No wholesale changes...

[Barney]

First of all i am as happy as anyone that we have managed to get Adkins. However since he has arrived, i am sensing from many blades and me being one, that Adkins should and will come in and release the deadwood, sign 5/6 key players for the spine of the team and get us playing good attractive football again. However, from Jim's interview at the press conference on Tuesday, i got the impression that Jim seemed more into the idea of developing what we had here already and only bringing in maybe a couple of signings in areas which are really needed. This is slightly worrying, as i think a lot more than one or two signings is needed to push for automatic. We are talking about a squad that finished 20 odd points off automatic last season. Credit to NA if he can do it with just a few signings and developing what we already have, but i don't think it is possible. A whole new spine including 1GK, 2CB'S, 1CM, 1ST is needed for me if we are to have any hopes of automatic and i just don't get the impression that is what we are going for.

I am made to feel better about the situation when i think that Adkins could only think about coming to us if there was a big budget available, but i do think that the emphasis may not be so strong on really making a lot of improvements and instead trying to make what we already have better and if this is the case, i just hope they don't regret it come the end of the season.
I will happily be very wrong if this turns out not to be the case and NA does sign 5 decent quality signings and cuts down this huge squad we have, as i think that is exactly what's needed. I will also happily eat humble pie should he opt for an approach to improve what we have and it turns out to be a master stroke, and we go up without really spending that much. I am just worried, and maybe wrongly worried, we aren't going to sign the amount of players we need to be able to get out of this division.

 

[AnonymousBlade1995]

We will sign 4 or 5 play imo with the same number going out the door

 

[Kev Gee]

I don't think there's any need to worry mate. I'm pretty sure that NA will already have in mind who he is keeping or letting go.

I'm also pretty sure that NA will already be hard at work watching as many games as possible from last season and analysing performances of the players and team as a whole.

 

[Grecian2000]

I suspect he'll want to recruit when he takes a look at what's around him.

Possibly worth noting when he took over at Southampton he had three future England internationals already sat in the squad.
Have we anything remotely resembling that?

 

[Barney]

I suspect he'll want to recruit when he takes a look at what's around him.

Possibly worth noting when he took over at Southampton he had three future England internationals already sat in the squad.
Have we anything remotely resembling that?

Yeah i just hope he doesn't focus too much on improving what we have, because i don't think we have enough improvement in us to challenge for auto's.

 

[Jan Age]

Yeah i just hope he doesn't focus too much on improving what we have, because i don't think we have enough improvement in us to challenge for auto's.

Yeah i just hope he doesn't focus too much on improving what we have, because i don't think we have enough improvement in us to challenge for auto's.

Yeah i just hope he doesn't focus too much on improving what we have, because i don't think we have enough improvement in us to challenge for auto's.

Yeah i just hope he doesn't focus too much on improving what we have, because i don't think we have enough improvement in us to challenge for auto's.

Yeah i just hope he doesn't focus too much on improving what we have, because i don't think we have enough improvement in us to challenge for auto's.

I think 3 or 4 permanents with 2 season long loans using his contacts and any money saved to pay off the deadwood retained by Clough plus moving on what he can.

 

[Barney]

I think 3 or 4 permanents with 2 season long loans using his contacts and any money saved to pay off the deadwood retained by Clough plus moving on what he can.

Ideally that's what he'd do. Just concerned the board will encourage him not to sign too many players. Jim said in the press conference something along the lines of "we don't want somebody who is going to rip the whole squad down before he starts" which is exactly what's needed in my opinion.

 

[Jan Age]

Ideally that's what he'd do. Just concerned the board will encourage him not to sign too many players. Jim said in the press conference something along the lines of "we don't want somebody who is going to rip the whole squad down before he starts" which is exactly what's needed in my opinion.

You can interpret that 2 different ways. The way I hope and think is:

1) squad contains a number of players so bringing in 4/5 and moving out slightly more than that as our squad is huge! Does not equate to ripping the squad up.

I looked at it the other day with a mate of mine and we thought we have 7 good first teamers and we trusted youth on the bench. Kept a couple of the older lads round as squad men. Which meant we need for instant first teamers.

In my opinion that complements the squad and does not equal wholesale changes.

 

[DaniBBlade]

4 or 5 in. (Foderingham and Billy Sharp would be nice,2 big strong no nonsense centre halfs) and we could be in business. Would also like to see the likes of Adams, Higdon, Cuvelier, Wallace get fit and given a chance.

 

[Blade for Sale]

An attacking policy and not sitting back on 1 goal leads would have seen us at least 10 points better off last season. Playing 2 centre halves at centre half would have got us another 5! I don't think we need wholesale changes, just a few newbies, a few tactical tweaks and a new mindset.

 

[United Aren't Back.]

Yes Barny. The squad is huge, shite, and needs trimming and a few decent replacements too.

 

[Jan Age]

Wallace - I don't think will ever be fit
Higdon - give him a chance but not a starter if we are serious about promotion (but then we said that about Shipps)

I think when we looked at it we had: Long, Kennedy, Reed, Adams, CL, Mcnulty .... All on the bench...bags of potential there.

 

[ghandi]

When will NA be able to carry out his player assessment because aren't the players on hols currently?

 

[Fulwood Blade]

When will NA be able to carry out his player assessment because aren't the players on hols currently?

Aren't all our games on Betamax - or is it that new VHS stuff?

UTB

 

[Silent Blade]

When will NA be able to carry out his player assessment because aren't the players on hols currently?

When do the players report for pre-season training?

 

[metty]

July 1st I think

 

[FTPE]

Does Adkins job start straight away or does he get a break now too.
If he's straight into the deep end I'm guessing he could track down the majority of this seasons games online. He shouldn't completely make his assessments on last seasons matches because we don't know what they were instructed to do by Clough but it would give him a really good head start.
I wonder how many games he'd have to watch before he thought "what the hell does this Coutts do!??"

 

[lepton blade]

Living in Huddersfield it is fairly common knowledge that Adkins was interviewed for the job before they appointed Powell. Apparently when Adkins asked about the available budget he was told "you've got the academy and any revenue from sales". He didn't take the job. I think we can rest assured he will have funds for transfers this season.

 

[Darthblade]

When will NA be able to carry out his player assessment because aren't the players on hols currently?

All he has to do is watch the videos of the games from last season ( we had to so why shouldn't he have to suffer as well ) and it will be more than clear to anybody who has three brain cells what the glaring problems were from the first weeks to the last.

No decent CHs, no strikers until late January, midgets in midfield who get "eased" off the ball, little pace, little composure and cant pass water !! There ...... hope that helps Nigel mate.... over to you
UTB & FTP

 

[Deadly_D'Jaffo]

I wonder how many games he'd have to watch before he thought "what the hell does this Coutts do!??"

I'm going to put my neck out and say Coutts will be an important player for us next year.

Yes, I acknowledge his fumbled 5 yard passes and sincere lack of pace but he is a tidy footballer. With a full pre-season behind him and a few attacking players making runs in front of him he could be that McDonald-like player that we never replaced.

 

[Kenilworth]

I suspect he'll want to recruit when he takes a look at what's around him.

Possibly worth noting when he took over at Southampton he had three future England internationals already sat in the squad.
Have we anything remotely resembling that?

We have the Jockanese E squad
What more d'ya want?

Seeeeth. Some people eh?

 

[Blade59]

Don't think wholesale changes are needed. We have some good players for this level but not a good team. What we need to do is add qualities we haven't got (physicality, pace, centre halves being the main ones) and with more positive tactics I think we are more than capable of top 2. Too many players who didn't add anything different to what we already had were brought in last summer and I am sure NA will not make that same mistake.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

First of all i am as happy as anyone that we have managed to get Adkins. However since he has arrived, i am sensing from many blades and me being one, that Adkins should and will come in and release the deadwood, sign 5/6 key players for the spine of the team and get us playing good attractive football again. However, from Jim's interview at the press conference on Tuesday, i got the impression that Jim seemed more into the idea of developing what we had here already and only bringing in maybe a couple of signings in areas which are really needed. This is slightly worrying, as i think a lot more than one or two signings is needed to push for automatic. We are talking about a squad that finished 20 odd points off automatic last season. Credit to NA if he can do it with just a few signings and developing what we already have, but i don't think it is possible. A whole new spine including 1GK, 2CB'S, 1CM, 1ST is needed for me if we are to have any hopes of automatic and i just don't get the impression that is what we are going for.

I am made to feel better about the situation when i think that Adkins could only think about coming to us if there was a big budget available, but i do think that the emphasis may not be so strong on really making a lot of improvements and instead trying to make what we already have better and if this is the case, i just hope they don't regret it come the end of the season.
I will happily be very wrong if this turns out not to be the case and NA does sign 5 decent quality signings and cuts down this huge squad we have, as i think that is exactly what's needed. I will also happily eat humble pie should he opt for an approach to improve what we have and it turns out to be a master stroke, and we go up without really spending that much. I am just worried, and maybe wrongly worried, we aren't going to sign the amount of players we need to be able to get out of this division.

The players are only human and like the fans being involved with the manager who took Southampton to where he took them will be exciting for them and pre season won't come quick enough for them.

Don't worry.

 

[Dnblade]

For me,I wouldn't mind Bash as one of the Centre Backs,and sign a left sided CB to play alongside.He's been easily good enough while playing there....I thought like most of us we needed him in midfield at the back end of the season to give us more energy and mobilty,and that he can make forward runs with or without the ball,but I'm not sure he's good enough on the ball..often his runs forward come to nothing,and he doesn't score enough goals...maybe we can bring someone in who's as athletic,but more quality on the ball.
Hopefully we'll finally get Wallace fit,and with a good preseason behind him he could be like a new signing..also Coutts the same...A commanding Centre Back and a Striker are top priorities for me,along with more drive and energy in midfield.

 

[robbiez666]

I'm going to put my neck out and say Coutts will be an important player for us next year.

Yes, I acknowledge his fumbled 5 yard passes and sincere lack of pace but he is a tidy footballer. With a full pre-season behind him and a few attacking players making runs in front of him he could be that McDonald-like player that we never replaced.

I think there's a real possibility that he could end up League 1 player of the season next year. There's clearly a great footballer in there who just needs to get out. He looks like a man playing at 30%

 

[Yewsman]

For me,I wouldn't mind Bash as one of the Centre Backs,and sign a left sided CB to play alongside.He's been easily good enough while playing there....I thought like most of us we needed him in midfield at the back end of the season to give us more energy and mobilty,and that he can make forward runs with or without the ball,but I'm not sure he's good enough on the ball..often his runs forward come to nothing,and he doesn't score enough goals...maybe we can bring someone in who's as athletic,but more quality on the ball.
Hopefully we'll finally get Wallace fit,and with a good preseason behind him he could be like a new signing..also Coutts the same...A commanding Centre Back and a Striker are top priorities for me,along with more drive and energy in midfield.

I think Bash is wasted at CB and also he is not a natural and was part of the defence which was very permeable last season. I think his best position is CM and although he did not play there that much when he did he looked outstanding in the latter stages of the season (he was not impressive when he first arrived). I also think that too many people write off Coutts and I think he and Bash are a great combination in CM. they also both have size and strength which means they will not get "bullied" as did our smaller players. They played there against Barnsley away (one of our best performances) and also in the first half against Swindon when we were 1-0 up. We lost our momentum when the beard went off at half time and Bash had to drop back to CH.

 

[metalblade]

I think Darren's dead granny could get our squad of players performing better but we do need a minimum of four recruits 1x goalkeeper 2x centre backs 1x big pacey striker. Surely we can have a good midfield from what is already at the club if we get them all fully fit and still be able to trim the squad down.

 

[Grappler]

I think there's a real possibility that he could end up League 1 player of the season next year. There's clearly a great footballer in there who just needs to get out. He looks like a man playing at 30%

I agree, there is a good footballer in there somewhere, hopefully he can get match fit and show what he can really do. Like I have said before, Preston and Derby fans I know raved about him.

 

[Pinchy]

It's refreshing to see so many of you take a sensible view of Paul Coutts, who was first pick in central midfield for three good Championship clubs over a number of years.

It's all about the injury. If he can get fully (match) fit we've probably got the best CM in this league on our hands. It's a big if though. I hope he comes through. It will be to the significant advantage of our club if he does.

Or just write him off for silly reasons that really ought to be left behind us now....

It's an early test of positivity and United Together to give the United player Paul Coutts the benefit of the doubt until we see him in August isn't it?

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

It's refreshing to see so many of you take a sensible view of Paul Coutts, who was first pick in central midfield for three good Championship clubs over a number of years.

It's all about the injury. If he can get fully (match) fit we've probably got the best CM in this league on our hands. It's a big if though. I hope he comes through. It will be to the significant advantage of our club if he does.

Or just write him off for silly reasons that really ought to be left behind us now....

It's an early test of positivity and United Together to give the United player Paul Coutts the benefit of the doubt until we see him in August isn't it?

Coutts and Wallace are both very good players , and performed with star ratings at previous clubs. Could it be something as simple , that the fitness road to recovery regime was incorrect . One injury ,if not treated ,and managed correctly , can lead to other niggle injuries ( as seems the case with Wallace ).

As you say , lets see what both players are like in August , and hopefully , if both are firing on all cylinders , we have got ourselves two new players , with the benefit of already being on the books.

I am sure Adkins with his knowledge , experience and expertise will soon come to a conclusion on these two players , and whether or not they will be fit enough , to stand the rigours of the new league season. campaign.

Clough may perhaps , was unlucky with Coutts and Wallace , if we didn't buy them , somebody else would have . A risk that unfortunately did not come off for Clough last season , but Adkins could well reap the benefits with a fully fit Coutts and Wallace.

UTB