Clearly the tie is not over yet. If we were 2-0 up we wouldn't be counting our chickens, so neither should Lincoln. But it's clearly feeling unlikely. Assuming we don't make it on Saturday and announce our retained list on Monday, what should it look like? In fact I've decided my retained list would look pretty identical no matter what division we are in. Anyone not good enough for championship should be deemed not good enough to get us there. According to the chronicle the following players are out of contract in the summer: Lee Burge, Remi Matthews, Anthony Patterson, Luke O’Nien, Conor McLaughlin, Brandon Taylor, Denver Hume, Callum McFadzean, Max Power, Josh Scowen, Grant Leadbitter, Chris Maguire, Aiden McGeady, Charlie Wyke, Benji Kimpioka. I think we should take a "start again" approach and say goodbye to a lot of players that might surprise some outsiders. For me our retained list should look as such: Out of contract and released Matthews McLaughlin Taylor McFadzean Power Scowen Leadbitter (should be offered a coaching role) Maguire McGeady New Deals Offered To Burge (just about) Patterson O'Nien Hume Wyke (1 year only and not breaking bank - if he leaves so be it) Retained Under Contract but Available for Transfer Flanagan Wright Dobson O'Brien Grigg Retained Under Contract but not available (unless good offer) Willis Gooch Embleton Xhemajli Diamond Winchester Hawkes Neil Stewart + anyone who signs deals I'd try to sign Sanderson (obviously) but have decided I'd pass on Jones unless he was dirt cheep. That would mean for me we'd need to sign, at a minimum, first team players in the following positions: Goalkeeper (x2 if Burge leaves) Right Back x 2 Center Back x 2 Left Back x 1 Center Mid x 3 (or 4 if O'Nien leaves) Winger / Attacking Mid x 3 Striker (x2 if Wyke leaves) That's a busy fecking summer
I've changed my mind on a couple in recent weeks. I'd no longer offer new deals to Burge, McLaughlin or Power Keeper and centre midfield are our weakest areas and we need two new keepers and two new starting centre midfielders with Winchester and Dan Neil pushing them for a start. Embleton will also be in the mix if we play a 3. I'd offer Hume a long term deal but buy a left back who is direct competition. I'd offer O'Nien a new deal due to his versatility and if he signed I'd still buy a specialist right back. Mcgeady I'd offer a new one year deal. Hes still our best player. Whilst I'm a big fan of Maguire it's probably time to move on and I'd promote Josh Hawkes into his squad place. Wyke I'd probably offer a year with an option of a second if he could replicate this seasons goal return. Even if he signed a deal I'd still be looking to bring another striker in in a different mould, someone with pace who can stretch a defence and run in behind. Youngsters wise, no harm in renewing Patterson and Kimpioka's deals. Scowen, Leadbitter, McFazdean can all go and I'd offer Dobson and Grigg up for free. Big clear out and I'd include the manager in that. 1 win in 10 and that was only because Plymouth had a man sent off. The warning signs are already there with streaky Johnson, as Bristol City fans called him. Let's not make the same mistake 3 years running and stick with a failed manager going into the season with the "give him 12 games" hanging over his head New manager, new players, fresh start under the new owner
I'm definitely in agreement about removing Lee Johnson and I'm completely surprised by that as I genuinely wanted to give him a chance. If this latest run of form was just a blip then so be it, but its gone on too long. I trust KLD and Speakman to make the right choice rather than the choice which looks right or to save face. Sacking LJ would be a first admission from either of them that they've got something wrong.
Wyke is talking to championship clubs If we are in League 1 still (expected) most of those players will leave. We need a complete shake up with pace and creativity but then we've not had that for years. The club are at a major crossroads and I really don't think the current manager has enough success behind him to take the club forward.
I genuinely have to question what people expect of/want from a manager if they're advocating getting rid of a manager who has won nearly half of his 38 games in charge and lost only 8, with a squad that is largely not his own and that is average for this division.
I’d genuinely only like to see Hume offered a new deal. Did we really give Flanagan a four year deal? What a shower of ****e he is, sack the knacker for impersonating a footballer. Same goes for Power, captain **** for brains.
You see I also don't disagree with this view. That's why I'm so torn on this. Just glad it's not me having to make this decision.
I really doubt many will be near the first team next year. The ones we might want will be off to the championship (Wyke, Hume, O'Nien) probably. From the current squad I could see Diamond and Stewart being in the 16 on match 1, anyone else will be a surprise. We also know some of the u23s will be starting pre-season in the first team squad. Equally I would be staggered if Johnson isnt in charge. The plans for summer recruitment have been made with him. I dont buy the whole 12 game thing, not when it will be a whole new team. At some point a club has to stick for a while and be patient. New managers every year is really disruptive and if we want to see young players come through it doesnt help in my opinion.
In respect of the out of contract players I would only offer new contracts to Patterson, O,Nien and Hume. I would potentially offer McGeady a one year deal. Other than that the rest can go and we build again with an emphasis on younger players. If we dont get a strong, box to box midfielder I'm giving up football.
Hume out of the second leg with a hamstring injury and Connor Mac out for the season with a stress fracture in his back.
I believe it is too early to push the ejector seat button, but he hasn't convinced me that he is the long term answer either. The jury is definitely still out. You say that he has won nearly half of his 38 games in charge. Over a 46 game season, winning half of them (23) would only generate 69 points, so we would be looking for 20 or more draws to realistically go up. That means we could only afford to lose 3, so his current record isn't good enough. He will almost certainly have more at his disposal during the summer window than other clubs in whichever league we are in and he needs to get them gelling quickly. Failure to do so by the beginning of November should lead to his demise. Hopefully he does well and we won't need to do that, because we need continuity, but he needs to earn a long term crack at this job, and so far he hasn't done it.
Yeah, if we want to go up as champions, his record needs to be better. Although, depending on how other teams fare, a lower points tally could achieve automatic promotion. I think there are other factors to be considered and, under the circumstances, his record hardly constitutes failure and therefore sacking him isn't warranted. It is, at the very least, something to build on.
I'll honestly be glad to see the back of players like Power, Scowen, Maguire and especially Wyke! He's the most 1 dimensional player I've seen in a long time and if it's not on a plate for him he's anonymous, like last night! He can't hold a ball up or bring others into play, which when we're under the cosh, means we have no outlet and he has to be one of the slowest strikers (or players) in football. I'm pleased for him that his 1 season wonder (or more of a purple patch from November? to March) has earned him a move to a Champo club. We'll be a much improved team next year with Stewart leading the line and I'll put money on him scoring more than Wyke has this season. Edit: Wyke won't score 5 next year in the Championship and once his new club has seen him for what he is, he'll be a rarely used sub/squad player.
I don't get this clamour to give Leadbitter a coaching role, in fact I'd be mightily pissed off if I was one of the existing ( qualified and experienced) footballing coaches at the club, and GL got a job based on being a local lad and having his dad's ashes buried on our pitch, cos apart from those 2 connections there's nowt to link him to the club. If he wants to be a coach, he should go away and learn the trade, then if at some point in the future he's the best man for the job, then bring him in. his 'passion' for SAFC has done us precious little good this season, we can't afford sentiment any more, with any staff in any role. We don't need hangers-on, we need top class coaches who can get us promoted. Jobs for the boys should be consigned to history.
I'd keep this lot Burge Patterson McLauglin -CB Willis- CB Xhemajli - CB *Younger - CB Hume - WB Gooch - WB *Embleton - CM O'Nien - CM *Neil - CM Diamond *Hawkes Stewart Sign Sanderson Wyke & McGeady - 1 year only Lots more higher quality options to be added