Gillingham Squad 2012/2013

Tom-Tom-Sat-Nav

Tom-Tom-Sat-Nav

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Apr 8, 2011
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Gillingham
Hi all,

Thought I'd open this up...mainly because it always causes debate and I've got a bit of free time at work...but don't tell anyone :shocked:

We all have our ideas about the management and whether they should stay or go in the summer...but let's express some of our views on the playing personnel at Priestfield. Who would you like to see lining up in the famous blue/red laced shirts next season?

I'll weigh in with a few points....

GOALKEEPERS
Would personally cash in on Gazzaniga. He enjoys playing here but I think he's a raw talent and there is a distinct possibility that a team in a higher division will take a look at him. I don't feel that Flitney is consistent enough for a No.1 slot at a L2 club and haven't really seen anything of Hawkes to comment...except for the fact that he's a 44 year old man trapped in the body of an 18 year old.

DEFENDERS
Our problem position for the vast majority of the season...so what do we do about it? Frampton as captain has not lived up to the pre-season hype. The extent of his leadership appears to be rollicking those around him and he hasn't maintained a consistent level of fitness and at times looks way off the pace. As for the rest:-

Matt Fish - it's his first season in professional football...cut the guy some slack. Keep him on as a squad player.
Barry Fuller - vitally important as a first choice right back.
Garry Richards - believe he is out of contract so depending on how he recovers from his break, give him another year or maybe a short term deal.
Simon King - I'm sorry to say Gills fans but I think it's time to terminate. Undoubtedly our best defender but I feel that the funds we put towards his wages could be perhaps better spent on other defensive options.
Joe Martin - my personal vendetta against him is possibly sometimes a little harsh...until I see him play. Would like to see him shown the door.
Connor Essam, Callum Davies & Jack Evans - give a contract to Essam and make these kids more a part of the first team on a permanent basis.

MIDFIELDERS
I believe only Weston is out of contract and feel that after a few years, he should not be offered another. One step forward and two back with him, sometimes he sets the place alight and the others he's completely anonymous...this season unfortunately it's more the latter.
Chris Whelpdale and Charlie Lee - keeping these two fit, and in Lee's case not suspended, play them in their most comfortable positions and they could be a huge part of a successful season. Undoubted talent as they have both shown at various points during the campaign, just not consistent enough.
Jack Payne - build the team around him. Simple enough.
Lewis Montrose - this guy absolutely astounds me. 6"4 and built like a dwelling of excrement however lets the game pass him by more often than not, is often quite reckless and doesn't seem to be able to put much of a challenge in the air. Give him another season to come good.
Danny Spiller & Danny Jackman - not sure what their respective contractural situations are but both definitely must be retained. Love the club and both have the ability to pull out something special when required. Spills will be anxious to make up for a disappointing season due to injuries.
Bradley Dack & Alex Brown - I believe these two have been offered pro deals and good on the club for realising potential. Would like to see them both have more of an impact on proceedings next time around.

STRIKERS
Danny Kedwell - similarly to Fish, his first season in league football and has had good games and bad. Endeared himself to the faithful in the first few games with his attitude and work rate but has unfortunately burned out somewhat since the turn of the year. A very clever player who needs a pacy finisher alongside him, a la Cody or Simeon.
Rowan Vine, Gavin Tomlin & Jo Kuffour - all these players to return to their parent clubs initially, but would love to see Tomlin and Vine back in the fold. Tomlin has been nothing short of fantastic and his injury has been extremely costly in this run in. Not sure whether his contract at Dagenham is up or not so may not command much of a fee, if at all. Vine is a difficult situation as he will more than likely command a higher wage than we can afford, but a clearout may allow us to do so.
Kuffour showed promise in his initial loan spell, but I'm afraid his decrease in form has coincided with us providing him with a longer deal, I feel we could bring in better options with the wage he would be on.
Adam Birchall - looking forward to seeing this guy in action, maybe he could be the striker that Kedwell needs alongside him as initially must have been Hess's plan.
Ashley Miller - like the look of him and think he could turn into a gem of a player. Needs to bulk up a bit against some of the monsters you see in L2 defences but I have a feeling we could've stumbled upon a cracking talent here.
Dennis Oli - personally, would say thank you and goodbye to Dennis. However I'm 99.9% sure that if Hessy is still here next season then Dennis will be sitting on the bench behind him.

My apologies for the long thread, I get carried away and hey, who knows what will happen in the summer. Personally I think a change at the top could make all of what I've said irrelevant and a new manager could choose to completely change things top to bottom.

But hey, who'd be a football manager?
 
You are being provocative tomtom and to have any sort of sensible debate you need to identify who is out of contract (we are stuck with the others). For me there are 4 categories.
First.. the ones who are here temporarily and who should be on contracts which maximise Gills income when they are inevitably sold. For me that is Gazza/Miller/Payne/Davies who all warrant 3 year deals.
Second..the senior pros who are capable of playing at a higher level. For me that is Jackman and Whelpdale who warrant 2 year deals and could be wanted elsewhere.
Third..The youngsters at the start of their careers and who probably represent the future. For me that is Essam/Davies/Evans/Fish. Yes Fish, thrown in at the deep just a week after becoming a full time pro with the crowd on his back and he has been terrific in recent weeks.
Fourth. The rest and I could not care less about these and anyone who has a contract expiring should look out especially Spiller and Oli neither of whom has managed 90 mins all season. The only ones worthy of favourable consideration would be Flitney (fine at league 2 level when gazza goes), Lee (but only if he stays fit and stops getting carded), Kedwell (if we have a pair of shorts big enough) and Tomlin (if he proves he wants to be here and that the injury is atypical).
category 1 and 2 warrant considerably more per player than 3 and 4
 
TOM

Richards - not King - what are you trying to do - finish me off ?
I'm not saying " No" to Richards - because he was doing quite well at the beginning of the season - don't know what happened to cause all that hoofball we saw from him before the injury- BUT- NO King !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He has been light years ahead of nearly all the rest since his return. O K he might, now, be more prone to injury - so, at least give him a 6 month contract to prove his long term fitness ( perhaps with add on clauses, dependant on appearances )

I will take a lot of convincing about Matt Fish ( I'm in good company on this one ) - otherwise we're close to agreement.
 
Sick people defending matt fish and saying he is still young. What about Tony Sinclair? He was in the same situation as fish (first year in the football league), he was infinatley better than fish and still wasn't offered another deal. If fish gets one it's simply just because he is one of Hessy's pals.
 
alwaysright

Good point raised RE Simon King...

I'm merely stating an opinion that we cannot afford to hold onto someone who's fitness and ability to play games consistently can be questioned. Don't get me wrong, I love Simon King. Take Simon King on a night out and I'd be buying him breakfast, but I personally think we can exercise other options.

Now Richards, I'm not suggesting give him a long term contract and build the defence around him, in no uncertain terms that could be catastrophic. But I think some of his performances this season would warrant another contract, but I only suggest a short term deal, especially as he will be still in rehab from his latest injury.

Interesting to hear me described as "provocative" earlier...normally it's other phrases beginning with a P that I'm more privvy to...
 
In regards to Tony Sinclair, he was nowhere near the pace that Fish has on the outside; Sinclair was far more defensive and was about as liable at the back. Neither were on good money and as a squad player he is certainly useful. He is no Duncan Jupp.
 
Hahaha Jupp. 2nd biggest Gills waste of space ever, after Lomas.

Priorities for the squad 12/13:

- Agreed about Payne/Gazza/Miller - get them on long term contracts!
- Desperately try to sign up Tomlin!
- Whelps, Jackman, Lee, Kedwell, Fuller, Birchall - definitely keep them on
- 6 month contract for King. Maybe a short-term contract for Joe "I only play well when trying to win a contract" Kuffour
- Agreed about the promising youngsters, especially Essam
- Get rid of Oli, Weston, Montrose, Richards.
 
Some random thoughts...

I'd let Richards go. Have a horrible feeling we'll give him a sympathy contract due to his injury. He has been decent enough, but time to move on IMHO. Get Weston out ASAP. As if I used to think we'd make alot of money from him... talent but little application

Would offer Spiller another year as he is a useful squad player... but hopefully not on megabucks

Beginning to solidify my opinion that Kedwell isn't quite good enough... which is a shame. But decent squad striker at worst, but we need someone else to lead the line

Sign Essam up asap. Move Frampton on ASAP. Bye bye Oli, I honestly can't see him getting another contract.

Fuller coming back is vital. Fish is good backup and will hopefully develop. Need another left back, Nutter was better than Martin in just about every department

Gazza is a cult hero already, but nowhere near as good as some would have you believe. He has won the hearts of the Gills fans, but Flitney never will which is unfortunate as he is more than competant at this level

Would love to sign Tomlin and I think Kuffour should leave. In cloud cuckoo land but would love to see Vine sign. He is what I was hoping Kedwell would be, maybe I should scale back my expectations?

Lee and Whelps are quality. In a properly organised side they would be monstrously effective at this level.

Looking forward to seeing what Birchall can do

Keep the rest of the youngsters on for another year... They did us proud in our hour of need and they may have something about them

Thanks if you read my rather scattered first post
 
I have said many times who I would get rid of and my reasons so I will basically just say the players who would go or stay.

If it was down to me I would get rid of a few players who are in contract but I doubt they will be gone come next season and they are Frampton, Montrose, Fish and also maybe Martin, not sure yet, would not want him as a starter maybe as a squad player.

I would release Lawrence, Oli and also probably Kuffour and also Weston.

I think I would give contracts to all the young players who have come through, Miller, Evans, Davies and also Connor Essam as they are great.
I would give Richards, Fuller, Spiller, Jackman and King a new contract, however I think I would like us to take the option to offer King and Fuller deals which rely on them playing a certain amount of games as we don't want to be wasting to much money.
I would like us to sign Tomlin and I doubt we would sign Vine.
 
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