Sharp

[adiosmiamigo]

Depends also what formation we are playing.

If it is 3-4-2-1 with Ndiaye and someone like Kent or McAtee off a striker then you don't need so many out and out strikers. Once Ndiaye leaves then there is your chance to get Osula and Jebbo as a pair and play 3-4-1-2 or with some McBurnie and Brewster rotation if fit.

Maybe you're looking at Berge and Doyle as a pair with Ndiaye and Kent off McBurnie or something like that. So you need a McBurnie alternative and a back up no 10. Maybe that's where Pukki comes in or Billy.

But it feels like the dye is cast.

Have we got a Doyle or Kent?

 

[Champagneblade]

Have we got a Doyle or Kent?

I'll come back to you when the window closes! Already being reported Kent is off to Turkey.

 

[FallowfieldBlade]

If the club give sharp an extra year because he has turned the waterworks on at the city hall then it is a joke IMO

Keeping sharp last season and possibly the year before has blocked the path for osula/jebbo/brewster enough already giving him another would be a bad bad idea

 

[mattbianco1]

Under no circumstances should the bagsman be getting a playing contract next season.

Quite simply he is not good enough to get in our team anymore. We're he not born in Sheffield and didn't support us, there would have been a lynch mob at the lane for his performances this season.

Might sound harsh for all he has done for us, but he is finished. We will be a team with 40% max of the ball in most games next season and to have a slow, short, ageing striker coming on will be a waste of time and wages!

Leave now whilst your stock is high!

He's my all time favourite player, an absolute legend at the club, but i agree with you.

It will be a very sad day when he leaves for me, but no player is bigger than the club and we need to consider the future of our club, not looking after a 37yo player.

I'm putting 2+2 together here, but my guess is that this potential contract not being renewed was never mentioned to Sharp until very recently... had the club had a conversation with him to explain that he will not be renewed if we get promoted, then I'm sure Billy himself would have come out publicly to announce his own departure/retirement.
The way it looks at present is that he had no indication of this and now feels let down by the club.

Sharp announcing his own departure would be the type of closure he would have wanted. That's the bit that gets me.

 

[Tezza1889]

You were saying if Rodwell and Morrison could be given premier League contracts last time, then Sharp should now. I'm not sure pointing out that we've wasted money before is a good argument for possibly doing it again.

In my opinion not offering Sharp a new deal is the correct decision.

Unless he's willing to accept a ridiculously low wage (which I highly doubt), then his contribution on the field next season would not be worth the outlay in my opinion.

Fair comment.

The holding back of younger players progress is also valid, but what's to say Osula and Jebbo will take the step up?

 

[adiosmiamigo]

I'll come back to you when the window closes! Already being reported Kent is off to Turkey.

Please do,I doubt very much whether there'll be a Doyle or Kent in a United shirt but I never mind being proved wrong.

 

[Champagneblade]

To give a bit of context as to how much Billy is swimming against the tide, the top 5 oldest players used in the PL this season have been:

1. Thiago Silva - 38 years 7 months 28 days.
2. Lukasz Fabianski - 38 years 1 month 3 days.
3. Ashley Young - 37 years 10 months 11 days.
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - 37 years 9 months 1 day
5. James Milner - 37 years 4 months 16 days.

So:
Number 1 is a 113 cap Brazil international.
Number 2 is a 57 cap Polish international and not an outfield player.
Number 3 is a 39 cap England international with 422 PL games.
Number 4 is a 198 cap Portuguese international with 5 ballons d'or.
Number 5 is a 71 cap England International with 618 PL games.

Billy would be starting the season already in 5th spot and ending it in 2nd but that is the calibre of player that is being deployed at his age at the top level.

Even the best dreams you end up waking up eventually!

 

[DronnieBlade]

As things stand. We have Sharp McB Brew Osu and Jebbo. Maybe Ndiaye if you consider him a forward (I don’t).

I have hopes for Jebbo and even higher hopes for Osu. But they need a season on loan to get a regular shirt.

I’d pick Sharp ahead of ANY of the others at this time. Even though he is 49 !!

That said, we need at least 2 new CFs.

UTB

 

[DronnieBlade]

As things stand. We have Sharp McB Brew Osu and Jebbo. Maybe Ndiaye if you consider him a forward (I don’t).

I have hopes for Jebbo and even higher hopes for Osu. But they need a season on loan to get a regular shirt.

I’d pick Sharp ahead of ANY of the others at this time. Even though he is 49 !!

That said, we need at least 2 new CFs.

UTB

I’d additionally wager that the player himself, even at 51, would back himself to force the issue in terms of securing a regular shirt ahead of the current competition !

UTB

 

[Classof85]

Reports on twitter Billy is having photos done on pitch at Keepmoat this morning

 

[Scarebus]

Reports on twitter Billy is having photos done on pitch at Keepmoat this morning

Think that was yesterday, and it turned out to be Richard Wood.

 

[Champagneblade]

Think that was yesterday, and it turned out to be Richard Wood.

Laugh if he joined Donny just to stop Wrexham going up again

 

[Le Cynique]

Jebbo and Osula's best place to develop is on the pitch with us. If the rumours are correct and we're potless, what's the point in sending them out on loan where they may well successful for someone else? Sure, there's a chance that they might not come good for us, but there's equally a chance that whomever we bring in to replace them won't either. At least we'd be developing our own and taking advantage of their growth and existing attributes.

 

[Rudders]

Think that was yesterday, and it turned out to be Richard Wood.

Would have needed the wide angled lens on the camera for Richard Wood.

 

[DronnieBlade]

Jebbo and Osula's best place to develop is on the pitch with us. If the rumours are correct and we're potless, what's the point in sending them out on loan where they may well successful for someone else? Sure, there's a chance that they might not come good for us, but there's equally a chance that whomever we bring in to replace them won't either. At least we'd be developing our own and taking advantage of their growth and existing attributes.

On the pitch.

In the PL ?

Could do much more harm to their respective development than good could that !

UTB

 

[jt64]

On the pitch.

In the PL ?

Could do much more harm to their respective development than good could that !

UTB

If they're good enough, they're old enough. We need to find that out, you're not going to work out if someone is good enough for the PL without playing them in the PL, knowing that they're doing alright and Rotherham doesn't really teach us anything. Pace and power is what works at the top level, which is what these kids have and what anyone we bring in doesn't have. If it's not working out and they shouldn't be getting significant minutes, then you loan them in the JTW. If either of them are, then we need the full season of them doing it

 

[DronnieBlade]

If they're good enough, they're old enough. We need to find that out, you're not going to work out if someone is good enough for the PL without playing them in the PL, knowing that they're doing alright and Rotherham doesn't really teach us anything. Pace and power is what works at the top level, which is what these kids have and what anyone we bring in doesn't have. If it's not working out and they shouldn't be getting significant minutes, then you loan them in the JTW. If either of them are, then we need the full season of them doing it

So you believe they are both good enough then ?

And that they are good enough for the PL in 2023 ?

I have high hopes for both. But they need a season in L1 to test themselves. The PL is a harsh place to “learn” their trade and could have a devastating effect to confidence when it goes south !!!

I’ll stand by my we need at least 2 new CFs to come in to allow this to happen.

UTB

 

[Le Cynique]

So you believe they are both good enough then ?

And that they are good enough for the PL in 2023 ?

I have high hopes for both. But they need a season in L1 to test themselves. The PL is a harsh place to “learn” their trade and could have a devastating effect to confidence when it goes south !!!

I’ll stand by my we need at least 2 new CFs to come in to allow this to happen.

UTB

No one knows, do they? Until we try. We didn't think that DCL was good enough, but he seemed to do OK at Everton. Absent any alternative, we have to stick with them. We can't afford to send promising players out on loan whilst bringing other players in who will have an immediate impact. Anyone we do bring in will be a risk for one or more reasons - that's the pool we're fishing in, unfortunately. Even big money signings don't guarantee success.

 

[jt64]

So you believe they are both good enough then ?

I don't know. They have more chance of being good enough than anyone we bring in from outside the club. We are not going to know if they are good enough if they're playing for Barnsley.

 

[Lord Eddard Muir]

If the club give sharp an extra year because he has turned the waterworks on at the city hall then it is a joke IMO

Keeping sharp last season and possibly the year before has blocked the path for osula/jebbo/brewster enough already giving him another would be a bad bad idea

It hasn't exactly blocked the path for Brewster, he was starting every game at the time he got crocked.

 

[St Annington]

No one knows, do they? Until we try. We didn't think that DCL was good enough, but he seemed to do OK at Everton. Absent any alternative, we have to stick with them. We can't afford to send promising players out on loan whilst bringing other players in who will have an immediate impact. Anyone we do bring in will be a risk for one or more reasons - that's the pool we're fishing in, unfortunately. Even big money signings don't guarantee success.

Took DCL until his 4th season to find his feet in the PL. Agree that Jebbo and Osula need PL exposure but it would be a small miracle if either of them hit it off straight away.

 

[Brownieblade]

If Billy has been told he isn’t getting a new deal is there anything for him or others in similar position to not already have announced it themselves

Basically what I’m asking is are they specifically not allowed to mention it ??

Because otherwise why stay quiet

 

[Le Cynique]

Took DCL until his 4th season to find his feet in the PL. Agree that Jebbo and Osula need PL exposure but it would be a small miracle if either of them hit it off straight away.

View attachment 161289

If both Jebbo and Osula could replicate DCL's form of the second season at Everton, that would be 8 goals. I don't think that's an unrealistic ask of either of them. They're unknown quantities, not just to us, but to our opponents as well.

In an ideal world, we'd do what Man City do and send them out for development at a club like us whilst paying for tried and tested quality up front. That's just not going to happen though, and I reiterate that we don't have much of an alternative. If money is tight - and it's pretty likely that it is - we simply can't afford to send out two young, pacy and dynamic strikers and replace them with bargain bucket alternatives, because they're not going to provide that return on investment that we need. Have them in and amongst the squad, which we've seen is close-knit and supportive, and see what they can do. We're going to be amongst the favourites for the drop anyway; what's playing them going to cause? Are we going to be relegated twice?

 

[jt64]

If Billy has been told he isn’t getting a new deal is there anything for him or others in similar position to not already have announced it themselves

Basically what I’m asking is are they specifically not allowed to mention it ??

Because otherwise why stay quiet

Pretty standard breach of employment contract if you act in a way that is detrimental to your employer. That his contract only runs for another ~5 weeks doesn't change that.

 

[Brownieblade]

Pretty standard breach of employment contract if you act in a way that is detrimental to your employer. That his contract only runs for another ~5 weeks doesn't change that.

But the club won’t do fuck all to him and it’s not like other clubs wouldn’t then sign him, is that really going to stop him

The only one who loses anything remotely in that scenario would be Club for fining him for saying good bye on social media so that’s not happening

 

[jt64]

But the club won’t do fuck all to him and it’s not like other clubs wouldn’t then sign him, is that really going to stop him

The only one who loses anything remotely in that scenario would be Club for fining him for saying good bye on social media so that’s not happening

So if I'm Hecky and I'm negotiating with Pukki, do I really want one of my players saying that they're not at the club next season before we say so and have Teemu's agent then go "ah, there's more demand at your end, that'll be an extra five grand a week please"? It's called being a professional

 

[Brownieblade]

So if I'm Hecky and I'm negotiating with Pukki, do I really want one of my players saying that they're not at the club next season before we say so and have Teemu's agent then go "ah, there's more demand at your end, that'll be an extra five grand a week please"? It's called being a professional

Billy posting bye wouldn’t have a single, not even 0.00001 effect on it and you know it, Pukki and his agent will already be asking what they are fully guessing that we would be adding to the forward line elsewhere regardless

 

[adiosmiamigo]

Took DCL until his 4th season to find his feet in the PL. Agree that Jebbo and Osula need PL exposure but it would be a small miracle if either of them hit it off straight away.

View attachment 161289

Maybe because he had premiership quality players and coaches around him at Everton he hasn't either here.

 

[FallowfieldBlade]

It hasn't exactly blocked the path for Brewster, he was starting every game at the time he got crocked.

He was fit fir Slav for large parts and he chose to play sharp

 

[mattbianco1]

He was fit fir Slav for large parts and he chose to play sharp

Slav was an idiot.

Kept playing him on the wing