Ok, so we currently have 8 playable registered players for next season (who the hell knows where we stand with Ben Haim!? I reckon we could see him play next season, but I won't include him as who knows?). Where does SC look first at strengthening? Currently our squad looks like: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Ashdown~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ N/A~~~~~~~~~~Mokoena~~Rocha~~~~~~~~~~~N/A Lawrence~~~~~~~Ward~~~Mullins~~~~~~~~~~~N/A ~~~~~~~~~~~~~Kitson~~~Kanu~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ So, looking at this we need a right back, left back and left midfielder to even think about fielding a team. We are trying to bring in De Laet, Hogg and Halford, as well as rumors of Norris and St Ledger (as wwell as pub talk earlier this evening of Gudjohnson who has just been released by Stoke). If we assume for now that we bring back the loanees from last year, the team would look like: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Ashdown~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Halford~~~~~~~~~~Mokoena~~Rocha~~~~~~~~~~~De Laet Lawrence~~~~~~~~~Ward~~~~Hogg~~~~~~~~~~~Mullins ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Kitson~~~Kanu~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ So, we would then have a team to put out, with no subs. We need another goalkeeper to provide competition to Ashdown. What other areas should we be looking at as a priority? I would say we need another: 1x Goalkeeper 1x Centre Back [St Ledger?] 1x Full Back [Hreidarsson?] 1x Central Midfielder [Norris?] 1x Winger (left or right - preferably interchangeable) 2x Strikers So including the return of the three loan players from last year, we are looking at 10 players, can Cotterill manage this somewhat mammoth task before the start of the season? And if so, will they be players of the right quality, or perhaps just 10x Sonko's (heaven forbid!)
Jake all laudable and I'd not overly disagree with the areas that you highlight as needing strengthening - I'm hoping we'll have a good 20 player squad including a couple of youngsters that give us some options in the even of injury or suspension. There are some decent free's kicking about already and as long as we are sensible with wage structure and numbers we could aim for a good top 8 finish.
Jake, one thing's for sure, Steve C is going to be a very busy man again this Summer, and the very best of luck to him ! He does seem to have some very good contacts though; including (apparently) Sir Alex Ferguson; so why shouldn't he succeed ? As you say, anyone but Sonko !! It's going to be interesting.........
I opened this thread expecting to see the usual "we've been bought by billionaires, are we going to buy Messi" drivel. I was very pleasantly surprised to see an intelligent thread Jake. Couldn't disagree with you at all. The only question I have is, the new owners have said they are going to run the club as a business so which way are they going to run it? speculate to accumulate and spend enough to get a decent squad together or on the cheap and rely on freebies and loans?
I think Jake's right really, but I honestly think we have a decent core of a team right now, it just needs depth. And well two strikers speaks for itself, nugent's going to be gone and kitson and kanu won't lead us in goalscoring. 2 fullbacks, 2 midfielders and 2 strikers as a start and go from there, hopefully a good loanee or two would help as well! I honestly think it'll be a case of getting a team to keep us up, but that's about all I'll expect. Still on that very long road to recovery right now!
I think with a good blend of some experience and some youngsters we could do well - there is no doubt that we have some good solid players that form the core of our squad at the moment....we do though lack a bit of creativity. It's just ironic that watching ESPN this season I've watched both Boateng and Gekas have blinding seasons in their respective leagues....how many games did we give Gekas? Ok we couldn't afford Boateng's wages but I'd not think Gekas was on a fortune. I'm all for us picking up any decent free's we can and yes if we can get a couple of loanees in to bolster things that'd be great. I'm just pleased tbh that we can in theory start the new season on a level footing with other teams in the league and all being well improve on last years finish by a considerable way.
By the looks of things today, Cotterill is after David Norris (pretty much confirmed as a Pompey player, medical has been completed, just waiting for the pen to paper bit) and Reading's Brian Howard. That'll be 2 midfielders sorted then If Hogg comes in too, I wonder whether Joel Ward will find himself pushed back in to defense? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Ashdown~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ward~~~~~~~~~~~~~Halford~~De Laet~~~~~~~~Rocha Lawrence~~~~~~~~~~Norris~~~~Hogg~~~~~~~~~~~Mullins ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Kitson~~~Kanu~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well, the trasnfer rumours are really starting to gather pace now... 1) Norris has apparantly already had a medical, and just needs to sign. 2) We are in against the scummers for Howard, and according to a certain snooze he would be keen to join us. 3) Sky claim we are after Chimbonda, which could be good depending on what mood he is in! One thing is for sure, its nice to finally be talking about player transfers again, rather than takeover and all the football politics bullsh*t. And this takeover really has started to make us a decent propositition to players once again, so bring on the good times!
Good news on Norris if so - I know nothing about Howard I must confess. I'll admit I was disappointed to see Phillips is going back to Watford.....I know he's played for the deckchairs but he's exactly what we need up front alongside a younger player....bags of experience and always had a decent scoring record. I think Ward is another Wilson - can play almost anywhere in central midfield or defence...a real result.
It'll be interesting where he plays next season. He is certainly a first teamer, and with him being sent to America, I wouldn't be suprised if Cotterill is planning on building his squad around him. I must admit, I hadn't heard the Chimbonda rumor. He's a right back isn't he? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Ashdown~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Chimbonda~~~~~~~~~Halford~~De Laet~~~~~~~~~~~~Rocha Ward~~~~~~~~~~~~~Norris~~~Mullins~~~~~~~~~~~Lawrence ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Kitson~~~Kanu~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I wonder whether we'll swoop for Nugent, with him being a free agent now?
