As the season draws ever closer and our squad gets a bit thinner have we ever stopped to consider that we really are just getting rid of the high wage earners and the 'filler' players? Think of it this way, the below were all pilloried for one reason or another, I'll just pick out examples of what some have said: Turnbull - Glass back, not as good as Davies, high wage earner to be sat on the bench Mvoto - A comedy footballer who was never good enough Jennings - Overweight and lacking in commitment Lalkovic - No end product Holgate - Greedy and to be honest despite his potential the lad was never a right back. Centre half yes, right back no. Berry - Too lightweight, although I didn't agree and actually thought there was a decent footballer in there. Bailey - Divides opinion. Good when you're winning, useless when the chips are down. Ramage - Injury Prone Cranie - Relegation King Hemmings - Now he was utterly useless! Take out the loans of Waring, Pearson, Stewart, Jabo and the released youngsters who never really got a look in, Oates, Nana etc and really you've still got the core of what we've got left. We've still got all the winners of the player of the year awards. We've still got an international centre half. We've still got 'the messiah' in Hourihane. We've still got our best finisher, our first choice keeper and a lad in Scowan who's potentially the best player in this division. Add to that a player who scored the winner in the Scottish Cup Final, a highly rated youngster from Bolton, Mawson who finished in the top 3 players in League 2 last season despite it being his first league campaign and Roberts who is the giant, header winning, corner scoring from, 'big bloke' that most people have been crying out for at the back and is it really that bleak? YES we need more players. YES we are thin on the ground but remember that Johnson wants to work with a small squad. He did at Oldham with 18 players and when he arrived he said he wanted to here. It's easier to garner that team spirit, the Battling Barnsley tag that we've lost over the last few years. I don't like the use of the loan system as much as anyone else BUT if it allows us to bring in the quality of the likes of Pearson and hopefully Rothwell can we really complain all that much? Johnson will live or die by this approach, but is it really any worse than when we had Flitcroft bringing in 30 odd 'special human beings' and nearly running the club into the floor with his jobs-for-mates attitude? Just a thought like.
Good post. But are you sure optimism is allowed on here? Haha I do agree, our first team looks good to me, we just need a few added numbers to our squad and we'll be decent. It is only the 17th of July too. Sign a couple of players in a short space of time and our squad looks completely different.
I agree with most of your views. Certainly we have had too many players who have not been good enough in the squad in recent years who have just filled up the numbers. We have a good 1st XI and it's also worth remembering that with one or two quality signings we could have a great team. Ryan Williams and O'Sullivan turned the team from mid-table to world-beaters because they brought pace: more of that and we will be looking excellent We used 43 players last season, but continuity this season could be crucial, like Wycombe last season, didn't use any players but kept a tight group and did very well
Excellent post. LJ has done a fantastic job in getting rid of the dross. It's now a matter of fleshing out the quite bare bones he has left. If it is to be loans to a certain extent, then there is no cogent argument for delay. Get em in and integrated. There is a lot of crap posted about contradicting the "young hungry player" policy in recruiting loan players. As though any young and hungry player will hang around too long with us anyway, if he shows great promise. How many first team games did Stones and Holgate play? The loan players are as likely to stay as long as any golden nugget we've polished. It's up to LJ now - he stands or falls by what he is up to now. He has no excuses.
I agree with these points. I also agree that we are developing a strong and solid 'core' of a team of players committed to the cause and amongst whom LJ will need to develop his own ethos and style of play. Over a couple further transfer windows, we can add the quality which we will need. We have the foundations, let LJ get on with the building. I trust those in charge to scout and recruit effectively. It is important now not to waste a wage packet, or a position in the team with a poor acquisition.
What a refreshing change to read such a post on here in amongst the plethora of moany, whingy negative crap. "3 transfer windows" LJ has said, which plenty have said they hope he gets that, then the same people rail against what he's doing right now because he's not built the perfect squad in the space of a month. I've almost stopped reading this forum recently, I'm certainly not posting as much about football, but your post (and a few others) has brightened my day.
Yes but consider this : There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man’s fears, and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call ... The Twilight Zone.
Aha, I now see the strategy; have no players and storm the league. Genius, can't believe no-one has ever thought of this before.
Burnley when they were promoted to and in the Prem used a small squad of players and performed way above expectations. This idea that we NEED a big squad is stupid, quality over quantity is what's needed.
Allelujah... Good post! Also keen to see how the new development squad players come along. Potential in there kid from liverpool, man u and newcastle...
I love how this board has to be black or white and polarise to the positive and negative extremes. My concern is that actions repeatedly fail to align with communications at the club, a plethora of contradictions. Its not to do with squad numbers, the Flitcroft squad was ridiculous, the amount of players last season was ridiculous (as we see manager after manager i'm sure managers are hamstrung with being given players that are going to be signed pretty much regardless) and it's no basis for a tight nucleus of a squad. We currently have a squad of 19 players. 17 if Digby and Holgate are ditched. 16 if Bailey is ditched too. Of those 16 only 7 have played more than 10 games for us, 1 is a loan. Then we add in development players and loans and youths. With injuries already, we look extremely lightweight, up front and in the full back areas. Loans cannot surely be the best way to resolve these issues can they? After all the repeated communications of not using loans, having too many, relying too much on them, learning from past mistakes... we look like over half of our signings before the season starts are loans. It's also fair to question the ditching of so many players that could add something if coached well. Another sad element in this day and age where a manager knowing he gets such little time (especially at Oakwell), has to ditch a whole squad and replace it with people known to them. I'm worried. But obviously I still hope we do well. i'm just not expectant. I'd take 19th gladly at this stage.
All this and then some. I too would view avoiding relegation as a success, considering the age and experience of the squad.
