Is it just me, or are all these new signings worrying?

[roger_ramjet]

Aside from the "will they gel" factor, it seems to me that we are bringing in an awful lot of players and haven't let anyone of substance go yet (sorry Messrs Ward and Eustance).

3 central strikers in Bent Wiemann and Martin, add Ince and Russell and possibly another wide man as 2 isnt enough? This sounds like it presages a change of formation, as we wont have brought in the 2 international Villains to both warm the bench.

Maybe Martin is about to be sold and we are trying to find replacements before everyone knows we have loadsamoney?

Adding Baird and possibly Shackell will give us at least 6 centre halves, albeit some with some versatility. And this is ignoring Rawson who some have argued could start!! And its ignoring this Gomez loan rumour. Notwithstanding versatility I can see one or more going as surely we can only play 3 at a time?

More to the point, what are this lot doing to our aggregate wage bill and indeed wage structure. Now I am not going to turn into Blattea an

[blackandwhite56]

There's going to be a lot of pressure on our relatively unproven manager , though there will be a few more outgoings.

[RamBusta]

Not worrying at all as we have "let" more than just Ward and Eustace go in effect...

we have "let go" from last season -

Eustace
Ward
Naylor L
Naylor T
Whitbread
O'Brien
Barker
Bent - Yes I know he is back but he wasn't ours last year
Lingaard
Ince

So we have "lost" 10 players and we have brought in 5

Of which one was here last season and apart from Wiemann and a small amount for Carson the rest are in on a free...

Now the Loans last year would have cost a fair amount in fees and wages and the guys that were let go would have been on decent money...so on balance we are still close to where we was last season without losing anyone...

Also not counting youngsters in the U21's that didn't play regular or even feature in the first team, the "squad" is only at 22-23 players depending how you define the players.

My guess is with the relaxation of FFP to a certain degree and the possibility of losing a couple of "first-teamers" we have a lot more "wriggle" room left to get more player

[roger_ramjet]

If you say so...but it concerns me stil despite this reassurance.

I'm still thinking that our wage bill is going up, even though we have lost all those high earning non starters that you have listed. Barker would probably have been paid for by the insurers last year anyway.

Also my post assumed we would get Ince and Shackell, both of whom would demand high end wages, as opposed to most of thes you have identified.

Still, maybe it is just me then

[SlimyLimey]

The only thing that worries me is that the season can't start soon enough... If we can add Shackell & Ince I can't see anyone beating us out of promotion.

Up the mighty RAMS!

[roger_ramjet]

but this is what we though last August, and as late as last January 31st

[RamBusta]

Barker would probably have been paid for by the insurers last year anyway.



Barker was actually paid by the club as just before his injury there was a **** up with his insurance from his "admin team" and he wasn't actually insured!!!...hence the Club helping him out by offering him a new contract

[SlimyLimey]

Keep the faith. We look stronger now. I hope we get off to a flying start.
I firmly believe we are going to see some great football from our team this year.
We must be doing something right, as we are getting no comments from the other end of the A52.

[Clarkeram7]

10 players have left..
No one has been sold yet? I wouldn't be suprised to see any one/two of either shotton keogh Buxton or Albentosa to go if Shackell arrives.. got a gut feeling it'll be keogh and Albentosa!
Baird I think is a very clever signing and has played quite a few games as holding midfielder, after Thorne who do we have in that role? He essentially replaces mascerall and Eustace.
Weimann has played alot of games in the premier league and as a wide forward.. well we've lost Ward lingaard and ince? Its a no brainer plus hes only 23, i think he'll be a fans favourite!
Bents record speaks for its self really doesnt it? We've moaned for ages about having a plan B to martin havent we? And who says clement wont go with two striker?
Carson has played alot at the highest level and keepers only get better with age, was grant convincing last year? I dont think so personally, you want to say go with roos but if youre chasing promotion a keeper is a key position really!

[AnagRam]

but this is what we though last August, and as late as last January 31st

Thought your first post asked some very reasonable questions Roger, but the one above really should have been signed...Jeremiah.

...and I'd just got over last season! :s

[mistaram]

Roger Stop worrying about FFP all we have to do is copy QPR keep appealing against any sanctions or fines let it all die down.Then get a meeting with the football league in 6 months time and tell them how much they should be fining us Because that's exactly what QPR are doing

[southernram22]

I think its just you . would you prefer we got know one new in and carried on as last year.

[2.4Ram]

I do have a little sympathy with your point Roger. While I'm not yet worried, it is starting to seem like a team that only needed a few tweeks here and there may now be getting major surgery. When McLaren came in he recognised he had a decent side and tried not change much, it seems at the moment that we are changing our formation and probably the style of play with it.

It also seems, at this point, we are going all out for promotion, which will indeed put added pressure on Clement to produce. Add this to trying to implement a new style of play and settling in at least 5 new players, not to mention himself, and you can see PC could have quite a challenge ahead.

I have slight concern too with the wage bill. While I admit I have no idea how much they will earn, I have to believe that 3 maybe 4 of the new signings will be at the top end of our wage earners, with possibly 2 more high earners, by our standards, to come.

For now I'm happy to see how it plays out, but I do hope that we sta

[swaledale]

The alternative view is that whilst it was reasonable to keep the faith with the team and the sytem which got us to the play off final for last season, the collapse in he latter half of the season and that dismal last game when the players couldn't even raise their game to get in the play offs (it can't all be blamed on mac!), suggested that a major shake up was required.

I believe an extra £8 million can be funded by owners under FFP plus players will be sold and of course we have a new coach who one presumes will have different ideas.

[vanderlaans_header]

Its probably just you. The new guy needs to put his own squad together and ensure no hangover from calamity Mac.