Cull?

[Wartman]

So....which would be better: signing people with a decent track record but have a history of injuries (being the reason they are available at an affordable price/salary) or someone of no particular injury record but a playing record that makes their price equal to the value of the injury prone players? The idea being that the latter category of player may not be missing as often but wouldn't offer the potential extra that the injury prone player potentially could.
Purely hypothetical I know but considering that a lot of our injury record in the last 2 or 3 seasons has been concentrated on certain individuals, would it be a good idea to clear out those consistently injured?

The common denominator is insufficient recruitment too small a squad, players flogged to death playing week in week out carrying knocks eventually those injuries catch up with the player and they become lengthy injuries. Every year we recruit half the players we actually need and fill the short fall with kids who are not good enough for league football.

I have been sceptical for a number of years about the academy model and question does it now serve the same purpose as it did 10-15 years ago and the answer is unequivocally no. I think it is time that we switched to the development squad model and with the money we save from the academy use some of that to increase both the wage and transfer budget, the big problem is that nobody at board level has the desire or courage to change course, and unfortunately the academy will bizarrely be our demise and we are a non league team in waiting.

[gazan]

Genuine question: Carlisle - rich (ISH) owners who have put money into a club. Recruited a 'celebrity' manager. THEY might actually be playing non-league next season. So there's a team who have many more resources who are in greater danger than the Alex. Compared to Carlisle (and Milton Keynes and Gillingham), what do you think the Alex are doing wrong?

[Timmy58]

The common denominator is insufficient recruitment too small a squad, players flogged to death playing week in week out carrying knocks eventually those injuries catch up with the player and they become lengthy injuries. Every year we recruit half the players we actually need and fill the short fall with kids who are not good enough for league football.

I have been sceptical for a number of years about the academy model and question does it now serve the same purpose as it did 10-15 years ago and the answer is unequivocally no. I think it is time that we switched to the development squad model and with the money we save from the academy use some of that to increase both the wage and transfer budget, the big problem is that nobody at board level has the desire or courage to change course, and unfortunately the academy will bizarrely be our demise and we are a non league team in waiting.

Which of our "kids" that have played this season do you feel are not good enough for league football?

[Wartman]

Which of our "kids" that have played this season do you feel are not good enough for league football?

This season the only one that looks like he has a bright future and stands to make lots of appearances for the club is Callum Agius.

[Timmy58]

This season the only one that looks like he has a bright future and stands to make lots of appearances for the club is Callum Agius.

Now, until recently I would have said Agius was not going to make it. I have changed my mind. I think that when you look out our "kids", Tabiner was one of those not so long ago and he looks good, I also think Lunt is the sort of player we need in midfield. He is only going to get better, and that is the point. These kids come into the team and it takes a little time to get to the level required consistently. It has never been any different since the Dario days. In truth, the Academy has ensured the continuation of Crewe as a League team, specifically one of the 92. I think you are being a little unkind towards our Academy lads.

[MikeSB]

Now, until recently I would have said Agius was not going to make it. I have changed my mind. I think that when you look out our "kids", Tabiner was one of those not so long ago and he looks good, I also think Lunt is the sort of player we need in midfield. He is only going to get better, and that is the point. These kids come into the team and it takes a little time to get to the level required consistently. It has never been any different since the Dario days. In truth, the Academy has ensured the continuation of Crewe as a League team, specifically one of the 92. I think you are being a little unkind towards our Academy lads.

League teams should not have apprentices in the team and they are NOT 'our kids' just lads wanting to earn thousands for not doing much at all and recent history suggests they walk away when it suits despite millions being spent on the academy each season.

In the old days you were either good enough or you did not get into the squad. Dario ruined this club with the academy system and all the money they gained on transfer fees was spent on the academy and so nothing was gained. When was the last million we got in transfer money? 12 years was it and over 12 million spent on it in the meantime. If the FA/PL was not funding it we would have been broke a long time go.