Next Season Recruitment

[MadAmster]

Players with contracts that expire in 2026... Ossie, Nels, Elder, Wilson, NML, Ward, Jackson, Vickers, Rooney, Robinson. Ossie has been a disappointment. Elder has again had injury problems, Ward the same, Jackson simply hasn't delivered. I'd like us to move those 4 on and keep the others with just the one year left on their contracts.

CBT still has 2 seasons left on his, as do JWZ, Lars-Jorgen, Nyambe, Ebou and Daj. I see all of them staying with the club. JWZ, Lars, Nyambe and Ebou will be matchday 18 if not starters. Daj, squad unless he gets a half season loan somewhere. JE has been upbeat about what CBT has been doing in training. Last chance to show he's more than just a sicknote.

Kenzo to 2028. Hopefully played as a #10 rather than a 6 or an 8.

Those expiring this summer are Phillips, Yates, Clarke, Roofe, Harness, Ozoh, Tommo, Armstrong, Hendrick, Barks, Pieters, Wash, Foz and Luthra. Probably cant afford Phillips wages. If Yates comes back it shouldn't be as the main striker. I think Clarke will stay and there's probably a clause in his contract we can trigger now we're staying up. If there isn't one the club has made a big mistake. Roofe can go, Harness too as he's not been consistently good enough. Ozoh is very good but appears to be made of glass unfortunately. Tommo new deal please. Armstrong I expect to make Everton's matchday squad next season but, if he does go out on loan again, yes please. Hendrick, Barks and Pieters all to leave. Foz, a 1 year deal. Luthra? We need a 3rd keeper and he's cheap as chips, if we let him go we'd still need a replacement. Not bothered either way. Interesting time ahead on squad changes.

[swaledale]

There was a reported string of players we didn't sign but wanted in January. Some went elsewhere, others stayed where they were.

Yes, the key word being "reported", that loanee from Villa, went to Hull, reported on a ?1 million loan fee plus 100% wages and managed 3 games. As for these other players, where exactly were the funds going to come from to sign them?

January is always a difficult window and more so if the club is bottom end of the league and in danger of relegation. What we do know is that some rather good players came in January, pity many of them got injured, but thank **** Armstrong came and remained fit.

Warne signed some good players, some not so good, Eustace has proven that, the reality is that financial restraints on wages and transfer/loan fees were more of an obstacle. Thank goodness Cashin's sale enabled Eustace to be snaffled from Blackburn!

[ramAnag]

Yes, the key word being "reported", that loanee from Villa, went to Hull, reported on a ?1 million loan fee plus 100% wages and managed 3 games. As for these other players, where exactly were the funds going to come from to sign them?

January is always a difficult window and more so if the club is bottom end of the league and in danger of relegation. What we do know is that some rather good players came in January, pity many of them got injured, but thank **** Armstrong came and remained fit.

Warne signed some good players, some not so good, Eustace has proven that, the reality is that financial restraints on wages and transfer/loan fees were more of an obstacle. Thank goodness Cashin's sale enabled Eustace to be snaffled from Blackburn!

Of the late arrivals, I think Clarke, Armstrong and Langas have made the difference, just as Adams did a year earlier.
Without those three - and Eustace - I think we’d have been down by the middle of April and I cannot speak highly enough of Langas whose attitude to playing through the pain barrier has been nothing other than outstanding.
If that’s him at about 50% I look forward to seeing the fully fit version next season.

Unfortunately from Warne’s point of view…for every Langas, Armstrong and Adams there’s a Washington, Ward, Bradley and Blackett-Taylor.

[swaledale]

Of the late arrivals, I think Clarke, Armstrong and Langas have made the difference, just as Adams did a year earlier.
Without those three - and Eustace - I think we?d have been down by the middle of April and I cannot speak highly enough of Langas whose attitude to playing through the pain barrier has been nothing other than outstanding.
If that?s him at about 50% I look forward to seeing the fully fit version next season.

Unfortunately from Warne?s point of view?for every Langas, Armstrong and Adams there?s a Washington, Ward, Bradley and Blackett-Taylor.

Or from Guardiola's point of view for every De Bruyne, there's Kalvin Phillips! Except he cost north of ?40 million, whereas Wanre's failures don't amount to ?500K!

Every manager has transfers that don't work for whatever reason, whatever the budget but obviously when shopping in the bargain basement the odds are greater.

Also all of those players you mention were L1 signings, now as Birmingham have shown, with a big transfer and wage budget, you can win L1 comfortably, when largely restricted to free transfers 2nd place wasn't too shabby.

Absolutely agree that without Eustace we'd be down, but the fact remains it was largely Warne's squad that he kept us up with. I think Zetterstrom was a fine signing to, oh and didn't Warne sign Vickers?

[ramAnag]

Or from Guardiola's point of view for every De Bruyne, there's Kalvin Phillips! Except he cost north of ?40 million, whereas Wanre's failures don't amount to ?500K!

Every manager has transfers that don't work for whatever reason, whatever the budget but obviously when shopping in the bargain basement the odds are greater.

Also all of those players you mention were L1 signings, now as Birmingham have shown, with a big transfer and wage budget, you can win L1 comfortably, when largely restricted to free transfers 2nd place wasn't too shabby.

Absolutely agree that without Eustace we'd be down, but the fact remains it was largely Warne's squad that he kept us up with. I think Zetterstrom was a fine signing to, oh and didn't Warne sign Vickers?

Lol, we’ll never see completely eye to eye on this one will we?
Completely agree about Zetterstrom and Vickers and yes…of course it was largely Warne’s squad that kept us up. Of course it was, given the timing of his ‘release’ it would have been impossible not to be.
Equally Rosenior’s signings played a very significant part in getting us up in the first place.

All I’ll say is, I suspect Eustace and Rosenior will both have much bigger futures in management than PW who I wish well and am sure he’ll make a very good career in the lower divisions.

[MadAmster]

Yes, the key word being "reported", that loanee from Villa, went to Hull, reported on a ?1 million loan fee plus 100% wages and managed 3 games. As for these other players, where exactly were the funds going to come from to sign them?

Going on the premise that PW wasn't just spreading meadow dressing when he did all those RamsTV interviews about talking to clubs and players, there must have been funds there or those talks wouldn't have started, would they?

[MadAmster]

Today's tit bits from around "socials". No facts, just rumours.

Fozzy has agreed a 1 year deal.
Survival has triggered a 2 year option for Clarke.

Happy enough with those.

[SithHappens]

Today's tit bits from around "socials". No facts, just rumours.

Fozzy has agreed a 1 year deal.
Survival has triggered a 2 year option for Clarke.

Happy enough with those.

if true I'd be happy with that

[MadAmster]

if true I'd be happy with that

Decent enough start indeed if, as you say, it's true.

[Ramshank72]

Would be delighted with Clarke, very solid at this level. Wouldn't be upset with wholesale changes though, we need better players if we want to avoid another relegation scrap.