Retained List

[Tarqs]

Coulibaly extension is no surprise to anyone that listened to hecky last season. Made it very clear hes in our plans long term.

 

[SuperBobbyHatton]

Fleck getting offered a contract is worrying.

 

[Hackey Blade]

If anyone was dreaming we could actually stay up next season........never mind.

 

[Pedro's Winger]

List niffs of a club adrift without any clear sense of direction.
Offering Fleck a contract is both bizarre and worrying as assuming relegation is pretty much assured he isn't going to be good enough for a promotion push. Feels like just another body to make up the numbers.
Derby's record could well be under threat.

 

[Montymagic]

Osborn and fleck.....

Please tell me it's an April fools joke

 

[true99blade]

Fully expected us to offer deals to Fleck and Osborn, it’s disappointing but not surprising. The likelihood is we can’t afford to bring in many players of equal/better quality. That’s the boat we’re in financially.

 

[BobbyDavison'sDebut]

Fully expected us to offer deals to Fleck and Osborn, it’s disappointing but not surprising. The likelihood is we can’t afford to bring in many players of equal/better quality. That’s the boat we’re in financially.

Basically this. If we manage to bring in a few midfielders then they would move down the pecking order. Must be on reduced terms or they’d have accepted by now

 

[jt64]

Echo the concerns re: offering Fleck new terms, it's incredibly obvious to any observer that the only time he should be getting minutes is if there are an absolute ton of injuries. I'm not sure what is more of a concern, that Hecky can't see this or that the board are playing along by sanctioning the extension offer

 

[DI36O]

Slightly surprised all 3 got new offers but think about it, if we let Fleck, Osborne and Coulibaly go we'd only have 2 midfielders left at the club. Arblaster would be a third I guess.

 

[fifty shades of blade]

Fleck and ozzy ones makes sense, squad depth and cover for when you need it. We wont have the money to buy better players AND additional cover.

 

[Pedro's Winger]

The list also says a lot about our non-existent scouting network.
That we haven't identified a younger player anywhere who's a better option than Fleck is remarkable.

 

[BLADES1988]

If anyone was dreaming we could actually stay up next season........never mind.

Yes because releasing 3 who are past it is a bad thing

 

[jt64]

Slightly surprised all 3 got new offers but think about it, if we let Fleck, Osborne and Coulibaly go we'd only have 2 midfielders left at the club. Arblaster would be a third I guess.

That shouldn't be an issue. If someone is blatantly incapable of playing at a certain level, they are redundant. You do not offer them a new contract "just because". Osborn at least has versatility. Coulibaly at least is moderately young and has upside (same with Arblaster). Fleck has neither

 

[fifty shades of blade]

The list also says a lot about our non-existent scouting network.
That we haven't identified a younger player anywhere who's a better option than Fleck is remarkable.

That's not true fella. Who knows who we may sign. Fleck signing is just for cover IMO

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

I guess the issue will be length of contract. If we're offering 1, I assume players will want more.

The structure of the first team squad itself is a cause for worry. Lots of players not good enough for the Championship in that group. Extending Coulibaly's contract is bizarre.

You’d think we’d be offering at least 2 probably with a plus one as we’re likely to want them if we’re relegated. Maybe he wants a straight 3?

 

[georgebernardshaw]

I just assume he has something on someone at the club. I can't fathom how he is still here.

That’s a bit of a reach, mate

 

[Mouth of the South]

The list also says a lot about our non-existent scouting network.
That we haven't identified a younger player anywhere who's a better option than Fleck is remarkable.

Perhaps they have in O'Brien and Fleck was offered terms in order to retain some cover. Considering the terms have been on offer for ~ 3 weeks now and are yet to be accepted, the longer it goes on, the more likely he, Osborn and Robinson are to move on elsewhere.

I would have thought Robinson would be the most marketable of the three - left footed CBs of Champ quality aren't that common.

 

[Houston_Blade]

A retained list with Osborn and Fleck can’t be the real one.

 

[Yewsman]

So far as Billy is concerned maybe he wants to carry on playing and may have some irons in the fire to play in L1 or 2 for a season or two. No doubt the club would offer him coaching role when hes ready to stop playing.

 

[Ron_Justice]

Are there any difference in squad size etc. between PL and EFL? Fleck and Ozzy jump out as known quantities that will be there exclusively for backup to the backup IMO. Not really an issue if teams can have larger squads than teams in the EFL. They could be seen as 3rd choice's if there are enough squad places.

 

[Champagneblade]

I guess the issue will be length of contract. If we're offering 1, I assume players will want more.

The structure of the first team squad itself is a cause for worry. Lots of players not good enough for the Championship in that group. Extending Coulibaly's contract is bizarre.

Coulibaly is not long turned 22. Only recently gained his first International cap and has played 78 senior games and we paid over a million for him.

I'd have been amazed if we hadn't extended his deal. It would have undermined our desire to unearth rough gems and develop them.

It still means our current midfield is still only Norwood, Coulibaly, Berge.

 

[Ron_Justice]

So far as Billy is concerned maybe he wants to carry on playing and may have some irons in the fire to play in L1 or 2 for a season or two. No doubt the club would offer him coaching role when hes ready to stop playing.

Has to be it. His only mission is to score goals, while he still can. No reason he can't go down the leagues for a few years and set some untouchable records while he's at it.

 

[Pedro's Winger]

That's not true fella. Who knows who we may sign. Fleck signing is just for cover IMO

He can't cover the ground n'er mind covering for another player.
He's been a great servant over the years but he's basically just going to be filling a shirt that could/should have gone to a younger player who could be useful in a promotion push.

 

[Roygbiv]

Are there any difference in squad size etc. between PL and EFL? Fleck and Ozzy jump out as known quantities that will be there exclusively for backup to the backup IMO. Not really an issue if teams can have larger squads than teams in the EFL. They could be seen as 3rd choice's if there are enough squad places.

25 players for The Premier League. We currently have 18 and that includes 7 players who have never started a game for us. The reason Osborn and Fleck haven't signed yet is obviously as they've been offered a contract on low wages and been told they will be squad fillers.

 

[Champagneblade]

Looking lower down, I'm surprised Starbuck and Gordon have been released with Brunt offered a new a deal.

Eastwood is a funny one as per.

Clearly stalled.

Starbuck has been eclipsed by Sagdev and the likes of Potter and Barrett have overtaken Gordon.

Brunt got young player of the year at Boreham Wood. Maybe we're prepared to show a bit more patience with him? He had a great spell at Southend then a bad one.

 

[Pedro's Winger]

Perhaps they have in O'Brien and Fleck was offered terms in order to retain some cover. Considering the terms have been on offer for ~ 3 weeks now and are yet to be accepted, the longer it goes on, the more likely he, Osborn and Robinson are to move on elsewhere.

I would have thought Robinson would be the most marketable of the three - left footed CBs of Champ quality aren't that common.

No doubt but the fact they're seeing Fleck as cover in the first place is the problem both short and long term.

 

[robbiez666]

Coulibaly is not long turned 22. Only recently gained his first International cap and has played 78 senior games and we paid over a million for him.

I'd have been amazed if we hadn't extended his deal. It would have undermined our desire to unearth rough gems and develop them.

It still means our current midfield is still only Norwood, Coulibaly, Berge.

I assume we'll look to flog him for a million or two.

 

[FriethBlade]

Slightly surprised all 3 got new offers but think about it, if we let Fleck, Osborne and Coulibaly go we'd only have 2 midfielders left at the club. Arblaster would be a third I guess.

Only if u assume we are making very few additions....which now looks like it will be the case

 

[Ndiayewillalwaysloveyou]

Wonder if any might still be sold or listed?

 

[robbiez666]

You’d think we’d be offering at least 2 probably with a plus one as we’re likely to want them if we’re relegated. Maybe he wants a straight 3?

Do we really want a 32 or 33 year old Jack Robinson at the club?!

2 would be the maximum, but I'd look to 1 + 1.

His pace will get increasingly exposed.