Like it or not Martin Allen is now Gills boss. Thats a fact I'm going to have to get over in the coming days. In these afore mentioned coming days I really hope there is even more news coming out of the Priestfield. Considering he has been in the frame for so long he surely must of set up some deals in case he got the job? Many people have already mentioned McLeod, so much so I think some people are viewing his transfer as a formality but his form at Barnet was sensational and will surely have attracted other interest apart from ourselves you would feel. Capturing McLeod would be a step in the right direction for me but Martin (as he likes to be called) needs to bring in another 4/5 faces to make us contenders in this division and I imagine they will all be free agents. So now we have a manager who do you think he will want to bring in?
Apparently Scally has told him that he deals with the transfers at the club and that's how it has always been
That is not exactly what he said... Scally said there will be discussions regarding potential purchases
I guess it will take a couple of days for Martin to assess the squad and see what areas need improving. Another striker(s) and a couple of defenders are the main areas.
There may be a couple of "token" signings but thats all. Firstly there is no money and a lot of unpaid bills, not just for the training ground. Secondly he inherits a good squad which should be stronger than last season without changes of personnel (some good players returning from injury, several of last years signings took half a season to settle, and there were several young and inexperienced players appearing regularly at season end who will develop naturally-only Frampton will be going the other way). So a left sided defender and another option up front and thats it!
The midfield situation surely needs to be looked at! No real wide players and a questionable centre pairing.
Not many teams are going to have the calibre of Lee/Payne/Whelpdale/Jackman/Montrose/Miller battling for places in midfield. Key issues will be surrounding Lee and Payne. Is Lee going to continue to spend half a season suspended for clattering opposition on the edge of their own goal area? Is Payne going to stay as the promising young player who seems unable to improve?
For me a left back is a must, at least 1 centre half (2 if Davies is not up to being 2nd Reserve), a winger with pace and another striker preferably experienced with a proven record of scoring 15+ goals per season. I know we don't all like loan signings, but with cousin Clive still at Spurs might we get a couple of their youngsters in?
These are a couple of players Notts County think we may sign http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jude_Stirling http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krystian_Pearce Plus Martins son
I think the midfielder which we have are great they just need to make sure that they stay strong, Lee and Payne are class players but Lee needs to sort out his discipline and Payne needs to try and sort out his injury problems. Hopefully Whelpdale can play like he did the season just passed and we see another good season from Jackman, if this happens we could be in for a good season, with the signing of Izale McLeod attack would be sorted, with Birchall, Kedwell, Miller and McLeod if he joins us we would be fine. However there is still 2 problems, Martin and Frampton, with Frampton the main problem, I believe that if we could bring in a decent centre back we would be Ok as we could then have Essam and the new defender at centre back, I am also still hoping that King will return. If we can sort out these problems top 3 will be no problem at all, only other players which are needed are back ups.
I am sure that he is expected to sign for Port Vale but we could have a look at him, I think he is only on trial there at the moment so he would be able to come to us, problem is that his goalscoring record at Notts county was not great but if you look back to his previous clubs he done OK, well I mean Carlisle, that is the main club he was good at. Not sure if I would go for, maybe, a trial at least I think.
Bristol you have been stating over the last few years that the squad is good and promotion is achievable and yet here we are still in league 2, may I respectfully suggest that the squad may not be as good as you think it is? Either that of with have had a clown as a manager for the last few seasons... oh wait INM all seriousness I think Mad Dog set out he still very clearly in the interview, he wants to bring a few STARTING ELEVEN players to "add steel to the core of the team", So we will be seeing a number of new faces at the club and I am sure to bablance the books a few maybe moved on. Fuller is training to the end of his contract with the club before a decision in made on him so there is so one possible exit still on the cards....
BSG scally did say at some point in the last week...can't remember when with all thats gone on at the club...that fuller had been offered a new deal about a week or two before and was waiting to hear back still regards. i also think weston being offered a trial again is not the right way to go, he's had enough chances to prove his worth, but not up to the task on a consistant basis...so leave well enough alone for me.
Oxon (can I stil call you that?) yes I read that Fuller's had been offered something but inthe second part of the Allen interview on the Gillsplayer he said that he would be assessing Fuller fitness over the next few weeks. I could be wrong but I assumed the assessment was to see whether Fuller warranted another deal. No doubt the truth is in the mix there somewhere
oxon is fine BSG. sorry fella, haven't seen the allen interview yet so didn't know that...then again not sure i really want to see the interview obviously very early days but i'm not a martin allen fan where his methods and approach to things are concerned...then again that could also apply to scally as well, though we put up with these things for the love of our club ! think allen needs to do a considerable amount to win alot of fans over, the fact he is willing to work with hess...who i rate as having gills longterm interests at heart...is a start and can only be built on. a few decent signings and positive play & results...we will see ? the jury is out on this but i'm willing to let it develop and give my support now it's happened and hopefully he will prove us all wrong !!!
In regards to players can someone tell me first what style of football Martin prefers to play. I thought he wanted it played on the turf (my preference) but then I read somewhere he was hoofball style with big lads?
don't think he knows himself...one minute it's hoffball, then on the turf and then when he went to notts county he tried to combine the two...unpredictable guy, now is that good or bad ???, because alot of players & fans like to know where they stand think it's anythink from plan A to Z with allen
