Another striker or 2,another central defender,a new Ceo,a new goalkeeping coach, players to sign new contracts, any more?
We are heading in the right direction and doing a lot of early work which for us is strange. I agree what you say though we've still got a bit of work to do.
I'd add another LB to that list. I also think we will need two CBs, as I'd be very surprised if Pinnock stays.
Positive signs as you say but there’s still plenty of work to do. As things stand I’d like to see the following:- Out (on loan) Walton (Ben) Williams Bird Berkovits Wolfe Mottley-Henry (if still at the club) Palmer (if still at the club) Adeboyejo Miller In Central defender Left back (to provide competition for Pinillos and to allow Williams to go out on loan to play week in week out) Defensive midfielder Wide player (can operate either side) Striker (to provide competition and cover for Moore and Woodrow)
No idea, old mate. But it's unusual for us to have completed so many signings this early in the Summer. Automatic promotion & the transfer window closing on 8th August are both a major factor in this, I suspect. It definitely shows Paul Conway and his team are on the ball, though. If we don't lose any more from our first team squad, I was thinking we'd see another three or four players coming in. The funny thing is, for the first twenty odd years that I followed Barnsley, I think the busiest close season I saw was 1979 when we signed a grand total of four new players (Ronnie, Glavin, Norman Hunter, Gary Pierce & Bobby Flavell). It wasn't uncommon to see no new signings. Ah, different times!
I think in the Championship you need 4 strikers. I think we need another for sure challenging the first team (maybe even a starter to replace Moore to partner Cauley) and then see how we go with Miller, though I'm not sure Adeboyejo will have the opportunities so loan makes sense. Agree on CH's (may need 2 if Pinnock doesn't sign a new deal) and defensive midfield but left back i'd leave as is. Right back I'd sign a new first choice right back and have J Williams as back up unless Stendel thinks he has what it takes to be first choice at a higher level.
You don't rate Dimitri Cavare, old mate? I never knew that(!) You should've said(!) Oh, and welcome back. It's good to see you posting again.
Well I've been told I'm too subtle with my opinions and that I should share them more ;-) Ok... so that's lies, I made that up! ;-) It's a shame with Dimi. He's a character. He's got fantastic strength and when he's switched on he can certainly be intimidating and cause problems. I just don't think he's switched on to realise the implications of what he does, and I've seen past players lambasted for not tracking back and not giving everything to get back in if at fault. So those are my biggest bugbears. His channel got targeted by a few teams who really caused us problems, I'm really concerned what a championship team would do. But if he's here, I hope he develops, improves and proves to be an asset, just as I do every Barnsley player. I'm just not that confident he has it in him. And thanks, its been a crazy few months, been having a kitchen extension and to say its been the most testing 5 months is an absolute understatement. Been in a rental place just a stones throw away to be close and check up and guide the builders if needed. You don't realise how much you miss your actual home or how hard it is to see a place you've lived over a decade get absolutely ripped to bits. But we're nearly there now, hoping we might be back in by next weekend and can start the backbreaking effort of cleaning it and decorating! Nice to be missed to a slight degree, even if its likely in isolation! ;-)
I'm glad that the reason behind the pause in posting is innocent, even if it's been a pain in the posterior both domestically and financially.
Well I can't deny, there were other reasons that caused the self imposed silence and to walk away for a bit and I just didn't even visit here for god knows how long. Then I started having a nosey a few weeks ago when the transfers started ticking over... and frankly I got fed up of seeing the drivel of some posters when not logged in... so now I've signed back in its much better! ;-) As for the pain of building... I think the worst thing has been constantly having to pester the builders on things that seem common sense and then making them undo things. Was hoping to be back in on 1st June so we're likely going to be 5 weeks over. As for cost.... I daren't even think about it even if I've accounted for every penny! And once we all know what happens with that B word thing, I'll tell you if it was a stroke of genius to do it now, or insanity! ;-) No wonder my beer consumption has likely increased!
During December & January, I took a break from the BBS, as my daughter's health took a huge downturn. Funnily enough it coincided with numerous posts about how we were definitely going to drop down the league because the team was no good and the January transfer window showed we had no interest in getting promotion, as all our better players were obviously going to get sold!
Sorry to hear that, hope things have improved. I can certainly understand and align with reasons for stepping away from a certain theme that can sometimes feel too dominant and out of context for how you might be feeling generally. Personally my tolerance for intolerance ebbed away too much and I just thought.... why? So I chose to step away. There's some really good people on here (yourself included, obviously! ;-))… but its all too easy to forget about those good people when the opposite camp burgeons, both in virtual Barnsley land and when I get the fairly fleeting chances I get to to visit it.
Thank you for that and right back at you! Back to the football. I thoroughly enjoyed last season, especially when we won our first automatic promotion in 22 years! For me, Daniel Stendel has been an absolute star for the club and long may that continue. I have the utmost faith in his abilities in getting the best out of his squad and can honestly see his stock continuing to rise in the Championship. If others see how the club is being run, or how the squad is developing differently to how I do, it no longer bothers me. It did at one time, but not anymore. I have a more intense 'Live and Let Live' approach than I've ever had. This 'c'est la vie' attitude seems to have coincided with becoming a Granddad!