Squad continuity

[Bergen Blade]

Written late august:

Looking at the current squad, how many will be here in a year?

2 Ryan France (M) - squad player, may stick around for this and next
3 Gary Naysmith (D) - getting older, expect him to leave in the summer
4 Nick Montgomery (M) - staying
5 Chris Morgan (D) - staying
6 Matt Kilgallon (D) - leaving, unless he signs a new deal
7 Darius Henderson (F) - staying
9 Ched Evans (F) - staying
10 Kyel Reid (M) - staying, unless he remains on the bench
11 David Cotterill (F) - hard to say, does KB really rate him?
12 Lee Williamson (M) - staying
13 Ian Bennett (G) - leaving.
14 David Carney (M) - already gone.
16 Andy Taylor (D) - staying, but expect him to become our back up LB
17 Lee Hendrie (M) - leaving
18 Jamie Ward (M) - staying
20 Brian Howard (M) - leaving, an expensive mistake
21 Leigh Bromby (D) - leaving
22 Justin Haber (G) - leaving
24 Billy Sharp (F) - leaving
25 Glen Little (M) - leaving, only one year contract
28 Stephen Quinn (M) - staying
Jordan Robertson (F) - leaving
Paddy Kenny (G) - who knows?

I haven't included the loan players, as they're not really ours even now.

So I predict these are still here in 12 months:

France, Monty, Morgan, Henderson, Evans, Reid, Williamson, Taylor, Ward, Quinn. (10 players)

Leaving:
Naysmith, Killgallon, Cotts, Bennett, Carney, Hendrie, Howard, Haber, Sharp, Little, Robertson. (11 players)

An update, Soccerbase currently lists this as our squad: (I'll highlight those who I think won't be here next season)


2 Ryan France (M)
3 Gary Naysmith (D)
4 Nick Montgomery (M)
5 Chris Morgan (D)
6 Matt Kilgallon (D)
7 Darius Henderson (F)
9 Ched Evans (F)
10 Kyel Reid (M)
11 David Cotterill (F)
12 Lee Williamson (M)
13 Ian Bennett (G)
16 Andy Taylor (D)
18 Jamie Ward (M)
19 Jordan Stewart (M)
22 Justin Haber (G)
25 Glen Little (M)
26 Derek Geary (D)
28 Stephen Quinn (M)
29 Jordan Robertson (F)
33 Johnathan Fortune (D)
37 Henri Camara (F)
Paddy Kenny (G)

Loaned players
Billy Sharp (F) to Doncaster
Brian Howard (M) to Reading

On loan players
27 Keith Treacy (M) from Blackburn
23 Mark Bunn (G) from Blackburn
34 Kyle Walker (D) from Tottenham
15 James Harper (M) from Reading
21 Andrew Davies (D) from Stoke
17 Richard Cresswell (F) from Stoke


This means we'll continue to own the following players (age included) next summer:

Kenny 31

Geary 29
Morgan 32
Taylor 23

France 29
Monty 28
Williamson 27
Quinn 23

Henderson 28
Ward 23
Evans 21
Cresswell 32


While some blame have been put on us having to play kids this season, we don't have many who looks likely to form the basis of our future team.

I think this leaves us with an ageing squad (add a year each and the average will be pretty close to 30), with very few (if any) players who are likely to dramatically improve, and few who will bring in any real transfer fees. We have many loan players and many on short term deals, so we will need to be very smart when we recruit and try to rebuild the squad in the next couple of transfer windows.

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

Written late august:





An update, Soccerbase currently lists this as our squad: (I'll highlight those who I think won't be here next season)


2 Ryan France (M)
3 Gary Naysmith (D)
4 Nick Montgomery (M)
5 Chris Morgan (D)
6 Matt Kilgallon (D)
7 Darius Henderson (F)
9 Ched Evans (F)
10 Kyel Reid (M)
11 David Cotterill (F)
12 Lee Williamson (M)
13 Ian Bennett (G)
16 Andy Taylor (D)
18 Jamie Ward (M)
19 Jordan Stewart (M)
22 Justin Haber (G)
25 Glen Little (M)
26 Derek Geary (D)
28 Stephen Quinn (M)
29 Jordan Robertson (F)
33 Johnathan Fortune (D)
37 Henri Camara (F)
Paddy Kenny (G)

Loaned players
Billy Sharp (F) to Doncaster
Brian Howard (M) to Reading

On loan players
27 Keith Treacy (M) from Blackburn
23 Mark Bunn (G) from Blackburn
34 Kyle Walker (D) from Tottenham
15 James Harper (M) from Reading
21 Andrew Davies (D) from Stoke
17 Richard Cresswell (F) from Stoke


This means we'll continue to own the following players (age included) next summer:

Kenny 31

Geary 29
Morgan 32
Taylor 23

France 29
Monty 28
Williamson 27
Quinn 23

Henderson 28
Ward 23
Evans 21
Cresswell 32


While some blame have been put on us having to play kids this season, we don't have many who looks likely to form the basis of our future team.

I think this leaves us with an ageing squad (add a year each and the average will be pretty close to 30), with very few (if any) players who are likely to dramatically improve, and few who will bring in any real transfer fees. We have many loan players and many on short term deals, so we will need to be very smart when we recruit and try to rebuild the squad in the next couple of transfer windows.

Funnily enough I was just looking at last year's squad. We used 36 players last season and there are only 11 still here (if you don't include the likes of Billy). Take out Paddy, the likely loss of Killa and Cotts, the long term injuries to Naysmith and Geary and there's no wonder we're in the mess we're in.

 

[shorehamview]

How many players in the last three years have played over, say, one hundred matches in their time at United? That's roughly two and a bit seasons-ish for first team regulars. We've not had any consistency in our squad for a long time. Too many in and out over a short period of time. The squad should need only fine tuning, not wholesale change every season.

 

[Bergen Blade]

The thing is, while we have apparantly started the reprofiling and spent substantial amounts (?) already, we hardly own any good youngsters and have very few saleable assets. Most of the players we have on long term deals are 30ish.

 

[Wards]

Un-erringly accurate up to now! I think we'll still keep hold of Harper for next season depending on what his wages are.

 

[Grecian2000]

Wow, this would be a scary thread if I didn't believe we were going to make sure January is our best ever transfer window and hurl ourselves toward that Premier League.

 

[Darren]

How many players in the last three years have played over, say, one hundred matches in their time at United? That's roughly two and a bit seasons-ish for first team regulars. We've not had any consistency in our squad for a long time. Too many in and out over a short period of time. The squad should need only fine tuning, not wholesale change every season.

Who is still here amongst the players we had at the start of 2007-08?

Kenny (suspended)
Naysmith (semi-injured)
Morgan
Bennett
Kilgallon
Montgomery
Sharp (loaned out)
Geary
Quinn

Its not many....

 

[Deleted member 1486]

The thing is, while we have apparantly started the reprofiling and spent substantial amounts (?) already, we hardly own any good youngsters and have very few saleable assets. Most of the players we have on long term deals are 30ish.

That is my biggest problem with the Blackwell regime. If he had been reprofiling the squad with 18-26 year olds he could use the excuse of rebuilding for the future as both an excuse for selling and for the current form/league position.

He doesn't have that excuse, he's filled the squad with aging players and loans, if he doesn't turn this around quickly he's done more damage to Sheffield United than Bryan Robson ever did. At least Robson left his successfor a decent squad.

The problem is, I wouldn't trust him to spend money wisely anyway, so it's a catch 22. The only good thing I will say about Blackwell's transfer dealings is that they must have left the club in credit, hopefully his successor will see the fruits of that, not Blackwell himself.

 

[BornOnShorehamStreet]

How bloody depressing! No wonder few of us feel attached to, or identify with, many of the players these days.

 

[Blades-7]

Ward and Evans will go, they won't stick around to play for that clown in charge

 

[Foxy]

Ward and Evans will go, they won't stick around to play for that clown in charge

...and yet both thought he was so much of a clown that they signed for him?

 

[Rustyblade]

The thing is, while we have apparantly started the reprofiling and spent substantial amounts (?) already, we hardly own any good youngsters and have very few saleable assets. Most of the players we have on long term deals are 30ish.

Right. Let's define terms, shall we? What do you mean by 'the reprofiling'? Do you mean what McCabe intimates or what we actually see? Our reprofiling so far seems to be the following:

Players of ability/high wages; Stead, Hulse, Beattie, Tonge, Webber, Kilgallon(?) out.

Young players coming through; Naughton, Walker out.

Young players bought and sold on; Cotterill(?), Reid(?) out.

Let's play shopping; Sharp, Bromby.


Coming in we have 1 unarguable hit, Ward, 2 youngsters, Taylor and Evans, a workhorse, Henderson and a whole host of over the hill, cheap as fucking chips loan signings. Alright, I'll give you Treacy and Bunn. And okay, he's the original 'holding' player, crap as the crappest crap you've ever crappily crapped but I forget just how old Davies is.

So, let me get this straight. Reprofiling means er um cutting the wage bill and um cutting the wage bill and maybe trimming a bit off the top of the wage bill while we're at it.

This will be done by raising the age of the squad while claiming the opposite and by the blindingly brilliant tactic of not actually owning players when we can loan the buggers.

Contrast this with the sly marketing of 'reprofiling' in re young, hungry players, high resale value and well, which version do you mean?


Duck and cover.


Edit, sorry Bergen. Should have read your post in full. I shall die of remorse.

 

[Kev Gee]

I think we will be relegated this season with the current squad.

 

[Micalijo]

This thread should have come with a health warning Bergen. We have plenty of amateur doctors, one of whom is based in Switzerland, who take great delight in telling people to seek medical attention (think I have done that as well to be fair!) and I'm very surprised they aint been on saying McCabe should be trusted etc etc.

It's been touched on above but in fairness to McCabe amidst all this re-profiling (or asset stripping) he has provided Blackwell with funds that most other CCC managers could only dream of.

I am staggered, angry, annoyed, you name it, when I think how much damage Blackwell is doing. I understand the need to match income with expenditure but let's try and do this by bringing in youth and athleticism.

 

[Bergen Blade]

This thread should have come with a health warning Bergen. We have plenty of amateur doctors, one of whom is based in Switzerland, who take great delight in telling people to seek medical attention (think I have done that as well to be fair!) and I'm very surprised they aint been on saying McCabe should be trusted etc etc.

It's been touched on above but in fairness to McCabe amidst all this re-profiling (or asset stripping) he has provided Blackwell with funds that most other CCC managers could only dream of.

I am staggered, angry, annoyed, you name it, when I think how much damage Blackwell is doing. I understand the need to match income with expenditure but let's try and do this by bringing in youth and athleticism.

I remember listening to Praise and Grumble a couple of years ago. A wendy fan called in and was on the verge of crying when he listed the number of good, promising young players United had in our squad, players that Premiership teams were after and would pay good fees for, before adding "...but we... we just have... well we've got nothing!"

Made me smile at the time, but looking at the bunch we're likely to be left with in 6 months, we won't have many that are actually worth much. Loans and experienced short term signings can cover up some of the holes in our squad, maybe even maintain our hopes of a play off spot for this season as well, but where are we heading long term?