post-match presser- "I think we need to keep all the players"

[robbiez666]

Hecky actually sound much more relaxed now

Looking at bringing 5/6 players in

 

[Toronto Blade fan]

Can't see Fleck, Enda or Osborne being worthwhile to bring back.... Even on the cheap.

 

[FTPE]

Can't see Fleck, Enda or Osborne being worthwhile to bring back.... Even on the cheap.

RND is seriously injured.
Lowe isn't good enough and...
I'd STILL not keep Enda.

 

[Rufus Smalls]

Keeping ALL the players next season is slightly worrying.

 

[JayGreen17]

Hecky actually sound much more relaxed now

Looking at bringing 5/6 players in

He’s either pulling a fast one, mad, or spinning the line so we don’t get disappointed when we don’t spend owt.

Either way, Sharp, Osborn, Fleck, Bash, Stevens..all need a handshake, thanks but bye, we really need to be efficient with what resoirces we have and keeping them is just a non starter, refresh the squad now while we can, I’d we got relegated it would be harder to do.

 

[Valleyblade]

Hecky was clear. We go as we are. that's all we can do until new owners come in. add 5 or 6 players, possibly including 2 that are here now. he can only plan for definites, which is definitely no money to spend, and definitely no infrastructure improvement, in the grand scheme of things.

 

[robbiez666]

He’s either pulling a fast one, mad, or spinning the line so we don’t get disappointed when we don’t spend owt.

Either way, Sharp, Osborn, Fleck, Bash, Stevens..all need a handshake, thanks but bye, we really need to be efficient with what resoirces we have and keeping them is just a non starter, refresh the squad now while we can, I’d we got relegated it would be harder to do.

Bash has another year.

If we can only bring in 5 or 6 then we probably have little choice. Premier League squads are 25, I believe. We have 22 senior players (but let's say 21 as I'd loan out Jebbo). I presume Enda may go and another but I'd not be surprised to see Osborn or Sharp here next season.

 

[Nick Jansky]

Hecky was clear. We go as we are. that's all we can do until new owners come in. add 5 or 6 players, possibly including 2 that are here now. he can only plan for definites, which is definitely no money to spend, and definitely no infrastructure improvement, in the grand scheme of things.

Adding 5 or 6 players isn’t going as we are.

 

[Valleyblade]

its 4 more players, and no big ones

 

[buddy]

He’s either pulling a fast one, mad, or spinning the line so we don’t get disappointed when we don’t spend owt.

Either way, Sharp, Osborn, Fleck, Bash, Stevens..all need a handshake, thanks but bye, we really need to be efficient with what resoirces we have and keeping them is just a non starter, refresh the squad now while we can, I’d we got relegated it would be harder to do.

Put it this way , if we are keeping any of them , who have been tremendous in the past, the 4 or 5 we bring in need to be Pele , Messi, Maradonna and Cruyff and Beckenbauer to have a fukin chance

 

[ghandi]

RND is seriously injured.
Lowe isn't good enough and...
I'd STILL not keep Enda.

Hecky just lost out last year in Play-offs and then get us promoted with 3 games to spare and people still question what he does FFS.

 

[FTPE]

Hecky just lost out last year in Play-offs and then get us promoted with 3 games to spare and people still question what he does FFS.

Right?
Without Enda hardly contributing.

 

[buddy]

Hecky just lost out last year in Play-offs and then get us promoted with 3 games to spare and people still question what he does FFS.

Ffs indeed

 

[Need4speed]

Hecky can’t come out and say “oh we are not going to renew 4 current player contracts” Firstly he needs to have those conversations with the individual players and secondly the trems we offer to any player out of contract maybe turned down by the player especially if they see themselves getting little game time and if they want to play. As for some of the comments by some on here please just remember our current players contributions over the whole time they have been at the club. We haven’t got a Deam Hammond or Connor Salmon type stealing a wage.

 

[Frank the tank]

I want to keep them all
Sounds like something you say before you sell a litter of puppies

 

[Hackey Blade]

Here’s how I see it, keeping the same squad is 100% going to finish in relegation even with 4-6 additions (unless they are real quality). So everyone keeps saying the youngsters are nowhere near good enough yet, but neither are Billy, Enda, Fleck, Lowe and possibly Norwood + others but by releasing these and playing the youngsters we will save a small fortune in wages and get the same result.

 

[Shirty Blade]

its 4 more players, and no big ones

That finally ends the Dan Burn rumour!

 

[robbiez666]

That finally ends the Dan Burn rumour!

Harlee Dean is out of contract this summer, so all is not lost!

 

[Shirty Blade]

Please God no!

 

[robbiez666]

RND is seriously injured.
Lowe isn't good enough and...
I'd STILL not keep Enda.

Lowe is likely to be here next year regardless, I assume. And in fairness, if he can put in performances like the last two league games every week then I have no problems with that.

 

[Stu_Blade]

Here’s how I see it, keeping the same squad is 100% going to finish in relegation even with 4-6 additions (unless they are real quality). So everyone keeps saying the youngsters are nowhere near good enough yet, but neither are Billy, Enda, Fleck, Lowe and possibly Norwood + others but by releasing these and playing the youngsters we will save a small fortune in wages and get the same result.

Agreed it goes back to the to the other threads are we in it for staying up or in it for guaranteeing the future of the club as a stable progressive top end championship/yo yo premiership club. We don't need to go mega bucks spending for the sake of it if the money can be better used elsewhere. Would we rather have 1 season gamble of £100million on players or sort out the infrastructure and have 10 years yo yoing producing quality talent and selling them on for a premium eventually taking a Brighton or Palace type of spot in the Premier league

 

[Keen Blade]

Agreed it goes back to the to the other threads are we in it for staying up or in it for guaranteeing the future of the club as a stable progressive top end championship/yo yo premiership club. We don't need to go mega bucks spending for the sake of it if the money can be better used elsewhere. Would we rather have 1 season gamble of £100million on players or sort out the infrastructure and have 10 years yo yoing producing quality talent and selling them on for a premium eventually taking a Brighton or Palace type of spot in the Premier league

This is the most important question , what is our longer term objective ?
But in the absence of an owner who is content to stay for the foreseeable future , there is no answer.
So the club may well just lurch along , until ownership is settled.
There is so much demand upon our PL resources :
Transfer fees
Wages
Mortgage on McCabe assets
Other debts
Training ground
Academy
Scouting structure
Hotel
Ground improvement
It is a very complex exercise to decide which to fund and by how much.

 

[Sheffsteel]

Hecky actually sound much more relaxed now

Looking at bringing 5/6 players in

I heard that too.....think it's just manager speak.....a public way of saying "thank you" to the players.
If he had his way......he'd love to keep them all....and let them all play in the PL next year.
However in reality we know half of them aren't good enough to be 1st team starters at PL level.

He already admitted he hasn't a clue what our future or spending budget will be.
He's said he's due to meet the Prince next week.

Also until the takeover is sorted...then no one knows what budget we have.

 

[Charlieblade]

Pure speculation, but reading between the lines, PH may have to accept that the 5/6 players will be those in the current squad who need contract renewal.

It’s been done before when Ndiaye was described as a great new signing!

I agree with most fans that some have to move on, and PH probably has to accept that, however reluctantly that might be.
The only player retention where I disagree with supporters would be Osborn. Given the likely financial constraints, I would keep Osborn due to his age and versatility.

I’m sure that management and ownership will have done their sums for different scenarios, but I expect PA to be hard line on money, and PH will be left with no choice but to accept it. That’s why he got a 5 year contract in the first place.
The Prince probably didn’t expect to be discussing this with Blades in the EPL!

 

[GreenhillBladeinToronto]

I want to keep them all
Sounds like something you say before you sell a litter of puppies

 

[Champagneblade]

I was about to make a post disproving Hecky’s point however the maths might just work with what he said!

He wants 6 more.

Let’s assume, not unreasonably that he wants the 6 to be good enough to be in the team or at least matchday squad.

In the Prem you have 25 overall squad slots, so that leaves 19 spots to fill if he brings in 6, unless those coming in are all 20 or 21.

You can discount Jebbo and Osula as they are both under 20.

So excluding those and loans, the over 21s are Wes, Davies, Baldock, Bogle, Anel, Bash, Egan, RND, Lowe, Stevens, Robinson, Berge, Norwood, Fleck, Coulibaly, Osborn, Ndiaye, Brewster, McBurnie, Sharp = 20

Clark will go back and a left sided option will need to come in, preferably someone who can play both left sided roles. I wasn’t counting O’Connell, who you’d expect him to retire but maybe he does pre-season and sees if he can do pay as you play, if not with us then somewhere. You need to plan for another centre back too even barring this miracle.

You need to replace Doyle and McAtee and quite possibly with Doyle and McAtee!

These are all minimum. Then you need to look at probably one more striker and a possible keeper upgrade.

That would be my 6 and also perhaps what Hecky thinks with the squad. That takes you to 26 not including Jebbo and Osula (the latter might favour a loan) so if he gets Doyle or McAtee then perhaps they also come into the same category as Jebbo.

So that would mean we need to immediately crack on and agree contracts with Wes, Robinson, Stevens, Osborn, Coulibaly, Fleck, Norwood, McBurnie, Sharp, Jebbison, possibly Osula?

You’ve also then got Baldock, Egan, Norrington-Davies, Bogle, Lowe, Berge, Ndiaye, Basham, Davies all up in just over a year.

In fact it’s probably easier to say only Rhian (2025) and Anel (2026) have contracts beyond next season!

You’d think a subtle rejuvenating of the squad could still be considered.

Just in a very modest way even. For example rather than keep Stevens on, who will be out of contract, why not take Manning from Swansea at the end of his deal? He’s 26, 9 assist and 5 goals in 42 matches and his money will probably be far less. Enda will be 33 when the season begins.

It might not quite be the goodbye that some are anticipating for some. So be it, but let’s not be giving silly contracts out to players who will be back up or bit part players.

 

[Sharp as a blade]

If Fleck and Stevens get a new contract I'll be very worried about next season. Neither has really contributed to this season and both will be a year older and slower.

I don't expect us to spend as much as we did last time we went up but surely we can use the prem money to at least try and be competitive.

 

[Wincobank S9 Blade]

Not sure about this I see his point about bulking squad a bit but let’s hope we don’t get as many injuries as last couple of seasons. I had in my mind 10 new players that’s a new GK, 3 new DF, 4 new MF and 2 new ST, to say only 5 or 6 is a bit disheartening but hopefully a takeover happens although not holding my breath if it’s just a 4 week deadline . Don’t agree either with keeping the likes of Stevens, Fleck, Osborn and Sharp, others out of contact at a push but these aren’t good enough for championship any more let alone premier league. Harsh because they’ve been good players for us but if we’re going to move on as a club we need to look at improved younger players surely, also their wages off free wage bill. Sharp blades legend but 37 now.

 

[United Aren't Back.]

Hecky just lost out last year in Play-offs and then get us promoted with 3 games to spare and people still question what he does FFS.

He's never had Big Blade credentials, not 'from Sheffield' (oooh.. Is he awlreight thaw..?..) and isn't particularly egotistical, unlike certain others I could mention.

 

[Weasel]

Let's get to the end of the season and see who gets released / retained before we have a melt down.

We all know finances need to be re-set and outstanding bills paid, infrastructure improvements needed, and we have the added complexity of an owner trying to seel us imminently. All means that we won't have a lot to spend on player recruitment. I don't want us to make sweeping changes but we do need to lose 2 or 3 of the old guard now to refresh the squad. That is just evolution. We have to be careful though as if we rip up too much of what got us here again then we lose that 'esprit de corps' that we will need in bucket loads next season.