Time is Up

[jono_t2000]

Play the kids in the next game. Last night wasn't the night, Reading would've lodged a complaint, and if we were in their position we'd have been up in arms if the opponents had smashed loads of untried U23's in the starting lineup.

Against Brum.

Stick with Jebbo, play Brooks, Izzy and Arblaster

And coulibaly

 

[ChipButtyBlade]

I dread the thought that this might be uttered to the fans..............we are going with what we have...........wont happen tho will it.

 

[jt64]

McBurnie I would not hate next season as something different to come off the bench to help see out games. Basham as emergency last CB in the squad cover seems fine. I wouldn't even hate keeping Osborn as utility for multiple positions in the event of a crisis. The rest shouldn't be near the squad next season and what limited first team competitive minutes we've got this season to see more of players that might be useful next season has been squandered (as has, dare I say it, appearance money). So what if any of the kids going forward end up coming to nothing a couple of years down the line? Someone in centre mid who crashes and burns 98% of the time has 2% more chance of being useful in the Premier League than Fleck does

 

[BalticBlade]

I think most people agree that ideally the squad could do with a considerable overhaul this summer.

But until a takeover happens, this is massively unlikely, Under the current state of things I think we'll probably bring in three or four loans and one or two (or at a push three - depending on fees and contracts etc) permanent deals. I think PH will have no chice but to other the one yearextention option to most of the old guard.

 

[jt64]

deleted

 

[Striker]

I’d maybe jeep Billy in a coaching role maybe but not player.
We can’t be keeping players just because they’re good to have around or good in the dressing room, we haven’t got the wages to be pissing money away on that.
We need better quality players, where there going to come from with no money is anybody’s guess.

Sentiment isn’t going to keep us in the premier league.

Tell me why you'd keep Sharp as a coach??
He's no track record or experience as a coach so the only reason must be sentiment, which you clearly argue against in your post???

 

[Need4speed]

McBurnie was effective for about 3 months of this season and I was pleased for him because he does try and he seems to be a positive infleunce in the dressing room and has been good with younger players. But he is no athlete and even when scoring this season it all seemed very untidy. Over the last couple of months McBurnie has reverted to his form over the last two seasons, I think he is carrying some injury or playing with pain. When you seem him after games he is always hobbling. He is not completely to blame for his poor recent showings, invariably when the team are playing badly they lump it forward to McBurnie who has two or three opposition players round him and few options, he then reverts to falling over and getting more and more incensed with the referee, referees then seem to give him less and less.
I don't really know what he is as a striker. He is not a goal poacher like Billy at his best,he has no pace to run in behind, he doesn't appear to be great at holding the ball up when it is played up to him, he invariably tries to do things too ambitious and too quickly which result in losing possession. It is largely pointless him flicking the ball on with his head as there is rarely anyone running in behind. Strangely he is better at winning headers in his own box than in the oppositions.
I am sorry he has had his chance, too often he doesn't look like at top Championship striker and in every sense is way off Premier League level. So do we keep him as a backup striker? For me the answer is NO! because I can't see under what circumstance we play him.

 

[BalticBlade]

McBurnie was effective for about 3 months of this season and I was pleased for him because he does try and he seems to be a positive infleunce in the dressing room and has been good with younger players. But he is no athlete and even when scoring this season it all seemed very untidy. Over the last couple of months McBurnie has reverted to his form over the last two seasons, I think he is carrying some injury or playing with pain. When you seem him after games he is always hobbling. He is not completely to blame for his poor recent showings, invariably when the team are playing badly they lump it forward to McBurnie who has two or three opposition players round him and few options, he then reverts to falling over and getting more and more incensed with the referee, referees then seem to give him less and less.
I don't really know what he is as a striker. He is not a goal poacher like Billy at his best,he has no pace to run in behind, he doesn't appear to be great at holding the ball up when it is played up to him, he invariably tries to do things too ambitious and too quickly which result in losing possession. It is largely pointless him flicking the ball on with his head as there is rarely anyone running in behind. Strangely he is better at winning headers in his own box than in the oppositions.
I am sorry he has had his chance, too often he doesn't look like at top Championship striker and in every sense is way off Premier League level. So do we keep him as a backup striker? For me the answer is NO! because I can't see under what circumstance we play him.

It's about time the Premier League introduced rolling substitutions. We could bring McBurnie on every time we were defending a corner, then take him off again once the danger was cleared.

 

[Hackey Blade]

Brewster wants a word

Brewster could still turn it around, if not he’ll be the worst waste of £23 million ever!

 

[SwissBlade]

Stop !! A sensible and pragmatic reply amongst all the gloom will upset some forum members who are looking to find 8/9 new and exciting players by August !!

I think this summer will be a big case of managing expectations for a lot of fans that might want to get carried away with thoughts of big clear outs and big spending

If we do that then we can also expect a slow start as new players bed in

 

[fifty shades of blade]

The reality is that we're dealing with a squad which has grown together over a number of years, with several additions coming in to replace older or less talented players along the way. With that you get a bond growing between players.

The Slav spell aside, we've had stability in the side from when Wilder came in to when Hecky took the reigns. Its by no means belittling Hecky to say that he's followed the Wilder Blueprints and built on it with some new players.

So the big thing that people forget when they play Champ Manager with the squad is that the side is built on characters as well as talent. For McBurnies shuffle, Brewsters injuries, Norwoods Misplaced passes, Osborns headless midfield episodes, this squad is together and to rip it to shreds because a number of players won't cut it against Man City or Liverpool would also be foolish.

We won't be spending big this summer, the club is in a different place financially, we've also got a squad which, in the main is strong. There should certainly be some new faces coming in, there are areas which need strengthening, there are areas that need more depth and there are areas which will be fine.

Something i noticed first half yesterday was that it was like a training exercise, Baldock had a free role, Egan was breaking at every chance (rather than Bash) and it allowed the likes of Ndiaye and McAtee to drift, again in their free roles

It's not to say that Hecky and the management team are plotting something, but it's good to see that despite the second half, we approach last night as a chance to try a few different things.

There will be a continued evolution of this squad. We don't have to bin everyone that has a bad game or a bad run, next season we will need patience

away with your common sense and level headed approach. WeE wUr WaNk yEssTurDaY, eCkEE hOut

 

[Edinblade]

Time is up for these guys , they’ve been great, but they need to bow out on a high, we’re going to get slaughtered next year if these are anywhere near the team, Hecky seems to be intelligent so let’s see if he realises we can’t carry these players an that their wages could be used on better quality.

Fleck
McBurnie
Stevens
Basham
Sharp
Osborne

We cannot afford sentiment.

I don’t know if this has been mentioned as I’ve not read the whole thread. The players you list were no where near good enough last time we were in the Premiership so they should definitely not be kept on for next season.
Like you say, there’s no room for sentiment.

 

[Booker4]

New signings don't need to cost the earth. For example Ryan Manning going on a free as he's run his contract down at Swansea and he's highly rated, 26, plays Left back and has scored 5 goals and 9 assists, not bad at all from full back and he's just won their player of the year award! He's also played every league game this season. I can imagine that we will be interested in him and we already have the contact through Egan. I'd much rather sign Manning than retain Enda Stevens for example.

 

[S64 Blade]

️
Wes
Robinson
Osborn
Norwood
McBurnie

️
Stevens
JOC
Coulibaly
Fleck
Sharp

At the end of the day, we ain't going to spend loads or bring loads in so we need to keep at least half of the 'out of contract' players. Although they would only be squad players for me.

Swap Coulibaly and Osborn and I agree.

 

[ATL Recs]

away with your common sense and level headed approach. WeE wUr WaNk yEssTurDaY, eCkEE hOut

good post but way off the mark with the Eagan role being down to Hecky it was Warnock's tactics stop our wide centre backs coming forward allowing space in the middle with 2 banks of 4 and a 5 to make sure we go wide but not around them

 

[ancientblade]

New signings don't need to cost the earth. For example Ryan Manning going on a free as he's run his contract down at Swansea and he's highly rated, 26, plays Left back and has scored 5 goals and 9 assists, not bad at all from full back and he's just won their player of the year award! He's also played every league game this season. I can imagine that we will be interested in him and we already have the contact through Egan. I'd much rather sign Manning than retain Enda Stevens for example.

was quite impressed with manning when swansea came to the lane this season much better than lowe him and rnd competing for the lwb role would be ideal imo as for going in to the new season with just 3/4 loans i think were accepting relegation and trying to rebuild again at championship level this tactic has worked for a few other clubs over the years i think we really need this takeover to happen if were to stand any chance of staying in the premier league

 

[Booker4]

was quite impressed with manning when swansea came to the lane this season much better than lowe him and rnd competing for the lwb role would be ideal imo as for going in to the new season with just 3/4 loans i think were accepting relegation and trying to rebuild again at championship level this tactic has worked for a few other clubs over the years i think we really need this takeover to happen if were to stand any chance of staying in the premier league

The 3/4 loans is going to be made up of two foreign ones though as you can only loan two domestic ones at a time (from other PL clubs) as far as I'm aware and only 4 over a season so we'd have to end the first two loans to bring in another 2. Foreign loans are different though but can't see us doing too many of those.

But on Manning, yeah I think we will likely go for him as he's out of contract and has had a good season for Swansea. Seems a no brainer to me.

 

[Weasel]

We should probably strike a balance and move on half the old guard now and probably retain the others. I would advocate the release of Stevens, Fleck, O'Connell, Osborn and probably King Billy. That frees up 5 X wages and a not insubstantial amount of money which can be used for new players. Ideally others would be let go, but if we are restricted financially then half now, the reassess next year when Bash and a few others will also be OOC. You cannot just keep offering renewal contracts to squad members every year. Time moves on, players get older and less efficient and performance levels dip. Evolution of the squad needed starting now. We could also use the fact that we are currently PL to try and get some of the better free transfer players who are available in the summer now rather than trying to attract these types of players when we are in all probability a championship club again 12 months. Use our advantage of bring a PL team this pre season as a positive in attracting better players now.

Also if we start the changing of the guard this pre season then it's not such a massive rebuild in 12 months time when everyone is a year older.

 

[William Large]

All in all over the four seasons he’s been with us he’s got to be the worst waste of £18 million i’ve ever seen.

The pedant in me wants to clarify… The worst waste or the best waste? Surely the worst waste means that he wasn’t that much of a waste?