighted Taft and Burgess as they're a good age and would prove good value, in my view:

Krystian Pearce

George Taft

Nathaniel Knight-Percival

Nathan Pond

Luke Prosser

Harry Davis

Cameron Burgess

Rory McArdle

Yann Songo'o

 

There is an absolute dearth of decent forwards, as per. Might liven up in the next few weeks as League 1 clubs begin to shed some excess players.

[Joe B]

Orient retained list out - released 4, 3 of which aren't worth discussing (Alabi, Harrold, and Janata) but Dale Gorman has played a few games in League 2, and is rated by Newport fans where he spent a bit of time on loan before COVID. A central midfielder, but scant pickings really.

They've offered a new deal to a few, standouts being CB Marvin Ekpiteta, a big centre half with a lot of promise, and striker Ruel Sotiriou who is 19, and scored 5 in 7 starts for Orient this year. Both are Londoners so the prospect of them being enticed up here is minimal.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1oqwDRZY9maZWmOkOr-qZ9dvTvX0OI7MykNVsuKRP9f4/edit#gid=0

[darren1810]

38 minutes ago, Joe B said:

Orient retained list out - released 4, 3 of which aren't worth discussing (Alabi, Harrold, and Janata) but Dale Gorman has played a few games in League 2, and is rated by Newport fans where he spent a bit of time on loan before COVID. A central midfielder, but scant pickings really.

They've offered a new deal to a few, standouts being CB Marvin Ekpiteta, a big centre half with a lot of promise, and striker Ruel Sotiriou who is 19, and scored 5 in 7 starts for Orient this year. Both are Londoners so the prospect of them being enticed up here is minimal.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1oqwDRZY9maZWmOkOr-qZ9dvTvX0OI7MykNVsuKRP9f4/edit#gid=0

Wasn't Ekipteta the one who was hauled off at half time in the 3-3 against us.

He had an absolute howler. 

[Joe B]

1 minute ago, darren1810 said:

Wasn't Ekipteta the one who was hauled off at half time in the 3-3 against us.

He had an absolute howler. 

You're correct in that one, yep.