This ^^^
Printable View
Agree once again with Jacob. The fact he wasn't played enough is far more of a crime than letting him go. Overall he was wasted at Notts by Ardley that's not to say some of the blame didn't land at the players feet as well as the managers. He never did enough to justify his transfer fee and hefty wage, not that it's the players fault he was so handsomely paid.
And the main reason why we couldn't we shift him the summer is surely down to his wages. Looks like nobody was keen to take him on at L2 level for the same or similar weekly wage. Mr Hardy paid him too well.
Nobody could expect the loss of Thomas AND Roberts so that obviously added to the loss of Dennis. If you take the finances out of the equation he was never replaced and mistake to let guaranteed goals leave. However at NL level can you afford to be paying both him and Enzio such sizeable salaries? One yes, two ? Doesn't look like it.
Knowles wage as a comparison I imagine was a fraction, he was never the replacement as suggested.
A simpler route to replacing a proven goal scorer in the league above might have been to replace him with a proven goal scorer in the league we’re in. Though obviously none of us are party to the finances of the situation.
Anyway, we didn’t, we couldn’t score any goals, and Ardley isn’t manager anymore. So not all bad.
What proven goalscorer in the league we’re in would’ve come to sit on the bench? Ardley’s favoured front line was Wootton and Thomas for the vast majority of last season and would’ve been this season IMO.
To be fair when Thomas did leave we did sign a proven goalscorer at this level. Sadly he turned out to be pretty useless.
Tru dat
Yet Thomas was clearly favoured ahead of Dennis for the majority of last season was our No2 striker after Wootton. The experienced proven striker we signed at this level just did not work. Simple as that.
With Roberts, Sam, Enzio, Rodrigues and Knowles providing supporting roles, width and flexibility/options , it was a collective replacement of Dennis.
When Knowles signed I would be shocked if too many if any thought that's the direct replacement for Dennis for the reasons previously stated.
The finances have to be considered in all this would be misplaced not to factor in the cost of the players mentioned.
This is OK news.
If we're back in FL, another loan would look strange for Mansfield.
If we're still here, then having him again would be the same mistake as this season. I think recruitment is distorted when you're desperate to be one of the best 2 teams in a 24 team league. You can't afford to depend on a 19 year-old who is in and out of games (mainly out). You need 'Top 2 level' players throughout the team. If you seriously want to be top 2 you can only afford to carry 2 or 3 who aren't on match days.