Reading through many of the items,the concern regarding comings and goings for next season,seems to be the increasing age of our team. Ok we need some younger blood, but when you are a premiership side, and with limited finances,you cannot take to many financial risks. "What is the answer:" I personally think that we should have a clear out,as there are possibly 4/6 players who are never going to make any impact in this division. So buy say 1or 2 and try and secure another couple of loan players,this is not the perfect senario,but its the way the clubs in the bottom half of this division are going to hope for survival. Look at Wigan,to finish forth from bottom, is there cup and league champions all rolled into one,because in this division there is hope,where as in the championship there is frustration.
Totally agree Val. Some loans deals that could result in a permanent contracts would be amazing. We have too many squad players that as you say are not good enough. I would rather see some upcoming youngsters in stead of these players. Any news on whether Marsh Brown has impressed enough from his loan deal at MK Dons to deserve a place on the bench. Great news to see the club have given Danny Hoeson a contract extension. Look forward to see him playing next year in the first team.
I agree, although I think if we can sign talented youngsters (by which I mean up to the age of say 25) for a good price then we should go for them rather than loanees. I might be pointing out the obvious, but we don't want to spend the next season being a training ground for bigger club's future starlets. Kakuta was an example, he was useful but he was never going to be with us on a permanent basis. I'd sooner promote the worthy from within and compliment them with a few solid players right for the team.
I totally agree, Bidley. Taking players on loan reduces the risk of being stuck with them, but massively reduces the prospect of long-term reward for the club if they do well. Interestingly, I read the other day that Kakuta is a player that Chelsea are happy to keep, but would also be happy to listen to offers for. I don't know what they would see as a serious offer, but do people think we should go for him if he wasn't ridiculously expensive? In my Dorset-bound exile, I just haven't seen enough of him to know if it would be a good move or not.
Morning commodore and never knew you wore a dorset. Kakuta's a great prospect in my view and there are obvious geographical advantages to move from Fulham Broadway to Fulham proper; if the money was right, even on the expensive side, he's a real prospect.
Ah, Rocky, there's much that you don't know about me. For example, at weekends I go by the name of Clarice.
I don't think we should pursue Kakuta. He did perfectly fine here, but we have SO many other players in his position, it would be a waste of money. Davies's return to form was just unlucky for the young lad, as I'd have fancied him to have taken the Welshman's place.
I think it would be worth going for Kakuta for the long-term view, like rocky says. He did well and has plenty of time to develop. Thing is, I can't see them letting him go for a sensible price (£5-£8m).
I appreciate that. But Duff, Davies, Dempsey are our first choice now and for the foreseeable future, is Kakuta going to be happy with a bench role for the next two years at least? I don't think so.
For the forseeable future? Only if we can't forsee very far ahead. Of those three, only Dempsey has been fit and able to play a full season for the last couple of years. Duff is 32 and Davies 31, so as good as they are on their day, neither is going to be around forever. I'd like to see us sign (or promote from the youngsters, if anyone is ready) a good young winger with a bit of pace. I agree that Kakuta won't want to be a permanent sub, but he might be happy to come as a squad player who has regular spells in and out of the side. With our Europa League commitments hopefully giving us lots of extra matches next season, I think some of our players - particularly Duff and Davies - are going to need to be rested on a regular basis. Admittedly, the last couple of games suggest that Jonathan Greening should be included in any list of decent options on the wings, but at 32 he isn't someone we can count on in the long term either.
Any news on Alex Kacaniklic? I'm pretty sure he's a winger. We signed him along with Dalla Valle from Liverpool.
Yes, Bandy, Kacaniklic is a left winger. Whether he's ready for the first team or not, I have no idea. Maybe these early Europa qualifiers will give us the opportunity to cast an eye over him and a few others. Here's hoping.
We see lots of articles re promotion of our younger players,going from the reserves/academy,into the "prem" is a big step,one i dont think we can risk. These lads, who the management think have potential should be loaned out to lower division clubs,so we can analyse their performances each week in the cut and thrust of league competition. I feel a clasic example.is Briggs,who is regarded as one of, if not our best prospect, totally out of his depth in this division. He needs regular 1st team football,remember he will be 21 this summer.
Generally speaking, Valjing, I agree with that sentiment. However, the early stages of the Europa League will be against the kind of opposition where there's a case for giving some youngsters a try. Hughes will need to think carefully about the balance of the side in terms of youth and experience, rather than just chucking 11 rookies into the mix, but I think there's definitely room for some of our unknowns to get a bit of experience and show us whether they might be ready for something more.
I agree that the youngsters (Trotta, Hoesen, Briggs, Dalla Valle etc) should be given a run out in the early stages, and I think Hughes will give them a go and see what they can do. I was a little disappointed Hodgson refused to give the academy lads more of a chance during his time here.
