We'll probably have to pay someone to take them off our hands.....do a BOGOF......every little helps.
Barton, Henry, Zamora Dunne and about 6 others out of contract. So its about offering new contracts not 'keeping' for many. Most of them you would only offer a year to, so useless for team building. One of the things Ferguson and Wenger agreed on is to never add more than 3 new players to your squad per season, otherwise you lose team coherency. We have broken this guideline 4 years on the trot and been rewarded with what you would expect, crap results and/or crap performances. It's inevitable we will break it again this summer, except this time no big pot of cash to call on. Set your expectations for next season to accordingly. In these circumstances I'd definitely keep the manager.
Both Furlong and Doughty did ok IMO, and Furlong got a lot of praise in the media, from Ramsey and Bruce after his debut, and both got a lot of praise on here after their debuts. We aren't going to stay in any of the prof leagues with a team full of youth players but using the best we have when needs and when possible as Ramsey did, is good for both their and the Club's development. Not using any ever like Harry and Hughes contributes nothing.
All the more reason to aim to keep the bulk of the Squad this time, as far as we can, and keep the Manager.
Mate, we can't afford to. We do not have the cash/income to pay the wages of players who might get a kick somewhere in the PL, they all have to go. The older blokes might sign on for another year as their last pay day, but that doesn't help us in the medium term, they still need replacing. The rebuild will take 2-3 seasons, if we are lucky, but we just might come out of it stronger and a better team with a sense of direction and purpose. We will just have to be patient next season in particular.
We know nothing, yet at least. Not what League, what FFP penalty or legal challenge, what funding our owners will put in. Ww know little about players contracts, relegation clauses or not, what players out of contract may be offered or accept. So the total doom scenario you paint is unnecessary, most of it will probably not happen. Don't worry, be happy.
If we are in the Championship, keeping the bulk of it should give us a squad to get us up again. The pensionists need to go and some younger players with speed, zip and potential come in their place.
12 players out of contract (google it), Austin,Fer, Phillips, Green may have to choose between us or PL if someone comes knocking. It's not doom and gloom, just the facts of life for a poorly run club.
I googled it and got the following: Rio Ferdinand, Joey Barton, Richard Dunne, Brian Murphy, Bobby Zamora, Karl Henry, Clint Hill, Joe Lumley, Jamie Sendles-White, Michael Harriman, Frankie Sutherland, Michael Doughty, Aaron Lennox, Jordan Gibbons
Of the 14 Goldhawk lists only 7 are in our current 25 man squad I believe. 4 of them are pensioners Rio, OBZ, Dunne and Clint. I hear Clint wants another year which is fine, and the other 3 going is no problem. Murphy also no problem either way. Henry and Barton are the only 2 I hope we offer new contracts, and I think they may stay PL or Championship. So don't see any earth shattering problems with that 14. Of the other 4 you mention I hope Mccarthy is our regular Keeper next season so if Green goes, again no big problem. If the other 3 go then we should raise plenty of cash to bring in the new players we need, who depending on where we are. I expect Austin to go as most seem to, but we should earn on him.
If Les **** up the rebuild and lets face I can't see any other outcome under Tony, then the whole family will have failed for us. That would be quite a record for them and us !
Offer Austin to Palace for a cash plus player deal. Get Dwight Gayle in to get us out of the Championship.
