They’ve looked like lost children out there at times this season mate. The fact that they failed to realise this would happen was a real concern of mine. Jobe is prime example. He has had nobody to take the burden off him, even for a couple of games. Nobody to learn from on the training field. Just been fed to the lions.
I feel like giving this messageboard and social media a swerve for a bit, it’s utterly depressing what is going on at our great club. Thankfully I have the bairn’s nursery to start this weekend and the euros to distract me but I need a break from everything SAFC.
We made the wrong call. It's not just on the pitch it's everything else. I argue that's more important. Anyway. See what happens moving forward.
Fair enough mate, personally think they have major influence. They’ve been there and had careers in footy. Earn respect and young lads will listen.
Imo the club/Speakman talked about progressing people from within and giving players extra responsibilities to grow. I think, they thought Onein, Neil and Ballard were ready to step up into those leadership roles and that's why they got rid of Gooch, Baath and Pritchard (plus it made financial sense) however they've probably, we'll definitely, went a year or too early and left the squad too unbalanced.
Yeah absolutely, will debate anyone who says we should of kept Gooch, was time to move on even though he'd of been our best left back for most of the season in hindsight lol. Batth was an error, even more frustrating when he ended up doing the squad role at Norwich anyways, could of done that here easily and we'd have been way better off. Yeah, we havent made that adjustment, possibly wages a problem? You know what name keeps coming to me for this (and I've got my tin hat well and truly on) but a Deli Alli type...
I get that, as i said its a tough balancing act as dont want to just keep players for the sake of it Id of kept gooch out of the 3 of them, but think that's because i have so much respect for him n what he would have brought to the squad Anyway we all know its a massive summer for the club on n off the pitch - now for them to get a move on with it
Aye but get the right balance and you replace it with an upgrade in quality, less injury and leadership. I’m struggling to think of a signing last summer that firmly improved us and signings should do exactly that. Lots of maybe tomorrows but not definitely tomorrows like Clarke and Ballard, no todays. Even the young emerging ones weren’t better than the current emerging ones. Quality and physicality is the issue to me as much as experience, that gives you readiness as much as age.
It's players with that sort of pedigree who have lost their way, that we are looking for, although in Alli's case I think it was maybe more a mental thing than a loss of form.
I think that's a fair argument mate, but I think we're at a tipping point squad wise. We pull off a Summer 2022 window, with what I perceive a weaker championship, we could have a good season. We repeat the last two windows and/or a Beale type appointment, then I worry.
Yeah, dont think I'd like us to go for him personally, but hes exactly the type I think of when I think of us signing Pritchard in League 1
I wondered if he meant due diligence, change of ownership but might be wrong. A couple liked the post. He’s also had a couple so could mean anything.
I dunno but I would assume he means a bigger piece of work than the head coach, which only leaves Speakman and the owners