Nor has Charlie, for the kinda of money I would willing to pay you won't get a proven premiership scorer unless they are over the Hill. What ever we do, bring in a foreign unknown or a championship player it will be a bit of a punt, for me I think Rhodes is worth a punt, we know he can put the ball in the back of the net, in a team which wasn't performing very well though his price tag may be too high, wasn't he 8 million to Blackburn ?
Whatever TF and harry say, you will need to near on double that. We will see in 3 months time but I'm going for 10 or more.
What & make the same mistake as of 2 seasons ago! Brought far too many in then, reckon about 5/6 max.
I agree with your sentiment but I think the point here Jeff is that if we don't sign 10 players can we name a 25 man squad capable of surviving in the Premier League? Start with those still under contract, add those whose are expiring that you feel would do a job for us next season and see where you get to.
I think every promoted side feels that way though Roller, particularly those that go up via the Playoffs. If I learned one thing from our last PL sojourn its that that league is very overrated. As I said during the season, I think we've a squad more suitable to the top tier than the Champ. I think Dunne said something similar. I reckon four or five shrewd signings and we're all set.
By my quick calculations we have 10 of our current first team squad under contract next season. Murphy Dunne Onouha Simpson Yun Barton Henry Hoilett Phillips Austin Do you fancy stating who you'd try to keep of those whose contracts are expiring and what positions you'd try to fill with the 5/6 signings (after pointing out anyone I've missed!)?
Exactly roller, 5 just about takes care of the goalies and forwards. Then you need about 4 defenders and 4 midfielders unless you go into the horrifying prospect of SWP, O'Neil, Henry, Young. There's only a couple we should contemplate having back, green and hill. In order to only go with 5, they will have to pick 10 players to keep which is an impossible task. I'd love to be able to only sign 5 but signing over the hill players means a massive turnover every season. Now is the time to put a stop to that and sign a dozen players 27 or under.
Which player's contracts are expiring? First position I'd strengthen would be defensive midfield. Faurlin was very good for us but coming back from two gammy knees and into the PL is a big ask. A quality sitting player would make a huge difference to that team. Another striker to play with Austin. Perhaps one of the good forward's from this years Championship. I think we'll need a CB too because Dunne can't go another full season. Hill is knocking on a bit too although he'll be vital. Then it depends whether he's going to go in for Morrison and Tom Carroll. If not he'll have to fill those positions, one each. No major surgery required though, IMO (at least regarding our main players and all the one's still in contract).
Expiring: Green Hill Traore Hughes Young !!!! Benayoun Ephraim Faurlin Jenas O'Neil Dellatorre Johnson Zamora Loans ending Assou-Ekotto Carroll Kranjcar Morrison Doyle Keane Maiga Not regarded as first team squad (as I read the situation) Cesar Donaldson Harriman Ehmer Petrasso Sutherland SWP Diakite Granero Tarrabt Remy Hitchcock I think that covers it.
But isn't our squad far too good for the championship? Redknapp's a terrible manager for not winning the league by 10 points? That's what you (and others) have been saying all season. A squad that overpowered wouldn't need 10 additions to stay in the PL. Our first XI is better on paper than Burnley and Leicester's, apparently? They'll probably go for 6/7, so we'll only need 1/2?
I'd re-sign these: Green Hill Traore Faurlin (Hopefully he can recover but it is a punt) O'Neil Don't know enough about Dellatorre. You lads know the score with him. Benayoun? I'll leave that one up to Harry. Maybe he thinks his experience could help us. Not pushed either way on him although I did think he improved as he got fitter this/last season. Of the loans I'd make enquiries about and try to extend or permanently sign these: Carroll (Thought he was pants in the beginning but he was very raw. One of the one's I think'd be more suited to the PL and could even excel) Morrison (Another one I'd trust Harry's judgement on. Is he worth the baggage? Maybe) Doyle (Not the player he was but maybe he'd be a good squad player. Plenty of experience) Of the non-first teamers, I'd like to keep the young guys but again, you know more about these lads than me Roller. I'm ignorant on them to be honest. Tarbs, Remy, Diakite, W-Phillips, Granero etc can/will go. Hopefully we'll earn some cash from them to finance our new signings. The base of a decent PL squad is there when you resign the good players that are out of contract. Then a few additions and I think we'll be A okay.
First up, well done for having a go. I wouldn't necessarily argue with any of the "expiries" you'd chose to resign, although whether any would have a good season is a moot point. I would definitely try to get Benayoun to stay, I think that Dellatorre is long gone. Of the loans (surely these would count as signings) I don't think I'd try for any of them but would be thrilled if Morisson proved me wrong. I have big hopes for Petrasso, Sutherland, Ehmer and Harriman, but they can only be regarded as bit part players until they prove otherwise. I'm not immediately sure of their ages and whether they would take up a place within our 25 man squad. All this leaves me someway short of a squad, and I'm not convinced of a number of players we have retained in the first team squad, such as Murphy and Henry although neither would be starters.
Roller has posted the details, pick out what you'd do only signing 5 players He spent more money the the other two going up combined, he should have walked the league with the money spent but getting fourth is like Celtic getting fourth and then fans going on about how great their manager was. That would look pretty stupid, wouldn't it?
Thing is though Roller, it looks like that's the route they're going down. Tony said today they were going to make 4 or 5 signings. If they get Carroll on loan for another year, will that count as a signing? I presume he's including signing any loans permanently as part of his "4 or 5". Its misleading if he isn't. I know where you're coming from in that there will be a turnover of playing staff either way but I think the spine of the team will be kept intact and that the outgoings will be fringe players rather than starters. It will be interesting to see how things unfold over the next couple of months.
Since when has money equalled success? It certainly didn't in our 12/13 season. How many additions do you think burnley / leicester need? If it's less than 10, then you're admitting that their squads are better than ours. And if that's the case, then it's no surprise that we finished below them. I'd bring in a CB, CDM, Utility Winger, Striker...and one more (maybe another striker). That shouldn't rock the boat too much, and is more line with the numbers we'd wished we'd added after the 10/11 season. If we'd need a couple more in January, so be it. But better to drip-feed signings into the squad, that plaster a whole new layer onto it. I'm excluding our current loans from that list, hopefully a few of them will be made permanent too.
What I been saying too Grifter. Around 5 now this summer is plenty, keeps the "spine" of the team intact. If the autumn shows we need to strengthen with 2/3 more this can be done in January, rather than as you say trying to plaster a whole new 11 man team into the squad this summer. The important good news is that TF has said the same.
Burnley and Leicester havent got 22 players out of contract that need replacing, at most we will resign 5 of them.
