Mark Ellis and others Out Of Contract
Not 100% I would have given him MoM today, but I am a big fan of his and do believe he is our best central defender.
Hopefully now we have stayed up he will get offered a new contract.
I too thought Byron played well today, but if he goes we do have Coco and Billy and even maybe Molyneux who could replace him.
Get rid of AJ please
Osman will be off too
Be interesting to see if we make any real effort to sign Chucks or get Uche back on loan for next season
re: Mark Ellis and others Out Of Contract
Personally I thought that Mark did shade man of the match but all of the players put in a great performance including Duggy, Guthrie, Grant, Toots, Turton and Garratt. Mark was superb in the air throughout the game did not lose too many duels with their striker and got some crucial blocks.
re: Mark Ellis and others Out Of Contract
Over the 90 mins then Ellis was as consistent as anyone. Toots had an outstanding first-half and Byron had a great second-half. However, the whole team worked their socks off so a single MOM yesterday is insufficient.
re: Mark Ellis and others Out Of Contract
Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveWoo
Not 100% I would have given him MoM today, but I am a big fan of his and do believe he is our best central defender.
Hopefully now we have stayed up he will get offered a new contract.
I too thought Byron played well today, but if he goes we do have Coco and Billy and even maybe Molyneux who could replace him.
Get rid of AJ please
Osman will be off too
Be interesting to see if we make any real effort to sign Chucks or get Uche back on loan for next season
Spot on - we have young wingers coming through as well. No issue for me letting everyone go who is out of contract apart from Mark Ellis. Even he might be released to make room for Ray and facilitate Guthrie's eventual move in to the centre? We cannot carry 5 centre backs at our level.
Would love to see a real effort to sign Chuks but I cannot see how we can compete with the wages certain to be offered elsewhere???
re: Mark Ellis and others Out Of Contract
I don't see Ellis being released and I see no reason for removing Guthrie from left back. Its a position we have failed to fill for a few seasons now and Guthrie has come in and made that position his own, he will only improve. We do have competition for Centre Half but you don't let players like Ellis go just to make room for others. I'm not sure where we stand with Osman but with Grant, Nolan, Turton and Waters I'm not sure he would get many games, so wouldn't be surprised to see him released. I think AJ will be let go and Audel may get paid off and the loan players will go back to there clubs, don't see them being here next season unfortunately. Byron will probably be offered another contract but I can see him moving on along with Clayton, although I think Clayton still has a lot to prove, but he may prefer to prove that elsewhere.
I think we have the basis of a decent squad for next season but we will need a couple of new players and we need to get Coco fit and playing a bigger pa
re: Mark Ellis and others Out Of Contract
Whilst new contracts were not mentioned, I thought it quite striking when I was talking to Steve Phillips after the game that, whilst "comparing notes" on God's own county, he openly stated, (without prompting!), that he misses it, (ok, he hails from the more affluent north of the county - Midsomer Norton - whilst I'm a pauper from the south!).
Just made me wonder that if he didn't get offered a new playing contract in the Summer whether we might not only be searching for a new #2 goalie but goalie coach too! :(
May have read too much into it but it would be a shame, (especially for Ben), if he was off to pastures new!
re: Mark Ellis and others Out Of Contract
I'd keep Ellis and persist with Guthrie at left-back. Several players like Osman and AJ are no better than squad players now so we should look at bringing in player to improve the squad not keep it at the present standard. I wonder if the Max Clayton situation will change with him missing so much of the season with injury - will the 'big' move be on offer now?
re: Mark Ellis and others Out Of Contract
D'you know, I'm not sodding interested in what Clayton does or doesn't do as he is a disgrace to the ethos of this club and he has received months of rehab at the clubs expense too..
Sod off and don't come back!
I have heard where he is heading off too but can't say here..
Nick Powell was and is far better player than he is and what would have happened had Nick done the same thing as no doubt some agent would have tempted him with a pot of gold sign on fee at the same stage.
I tell you what would have happened...The club losing 3m pounds at least and maybe more..
All that time and money spent on the little ???..you put in the appropriate word..
Its not like he has given anything back to the club in first team performances either..
re: Mark Ellis and others Out Of Contract
Same here. Max has dropped off the radar in appearances and form for a season and a half. Just got nowhere near the level expected. A fresh start may do him good but he's tainted his reputation with most Crewe fans.
re: Mark Ellis and others Out Of Contract
Was superb on Saturday and headed everything away bar one.
Definitely deserves a new contract in my opinion.