Ciaran Brown signs a new extended deal with Oxford on the strength of his performances for them last season.
He deserves it. Another one who we let slip away who has made a good career elsewhere. Was it Colin who let him go?
Bluey - It was well after Colin. I think it was around the Steve Morison era. I know Morison sent Brown out on loan because he didn't rate him and then didn't want to renew his contract when he came back.
WoL should do a 'Where are they now?', piece on them. Might plug a gap while we're waiting for an announcement of a new manager.
It was a great time to be a Bluebird. https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/c...jay-bothroyd-michael-chopra-bluebirds-heroes/
And when you think, we got both for £850k. We'd go on to waste 5 times that on single players not good enough to lace Bothroyd and Chopras boots.
Indeed it was. But while there was a touch of stardust in the squad, there were quite a few journeymen in the squad, but they knew their jobs and became a team.
Will Alves on loan again next season anyone? I'm not sure. He showed a lot of promise in his early games for us but faded away towards the end. Was that due to the environment at the club at the time or just not good enough? https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/c...alves-that-brian-barry-murphy-will-know-well/
Not sure why it's even being discussed. It isn't our decision at this point. Have Leicester said he's going out on loan? A lot of work for B B-M to do assessing what is available to him before deciding on incomings. Given our relegation, it could be what we have is enough in many positions, especially with the youngsters coming through. We probably need an experienced CB to anchor things and a 6 to break up play. Outside of that, who knows. Some of it will come down to how B B-M wants to play and who he fancies from the squad. 7 have already left. I imagine Robinson and Ng will want to play up a level. Then it's who do we want to move on. After that, it's about the replacements. A couple loaners coming back. Wintle might be seen as a 6. I would imagine Robertson will be a favourite given his time under B B-M at man city. Lots of moving parts, lots for B B-M to get his head round. I still think the core of what we need is there. Going back to our conversations last year. A footballing style and square pegs in square holes. Consistency of selection with players knowing their jobs.
Don't think B-M will know that much about Alves. He didn't go to Leicester as coach under RVN until December and Alves was with us on loan in January. As tricky as he was on the ball, Alves fiddled around too much for me. An obvious talent in the making but the complete opposite to Ollie Tanner right now and Mendes Laing before him who just run at defences and put them on the back foot. You can go back to wingers like Craig Noone and Chris Burke at the club who put the ****s up defenders - Alves for me gives them too much time.
He did the right job in his early games then seemed to withdraw into himself. Attacking instincts coached out of him maybe? I ca t see him returning. However we have a good bunch of attacking wide players in Tanner, Ashford, Davies and the youngster who came in at the end of the season. Probably more in the pipeline. Also Willock if we keep him. Up to Barry-Island to assess what we have and do we need more? I would like to see some more battle hardened, experienced heads come in to bolster and protect the young guns. As said above, a CB, a defensive midfield and, if Robinson leaves, a striker to support Salech and, maybe, Simic. Rino and Ralls still in discussion. Both if fit, would be assets in Div 1. The retained list published last week had, I think, 42 names. A lot of unblooded youngsters but some older heads who we need to move on to shrink the wage bill. We will see movement by the end of June with the commencement of friendlies and the Spain trip coming up.
