Frank might be coming home

[champs95]

I honestly don't see it, Champs.
Surely, we aren't going to be signing more cover in every position!
Leutwiler has done nothing wrong, and Fisher is highly thought of. Signing someone who will rarely play seems a waste of money to me.
We don't actually need a massive squad! I would be happy to see two (at most three) quality signings, and a maximum of two loan players.
We have a solid base, and some very good youngsters. If the squad is swamped with new faces, we will be in danger of losing some of the team-spirit that last year fostered.
I understand about "experience" and the "insurance policy" of having a well-tested keeper, but how many games will he play for the money dished out?

He is coming on a free. He has bags and bags of Champ experience. Leutwieler has only ever played in Div 1 and 2.
The gap in between divisions is pretty big.
The main question you need to ask yourself Auks is 'is he pushing Raya for a first team place?'
The answer is a resounding NO. Therefore he is being moved on. Like Gladwin ....who is in the exact same position.
Go back to Waggott and Mowbrays words. They want to go for a player type (who TM knows already) about 23-25 with something to prove. AND he realises we need Championship experience in some places. This will be one, the back up keeper. Those where his words, he will stick to them.
If Raya got injured next season, the lad coming in had only played against Div 1 or 2 sides.
While he was deemed good enough to to sit on the bench in Div 1, that's because he was an adequate replacement. And had experience at that level. Mowbray would have known he probably wouldn't have let us down. We are playing at a higher level now. Our standards have to be raised. EVERY SINGLE player has to have someone pushing him for a first team spot. Leutwieler wont command a place.
Yes I agree, he hasn't done anything wrong, same with Gladwin.
But I would ask, are either going to turn into better players than ones we already have? If they didn't do it at League One, will they do it at a higher level? And are either close to pushing out a first team player? We need competition for places. Not players happy to sit and play 1 games a season.
If we do that, we'll go straight back down. Without a doubt.

And that's not what we are building at Rovers. every season we have to keep improving, moving forwards.
That means we need to improve the quality of player.

Get rid of Charlie, Dack, Smallwood, Bennett, Graham, Williams etc and we would risk ruining the great team spirit.
Get rid of the sub goalie who played once all season, to bring in a guy who knows the club very well, has bags of experience, wont cost us anything, and crucially will push or a first team place and raise standards is the way forward. If we don't bring anyone in, I'm afraid we will be straight back down. TM knows that.

[AucklandRover]

He is coming on a free. He has bags and bags of Champ experience. Leutwieler has only ever played in Div 1 and 2.
The gap in between divisions is pretty big.
The main question you need to ask yourself Auks is 'is he pushing Raya for a first team place?'
The answer is a resounding NO. Therefore he is being moved on. Like Gladwin ....who is in the exact same position.
Go back to Waggott and Mowbrays words. They want to go for a player type (who TM knows already) about 23-25 with something to prove. AND he realises we need Championship experience in some places. This will be one, the back up keeper. Those where his words, he will stick to them.
If Raya got injured next season, the lad coming in had only played against Div 1 or 2 sides.
While he was deemed good enough to to sit on the bench in Div 1, that's because he was an adequate replacement. And had experience at that level. Mowbray would have known he probably wouldn't have let us down. We are playing at a higher level now. Our standards have to be raised. EVERY SINGLE player has to have someone pushing him for a first team spot. Leutwieler wont command a place.
Yes I agree, he hasn't done anything wrong, same with Gladwin.
But I would ask, are either going to turn into better players than ones we already have? If they didn't do it at League One, will they do it at a higher level? And are either close to pushing out a first team player? We need competition for places. Not players happy to sit and play 1 games a season.
If we do that, we'll go straight back down. Without a doubt.

And that's not what we are building at Rovers. every season we have to keep improving, moving forwards.
That means we need to improve the quality of player.

Get rid of Charlie, Dack, Smallwood, Bennett, Graham, Williams etc and we would risk ruining the great team spirit.
Get rid of the sub goalie who played once all season, to bring in a guy who knows the club very well, has bags of experience, wont cost us anything, and crucially will push or a first team place and raise standards is the way forward. If we don't bring anyone in, I'm afraid we will be straight back down. TM knows that.

Some very good points there, Champs. At the same time, though, how far do we take it? Do we get rid of Downing, for example, because he is unproven at Championship level, or Bell?
What I'm wary of is building up a massive squad, simply because we can.
That effectively freezes out our Under-23 players too.
We obviously need a Chapman-style winger; we definitely need a second classy front-man so we are not completely reliant on Graham; we could also do with a creative central midfielder.
Is there really any desperate need for anything else? I look through the current squad and I can't see that we're lacking elsewhere.
Some supporters are saying we need a right-back, but we have loads of cover there. Even Bennett did a good job when required.
As I said, I have seen managers throw the baby out with the bath-water before because of extra cash in hand. As we saw last season, it often takes quite a while for new players to bed in, and I don't want to see momentum and morale lost because of the current team being ripped apart.
I find it very hard to believe that we are going to achieve successive promotions, to be honest. I'm not even sure I want a return to the PL, except in the sense that you always want your team to be successful.
Bottom line - I think most of our current team deserve a crack at the Championship. Probably too soft and romantic, I know, but I just don't see huge weaknesses outside the positions I've mentioned.

[champs95]

Some very good points there, Champs. At the same time, though, how far do we take it? Do we get rid of Downing, for example, because he is unproven at Championship level, or Bell?
What I'm wary of is building up a massive squad, simply because we can.
That effectively freezes out our Under-23 players too.
We obviously need a Chapman-style winger; we definitely need a second classy front-man so we are not completely reliant on Graham; we could also do with a creative central midfielder.
Is there really any desperate need for anything else? I look through the current squad and I can't see that we're lacking elsewhere.
Some supporters are saying we need a right-back, but we have loads of cover there. Even Bennett did a good job when required.
As I said, I have seen managers throw the baby out with the bath-water before because of extra cash in hand. As we saw last season, it often takes quite a while for new players to bed in, and I don't want to see momentum and morale lost because of the current team being ripped apart.
I find it very hard to believe that we are going to achieve successive promotions, to be honest. I'm not even sure I want a return to the PL, except in the sense that you always want your team to be successful.
Bottom line - I think most of our current team deserve a crack at the Championship. Probably too soft and romantic, I know, but I just don't see huge weaknesses outside the positions I've mentioned.

Same with you Auks, good points. I'm in agreement and I think he will give the likes of Downing, Smallwood, Bennet, Evans, Williams a chance to play. And I do think he will play the likes of Travis and some of the U23's will come through. He bought Bell for this forth coming season. I also think he is looking to strengthen in certain areas, it's a very long season and he needs cimeption for places, so needs quality. That's where the money will be spent. A winger, like Chapman. Armstrong. They want a defensive mid, this lad from Hibs, or the lad at Forest. They need players to be able to come in, if, either the likes of Smallwood aren't quite good enough? Some get injured etc ....we need a few loan players . We are linked with City youngster. I keep hearing the rumour that Rhodes is coming back. I don't know how I feel about that? He'd have to be really cheap!
I do think they will go to consolidate next season, mid table would be a great foundation to build from. So they must strengthen and bring in players who can get behind what TM is doing. Won't be on huge wages, but hopefully will be hungry to play.

[Saxo1man41]

I knew TM would go for a keeper. Raya needs proper competition. I think sometimes people underestimate the importance of a strong goalie, instead favouring outfield options.

[champs95]

I knew TM would go for a keeper. Raya needs proper competition. I think sometimes people underestimate the importance of a strong goalie, instead favouring outfield options.

Agreed. Plus another big factor is the pyscology. He knows no matter what, he wont be dropped. That may have worked in Div1 but it wont in the Champ. Ideally we want 2 strong players for most positions, creating real fight for a first team place. It raises standards, and we need to keep improving.
TM will go for personalities aswell as footballers. If he gets the right lad, they will fit in to the tight unity within the dressing room. Also add to what we have. That's a must.