I think if the hierarchy are ambitious for long term success within the club there must be a radical change, from management coaches and players at the seasons end. Do others agree, and if so who I am compiling my list together with my ins, outs, and whys.
How big a hit you're prepared to take on McContract. We would have him back for £1mill if you pay 50% of his wages.
I said in another thread that I think we need to strengthen the spine of the team, and build around that as I don't think Parker can last another full season, Ruiz will probably go, and Rodallega will leave, don't think Stafylidis will be kept on loan. They'll be a few more shipped out. Need an experienced CB and potential captain. If you are talking ambition and splashing the cash if we stay in the Championship, we've already splashed the cash, would Stekelenberg and Mitrogluo come back? they are on long contracts. Can't see Khan going wild.
Basically, I think we're pretty much OK up front. But I'd scrap the defense and midfield except for Parker, who should transition to a player/coach role given his age. No half measures. Clean out the lot of them, save Ross and Parker.
Really? Get rid of Christianson? Roberts? Kavanagh? Hutchinson? Grimmer? I'm not saying that there aren't players we need to replace, but a scorched earth policy is more than unnecessary, it would be folly. LVC has arguably been our best player over the course of the season, so why include him on your scrap list? The younger players are still developing and in most cases it's too soon to dismiss them as being of no use to us. Next season will be a make or break one for some of the older youngsters - Dan Burn comes to mind - but I think the summer transfer window should be about bringing in quality and experience rather than quantity. A few well judged signings will be a lot better than another wholesale set of changes.
I personally would like to see a wholesale clear out but not along the lines that DR suggested, we can only give our opinions but would the club take any notice of us mere supporters. I feel that the cull should be from the top, so starting at management level Ali Mac C.O.E. ~ Kit Symonds, ~ Mark Pembridge ~ Mike Rigg ~ & Bettinelli (gk coach) Replacements I like the suggestion from Captain Morgan re the Brentford manager and no doubt with him would come some backroom staff, a goalkeeping coach Mark Swartz ? + a professional fitness coach. Players GK Bettinelli out on loan, Kiraly OUT, Replacement Stekelenburg, back Joronen back Givan IN ALL OUT Amerebieta, Budrov, Vosser, Casola, Tunnicliffe, Chida. Rodallega, Taggert Eiesfield Mitroglou IN 2 quality full backs. retain B Ruiz if he wanted to stay ,+ a speedy winger. and midfielder and dropping the ineffective diamond, we would have sufficient fire power in Woodrow, Dembele, Mc C & Smith. RETAIN all under 21s and Acadamy for at least another season. PROMOTION IN SEASON 15/16 ?
Agree on most. Bettinelli needs to stay and given time will be good. He needs a good defense in front of him. Someone to partner Hutchison. May Dan Burn if he strengthens up a bit. There are players who we have not seen playing like Tagaart and Eisfield. Wingers are needed desperately!!
I think sadly Kit has had his chance and at the end of the season we need to have in someone who has got experience and can get the players playing in a disciplined fashion and get the most out of their ability. We've assembled a great crop of youth and we must not throw this away just cus it's not working now. For some of the players Championship football is just a bit too soon. They've come on trying to play football but been pushed off the ball too easily by seasoned professionals used to this physical game. When you're not picking up the points it is difficult to risk an experiment of say starting with Roberts. We got rid of so many players last season we should not do the same again. Some should go - Kiraly, Hugo, Ruiz if he wants to go, but I would not want too many others to go - Taggart and Eisfield included. Parker's experience is invaluable to these youngsters and seems to have the right attitude. I think there's a good manager out there who will not believe his luck at having all this youthful talent to his hand. That manager is going to make a big name for himself if he can get them playing as a team at their full potential - and with a good full pre-season there is no reason that this cannot be achieved.
There's no way Scotty Parker will last another full season in the Championship. However, he is currently busy studying for his UEFA Pro Licence (the qualification required to manage a side in the Champions League !!) at St George's Park. Here's a link to a story about that - http://www.thefa.com/news/st-georges-park/2015/mar/scott-parker-pro-licence Pity he cant't bring into play, on and off the pitch, some of the knowledge he's getting.
Starting with the manager - I'd like to see one of Warburton, Hoddle, Giggs or Lennon come in. Of our current players I would say to build around; Grimmer, LVC and Roberts. Although I think a normal 442 is perfectly fine for this league, I would like to see us build on a 433 because it plays to our strengths- the only issue is where Ross fits into that formation. I would like for us to keep him so we can have 442 as an option, but I'd rather we build a team around a system rather than a creative player - as we've done since Roy left. For me Grimmer is our best prospect at centre back, that we've seen so far. He looks a natural leader so I would have his as vice captain or even captain. The players types we would need for a new system are; Experienced centre back with some technical ability (ie not headless in possession) New right and left backs who are at very least solid in defence Two new midfielders, both defensively minded, one with some kind of physical presence, the other composed in possession One new winger to complement our younger talents I would ship on - Kiraly, Parker, Roda, Amo, Tunnicliffe and the older guys who aren't anywhere near the first team. It's a big rebuilding job which has false started a couple times but hopefully that might attract an ambitious manager looking to make the team his own. We need someone with a vision for the long and short term who can find the balance between our better young players and more experienced guys who don't see us as a chance to relax and earn some decent money in London.
In this division a couple of quality signings can make all the difference, we have a billionaire chairman and parachute payments, three £2 million signings added to the squad plus get rid of the dead wood out of contract players and would should be up in the top ten! But the important bit is getting the right signings in with proper thought research and input from a good manager!
According to Ali Mac the other day, the parachute payment next up is £20m. Selling Mitroglou and Stekelenburg would add, what .. £3 -£4m?? If we also invoked the 1yr option for Bryan and Hugo then sold, perhaps the same again?? Add in David and Eisfeld, who are out of favour, plus a few others and we could be looking at close on £30m without the Chairman batting an eyelid never mind his wallet. Not all will go on a transfer fees of course - FFP and all that. However, there should be enough of a cushion to bring in Cookie's 3 players and pay decent wages to attract the right calibre of player.
Cottager a question Do you know how Emmerson is progressing, tried to find info at MP with no luck, I believe that next season he could be an integral part of our team.
I don’t rosc. The Club said at the time he broke his collar bone that he was probably out until April, giving him a month and a bit to get ready for the U20 World Cup which starts in late May. I think he’s going to join a USA training camp at the end of this month but just as a ’squaddy’ rather than to join in full time training. Agree with you that he’s one we need to be thinking of as a banker next season.
We shouldn't have a big clear out, that's what we did last summer leaving ourselves with forming a completely new team to gel. We do have a good squad but some will leave come what may such as Ruiz and a few who have not been used to any degree this season. We need a replacement for Parker as others have said he will not last the pace, but he can do a job well for us when fresh enough, so he must stay. Hugo has lost his effectiveness although probably due to only getting a pass that skims across his scalp, but I think others can do better for us. We need another center back to compliment Huch and maybe Grimmer, and a good one at that. Defensive midfield also needs a couple of new faces, one for skill, one to frighten the opposition. Also a proper wide man who can run at the defense, inside or out, we have wingers of sorts but they can only go inside or outside not both. If we loose Hugo we have enough good forwards who can do the job. We also need a variety of tactics and if Kit cannot deliver there, we need an other (England aren't likely to sack Roy, unfortunately). But not until the summer, we have enough to stay in the division and don't need to gamble at this late stage. If we had the same points as those in the bottom 3, that would be different. We have 10 games left and I don't see us dropping any further but the players and manager are all playing for their right to be involved with FFC next season, lets support them in doing so.
Dear me, I just remembered why I've been steering clear of this board. We shipped out an obscene amount of players last summer. Look where that got us.
Have to agree with that Bidders. I don't think we need a big clear out at all, we need what Cookie-6262 said - let the remaining fringe players move on (Chihi, Voser, Stek, Mitroglou) and invest in a small number of first team players (potentially players like Turner). I'd be disappointed if any our first team players leave outside of Hugo/Bryan.
I take it all back. After last night's performance, I think we should keep everyone. If possible, we should try to re-acquire Darren Bent, too.
