If the owners were worried about the wages they wouldn't have signed them in the first place. And it's all very well Mackie, Hill and Derry going on about how these players are overpaid and all that, but did they ever stop to think that just by speaking out about it is every bit as unprofessional as players not playing to their best standard? Nobody played to the best of their ability last season, but players moaning about other players is hardly going to build team spirit, so while having passion for a club is one thing, causing the unrest is just as reprehensible as high paid players failing to fit in, in my book. We certainly wont bounce straight back up if we get rid of all our players again.
"we will come back up at the first attempt" - nice words etc, but at the end of the day that is all they are words. If he is here next season I hope it is because his wages have a trap door clause and he accepts Championship wages for one of his contractual years.
People do make me laugh. Hill must have been written off on 4 separate occasions since we were promoted (basically every transfer window) but as soon as the dust settles and the journeymen are found out he's back as first choice for the manager. And correct me if I'm wrong but Nelson is much older than Clint yet was considered our star player in the first half of the season. Yes, he's prone to the odd mistake but overall he is still consistence and persistence personified and I see every reason to have him in a Championship squad. Onuoha is the opposite: unpredictable and unreliable and may not want to stay around anyway.
Nelsen was older than Hill by one year to the day (they share the same birthday in October), but there was a difference in overall class between the two. I think Hill is a shining example of what the team spirit should be about, and the passion, and the respect of the fans, but we cannot rely on him until he is in his early forties. If we are a club with money, then we have to start the rebuild now and that involves having younger, fitter, faster players than Clint Hill, who will have something to prove, respect the fact that they are playing for a club with Premier league aspirations and fight for the right to play there, and not cost £12mm and 80K a week.
Lots of good points made here. basic maths mean we just can't afford several of our high earners. If they were performing week in and week out, I think we could take the financial risk of keeping this squad together for one more year but does anybody truly believe that these wasters will suddenly find some morals and at least try and earn there money next year?. We have not played as a team this season. Players just don't look like they are playing for each other. I also don't want to see another massive clear-out but some of these players have to go. I started this thread because I genuinely think that Onouha will make a decent CB. We could build a defence around him. Personally, I would release/sell; Barton Bosingwa Park Granero Ferdinand Johnson Cesar Ben Haim SWP Remy I think with Green, Traore, Onouha, Samba, Jenas, Diakite, Faurlin, Mbia, Mackie, Adel, Zamora, Campbell and Cisse we would have the foundations of a very good squad. I would keep Cisse as he would score the goals we need and also keep Samba to ensure quality at the back. With several of the high earners off the wage bill I think we could afford him for at least a year. I would also offer Derry a job as coach and keep him within the club.
If Johnson came back fit then I think he could be a handful in the Championship and still partner BZ or Bothroyd up front until his next breakdown. I cant see anyone taking a risk on him and taking him off our books, so he might be one of the one we have to make do with. I still stick with the get rid of Samba position I made earlier. Even if we get £8-10mm back for him up front now and he frees up £70-80K a week in wages, then that will be better than trying to offload him when we finish 7th next season and he has had a mediocre season and premier league managers haven't been arsed to leave the tv set on once MOTD finishes to watch him for 30 secs on the Football League Show. Sh@t!!!, I was alright about relegation until I just mentioned The Football League Show. Now I am seriously depressed.
I would want Ned at CB every day over right back. He is always pretty solid, but he isn't good enough on the ball to play full back imo. He's good in the air and very, very quick (always made me laugh when some on here called him slow when he first joined). I wouldn't mind him and Hill next year......I'm totally indifferent towards Samba.
I wouldn't look at Hill as being a first choice for next season, we need quality down the spine and a 46 match season would be too much. Keep him as a squad player by all means but Samba and Onuoha would be a better option...
Don't worry, I believe there isn't going to be a football league show next season. I can live without highlights if it means no Clarridge, plus the amount of time they used to give us the year we got promoted made it a waste of time anyway.
I'd be happy with that too tbh. I think the football league show has been given a reprieve for next season?
