Cull?

[gazan]

Who should be leaving Gresty Road after the season finishes? I don't know who is out of contract and who isn't so some of my choices may be unlikely.
Cooney: they're still chanting his name so this choice might be unpopular. He had a 4 month spell when he seemed well worth his place particularly when Billington (who would prefer to play at centre back anyway!) was the only alternative. Lately Billington has seemed the better choice anyway. Cooney is becoming a clown and a red card in waiting every time he appears.

Williams: this may also surprise people. However, his main priority has become grabbing opposition players rather than playing the ball. The fact that he has so many yellow cards is indicative of this.

Finney: I thought he had great prospects when he first started appearing but the management's indecision about his best position and his regular injury breakdowns have led to his non-descript and very occasional performances.

Thomas: he has contributed very little to the Alex this season due to frequent injury. I pointed out how injury prone he was last season but was I was criticised for saying so.

Hemmings: I say this with regret as I find he contributes more than Bogle but the latter is still in contract. We cannot afford to keep 3 injury prone strikers.

Long: surely he cannot be offered another contract unless he plays virtually for free? I know that some might point out that he can't help being injured but then the Alex can't be expected to continue to pay his wages on the 'off-chance' that the next season MIGHT be injury free.

Before his season-ending injury, I would have also chosen Tracey but now I'm not sure. During his absence, the Alex have been relatively unable to get up the pitch without the long ball. I believe this is partially due to the management's inability to properly use the midfielders to link up and carry the ball upfield. This said, there must be other wingers around who can carry the ball upfield AND produce a final product.

There are probably others I've missed and I'm sure others people might disagree with some things I've said. It would be good to hear what people think.

[Timmy58]

Who should be leaving Gresty Road after the season finishes? I don't know who is out of contract and who isn't so some of my choices may be unlikely.
Cooney: they're still chanting his name so this choice might be unpopular. He had a 4 month spell when he seemed well worth his place particularly when Billington (who would prefer to play at centre back anyway!) was the only alternative. Lately Billington has seemed the better choice anyway. Cooney is becoming a clown and a red card in waiting every time he appears.

Williams: this may also surprise people. However, his main priority has become grabbing opposition players rather than playing the ball. The fact that he has so many yellow cards is indicative of this.

Finney: I thought he had great prospects when he first started appearing but the management's indecision about his best position and his regular injury breakdowns have led to his non-descript and very occasional performances.

Thomas: he has contributed very little to the Alex this season due to frequent injury. I pointed out how injury prone he was last season but was I was criticised for saying so.

Hemmings: I say this with regret as I find he contributes more than Bogle but the latter is still in contract. We cannot afford to keep 3 injury prone strikers.

Long: surely he cannot be offered another contract unless he plays virtually for free? I know that some might point out that he can't help being injured but then the Alex can't be expected to continue to pay his wages on the 'off-chance' that the next season MIGHT be injury free.

Before his season-ending injury, I would have also chosen Tracey but now I'm not sure. During his absence, the Alex have been relatively unable to get up the pitch without the long ball. I believe this is partially due to the management's inability to properly use the midfielders to link up and carry the ball upfield. This said, there must be other wingers around who can carry the ball upfield AND produce a final product.

There are probably others I've missed and I'm sure others people might disagree with some things I've said. It would be good to hear what people think.

I agree about Cooney. I think he is a decent league 2 full back when he is playing well. Unfortunately there has been little evidence of that since Christmas. However, I disagree about Williams who seems to spend a lot of his time covering left wing back. He is a centre half and when he plays as a proper centre half he looks pretty good. I also think we will do well to see Mickey D play 40 odd games next season and Williams is the one who can cover him.

Thomas is a strange one, he missed a bit of last season having barely missed a match since we signed him but now he has missed as many as Long (if not more). He IS a player we have missed this season in my opinion.

Hemmings puts a shift in which is not necessarily something you could accuse Bogle of doing!! Personally I would prefer to keep Hemmings and off load Bogle who doesn't come across as a "team player".

I feel sad about Long as I think he is the best striker at the club by some distance. But you are absolutely right, we can't afford to pay him a wage to occupy the treatment table for three quarters of a season. Whether there is some way of paying him a minimal wage and reward him on appearances and whether, of course, he would accept that is the big question.

Tracey is a player I would happily see given another contract (one year with an option) assuming he fully recovers from his injury. I think the club should be offering him that as he may struggle to find somewhere else as he is unlikely to be fit by the start of the season.

I am also unsure who is out of contract in the summer!

[frogpole]

Would like to know what fellow forumites views are regarding O'Riordan and Lowery?

[MeForCrewe]

Would like to know what fellow forumites views are regarding O'Riordan and Lowery?

In an ideal world I wouldn't mind both of them next season. They are both way out of our wage bracket so I would think that it's all hypothetical anyway. I think that it's very likely that both of them will have left their parent clubs by next August.
I hope that we can offload Bogle, Thomas and Finney. I wouldn't bother with Cooney, Hemmings and Long. I think that we made a massive mistake signing Powell on again in mid season. Shilo is a really difficult one, who knows how well his recovery will go, but I will say that we can't afford to be sentimental with him.

[LordK]

All, it's not just us that is suffering from Injuries, just look through all 92 clubs! But I have said that we do seem to suffer more than most. O'Riordan and Finney, both supported us throughout the half-season, however as you have made aware, not really in favor at their home clubs, lets see the end of the season. I think it's a look at the contract situation (who we have to still pay for another half or full season). Whilst we appear to be in a tough spot, look at the likes of MK Dons, and Gillingham, who spent big for nothing! Then at the bottom Carlisle, Morecambe (a long way back from National League) and I can see Shrewsbury struggling from the league above. So the playoff picture, I think we are out, Grimsby is to get probably at worst 3 x points by season end, so 69 points (just missing out). Colchester 6 x points, so 71 points, Chesterfield 4 x points, so 66 points. Salford, hurm possibly as many as 8-9 points, easiest run in and playing ok, so 70-71 points and my long shot for promotion!
Ourselves, if a good run, 6 x points so ending with 67 points and I would think 10th (which I would have taken at the start of the season, after the dismal prior season). League 1, is tough, Wrexham spending their way up, but they are replacing players throughout the 2 x windows, interesting to see, where they think they can spend if they go up as they will be bottom half of the player wages unless a massive injection!

[gazan]

I agree with MeForCrewe re: O'Riordan and Lowery, we won't see them again. The one possibility from the loanees is Conway. I believe he is out of contract. However, the drop from his current wages might be a problem. It will definitely be a test of his season-long badge kissing!

[Wartman]

Williams (make him available)
Bogle (make him available)
Thomas (make him available)
Long
Finney
Lunt
Hemings
All the kids except agius
Powell (make him available)
Coney
Tracey
Bell
Dicker
Lunt

Time for a complete clear out and no more shuffling of the deck chairs on the titanic get an experienced manager in with a much improved budget I know all of the above won’t happen but I can dream.

[frogpole]

Cheers - love the phrase ...

"no more shuffling of the deck chairs on the titanic"

[Timmy58]

Williams (make him available)
Bogle (make him available)
Thomas (make him available)
Long
Finney
Lunt
Hemings
All the kids except agius
Powell (make him available)
Coney
Tracey
Bell
Dicker
Lunt

Time for a complete clear out and no more shuffling of the deck chairs on the titanic get an experienced manager in with a much improved budget I know all of the above won?t happen but I can dream.

Bigger budget? Where exactly is the money for that coming from? I am sure Lee Bell would love a bigger budget!

[OzMozz]

I think Wartman forgot the mascot, groundsman and tea lady !