and... It seems Cassetti and Abdi did not move their families to UK so they are off too. Its only a rumour but........
I knew about Cassetti, but not Abdi. I never thought Cassetti would stay beyond this season, but if we get promoted, maybe he would like to have one season in the Prem. Abdi seems to like it here, so if he does move permanently, would expect he would move his family. Maybe he didn't think he'd do so well.... As for Doyley. If we do go up, I'd expect there would be space for him, and I think he would be a useful squad player. He does seem to have excelled as the right-sided CB in a back 3. He doesn't roam forward so much, and with his right-back experience, he is very good cover when the RWB pushes forward. I think we will retain him if we go up!
We would be fools not to offer him an extension, even if we went up. And from his point of view, he'll probably get half a dozen Premier League starts. If we stay up and it's clear that he's not in the first team picture, he has at least ended his era here on something of a high. If we go down, he is still a Championship player, with a decent chance of breaking one of Luther's records.
i hadn't heard about Abdi either, are you sure? i wouldn't be surprised if Cassetti moved back to his family..but if we go up, he may just have a go in the prem first... From what i hear (rumour has it) if we go up, there are 6 or 7 players lined up to come and play...
I thought Abdi had stated in an interview that he wanted to stay... the midfield Maestro! Cassetti should be given the option though I think he will return home to be with his family. Lloydinho? Arguably our most improved player though my personal vote for PotY goes to Troy Deeney: a revelation this year (though he nearly blotted his copy book on Saturday... and who wrestled him away? the Maestro Abdi of course!).
Not sure why people would see Doyley going as a shock, other than the sentiment side of course. He is out of contract (Martin Taylor). He's not young, as good as he is, I don't imagine he would have got the game time had Hoban or Hall been fit. He doesn't play football the way that is needed, I'm not saying he should go, or that he couldn't do a job, just that it wouldn't surprise me.
Much as I have always loved Lloydinho, I can't agree with this view. If we do go up, then I suspect Zola is planning how he will improve the team. I certainly wouldn't be bold enough to argue with Zola and his team about who they think will need replacing, and if that includes Lloydinho then I certainly trust that judgement. I am sure we will all be sorry to see him go, but if he is not getting in the team, then why should he not be given the chance to go and play first team football elsewhere? He will always be a legend here, but why is it so wrong to decide to let him go if the management team believe he will not be a regular first team player? I would love him to stay and play in the premiership, but we have to trust the management team in place to make the right decisions.
i think you're both right...it'd be very sad to see him go, but sentiment can't come into it really...which is a shame...but then..that's just me letting sentiment get in the way .
Well - he has just got into the Championship team of the week so let's hope his experience and ability continues apace and Zola still wants him as a major player next year - if not - as others have said I trust Zola's judgement
Personally, I don't see what age has to do with this - he's still improving and that's the main issue, and 30 is not old for a defender anyway. To say that he doesn't fit Zola's style reminds me of the definition of a good manager as someone who finds the best possible system for any given group of players - as opposed to one with a preconceived idea of how football should be played and forces the material to fit his own philosophy. According to the purist viewpoint Peter Crouch would never have played for England ! One of the beauties of football is that, in contrast to other sports, it has a role for many different types of personality and physique - imagine, for example,Crouch and Maradona up front together - possible only in football - and, the reason why we love it !
Agree with you on age cologne - 30 for a defender is not old. Cannot agree on style though - all managers have a way they want football to be played and whilst in the short term you may adapt a player to fit "your" style you may not do this long term if you don't feel they naturally have the abilities you are looking for. A manager is there to manage - not to make the best out of what he has - otherwise there would be no transfers.
Of course managers have an idea of how they would like their team to play - but they also see possibilities in their existing material and try to develop that to the best of their ability first, partly because transfers always involve an element of risk. I am always a bit sceptical about 'philosophies' of football - partly because football itself is a wonderfull philosophy spoiled only by the opposition - which is why a manager needs to adapt to changing circumstances, and an old fashioned defender who says 'Ball or opponent may pass but not both' is a good option to have in any team. You cannot always play passing football which takes 13 passes to go from one end of the pitch to the other - partly because there are 13 chances of it going wrong and secondly because it can look just as boring as the long ball style. More or less all great teams have had at least one player who wasn't technically good enough - but was there for the team, German teams are full of such examples. Interesting to see if Pep Guardiola's introduction of a 'philosophy' to Bayern Munich improves them, I doubt it.
You have gone quite Immanuel Kant on us here cologne - no doubt the German influence My guess is that Zola just reckons that Doyley peaks as a good Championship defender - but to survive at a higher level has some doubts - we will see WHEN we go up
Age normally has little to do with it, especially at 30, but we are run by a group of people now that like/prefer to have younger players on their books, in order to gain from them as an asset for re sale, he is out of contract. As with taylor i wouldnt be surprised to see him not offered a new contract.
