If paper talk is to be believed then Shelvey has said he will stay if we go down. I think a few others will too so we may have a squad looking a little like this: Elliot/Darlow Haidara Dummet Mbemba Lascelles Townsend (not sure if he will stay) Anita Colback Shelvey De Jong Saivet Perez Mitro Armstrong Toney It's not a bad start for the Championship. We'll have lots of players leave which I think needs to happen. and should get some big money for some of them. I can see Mike playing VERY hard ball with transfer fees as the big value lads are well under contract. What I'd like to see is the club bring in some 'battle hardened' players to give a bit more grit and steel to the side. We need to recruit right across the park but players like a Kilcline will be a must.
I'd be surprised if shelvey, townsend and perez stay. Words are pretty cheap in football and despite what shelvey may have said I bet his agent will be working furiously to get him out. I hope you're though.
I can honestly see De Jong flourishing in the Championship. He could be another Nolan for us as pace isn't so much of an issue.
Not many teams will want what we have. Whether they can't be arsed to play for McClaren or just aren't good enough, they've done themselves no favours. We'll struggle to shift some of them, and we really need to. My hope for the rest of the year is we get a good manager who I have faith in building something starting now. McClaren has mercy-killed us, and is now feverishly teabagging the corpse, we need a Chris Hughton now.
Whatever squad we want, you can be sure that you can add to that quite a few of our currently contracted players that we don't want. They may prefer to play at a higher level, but if other clubs are not willing to match their current deals then we may see quite a few of them declare their 'loyalty' to the club and stay.
yous are not down yet man Albert. 30pts to play for. I don't buy this whoever wins the derby stays up either. Your run in is pretty favourable compared to both us and Norwich too
Keepers: Krul Elliott Darlow Leave: Woodman (out of contract) Defenders: Mbemba Colo (nobody else will take him on his current wages) Lascelles Satka Dummett Haidara Mbabu (retain) Leave: Janmaat (£10m), Taylor (out of contract - will probably get a new deal) Midfielders: Shelvey Colback Townsend Saivet Ameobi Anita Leave: Wijnaldum (£15m), Sissoko (£12m), Tiote (£3m), Aarons (out of contract), Obertan (out of contract), Thauvin (£6m), Gouffran (£1m), Marveaux (out of contract) Forwards: Mitrovic Armstrong Siem De Jong Toney Leave: Perez (£20m), Cisse (£6m), Riviere (£3m) I'd say that would leave us needing to bring in a CB, LB, RB, LW, RW and CF. We may struggle to get keep hold of Mbemba tbh and you'd probably see the regime keep Taylor and Gouffran. If all those players are sold then there could be £70m-odd to cover losses and buy what we need. Straight back up for me.
